Yet another city has made baggy pants public enemy number one.
Trenton New Jersey councilwoman Annette Lartigue is drafting a proposal to make it a crime to wear sagged pants as well.
This comes after last month's ban proposal in Atlanta, which includes criminalizing publicly worn sports bras. Meanwhile, Delcambe, a city in Louisiana has already approved a fine of $500 or six months in jail for sagging, too.
As a person who was a teenager when the whole baggy pants edict came into vogue in the early 90s, I have to admit that I find all of this a bit ridiculous.
Most hip-hop inspired kids in the 90s bought oversized pants to contrast the ultra tight spandex fashions that reigned. The pants sagged by default because they were too just too big. You couldn't buy baggy pants in your size because there were none. Then designer underwear came in vogue, and what better way to show them off than with your sagging size 22 Levis.
At some point, designers caught on, and the likes of FUBU and Karl Kani, began to make loose pants that actually fit in the waist, too.
Now people like to say that this style was an offshoot of the prison culture where prisoners couldn't wear belts. Perhaps so, but most people wearing this style are not consciously mimicking the styles of jailed criminals.
I guess some politicians are determined that they share that fate, anyway.
Every generation at some point had a style that parents hated. I'm sure my grandparents weren't thrilled about my dad's looming Afro in the 60s, and my Mississippi born grandma claimed her own father wouldn't let her wear these new sex enablers called swimsuits to the county pond in the 30s.
This is just another excuse to upgrade the police harressment of teenagers and young adults, most of whom are people of color, and find new ways for the city to make money off of them. I don't know if the legislators who are waving the banner of the anti sag care about this fact, or if they sincerely hope that jail time will curb a trend they'd rather see burn at the public stake, either way I'd hate for ticket happy cops to be scoping parks and school yards waiting for an unassuming kid in lowriders to bend over.
As for the trend itself, my biggest beef is that it's still around. I mean baggy, sagging jeans have been around for over a decade now. And despite the emerging fashionistas and new school designers in tow, some refuse to let the trend die.
But if the asymmetrical and the mohawk can make a comeback and wide flair jeans can sit beside boot cut denim in peace, then baggy, sagging jeans have their place in fashion history, too as the first fad to be banned across the nation.
Call it true renegade fashion. So cool, they'll put you in jail for wearing it. Totally, antiestablishment. Now that's a marketing angle.
Trenton New Jersey councilwoman Annette Lartigue is drafting a proposal to make it a crime to wear sagged pants as well.
This comes after last month's ban proposal in Atlanta, which includes criminalizing publicly worn sports bras. Meanwhile, Delcambe, a city in Louisiana has already approved a fine of $500 or six months in jail for sagging, too.
As a person who was a teenager when the whole baggy pants edict came into vogue in the early 90s, I have to admit that I find all of this a bit ridiculous.
Most hip-hop inspired kids in the 90s bought oversized pants to contrast the ultra tight spandex fashions that reigned. The pants sagged by default because they were too just too big. You couldn't buy baggy pants in your size because there were none. Then designer underwear came in vogue, and what better way to show them off than with your sagging size 22 Levis.
At some point, designers caught on, and the likes of FUBU and Karl Kani, began to make loose pants that actually fit in the waist, too.
Now people like to say that this style was an offshoot of the prison culture where prisoners couldn't wear belts. Perhaps so, but most people wearing this style are not consciously mimicking the styles of jailed criminals.
I guess some politicians are determined that they share that fate, anyway.
Every generation at some point had a style that parents hated. I'm sure my grandparents weren't thrilled about my dad's looming Afro in the 60s, and my Mississippi born grandma claimed her own father wouldn't let her wear these new sex enablers called swimsuits to the county pond in the 30s.
This is just another excuse to upgrade the police harressment of teenagers and young adults, most of whom are people of color, and find new ways for the city to make money off of them. I don't know if the legislators who are waving the banner of the anti sag care about this fact, or if they sincerely hope that jail time will curb a trend they'd rather see burn at the public stake, either way I'd hate for ticket happy cops to be scoping parks and school yards waiting for an unassuming kid in lowriders to bend over.
As for the trend itself, my biggest beef is that it's still around. I mean baggy, sagging jeans have been around for over a decade now. And despite the emerging fashionistas and new school designers in tow, some refuse to let the trend die.
But if the asymmetrical and the mohawk can make a comeback and wide flair jeans can sit beside boot cut denim in peace, then baggy, sagging jeans have their place in fashion history, too as the first fad to be banned across the nation.
Call it true renegade fashion. So cool, they'll put you in jail for wearing it. Totally, antiestablishment. Now that's a marketing angle.
2 comments:
A slippery slope indeed... if you start banning clothing choices, what's next? Jailing people without any charges or due process? Oops, sorry Ashcroft, been there, done that..
One day we turn a certain age and it dawns on us...unspoken "rules" are good (like wearing pants around our waist), our parents were right about everything (go to school and become a productive member of society), and youngsters just like to "sharpen their teeth" by raging against the machine (fight the power for the sake of the fight alone). I finally understood this as I had to share the road to a life of peace with my children. Peace is an art, not just letting people steamroll you but living your life to your satisfaction.
Most of us have no responsibility for anyone else but ourselves. It is easy to rage against the machine when you are only giving yourself up. But are you willing to give up your child...your innocent child? What about your elderly parent who raised you and is counting on you. Me neither.
As for the jeans. Against the law? No. However, pull them up and shut up.
Post a Comment