Teens wearing pants at their knees..

[jazzielady]

It always reminds me of Bert in Mary Poppins. The scene where he's dancing with the penguins!

 

[jazzielady]

Whether children know it or not, the "look" originated with the jail house. Belts are taken away so trousers slump.

Their exaggerated version glorifies being in jail.

I've heard that it originated in prison as a way for prisoners to "signal" to one another that they were "available", if you get my meaning.

 

[HunnyPots]

My 19 year old son and his friends have been over this style for quite a while now. Just another fad that comes and goes with no serious consequence.

ETA: This is what snopes.com has to say about the origin of the style: http://www.snopes.com/risque/homosex/sagging.asp

 

[Dismagic1]

I've heard that it originated in prison as a way for prisoners to "signal" to one another that they were "available", if you get my meaning.

 

[jazzielady]

My 19 year old son and his friends have been over this style for quite a while now. Just another fad that comes and goes with no serious consequence.

ETA: This is what snopes.com has to say about the origin of the style: http://www.snopes.com/risque/homosex/sagging.asp

Thanks for clearing that up! Still the story is a deterrent to some boys at least!

 

[Dr. M]

Everytime I see this style, which is rare anymore, I try hard to stifle laughing out loud. Do these boys not know that people are laughing and will never take them seriously? Most boys barely have a rear-end to hold up their pants even when worn properly! Recently I spotted the especially exaggerated version where almost the whole buttocks barely clad in boxers is visible--That had me rolling Please parents...tell your kids how comical they look---or someone else might.

 

[WDWtrlrprktrsh]

Still a pretty big occurrence here, but mostly only to those of the hip hop set. One good thing about it..at least they're wearing underwear! I'd rather see the boxers and buttocks in baggy jeans than the entire package highlighted as it is sometime in those skinny jeans.

 

[Handbag Lady]

The gangsters here and their wannabes still wear them here. I'm glad they are out of the mainstream now.

I just COULD NOT resist the urge to pants them. I just wanted to trip them or quickly give a tug...okay there, I didn't, but resisting was hard.

Laughing at them when they tripped, THAT was easy.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

The gangsters here and their wannabes still wear them here. I'm glad they are out of the mainstream now.

I just COULD NOT resist the urge to pants them. I just wanted to trip them or quickly give a tug...okay there, I didn't, but resisting was hard.

Laughing at them when they tripped, THAT was easy.

Yeah... be careful. If they truly were gangsters, you might have been shot.

 

[barkley]

i've been retired almost 10 years, but when i worked for social services it was in an urban setting with a horrendous percentage of incarceration.

the trend there had been going on for years, but while the pants were loose and baggy, young men were heavily chastised in the community for wearing the ones that drooped down. those that did the chastising were the ex-cons in the community who clued them in that the style was definatly a prison indicator that the person was available and soliciting taking on the female role in prison relationships.

it was'nt uncommon to hear these referred to as "b---- pants".

 

[bicker]

I don't think parents are really supposed to "get" teen styles. That's half the point, isn't it? At least from the teen's POV...

A necessary part of teenagerdom since January 1956.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It's gotten much, much worse the past 5 years. Why do parents allow this?

Really? Must be regional? I don't see it as much anymore as it used to be.

 

[luvsJack]

The first time I saw someone wearing their jeans this way was when my younger ds was about 8 and we were on our way to a karate tournament in another town. He is now 26. This style has been around awhile.

It seems that they were just imitating the rappers. At least I know that is where my sons and their friends got it from.

Even dd's softball coach wears his pants very loose. Ever so often he has to hold them or pull them up to keep them from hitting the ground. BTW, he is an excellent coach and really good with the girls.

We a large number of students that wear their pants this way (community college) and many are excellent students. Their pants are more the style that is made to look like they are falling down but are actually belted just below the waist.

Now, we also have several known gang members in our student population. NONE of them wear this style.

Can't tell a book by its cover and all, you know.

 

[rgf207]

The first thing I thought when I read the title... American Idol fan perhaps?

lol, no but that video went viral

 

[Mermaid02]

I think it's fading here- it looks stupid. The boys have to walk with their knees 2 feet apart to keep their pants up- If that makes them feel cool, whatever, but they look dumb.

 

[joviroxx]

The first time I saw someone wearing their jeans this way was when my younger ds was about 8 and we were on our way to a karate tournament in another town. He is now 26. This style has been around awhile.

It seems that they were just imitating the rappers. At least I know that is where my sons and their friends got it from.

Even dd's softball coach wears his pants very loose. Ever so often he has to hold them or pull them up to keep them from hitting the ground. BTW, he is an excellent coach and really good with the girls.

We a large number of students that wear their pants this way (community college) and many are excellent students. Their pants are more the style that is made to look like they are falling down but are actually belted just below the waist.

Now, we also have several known gang members in our student population. NONE of them wear this style.

Can't tell a book by its cover and all, you know.

Yeah, but loose is one thing, belted around the thighs, thats another LOL!

 

[snapppyd]

I'm laughing at myself - I was wondering why you were so annoyed about capris!

I heard this style was called jailin' - because in prison they take away your belt.

 

[Rora]

Just a fad, IMO. I remember when I was a young teen (middle school age) and all the ridiculous things we wore. They grow out of it and parents simply have to endure it unless they want to create problems over something so silly as pants.

 

[Jennasis]

I heard that the fad was supposed to be a symbol of wealth. In other words, your pockets were so full of money that it weighed your pants down.

Lookin' like a fool indeed.

 

[Aisling]

I heard that the fad was supposed to be a symbol of wealth. In other words, your pockets were so full of money that it weighed your pants down.

Lookin' like a fool indeed.

That's what the kids say around here, too. They do look foolish, but it'll pass as a fad when the next rapper comes up with something else for them to copy. As Bicker said, it's all part of teendom.