Have often wondered where the style of some
youth began with wearing pants sagging much below the waist. Many US
towns have banned wearing in public trousers that are slung so low
as to expose the wearer’s underwear.
This saggy trend appears to have originated in US jails where the
combination of a prison diet and vigorous sports leads to a slimmer
waist. As prisoners are required to wear the trousers they were
issued with at the beginning of their sentences, and because belts
are usually banned for various reasons, this led to inadvertent
sagging. The 'fashion statement' spread beyond the prison walls and
has become a sought-after look among America’s disaffected youth.