Sagging

Sagging refers to the wearing of pants in a way that exposes the top portion of the underwear. Exposing more than the top portion of the underwear is considered a poor execution of the style. It is also inappropriate “to sag” when wearing briefs. Designer boxers are required. A belt is also required to prevent the pants from sagging beyond the upper portion of the back side. To sag with the entire back side exposed is considered poor form. The idea is to provide brief glimpses of the designer boxers as opposed to prolonged exposure. Many myths and lies about sagging have been promoted to discourage the style. Sagging started around 1989 as a way for African American men to avoid what was perceived in the African American community as a homosexual look favored by white men in the mid to late 80s. The manufactures of the most popular brands such as Jordache and Levis did not manufacture jeans that were cut to fit the African American shape. In short, most if not all jeans would fit African Americans very, very tight and to the point that is was uncomfortable. White people tended to favor the tight fit while African Americans shunned it. To make the jeans fit in way that was more acceptable to African Americans, teen age kids and hip hop stars would buy there jeans two or three sizes too big. This started the trend of “baggy clothes.” Sagging became popular as well as a way to avoid the “homosexual look” of tight jeans. Also because the jeans were two or three sizes too big.