a little hip hop schoolin required...can someone explain the significance and/ or origin of this "phenomenon"?

I thought it has something to do with prison wear and how sizes didn't match the waist of the convict. So it became a fashion statement for some reason.

anyone who does this and thinks they look good are sadly mistaken

I don't even know how it originated. So many people I know have changed their entire style of walking to accommodate the ridiculously low pants they're wearing. Now it's a kind of wide legged waddle.

In the high school where I work, we're CONSTANTLY fighting with that crap!

I hate to see GROWN MEN dressed like that!

PREDOMINANT said:

agreed agreed agreed.

Especially when your T shirt has to look like a dress just to cover your ass up.

it's roots are in jail and prison.

worst fashion EVER!

but, sometimes really, really funny. like, watching people try to be sneaky about holding up their pants. or, when the pants actually fall down

Prison.

Inmates are not permitted to wear belts, so their pants tended to droop.
Somehow prison-chic made it's way to urbanwear.

Imago said:

you're so gangsta.

I thought it was a covert message that they dong swings so long it needs mo' "leg" room...

JerseyKRS said:

They call me 'big perm' at Toni & Guy.

They look like they've pooed there pants

luvsexy4all said:

The most horrifying fashion trend ever What I want to know is how the hell do they stay up when clearly they are hanging by a pube? Is it the wide stance swagger or is there some method or trick for keeping the belt attached to the undies or whatever?

luvsexy4all said:

Simple: Fools with no sense of taste, style or HISTORY.
[Edited 5/5/09 10:59am]

Graycap23 said:

Asked the neighbor kid..

"What's the deal with the pants...not enough to hold 'em up in front?"

Didn't see him w/his pant's like that again ...well, at least around me..

pippet said:

The history of the low pants came from prison--South LA from what the gang educators here say, and the pants below the butt were a message to other prisoners that a person was willing to be someone else's "bitch". Sorry to slang it that way, just sharing what I have learned, repeatedly, from more than one educator about this.

So, that is where the lovely fashion came from.

bluesbaby said:

That's what I've always heard.

how about the ladies? are they crazy enough to also live by this fashion statement?

chocolate1 said:

I wonder would these kids run arround with teir pants hangin' like this if they knew the origins? You know that style caught on a little bit over here with young teens trying to emulate what they see as American rap culture...the next time I see one on the bus, I just wanna lean over and say, "Psssst, ya know what, Kid...?"

chocolate1 said:

I can't believe that . . .

luvsexy4all said:

I refer to that look as plumber pants, cause trades men tend to be bent over fixing shit and of course crack begins to appear.

bluesbaby said:

Actually that practice started in the prisons in the 1950's.

luvsexy4all said:

Butches are

I've read it started in prisons, when a man was willing to have sex with an inmate he would pull his pants down to show his behind as a message to the other gay inmates. They remove belts in too so maybe that had something to do with it. But the fad started in prison.
[Edited 5/6/09 7:16am]

I've seen ppl rock the style pretty well.

Girls too. It can be kinda cool if you got what it takes to pull it off right.

But then I'm kinda free like that.