Boys with their rear ends hanging out of their pants.... (Fairfax: upper-class, crime) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

jaunespinoza · 10-07-2009, 12:03 PM

This could be in the education section. However, I believe it may be helpful to assess the situation in NoVa. There are definitely ties to gang activity. How is this situation handled at your child's school? Is it unreasonable to tell them to pull their pants up? Would I see this in affluent Fairfax County? Would you let a kid dressed like this, work for you?

Caladium · 10-07-2009, 12:15 PM

LOL, don't worry, we have a cold, cold winter ahead. That oughta put an end to it!

540_804 · 10-07-2009, 12:32 PM

Uh, sagging pants is not related to gang activity..lol.
Maybe at one point in history, but not any more.

You can go into the safest of suburbs and find guys walking around with sagging pants and I can assure you they are not in any gangs.

jaunespinoza · 10-07-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 540_804

Uh, sagging pants is not related to gang activity..lol.
Maybe at one point in history, but not any more.

You can go into the safest of suburbs and find guys walking around with sagging pants and I can assure you they are not in any gangs.

Well, it originated in prison. They don't let the inmates have belts. So at best case, it's prison style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gvYrGh1GPM This was shown to me by the campus resource officer; so someone is obviously concerned about it.

540_804 · 10-07-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaunespinoza

Well, it originated in prison. They don't let the inmates have belts. So at best case, it's prison style.

Correction: At best case it was prison style.

It may have originated in prison (though I am certain that someone somewhere outside of prison had pants that were too big at one point in time in our history), but then again, how many of our trends or practices have origins that far deviate from current conventions? Think about it: at one point makeup and cosmetics were only for the upper-class. At another time cosmetics were seen as something for only prostitutes. There were even times in our history where makeup use was more prominent among men! Times change.

I'm not a fan of pants hanging down very far, but to try to draw any conclusion on a person's lifestyle based on this is....pointless.

FindingZen · 10-07-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaunespinoza

This could be in the education section. However, I believe it may be helpful to assess the situation in NoVa. There are definitely ties to gang activity.

I don't necessarily agree. I believe that there are more posers/emulaters of hip-hop styles like baggy pants than actual organized gang members.

Quote:

How is this situation handled at your child's school? Is it unreasonable to tell them to pull their pants up? Would I see this in affluent Fairfax County?

I have no kids but I would imagine that the school principal would not be interested in seeing the latest in boxer fashions peeking out of low-hanging Dickies.

Quote:

Would you let a kid dressed like this, work for you?

If I knew he was a tragically hip but otherwise decent guy, I might let him mow my lawn (that is, if I had one) or assist me with some other manual labor around the house. On the other hand, if I were to have him represent me in an office or retail environment, obviously he would need more appropriate dress. Savvy kids will realize this and leave the low-riders for their personal time.

lovetoboat · 10-07-2009, 01:09 PM

While I would agree that not all baggy pants abusers are gang related, I will say that most gang members DO wear their pants this way. At least in the MS/HS levels..as far as adults I've seen both gang and non-gang members dress this way.
Here's the thing. In MS these kids dress this way and yes, it is related to the prison garb of years ago. They often do wear belts but tie them very tight around their upper thighs and leave their boxers showing.
My last job was in an urban middle school with a large number of gangs. You pretty much dissed the gang if you had regular fitting pants. The teachers, principal and every other responsible adult in the building would do their best to change the situation but it is nearly impossible when the parents are buying them the clothes and when they are asked to come in to deal with the dress code violation they start yelling at the staff 2 inches from their faces with the kids smirking in the background.
Hoodies are the same. they have huge hoods that most schools now ban and do this to prevent the kid from getting, "hoodied". That's when a bunch of kids come up behind you, pull your hood and beat the living pulp out of you. The hood provides them safety so the victim cannot identify who they are. Nice, huh?
Would I hire them? No.You could be the most conscientious person in the world but you need to know the expectations of looking professional no matter where you are. You can wear jeans in some workplaces but they should be clean and fit and no one should have to see your underwear.
But that's me...
One funny story: I had a kid who told me his friend committed a crime and got caught because he "ran out of his pants". the pants were huge on him and the belt slipped as he ran from the cops. They found him after seeing his very unique name bedazzled on his belt.

akorosdc · 10-07-2009, 01:24 PM

Oh gangsta-pants....I hated it in school, and hate it more now. We were at a bar a few weeks ago and a friend-of-a-friend came with his pants halfway down. My roommate called him Mr. Gangstapants whereas I just thought "pull your pants up, you look like a friggin' idiot".

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaunespinoza

How is this situation handled at your child's school? Is it unreasonable to tell them to pull their pants up? Would I see this in affluent Fairfax County?

My mother was a teacher, and it was considered a dress code violation at her school. She would usually say something along the lines of what I thought above or think of some way to make them feel embarrassed (comments on the boxers, ability to see a crack, etc). I had a friend who liked to surreptitiously give the pants a little tug so they'd fall down. Yes, you'd probably see this in affluent areas as well as poorer ones, it's just the "style".

oneasterisk · 10-07-2009, 01:24 PM

Just remember cops like it when they wear their pants that low. It makes them easier to catch 'cause they can't run too fast when their pants keep falling down...

Caladium · 10-07-2009, 01:29 PM

Maybe they're just being frugal. Those pants will fit better as the years go by and they get an adult-sized butt. Maybe their parents think of them as clothes to "grow into."