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"I wish he [Sen. Adams] wouldn't focus on African-Americans and instead talk about all races," Sean John's vice-president Jeffrey Tweedy told Women's Wear Daily. "Many different people are involved with this trend. It's not just black kids. You can go to Washington Square Park and see skaters wearing tight Levi's in a similar way."
Others express a similar sentiment as Tweedy and have went as far as calling the national assault on sagging pants racist. Both the Dallas and New York movements were led by African-American men, but many laws that criminalize sagging pants in have been criticized as a way to racially profile black youths.
"We tend to criminalize that which we don't understand, and we tend to make laws that increase contact between police and inner-city youth," wrote Matt Kelly, Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project. "Laws like this start the cycle that sucks too many people into a criminal justice system they don't need."
Russell Simmons, who's famous for his urban-meets-preppy style, called the whole thing a "waste of time."
"This is the latest example of adults trying to repress the creativity and individuality of kids," the founder of Phat Farm and Argyle Culture told WWD. "Why would kids want to dress like Sen. Adams? There is no connection to saggy pants and the ability to succeed. Just look at what buttoned-up America has done to the rest of the world and each other. Why can't kids be different?"
While we tend to side with the self-expression fashion brings, we can't help but wonder if all of this is a little dated. After all, a few more years of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga leotards will eliminate the need for pants altogether.
Comments: (49)
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By: Duane on 4/12/2010 6:29PM
I saw some kids on the corner just last week with their caps on sideways, cheap-ass bling around their necks, and using one hand to hang onto their beltlines so their saggy baggy clown pants didn't fall down around their ankles.
I don't ever expect to see a more stupid-looking crew of mental defectives in my life.
Sweet Jesus, it looked like their life's mission was to remain forever unemployed and ridiculed.
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By: Mimi on 4/12/2010 7:53PM
I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WHEN I SAW TWO BOYS RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET TO GO TO SCHOOL AND ONE OF THEM TRIPPED AND FELL. NOW THAT WAS FUNNY. THE BOY THAT FELL GOT UP, WAS CLEARLY EMBARRASED AND PULLED UP HIS PANTS WHICH NO DOUBT, LED TO HIM FALLING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE (I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO CALL THEM) WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND THEY HAVE TO STOP AND PULL UP THEIR PANTS EVERY SO MANY STEPS.
THIS IS BEYOND A FASHION TREND. THIS IS STRAIGHT UP IGNORANT.
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By: Dionna88 on 4/13/2010 11:54PM
I too am appauled by this fashion choice.?Why would a man deliberately show the off his drawls or the shape of his booty crack.However,I believe these young men are tring to appear mightier than their peers by wearing "The Sagging Look". The fashion statement says, "I May Have a Weapon But My Clothes Dont Reveal It". Eventhough 9 times out of 10 the young man is clean but the fashion alone alone wards off others who may want to challenge their manhood,especially those who step to the same beat.
But I say: like a tantruming toddler,don't get bent out of shape because of the negative behavior instead show the young men that we care about them, show 'em some love, speak to them every now and then baggy pants an all.Even if it's just a nod with your head.Depending on how comfortable you feel,make mention of a job opening you may know about and then jus keep it moving.
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By: girlking on 4/12/2010 7:46PM
I agree with Sen. Adams. While we may want to point to other races for following the "fashion style" of young African-American men, it doesn't make it right. Mr. Tweedy, Sen. Adams is focused on African-Americans. You and everyone else critical of him know that these young men can't get job or are taken seriously sagging. Our young men have to know how to dress for success and sagging is not successful and you know. Messrs. Tweedy and Simons didn't sagging come out of the prison system? Enough said.
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By: Holliday Vann, Author on 4/12/2010 8:36PM
I don't think that it's necessary to criminalize sagging pants. However, I agree with Senator Adams that this trend has gone on long enough. I don't know any women--young or old--with good sense--who like this look. The look says I'm not going anywhere, I'm hanging out (literally), and I'm not in a hurry (but how could you be?). It's a nasty, slovenly, lazy sort of look. If I had a son (black, white, or yellow), I would ban this form of dress from my home. It's not a good look. How one dresses becomes part of the psyche after a while; IT BECOMES A LIFESTYLE. I have never seen any kid dressed like this doing anything productive but walking, talking, and texting--with one hand tugging and pulling on drooping pants. Do boys know how to mow lawns any more--not in those pants they won't and they don't. Russell Simmons is constantly expressing effed up, bone-headed, irresponsible, harmful things that can affect how someone else's (broke black) child is perceived. When they show up, drawers showing, wanting to sit on his couch with their stinkin'-lookin' boxers, I hope he has enough room on the payroll for a million more junior-nobodies-in-training with their sagging pants and minds. I remember when people aspired to dress as well as blacks. Our girls dress in head rags, pajama pants, and slippers IN PUBLIC! Apparently, they ain't goin' nowhere neither. You woud think that Russell Simmons would know better than anyone that PERCEPTION, not truth, is everything, especially when it comes to black kids. If it looks like a bum, it's probably a bum! If it looks like a clown, it probably is a clown. If it looks like a rapper, it probably is. If it looks like a doctor, it probably is. Grow up, Russell--but with your money, I guess you never have to. Someday, though, these slackers will...the white kids will exchange their saggy pants for ties and work for their fathers and friends--maybe even go to college first. The black ones, we'll send to you and Dickly--I mean, Diddy--for jobs.
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By: CHARLIZE on 4/13/2010 10:09AM
I LIKE!
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By: Mimi on 4/13/2010 8:18PM
RUSSELL SIMMONS IS IGNORANT. HE WAS JUST IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THAT'S HOW HE MADE HIS MONEY...TIMING.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN IMPRESSED WITH RUSSELL...HE NOT ONLY TALKS IGNORANT HE IS IGNORANT.
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By: Marsha on 4/12/2010 8:33PM
This article really disgusts me!! Is it me, or does anyone else notice that these who are trying to defeat this effort have the most to gain?? Russell Simmons should be ashamed of himself!! Is making a profit really that important?? I agree with Senator Adams that making "saggy pants" a criminal act would just give racial profiling a big boost. But, I wonder if Mr. Tweedy has been as concerned about the number of black men that are "stopped and frisked" and don't even have on saggy pants?? or about the disproportionate number of young black men that are in prison as we speak?? I do believe that some of the responsibilty lies within our communities. Some of the behavior that these young men are engaged in is just asking for trouble. (ie; the riot on Easter sunday in Times Square.) So it stands to reason that they certainly cannot afford to look this way, with these sagging pants, and not be asking for more trouble. Mr. Tweedy mentioned that he wishes the campaign were not focused on just blacks??? I got a question for you Mr. Tweedy? Who is more at risk than today's black youth? The focus is exactly where it should be!! If we don't care for our young brothers, then who will??? And Where is Sean John in all of this?? You mean to tell me this guy is speaking for his company?? P Diddy came out of "the hood". If anybody should be recognizing the negative affects of this so called "fashion trend", it should be him!!! I SAY SHAME ON HIM AS WELL!! Instead of he and Russell Simmons hiding behind their big fat profits, they should be coming along side Senator Adams. These young brothers would certainly be more in tuned to them. And by the way I don't think Senator Adams is suggesting that they should dress like him. He was clear what he meant: JUST PULL UP YOUR PANTS!!!!!
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By: TheFashionistaChic on 4/20/2010 4:22PM
Mam I can't even believe you are attributing behavior to a style of dress. I know your heart is in the right place but you don't know what you don't know. The sagging is fashion statement nothing more nothing less. . Previously, the pants where worn baggy and sagging. Now they are slimmer cut but still worn below the waste. This is a case of stereo typing. Sadly enough you are contributing to the stereotyping because it is something you don't understand. My son sags and he is a productive college student. My husband who is a white male use to sag, but has mature in his dress. He is now a professional, his Title to be exact is director of mental health at a not profit facility. He also has a private practice. He pulled up his pants as he matured and grew, because his fashion style changed as he aged. Having to do with fashion sense not character.
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By: Honeydew on 4/12/2010 11:45PM
A met a construction foreman that said he would hire more young men to work for him, but its impossible to hold a pound a nail with a hammer using one hand. One hand to hold the hammer, the other to hold their pants!
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