I asked several female friends and coworkers their opinions on this trend of seeing guy’s boxers and having their pants be below their asses; asking the very basic question, “is this attractive to you.” It’s not too much a racial or cultural question because this is and has turned into a fashion and [global] societal epidemic. I damn sure know it’s not visually favorable to my eyes at all, everywhere I go I *look down* both literally and figuratively, my gender is making a fool of themselves. It’s insulting to clothes, belts especially. I’ve seen it in DC, Miami, San Jose, Costa Rica, Panama, The Upper  West Side, The Upper EAST Side, Barcelona, Spain, Harlem, New York Brooklyn, of course, Athens, Greece and The Netherlands too; It’s Global! This is something you see with skinny jeans, you see it with baggy jeans, you see it with shorts and slacks too, you even see it with overalls (if that’s even possible), what am I to do; it’s like a bad Dr Seuss rhyme. One thing that defies gravity and Newton’s Laws Of Motion is to see a dude stuff the pockets of his sweatpants with his ipod, keys, cell phone and other miscellaneous crap and have the nerve not to tie the drawstring.

All of the ladies I spoke to gave me different versions of the same answer: “Hell no that’s not attractive.” So what am I missing? This leads me to believe either (and both) that I only know Real Women and those other girls are just pretending, not yet self-actualized enough to know what’s deserved of them. A friend of mine, @MsKimothy said “Oh, I don’t date high school guys”

“No Kim, I’m talking about guys our age…”

“Yeah, I know, they’re high school kids in my mind if they’re wearing their pants like that…”

It really is an entire mentality; everyone knows your fashion and personal style is an extension of your personality and being. That’s why we dress extra flyy when we’re sick, but still pounding the NYC pavement, we have to counteract our ickiness on the inside with tailored gear.

I laughed as Kim talked on this uptown 6 train partially because of how emphatic she was and how rapidly she answered my question, but also because I could see a really tall guy with some True Religion jeans on and a hyper-bling’d skull and crossbones belt. Sure I have good vision, a slight astigmatism, so what and I like clothes (even though I prefer looking at women and their clothes) but the only reason why, from 25 feet away, I knew what kind of jeans this guy had on is because his entire back pockets with the logo was visible. Despite the fact he had on a three-quarter pee coat. The belt line was nearly at his knees, he obviously mastered the Penguin Walk. YEAH, that face you’re making right now is the same face I made- exactly, but he wasn’t alone, he and his girl got off at 110th. The kind of girl I would talk to. Then that makes me think, “how do I equate with this dude…?” [blank stare as I scratch my head] Maybe shorti Renee is really a Shawquita/Bumqueesha-type girl when she’s not in her pants suit, working on Lexington. I can’t call it, but I surely looked at her differently for her association. They do say, you can get a good picture of a person’s character by the company they keep. That rationale should ring even truer when it comes to the person date and mate with.

Now I wonder, what did that couple really have in common, is his “urban” demeanor just a facade to stay cool in his ‘hood, I’m sure he’s a hard-on-his-luck inner-city classical pianist, struggling to pay his school tuition by waiting tables at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Midtown. I think not, sometimes the simple answer IS the answer. We all know what connotation the word “urban” brings to mind, when talking about baggy clothing, black men and cities… Why let it be so; and why let this stereotype play out on our streets, influencing further, further embedding itself into our mainstream society. One real sign that a trend is here to stay is when it gets commodified by the suits on Madison Avenue and elsewhere. I once had a friend tell me that ____mart (can’t remember which one) was selling boys jeans ready-made with the boxers and a faux belt sewn in to effect the look of sagging jeans in the same way maternity jeans for pregnant women are designed. That’s just horrible, much like candy cigarettes, kiddy pageants and kids on leashes and harness-leashes. At least the leashes are a  fashion/childcare item that serves a purpose, in addition to making me laugh out loud. I think there’s a reason I couldn’t find anything about which store sold those jeans, the jeans were pulled and the story was buried with good PR.

The truth about the fashion industry, as a corporation, is that they will peddle any rag tag jumbled mess and call it fashion in pursuit of he almighty dollar. It’s bad enough most of the rappers and some of the athletes and actors are still doing this. Heck, look what they’ll do to female pants, it’s no surprise male models are walking down the runway like the guys who walk down Southern Boulevard. Life imitating art and such and such. All that being true, I have  a real problem with this look being directed or branded for kids. This trend can have a negative impact on their futures. And that’s not an exaggeration, everyone can’t be a surfer or a rapper. An Australian underwear company even exploited the trend:

As much as dislike this style, if you can call it that, I do believe in the tenet of there being an exception to every rule. There are some social sects/ genres/ professions where this might be acceptable or even expected. I already touched on the rap industry…”remember kids, they’re poetic and musical role models, not life role models. Look at your mom and dad for that (assuming they’re in your life…)”

The Punk, The Mechanic, The Yardy, The Model and The Christopher Streeter

• The Punk – when the whole left leg of your rusted seven-year old black skinny jeans are kept together by safety pins, yarn and staples, the Dock Martin on you left foot’s missing the laces, scuffed to the metal toe, the checkered Converse on your right has a giant hole at the sole, and you’re wearing what looks like a leather jacket one of the zombies from Thriller was buried in, no one really cares if they can see your dingy underwear hanging over your spikey belt. I know you’re bummed CBGB’s closed down, but you can still have drunken sex in the bathroom of the dive bar on Avenue B.
• The Mechanic – I can see from your name tag, your name is Dan, I really don’t care that I can see you crack right now while you work on my car, I don’t have to stare, it was almost expected anyway and now I can twitpic this to my followers. Just fix my carburetor and we’re copasetic.
• The Yardy – Gwan gwan fa tru bredren, you just got back from Kingston. I like your shoes…yeah, I just can’t pull off pointed-toes and skinny jeans like that, but you’re  a size 28, it’s a little different. Where’d you get that flag belt, they didn’t have it on Atlantic last time I was over there.
• The Model – Ok, so you were told to wear that…? You look shorter in person.
• The Christopher Streeter – Ohh, I hope you finish your fashion school final project before you see Cher in concert in San Francisco. What is it again…oh yeah that’s right, the pants for guys with the zipper in the back too. The would save you some time, might earn you some extra money from that too. Maybe one of your johns can finance your project. Until then, you can just keep wearing your pants low while you work the block.

See Related and Upcoming Posts from @Core_APPLER:

• 12/14 – I Can See Your Entire Ass In Those Jeans: March Of The ‘Penguin Walk’ at www.coreAPPLER.com
• 12/16 – I Can See Your Entire Ass In Those Jeans:  “A History: Poverty, Booty And Criminal Intent” written in part by Mateo/@MCiscart at www.coreAPPLER.com...
• 12/17 – Excuse Me, Your Pants Are Falling: “…No Child Of Mine” written with @FariyalB and Mateo on his blog, www.Back2GoForward.com
• 12/18 – I Can See Your Entire Ass In Those Jeans:  “Gone Global” written in part by Elaine/@Elee1986 atwww.coreAPPLER.com.

*post script* Ladies, I want to hear your view and experiences when it comes to attractions and associations and this topic. Is it something you grew out of, the way I grew out of wearing my pants low back in high school?

Gentlemen, I’m not the only one actually USING my belt for what it was made for right?