# Can someone explain the rationale behind "low" pants?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-rationale-behind-low-pants/515630>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 29, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-rationale-behind-low-pants/515630 "2009-10-29T16:58:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-rationale-behind-low-pants/515630/101 "2009-11-20T00:42:02Z")

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> [@Snickers](#):
>
> My husband tutors some disadvantaged youth, and he said that one of the kids he tutors stopped sagging when his two-year-old niece laughed at him. So there is hope.

Took me a while, but I finally found [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4699104&postcount=12), which has stuck with me ever since:

> [@BraheSilver](#):
>
> I think last week I may have misadvertantly participated in the end of some kid’s clothing rebellion.
> 
> I was leaving a store and passed a family on the way in; the mother and father were dressed “normally” (I say that in quotes because I can’t really remember what they were dressed in, so it wasn’t anything that stuck out in my mind) and trailing behind them was a boy, I guess about 13, wearing baggy pants with the belt around the mid-thigh to keep them from falling off, a tight black t-shirt, a spiked collar and spiky hair. I must have snickered after passing by, which I admit may have been rude, but he looked so goofy waddling along.
> 
> The father turned around and asked if I had laughed at his son. I explained that while the kid was fully in his right to dress that way, I wasn’t offended but I did think he looked stupid. He turned back to his family and said “Yes! He was laughing at you!” The boy looked so crushed, I almost felt guilty.
> 
> I can imagine the conversation that went on beforehand:  
> Boy: I do not look like an idiot! I’m hardcore!  
> Father: Fine. We’ll go out in public and see about that.  
> Boy: Fine!

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-rationale-behind-low-pants/515630/102 "2009-11-24T16:11:35Z")

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For those of you wondering how they keep their trousers up:

[Stringbean 1](http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/llaaksonen/Stringbean_1.jpg) (external view).

[Stringbean 2](http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m305/llaaksonen/Stringbean_2.jpg) (internal view).

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-rationale-behind-low-pants/515630/103 "2009-11-24T16:24:43Z")

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> [@Scarlett67](#):
>
> Took me a while, but I finally found [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4699104&postcount=12), which has stuck with me ever since:

To quote Jeff Foxworthy: “If your parents still drive you to school, you ain’t no gangsta, pull your pants up!”

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