Many changes have taken place in the fashion world since America came bursting out of the 1980s. One of the most interesting of these changes is the move from baggy jeans to skinny jeans. In the 1990s it was not uncommon to find jean sizes like "ultra-baggy-mega-wide-leg"; now it is much more common to find "ultra-thin" or "skinny" on the racks of fashionable stores. Now how in the world did this happen?
There are many theories on just how jeans got baggy. Some say that it all started when NBA superstars like Michael Jordan got sick of short shorts and began ordering short sizes that would have been considered a couple of sizes too big. Others argue that baggy jeans were born of the counter-cultural skateboarding and hip-hop movements.
Fashion expert Sandra E. Graham writes of another very interesting theory on the origin of saggy, baggy pants: "When men [were] arrested and put into prison, their personal belongings [were] confiscated from them. This confiscation included their belts." Well, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and in this case, that reaction was a pant that began to "sag and bag." Graham continues, "to cover their embarrassment, the men began to strut and swagger-proving that they were too tough to care" that their pants were falling off. This in turn led young people to believe that baggy pants made them look manly and cool" (Graham 1).
While sagging, baggy pants were once "the coolest," now they are not only uncool in some places, they are even illegal in states like Louisiana. There are, however, some sub-cultures who continue to insist on baggy pants.
So what about skinny jeans? Where did they come from and why did they take the coveted spot of coolest jean width from our friend "ultra-baggy-mega-wide-leg?"
A brief history of the skinny jean shows us they never really left. Skinny jeans are not exactly a recent phenomena as they have been around since the 50s and 60s when they were donned by rock and roll icons like Elvis Presley and sex symbols like James Dean and Marlon Brando. Then punk rockers of the 70s wore the skinny jean as a kind of counter-cultural style. In the 80s tight was still hip with gender-bending hair metal bands like Twisted Sister. Skinny jeans kept up the pace into the new millennium with celebrity support. Newer punk/metal/hardcore bands take up where the Rolling Stones, Twisted Sister, and the Ramones left off by shopping for their pants in the (gasp!) girls section. Fans of the bands follow suit and, slam bang, thin is in once again.
So it seems skinny jeans managed to stay cool with staying power, powerful celebrity support, and maybe, just maybe, a nod to the feminine side of life.
Now let's take a brief moment to talk about how the comfort factor plays into the discussion. This is largely a matter of opinion as some folks feel great in thin, form-fitting pants, while others may like the idea that their loose, laid-back personality is reflected in their loose pants. And then there's the belt factor: if your waist can hold your pants up that is usually a good sign. If it can't, wear a belt. If you don't, you might end up in prison.
But wait, don't belts get confiscated in prison? And isn't that where baggy started in the first place? Oh boy ...
Sources
"Baggy Pants Ban Signed into Law in Louisiana"
"The Origin and Purpose for the Baggy, Saggy Pants (Mens/Boys) Fashion" by Sandra E. Graham
Timothy Gustafson - Tim Gustafson graduated in May of 2010 from Crown College with a B.A. in English and a Minor in History and is now in hot pursuit of a ...
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