Several U.S. cities snapping over baggy pants

[rodeodance]

Source: USA TODAY


Updated 46m ago


By Laura Parker, USA TODAY
When the Virginia House of Representatives tried to outlaw the wearing of low-slung pants two years ago, they drew ridicule from Sydney to London. Comedians joked about a "boxers' rebellion," and so many online political blogs derided the bill that the state Senate quickly killed it.

The mockery in Richmond, however, hasn't stopped other politicians from trying to stamp out sagging pants. Bans have become law or are being considered in at least eight states. The movement is fueled by growing worries among lawmakers that sloppy dress by America's youth could be related, no matter how indirectly, to delinquency, poor learning and crime.

"If we have kids going around wearing pants below their butts, it's not nice, not decent," says Timothy Holmes, a city commissioner in Opa-locka, Fla. "If you ask six of these kids, 'What are your grades?' four will tell you they're making C's, D's and F's. I see how senior citizens respond to these kids. They're afraid."........

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-14-Baggy_N.htm?csp=1

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I am waiting for some cock to make a statement that these kids are a threat to national security (I am no fan of this new fashion).

[acmavm]

1. I hate it too. But it's not the business of government to be a

fashion critic, or to mandate wearing apparel. That's for parents (for those of us who take the responisibilty, that is).

My mom hated my jeans. I really didn't care. She didn't care that much either to make an issue out of it.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. This is really just subtle Fashion Fascism. What's next? Brownshirts For Brains?

[ananda]

8. uniform codes are everywhere

Formal look: suit and tie

Informal look: poloshirt and khakis or dockers

Military look: camouflage green or desert fashion

Teens look: rebellious with unusual haircuts, tats,
lowslung baggy pants, short shorts or skirts and
tight or revealing tops.

I think the fashions suck.. they're not interesting
or aesthetic at all, at least hardly ever. But there
must be a lot of money to be made off kids, so
designers and retailers have a lot to gain and
they'll sell anything to anybody to make a buck.

Also, we're a very oppressive institutionalized society
where kids are imprisoned in schools in order to
prepare either for the military or for the corporate
mindset. No matter what kids wear, they are going to
see the corporate, military dress code all around....
and that's what counts. This tells them that they are
virtually disempowered and marginalized, and that
they will be part of the system at some point or else
stuck in poverty or homelessness.

There is a certain cache in counterculture enclaves
like those here in Austin, but many of those are being
co-opted by developers and managers who are turning
their rites and festivals into bigbuck enterprises, which
sort of ruins the whole thing, imnsvho.

As far as corporofascism goes, I've noticed that kids like
to rebel against the corporate mold but the problem is
that it leaves many of them lost, confused, and unprepared
for goodpaying jobs.

Really, many kids seem rudderless and neglected..
probably because their parents are working or
dealing with the oppression and stress of this very
brutal society. If they cling to their own fashion group, which
also includes certain activities that might or might not be
healthly.. like drinking, drugging, rapping, clubbing, or
spending hours on the internet.. that is a kind of mindless
groupthink as well, meaning that being part of a group and
conforming to its thought rather prepares them for more
corporate groupthink and mind control methods later on...
and nearly all do succumb at some point.

[mark414]

3. this is insane and not so thinly-veiled racism

are they going to start ticketing women for wearing skirts that are too short or tops that are too "revealing?"

i, personally, am highly offended and scared of men who wear cut off t-shirts; can we ban those next?

are they trying to institute a national dress code? nobody who supports, votes for or introduces these bills is fit to hold office.

[LWolf]

7. I don't see it as racism.

Young men wearing sagging pants are not all one race. Caucasians wear them as readily as the rest of the population.

[mark414]

27. what you see it as doesn't necessarily make it what it is

you know damn well who's being targeted with this - young black males

[LWolf]

28. Possibly.

In my local community, though, it's a multiracial issue.

I think that, if you follow the phenomenon all the way back to its roots, you will definitely find racism.

I just see that the "saggy pants" thing has migrated well beyond race at this point.

Do you think sanctions like these are in response to white outrage that their young men have adopted "black" fashions, attitudes, or tastes?

In that context, I can see it as racism.

[Mojorabbit]

19. In the 70's

I was kicked out of school for the day for wearing a dress that went to my ankles. Boys were kicked out for having long hair and girls were sent home for wearing miniskirts. Every generation of teens push the envelope against society's norm. It is normal.

[rodeodance]

20. the story goes on to use of these pants by Blacks----the majority

[MindPilot]

30. are they going to start ticketing women for wearing skirts that are too short or tops that are too "

No, they just don't let them get on the plane.

[gollygee]

4. Laws for people with bad fashion?

May I nominate the mullet.

[mark414]

5. don't forget overweight people whose shirts are too small

they're next!

[Javaman]

16. Ahhhhh!!!!! My eyes!!!!! (runs from room screaming). nt

[Bonescrat]

6. Isn't fashion supposed to by a cyclical thing?

A return to the days of tight pants and protruding man parts can't be far off...

[moggie]

9. Stop!

Hammertime!

When has youth fashion not scared and upset adults? That's its function! Kids go through this phase, and mostly come out the other side more or less normal. Funny clothing gives them a safe outlet for rebellion; if you force them to dress like young conservatives, they'll just find another way to rebel. Does Timothy Holmes really think the answer to bad grades is tighter pants?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. god our politicians need psychiatric help/

[LanternWaste]

11. And in some Madison Avenue office building...

And in some Madison Avenue office building, a few trend analysts and their ad copy pals are laughing coffee out of their noses, realizing they've finally duped the youth market and marketed individualism at $55.00 a pair. Gonna be a nice Christmas bonus this year...

[MiniMe]

12. Fashion Police - coming to a mall near you

I am no fan of that look either. I remember saying that to a friend of mine who had a teenage son. She told me that her son dressed that way, and that they weren't fighting him on it. She said that you had to pick your battles with kids, and that one was not important enough to argue over.

[lonestarnot]

13. When are they passing out the mandatory brown uniforms?

[nykym]

14. I don't care for the style either!

And to each his own - we all dressed in some way our parents didn't approve of. But when I found out that this particular style originated in prisons as a way of showing the rest of the population that you were somebodys bitch - well its rather amusing now!

[devilgrrl]

15. The baggy pants thing has been around since the early 90's - now they're whining about it?

:crazy:

[xchrom]

17. worse -- it's really already out of fashion -- what they are complaining about

are the die hards of a fashion that's already died.

[devilgrrl]

23. Last year I told this snotty kid that his pants were sooooo 1992.

He didn't appreciate it.

[xchrom]

29. ah -- that is funny -- and i'm sure he didn't. n/t

[Javaman]

18. Bah, we should all be wearing silver jumpsuits by now anyway, after all this is

the 21st century.

[madrchsod]

21. they never learn,,,flappers,zoot suits, beatniks,

hippies,disco darlings,goth .slacker,and now this....is that all they have to bitch about? how about war,poverty,health care,equality of schools.ya i know it`s easier to bitch about some kids who have no idea the origin of those oh so fashionable "low slung pants"....

[AndyTiedye]

22. Weren't They Complaining About TIGHT Pants a Few Years Ago?

[theHandpuppet]

24. If these Baggy Bozos want to look like ridiculous clowns, that's their business

Of course, sometimes fashion bites:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071015/NEWS01/310150014

[SemiCharmedQuark]

25. Great. No better way to make a stupid fashion trend last longer than make it illegal

Now they're all "rebels".

[truthisfreedom]

26. Who created this look? The people who take belts away in jails.

Gangsters get used to seeing each other with their pants falling down, and jail/prison fashion hits the streets.

If everyone in jail was required to wear uniform garb with elastic waistbands, this would never have become a fashion statement.