The ever-so pertinent question: to sag or not to sag?

[Danielle]

Okay. Now I love my people to death. We are the culture that other cultures love to emulate when it comes to music and fashion. But do we really want to be recognized for a fashion trend that is so controversial, not only because of its origin but also because of the assumptions that are made about the people that decide to wear these low-lying pants?

In my high school days it was all about the "preppy" look: Polo and Nautica shirts, starched Polo jeans, and Cole Haans. Now it is the polar opposite, t-shirts that are 3 sizes too big, jeans that are 4 sizes too big, and a belt to hold them in place to ensure that they don't fall completely to the floor.

Now various schools and areas are enacting fines if they catch people wearing their pants this way. Is this simply a way for the law to try to control our young people to get them to conform to their ways? And are our young people refusing to comply because they don't like being told what to do, or is it really that important to them to show their underwear to the world?

[Joseph]

You now Danielle, when growing up I used to watch TV and all I wanted was to emulate and be like those superstar musicians, you know that time it was baggy clothes, then the sagging came and ear piercing and you know the rest...

Now, I must tell you my dad and mum and elder brothers were really offended and I just can't remember the number of time they threatened what they were going to do if I didn't stop. (I only wanted to fit in with what my friends were already doing)

You know the rest of the kids in the neighborhood and my cousins included were all doing the same. Our defense at the time was quite simple, my cousins and me started pulling and showing family photos of our parents dressed in the 70's tight and afro style and then could argue that this was just a trend.

Personally, I think this is a trend that would be hard to stop. I think it's fine so long as the sagging is not taken to extremes the way sometimes I see and I'm left gaping for fresh air I guess I'm getting old for that kind of dressing!

[njeri]

Hey I think they should raise the money they charge them cause I think it is disgusting.It is either they pull up their pants or pull down their waistline. What the deal of showing off checked boxers. I don't call it culture it is just a wave of confusion among the youth.

[rose]

It is a very uncouth behavior of dressing. The solution is to turn around the solution and view it from a different perspective. Most people who dress like this really don't have a reason they do because the so called "hip" people do it.
If you ever look at media most entertainers dress like that and they have very big influence on the youth. One thing we can do is support entertainers like Neyo unlike Chris Brown ,Lil Wayne and the list is endless.

An entertainer like Neyo has been awarded awards for being gentle man of the year. His dressing style is appealing to any one. Awarding such awards will probably give some youths a different idea on the whole issue of sagging

The other perspective think if all law breakers sag their pant I assure you no matter how fast they ran the police will always catch them, because they concentrating more on keeping their pants on rather than running

[sanju123]

This is one of the worst trends that has caught up with the youngsters. It looks quite stupid instead of being fashionable. When we were kids, if something used to popup we all would try hard to make the other fellow realize and mend that right away.

[Mei]

yeah. i agree with you guys. i never really appreciated the fashion thing. i have my own fashion style and being simple is better than those crappy things.

[djschwab]

This whole trend actually stems from the prison culture as they would take your belts away so your pants ended up sagging down. I personally hate the look especially when some kids take it to extremes. I wonder if they really know they are emulating criminals.

[calvindale]

Yes it actually started from a prison culture, there's a prison area where belts were not allowed because some prisoners used it as a tool to escape and to fight, so eventually there pants were sagging down. Then It caught the attention of some outsiders that looked at it as a fashion.

[Joseph]

But now we must accept that in some parts of the country, cities, towns and neighborhood or groups, sagging has now become more of a norm and is fast developing and fitting into "a culture thing".

I have been to families where the dad sags, all the male kids and their cousins and just about all the neighborhood sag. And as you know when you are the only one not sagging, they look and treat you like an outsider.

I think this is one of those aspects in a society that can only be overcome by better opportunities and education.