What Does Sagging Pants Mean

“In an article published on Slate’s “”DoubleX Gabfest”” blog, writer Adam Davidson asked his readership what they thought about the recent phenomenon of young people wearing their pants low around their ankles. One reader responded with a story he’d heard from one of his friends who was currently serving a sentence for drug offenses. The friend had been incarcerated since June 2011 and wore his pants low because it made him look like he wasn’t carrying any weight, which suggested that he was not a threat to anyone.
That explanation doesn’t fly in our current climate with rampant obesity, though. As we know, there are plenty of reasons why someone might choose to wear their pants low. Maybe the person has a bad back or sciatica; maybe the pants themselves are too long, making them drag on the floor. Whatever the reason, many have tried to explain what exactly is going on when someone wears their pants low. Some believe it suggests sexual availability, while others think it’s just a fad. Either way, it seems no one can quite agree what it means. It’s become so widespread that even President Barack Obama found himself caught up in the debate. In March 2013, during a trip to Germany, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters that he hadn’t seen anyone wearing their pants low recently. When pressed further, Carney said that he didn’t want to be judgmental but added, “”I guess I’m old fashioned.””
The truth of the matter is that if you’ve ever worn your pants low, then you probably don’t need me telling you how wrong you are. That said, there are some things worth knowing before you start dressing yourself in a manner that could make you the target of unwanted attention. For starters, there are two schools of thought as to whether sagging pants mean anything besides fashion sense. On the one hand, people say that they’re simply trying to show off their shoes by drawing more attention to them. Others claim that the pants actually serve as a sort of underwear, holding everything in place without requiring any support from fabric. Still other folks insist that the whole thing is a modern myth, created by prisoners who would rather call it a “”fancy ponytail.””
So, let’s take a closer look at these theories. First off, it’s important to point out that there are still plenty of people who believe that low pants do indeed suggest sex appeal. In fact, one of the most well known pieces of folklore tells us that this is exactly what sagging pants signify. According to this theory, the lower part of the pant leg is meant to mimic the shape of a woman’s garter belt. If one wears their pants below the ankle, this supposedly sends the message that they are available for sex. Of course, this idea falls apart pretty quickly once you realize that women often put their panties on backwards (i.e., with the front facing outward). So, while the intent may be there, the execution is all off.
Next up, we’ll consider another popular theory — that low pants are merely a fad. A lot of people believe that the popularity of low pants stems from the desire to emulate hip hop culture. Many rappers and musicians have taken to wearing their pants low, including Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. However, the argument here isn’t really that different than the previous theory. People wear their pants low because they feel cool, not because they think it makes them look sexy. Plus, the style of clothing and the music itself tend to be far less suggestive than something like, say, provocative lingerie ads that typically appear in popular magazines.
Finally, we’ll talk about whether or not sagging pants are really just a trend. While it’s true that some argue that the low pants look never stood a chance anyway, a number of experts maintain that the trend will likely continue regardless of what happens next. In addition to the various explanations already mentioned, there are also those who believe that the whole thing is nothing more than a rumor started by convicts, who noticed that they could easily conceal contraband items such as weapons or drugs inside the folds of their pants.
Now that we know a few things about what sagging pants mean, it’s clear that the issue is largely meaningless. Whether or not low pants are considered a trend depends entirely upon who you ask. Ultimately, however, the best advice is to avoid wearing your pants down unless you absolutely must. Doing so could cause problems ranging from embarrassing to potentially dangerous. ”