The sagging menance that has ravaged some of our youths today has been attributed to style and fashion. But, is it really about expression of style, or is there an underlying factor behind it? AMINA ALHASSAN AHMAN writes on this trend.
“I’m warning you for the last time, pull those trousers up, or else!”These were the menacing remarks LEADERSHIP WEEKEND overheard a mother utter at her son. It seems like the phenomenon called ‘ass down’ ‘sagging’ or ‘Saggy pants’ is here to stay. A fashion statement mostly found among male and female youths and nightmare of many families as their children insist on this popular but unbecoming way of dressing.
Sagging pants originated from prisons in the U.S. where prisoners are not allowed to use belts on their trousers to avoid them harming themselves or others. Because there’s no belt to tighten or hold the trousers up, it is usually left to hang. Over time, youths had picked up this trend they had seen in movies and turned it into fashion. So now it’s popular with thugs, street urchins, rappers/musicians and so on.
?The sagging phenomena actually goes to prove the degenerating state of the minds of youths and what they think of as they pass through life. Their ‘I don’t care’ approach to life and nonchalant attitude breeds unfavourable lifestyles and shows that they are more easily influenced by negative ways than good.
Some see it as being creative and kind of expressing individuality in teens, while others are of the opinion that it is offensive and should have even been banned ever since it started.
Hajiya Bilkisu Abubakar says, “I think it is a very offensive fashion statement if you ask me. It’s not even fashionable, because it is not decent leaving your boxers or underwear hanging out for all to see. The other day I saw a girl doing this sagging and I wanted to stop her and talk to her, but of course I wasn’t sure what her response to me would be. The youths nowadays are becoming something else, but I blame the parents mostly because we hardly have time for our children to check?what they’re doing; so, of course the children will get away with things like that.”
Mr. Patrick Ayodele commented:“I know that sagging used to be common among black Americans that were uneducated and some of their hip-hop artistes. Now it is a fashion trend for youths everywhere, especially in Nigeria where we like to copy everything we see.Black Americans already have a hard time with discrimination and the Saggy pants add fuel to it. The stereotypes have made it more difficult for blacks in that society, especially when it comes to seeking jobs or other opportunities, thus leading to low socio economic status in society. We already have a problem of unemployment among our youths, and then we add to that a fashion statement that makes one look irresponsible, “he lamented.
Most of all these youths do not see anything wrong with this mode of dressing as a lot of them have their heads in the clouds and are busy idolising their favourite music icons who may dress the same way.Seeing them struggling to keep their pants up is very funny, but also very worrying because it is far beyond a fashion trend, it is straight up ignorant.
Previously, they were worn baggy and sagging. Now they are slimmer cut but still worn below the waist.
All the same, this trend has gone on long enough. I don’t know of any parent with a good head on their shoulder who will allow their child to look that way. A look that says “I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not in a hurry.”
Aliyu Galadima, says as a teacher he’s seen it all. He says, “I think it’s a nasty, slovenly, lazy way of making a fashion statement. Look at the history of how it came into being; prisoners who were denied the use of belts. They didn’t have a choice, but I’m sure if they did, they wouldn’t want to dress that way themselves because it really makes them look irresponsible. How can somebody want to show off their boxers deliberately? Underwear are supposed to be just that, and worn under clothing, not to be shown off. There is no way I would allow any of my students to dress that way to school and that form of dress is definitely banned from my home.”
It’s not a good look. How you dress becomes part of the psyche after a while and becomes a lifestyle. Somebody dressed like that is either constantly pulling up drooping trousers or walking like they were being pushed from behind (probably for fear of their trousers pooling round their ankles)
Of course some of these youths see nothing bad in sagging but think the society we live in is so narrow minded that all they do is criticise what really has no impact on anything. To them there are far worse things to critise than sagging.
“We should learn to address issues that really affect the youths like unemployment, poverty and the poor education system, not our fashion orientation that has not affected anything,” says David Adebayo, a youth.
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