Young guys around here who post in the Backroom (17-18 years old), how many of you do you wear your pants below your waist? I admit, I do wear mine below my waist. (I make sure my shirt doesn't show my underwear though, I find that disgusting)

But how far would you "old guys" consider this is rude and it is a fashion faux pas, as some would have put it? There is increased confort (at least in my case) by wearing your jeans and pants beyond your waist.

Is it rude or is it okay to wear like this? Why and why not?

Not only is it rude, but incredibly scruffy.

Scruffy teenagers make grumpy old men like me mutter darkly about forcing you lot to march up and down hills for several years dressed immaculately in uniform.

This is because you remind us that not very many years hence, our waistbands will be up around our armpits.

I wear my pants around my waist, because if not I feel uncomfortable for some reason. As long as I don't have to see your underwear or anything else, I don't really care how you wear your pants.

It just makes it that much easier for me to run up and kick you in the shin and run away. Knowing you'll either be too slow to catch me or trip and fall on your face.

I don't see how it is rude. It looks rediculous though.

I would estiamte 90% of people that I see that are my age wear them too low. I wear mine wherever they fall to, which is on my waist. Not below. I like being respectable.

I think the implication is that you look stupid. For comfort I just wear surf shorts or loose jeans and adjust the string/belt to a tightness that is comfortable yet snug and never below my waist.

Meh. When I was younger, I was affiliated at some point with both the Gangsta-wannabe and Sk8r subcultures. I wore my pants at ... relatively low levels, insomuch as I could get them down and have my ass hold them up with a belt. How some guys got their pants so low I never understood, but I hear rumors about safety pins and such. In retrospect, it was kinda goofy. Eventually my britches migrated back up to where they were still ... "low" on my waist, but not really noticable at all. I still prefer them to ride lower on my waist, but in a natural manner, so much that I imagine it's probably normal, whatever normal means. If one were to see me on the street wearing jeans with a belt and a polo shirt tucked in, one wouldn't think twice about it. The only time I ever really notice anything is when I have to wear formal clothing, like a business suit or a tux, because the pants tend to be just a tiny bit higher up on my waist than what I'm used to. Doubtful it'll ever get to the point where I'm like Banquo and my belt is level with my armpits.

So... My take on the whole pants thing is that I don't really want to see someone's underwear. When I see these kids walking around with their pants almost level with what I'm guessing is the bottoms of their boxers, yeah I think that's bordering on indecent, and it looks just downright ridiculous. As much as I do make an effort not to judge others based on appearance, I still can't help but have a somewhat less than positive outlook on people who dress like that, simply because I have some familiarity with the stereotypes that most people who follow them fall into. In short, if you walk into my office for a job interview looking like that, it's doubtful I'm going to take you seriously, because business is business and certain levels of professionalism and conforming attire are the expected norm.

Never. Ever. Ever.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Back in my day, late 60's early 70's, the rebellious teenage uniform consisted of bell-bottom jeans with strategically placed holes and tears "frayed to perfection", tie-dye shirts, scruffy sneakers, sandals or high heel disco shoes, or biker jackets/vests with ripped sleeve shirts/ big belt buckles/ biker boots/chain wallets, long hair & big afros etc... The adult reaction was the same as the BG quote, which is what we wanted/expected at that time. "We are free spirit individuals separate from you grumpy old oppressors". And as life has progressed the roles have changed for those of us from that generation. I have become my Father. Mark my words you of the "pants so low my cheeks show and the only thing holding them up is a hard-on." Your time shall come, so remember this material because you will be seeing it again, only from the other perspective.


I believe it started as an inner-city youth/gansta style. I first noticed it in my real-life job in the prison system about 10 years ago.

Everyone has a different opinion when seeing this style in public, so I will just speak about the "adult world." Meaning the workplace, or family or social gatherings where primarily adults get together.

It's very much looked down on. It's not just a "eh that's old people, older people always frowned at what the younger people were doing." I did not "grow up" wearing a tucked-in shirt, nice pants with a belt and dress shoes. But I wear that to work and to any "respectable" gathering where I know adults will be present with spouses or older people might be there. There is really nothing charming or redeeming or positive about it. What it says about young men, even otherwise well-groomed young men, is I'm a slacker and I don't care if I embarrass myself, or you along with me. It is in my mind kind of an ultimate statement of "screw it, I'm not going to grow up, I'd rather lounge around and play gamecube."

I'm speaking as someone who's not exactly old and settled or married with kids. The older people, like 50+, they just don't get it AT ALL. They don't understand why someone would choose to wear it unless they were poor and were wearing handmedowns, because that's the only way they can rationalize it. I "get" why young guys do it, I just think it doesn't say anything good about you. Not even that you're "cool" or "in touch with your times." It just says "I don't care."

It looks daft and, trust me I'm a doctor, give it 10 years and you'll be looking back and thinking "What was I doing?"

If you don't believe that ask some older people about checked jeans, ankle warmers and snoods.

Dem me larkey, if my lorgnetted eye does affix itself once more on some scruffy ill bred raggamuffin, whose breeches have migrated to below his posterior, then they shall find their exposed rear coming into contact with my boot. Tish, tish.


In short, they look like absolute buffoons, and it is a sign of disrespect which should be corrected.

I really have a hard time understanding why it is rude, it's just fashion

Yep, QFT.

*Shoots himself for agreeing with Frag*

It isn't exactly rude, but it looks ridiculous

Does anyone know where the style comes from, if people really understood how the trend developed they might not be so interested in actually wanting to copy it.

I wear my jeans just below waist level, literally only like an inch or something, its not any kind of fashion statement, i have been doing it as long as i can remember its just a comfort thing.... that and you can usually see the top of my boxers if i do i really bg strech when i yawn, but the family jewels are underneath the jeans...

In my time ... to show your butt crack was due to an enormous paunch making it impossible to get your trousers up to the waist level. Fashion you say? fashion meant for bear bellies perhaps.

Some of the youngsters I see today ... my imagination wants to leave my boot print in their behind and see them scramble and fall as if their shoe laces were tied together.

Ok .. Did I write that out loud?

I don't. Rebellion is not as much in fashion as in mindset.

That said, I have a rather relaxed attitude when it comes to clothing.

Developed from inmates who wouldn't be allowed to wear belts when they were in prison, it also meant that they were homosexual and were available and willing.

So yes indeed, it's a bit disgusting to think from where it came from.

Well, I've been told people had to wear their pants like that in prison simply so they couldn't run, not because of some homosexual willingness thingy.

They wore it like because they had oversized garments and they had no belt to keep their pants up. It was taken by homosexuals indicating "easy access".

It looks pretty stupid. The only people who should be showing butt-crack are plumbers. Pull your pants up, turn your hat around, and get a job! </oldman>

I think they ended up in jail because when droopy drawers tried to run from the 5.O.,*cops*, he tripped on his pants.