Sagging, a fashion trend of wearing pants below the waist, originated in US prisons where belts were not allowed. It became popular in hip hop culture and is associated with rebellion against traditional norms. It has faced controversy and legal restrictions in some areas.
Sagging is a largely male fashion trend that involves wearing pants at a level on the body below the traditional position at the waist. The style is traditionally worn with baggy clothing and is associated with American hip hop culture, although it has been adopted by various other subcultures. It is commonly accepted that the wearing of low-rise pants originated in the prison system, initially being displayed outside of prison with the rise of American gangsta rap culture. Saggy pants are often seen as a subcultural expression of rebellion against traditional social norms. Consequently, several controversial anti-sagging school and city clothing ordinances have been passed across the United States.
As belts are often not allowed inside US prisons, it is speculated that the trend of wearing low pants originated as a result. The trend emerged out of prison culture with hip hop artists associated with the gangsta rap style in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Gangsta rappers often pursue a criminal image and become droopy to refer to prison clothing. Flabbing, however, soon became common among young Americans outside of gangsta rap culture, both within the hip hop scene and outside of it.
The flab trend is generally confined to men’s dress and is often paired with visible boxer shorts, oversized shirts, or a combination of these. Many saggers wear baggy, baggy pants that fall down easily. As a result, a belt is often required to hold the pants in place, although the belt will also be worn loosely to allow the pants to sag. The style is highly variable, and throughout the 1990s it became increasingly popular with numerous other cultural groups, including skateboarders and snowboarders. In fact, at the beginning of the 21st century, the practice became fashionable in combination with very tight pants, such as skinny jeans.
Due to its historical association with subcultural groups, the practice of flab is sometimes seen in the US as an indicator of potential illegal behavior. As a result, numerous school and city dress ordinances have been passed into regional legislation within the US against the wearing of low-rise pants and have categorized the style as indecent exposure. These ordinances are highly controversial and are sometimes perceived as carrying the possibility of racial undertones or, at the very least, discriminating against subcultural groups. Nonetheless, the practice of sagging has become a cultural fashion trend in numerous areas outside of the United States and is largely responsible for the trend for low-rise pants that are, in effect, slightly sagging pants.
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