Sagging is a manner of deliberately wearing trousers that sag so that the top of the trousers or jeans is significantly below the waist, revealing the wearer's underpants. Sagging has been a popular fashion amongst young males since the early 1990s. Originating in gang and prison culture, sagging has been particularly prominent in rap, hip hop, graffiti, skateboarding, and raving culture, and has achieved mainstream popularity in many countries. During periods of peak popularity, including the mid 1990s and around 2010, sagging was considered the norm amongst young males in many Western countries. The trend has been criticized and criminalized, and concerns have been raised about the altered gait adopted by its followers.
United States
In the early 1990s, sagging was associated with gang membership.
Sagging first reached mainstream popularity amongst teenagers and young men in the early 1990s. In 1995, it was reported in Utah that sagging was no longer limited to rappers, but that "mainstream kids" - even "traditional students" with 4.0 GPAs - were sagging to "fit in" and "look cool".[1]
By the early 2000s, high school students who did not sag were bullied and ostracised by their peers.
In 2009, actor Zac Efron admitted that he had been kicked out of his last day of high school in 2006 for sagging his pants.[2]
In 2011, singer Billie Joe Armstrong was kicked off a flight from Oakland to Burbank for repeatedly refusing to pull up his sagging pants.[3]
Sagging often proved controversial to older generations, leading to a generational divide. In 2013, rapper Machine Gun Kelly admitted in an interview that when he was younger, he "almost swung on some old dude because he told me to pull up my pants."[4]
Sagging pants was described as "standard uniform" for young men in 2007;[5] and as "ubiquitous" in 2013.
Although sagging was popular, it continued to be seen as inappropriate in formal contexts, such as court: for example, in 2018 a 20 year old Kentucky man was held in contempt of court for sagging his pants during his hearing. After being asked by the judge to pull up his pants, the male stated that he would rather pull his jeans completely down rather than pull them up.
2011 - mocked and bullied for not sagging low enough.
Decline
editSagging declined in mainstream popularity during the mid to late 2010s. By 2017 it was observed that "the era of sagging pants is ending".[6] Fashion writer Stephanie Smith-Strickland explained that because rappers and hip hop artists, such as Lil Yachty, were increasingly wearing tailored and well-fitting clothing, so too were the young men seeking to emulate them.[6]
By the early 2020s, sagging was considered a "faded" trend in Philadelphia, where it had once been popular.[7]
2020s
editIn 2021, luxury fashion line Balenciaga was criticized for marketing a $1,190 pair of sweatpants with boxers woven into them in order to mimic sagging.[8] Critics argued the product "gentrified sagging"[9] and constituted cultural appropriation, and accused Balenciaga of attempting to monetize a trend which had a long history of being used to criminalize Black men.[8]
Although sagging was no longer widely popular amongst men in the 2020s, a 2023 Washington Post article argued that "the age of female sagging" had begun.[10] It was observed that although sagging to reveal underpants had previously been a trend for males, it was now being embraced by young women, motivated by the post-COVID emphasis on comfort, and changing gender norms.[10]
In 2023 Paper analyzed the post-COVID growth of an online community of gay men who regularly posted photographs and videos featuring sagging to social media sites such as Instagram.[11] This was said to reflect a "core collective memory" shared by the posters - by now in their 20s and 30s - of sagging's mainstream popularity amongst heterosexual males during the posters' time at middle and high school (during the 2000s to mid-2010s).[11] This process was said to be a "reclamation" of a trend that was, during its peak, associated with hypermasculinity.[11]
In August 2024, 30-year-old Justin Bieber was filmed being mocked and laughed at by a group of teenagers for sagging his shorts extremely low.[12] Whilst standing with his shorts belted around his thighs, Bieber said "Yo, is this funny to you guys? Get out of here, yo. It's not funny, yo."[12]
United Kingdom
In 2000, Suzanne Moore reported that "most" British teenage boys sagged their pants.
Young people of the United Kingdom began sagging in the early 1990s in order to display designer underwear labels such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.
In 2010, the Crown Prosecution Service attempted to serve 18-year-old Ellis Drummond from Rushden with an ASBO (Anti-social behaviour order) preventing him from "wearing trousers so low beneath the waistline that members of the public are able to see his underwear." However, the ASBO was withdrawn after the judge commented that such a ban would breach Drummond's human rights.
By the early 2010s, sagging was described as "persistently popular" amongst teenage boys. In 2011, teenagers and men in their twenties were quoted as explaining they sagged "because everyone else does", "to conform", and because "people think you're really uncool (if you don't)": sagging had become so popular that young men chose to sag in order to fit in and avoid ostracisation.
During this time, secondary schools often.... Some young men opted to wear several pairs of trousers in order to sag extremely low.
During its mainstream popularity during the late 2000s and early 2010s, sagging was particularly popularised by "middle class teenagers" and young men, including public school students and university students, often to expose designer underwear. It was reported in 2011 that some university students were deliberately sagging suit trousers at graduation ceremonies.
After fifteen years of "extreme popularity", sagging began to lose its appeal amongst young men from the mid 2010s onwards. Debenhams suggested that young men had started to favour smarter, well-fitting trousers, reflecting an overall trend towards professionalism, in large part due to fear of unemployment and intense job competition in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. By 2019, the trend was described as "dated".
Although its mainstream popularity had faded, sagging remained popular in certain subcultures such as amongst roadmen. In the mid-2020s, sagging enjoyed a resurgence amongst middle and upper class young people seeking to emulate roadman style, which had become popular more broadly.[13]
Peru
In 2023, sagging pants low enough to expose underwear was described as "a very popular style" amongst young men.[14]
Trinidad and Tobago
In 2013, Emperor Valley Zoo (the only zoo in Trinidad and Tobago) banned entry to men wearing sagging pants, citing numerous complaints from other patrons.[15]
Europe
Denmark
In 2007 TV Midtvest screened a segment about young men sagging their pants. By 2020, the trend had died out and the 2007 clip was republished as a "throwback".
Finland
Sagging achieved a resurgence in mainstream popularity during the mid 2020s. High school students were quoted as explaining they sagged because "everyone does it". Retailers noted that young people were buying wide jeans specifically because they were suitable for sagging. It was suggested that the resurgence was largely due to young people's interest in Black street fashion in the wake of Black Lives Matter and sustained largely through social media.
France
Sagging was popular in the late 2000s, particularly amongst young men in the clubbing and electronic music scenes.[16] The underwear brand Pullin, which specialised in patterned boxers, marketed itself towards the trend.[16]
Sagging had a resurgence of popularity in the mid-2020s, influenced by TikTok and celebrities such as Justin Bieber.[16] In 2023 it was reported that it was "increasingly common" to see young men sagging to expose their boxers.[16]
Germany
By 2011,
Netherlands
In the late 2000s, the sagging pants trend in the Netherlands extended to young men sagging boardshorts or swim trunks in order to expose their branded underwear. Throughout 2008, there were calls for the trend to be banned at public swimming pools, as it had become so ubiquitous that one journalist who visited three pools throughout Zeelandic Flanders reported that the number of teenage males who were not sagging their shorts "could be counted on one hand".[17]
In December 2008, a swimming pool in Harderwijk became the first reported pool to ban sagging.[18] In late 2011, it was reported that although "in recent years" it had been a trend amongst young men to wear their boardshorts "under their buttocks", exposing expensive underwear, doing so would be banned in all public pools in Nijmegen from 1 January 2012.[19]
In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the majority of young males sagged. The minority of teenagers who did not sag were subject to bullying and name-calling, and were perceived by peers to be "gay" and "ugly"; it was considered "embarrassing" to not sag.
During this time, young Dutch males adopted a wide-legged walk in order to accommodate their low sagging jeans. It was generally considered that the lower someone sagged, the "cooler" they were, and the higher their social standing amongst their peers.
In 2009, a 24-year-old university professor explained that he sagged so his students would not think he was a "nerd".
In 2022, Lidl
Norway
Sagging became popular in the mid 1990s. In 1996 (?) it was reported that a 16 year old student was sent home from school because his jeans were worn entirely underneath his buttocks, and he had refused to pull them any higher.
In 2001, it was reported that young men who sagged
Spain
By 2011, it was reported in Madrid that sagging pants had become so common that they had secured a position as a "true basic" of men's fashion.[20]
In 2023, it was reported that since the 1990s, sagging pants had "remained popular" and had become "an integral part of youth culture", despite the difficulty in walking or running experienced by followers of the trend.[21]
Sweden
In 2006, a school library in Falkenberg banned sagging, citing concerns about the students' inability to walk properly.[22] However, after a student rebellion, in which students advocated for their right to follow the trend, the school withdrew the ban.[23]
In 2007, further schools banned sagging pants in physical education classes for safety reasons.[24] It was reported that some students were even struggling to manoeuvre through the cafeteria as they were unable to hold their food trays whilst constantly adjusting their sagging pants.[25]
In 2009, public swimming pools began banning sagging boardshorts or swim trunks.[26]
Africa
Ghana
In 2015, sagging pants were described as "stylish", with an estimate given that four out of six young Ghanaian men sagged their pants, including at places such as churches and banks.[27]
In 2021, it was reported that players on Ghana's national football team the Black Stars had faced criticism for sagging their shorts during matches, with some concerned that these players "struggled when running".[28] Jordan Ayew, son of the former national captain, was one such player criticised for deliberately sagging his shorts during international matches.[29]
Nigeria
In 2010, it was observed that sagging pants had been a trend in Nigeria for the past ten years, but was "at its peak today".[30] It was described as being "common amongst university students".[31] By 2015, it was reported that the minority of secondary and tertiary students who did not sag were subject to bullying. By 2018, it was reported that "the majority" of young men in Nigeria sagged their pants.[32]
In 2020, it was reported that the sagging pants trend had extended to skinny jeans, and that young men were paying tailors to add zips to their jeans to better enable them to sag tight jeans.[33]
However by 2023, it was reported that sagging pants had "lost their status as a mainstream fashion statement", citing increasing professionalism and work standards as a reason for the decline.[34]
Zimbabwe
During the 2010s, it was reported that "most" young men sagged,[35] seeking to emulate rappers and display designer boxers.[36]
In 2016, 17-year-old Albert Sibanda was shot dead by a man who was agitated by Sibanda's sagging pants and exposed underwear. The man was convicted of murder and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment.[37]
Asia
Japan
In 2010, 21-year old Japanese olympic snowboarder Kazuhiro Kokubo was heavily criticised for wearing sagging pants when he flew from Narita International Airport to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics.[38] Kokubo was punished by the Ski Association of Japan, including being banned from attending the opening ceremony.[39]
Australia
editSagging reached wider popularity in the mid to late 2000s.
In 2007 in Adelaide it was reported that sagging was particularly popular amongst privately educated young men, who sagged habitually even at events such as horse racing, where formal wear was required.
In 2008, a surf club in Coolum Beach banned men from sagging at the club.[40] After a 19-year old surf instructor, Luke McClaren, was denied access to the club, the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties criticised the ban.
Parenting author Kelly Millar wrote that in the late 2000s and early 2010s, sagging had been particularly popular amongst wealthier private school boys, who used the trend to show off branded underwear such as Bonds.[41] In 2013, sagging was widely popular amongst "middle class suburban teenagers".
In 2009, Bonds released a television commercial in which three young men, sagging their jeans to expose their Bonds underwear, mocked a group of elderly men wearing high-waisted pants.[42]
By 2010, the trend was so widespread that the particular bandy-legged gait adopted by saggers - with their "legs extended a little extra to the side with each step to give their pants extra grip on their thighs" - was described as the "typical gait of the generation" of young Australian men.[43] It was also noted that the trend had shifted away from baggy pants and that young men were instead sagging skinny jeans.[43]
The link between sagging pants and graffiti culture was noted in Melbourne in 2010, with sagging being particularly associated with "vandals" and "taggers".[44]
Sagging waned in popularity from the mid-2010s, and young men were sagging "less often" by 2017.[45]
New Zealand
In 2002, it was reported that the sagging pants trend had been "widely embraced" by young Kiwi men. Multiple secondary schools, including Scots College (the most expensive private school in Wellington) had banned the trend and were giving students detentions for sagging.[46]
Potential health implications
In the 2000s,
Faux sagging
Double/multi sagging
Double sagging refers to deliberately wearing two pairs of trousers or underwear. Double and multi sagging results in an extremely low exaggerated sag.
The sub-trend was popular amongst young men in UK and the United States in the late 2000s to early 2010s. In the UK, young men would often wear two pairs of sweatpants in order to double sag.
The sub-trend enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-2020s, led by celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Romeo Beckham, and ASAP Rocky, the latter of whom sagged two pairs of jeans and several layers of boxer shorts at Coachella 2024. Highsnobiety described this trend as a "decadent" form of sagging.
Multiple sagging exaggerates the effects of normal sagging, including further hindering the wearer from walking properly. At Coachella 2025, it was reported that Justin Bieber's multiple sagging jeans were so low that he was physically unable to walk onto the stage, and was eventually assisted back to his team.
Personal life
edit[edit] Former Leeds United and Republic of Ireland left-back, Ian Harte, acts as Clarke's agent.
From the late 2010s onwards, Clarke became known for sagging his shorts particularly low, even whilst playing.[47] In a 2025 interview he explained he had "always done it" and was "used to it now".[47]
Clarke regularly celebrates goals on the pitch by making the Westside gang sign with his hands.[48]
Netherlands (delete? - no good reference)
The few who did not sag were seen to be "nerds" or "kankernerds" (cancer nerds), and were bullied in person and online, including through social media platforms such as Hyves and Partyflock. On these sites, groups were made for those who sagged, and arguments took place over who sagged the lowest.
- ↑ Skordas, Jennifer (15 October 1995). "Teens' Sagging Jeans Not Just For `Gangstas' Sagging Jeans Not Just For `Gangstas'". The Salt Lake Tribune.
- ↑ Zac Efron TOTAL Crazy Fan, retrieved 2023-11-06
- ↑ Michaels, Sean (2011-09-05). "Green Day singer kicked off flight for not pulling trousers up". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ https://hiphopdx.com, HipHopDX- (2013-06-20). "Machine Gun Kelly Divulges Previous Addiction Problems & Denounces Rapping About Molly". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
{{cite web}}: External link in|last= - ↑ Bunce, Chip; Lolas, Tony (May 2008). Totally Bogus Men II: Social Guide for Younger American Women. Dog Ear Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59858-632-9.
- 1 2 Blake, John (20 October 2017). "The fall of the sagging pants era is upon us". CNN. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ↑ Owens, Ernest (1 June 2023). "Banning "Shiesty" Ski Masks on SEPTA Won't Reduce Crime". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- 1 2 Alfonso, Fernando (12 September 2021). "Fashion designer called out for cultural appropriation over its $1,190 pants". CNN Style. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ↑ Petter, Olivia (10 September 2021). "Balenciaga trousers with 'boxer detail' mocked on social media: 'They've really just gentrified sagging'". Independent.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help) - 1 2 Fetters Maloy, Ashley (15 August 2023). "The triumphant return of sagging pants — on women". The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- 1 2 3 Guzman, Ivan (20 December 2023). "The Anonymous Gay Saggers of Instagram". Paper Magazine. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- 1 2 Sinha, Bias (9 August 2024). ""Feel sorry for him being treated like a zoo animal"— Fans react as Justin Bieber lashes out at teens laughing at his pants in viral video". Sportskeeda.
- ↑ Sowerby, Poppy (1 August 2024). "The rise of the posh roadman". UnHerd.
- ↑ Tapia, Daniel (2023-09-23). "¿Cómo se originó la moda de los pantalones caídos en hombres y cuál es su significado?". larepublica.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "ZOO BANS 'SAGGY PANTS' | Trinidad and Tobago News Blog". 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- 1 2 3 4 Morge Zucconi, Matthieu (31 March 2023). "Au secours, le 'sagging' est de retour !". Le Figaro. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ↑ https://www.pzc.nl/zeeuws-vlaanderen/niet-voor-schut-staan~a5d395b7/?referrer=https://www.google.com/. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.destentor.nl/harderwijk/ludieke-actie-voor-hygiene-zwembad~ab3e9431/. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.gelderlander.nl/nijmegen/nijmeegse-zwembaden-verbieden-dragen-onderbroek~a2723c77/?referrer=https://www.google.com/. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ ES, FashionNetwork com. "La fiebre los pantalones caídos". FashionNetwork.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "Si ya te horrorizaba la moda de los pantalones cáidos no podrás soportar la moda que viene ahora. Asturias Mundial". www.asturiasmundial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "– Vi vägrar hissa upp byxorna". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). 2006-04-07. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "– Vi vägrar hissa upp byxorna". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). 2006-04-07. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "Hur mycket häng har du?". HD (in Swedish). 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "Hur mycket häng har du?". HD (in Swedish). 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "Slut med hængerøve i Korsør Svømmehal". Sjællandske Nyheder (in Danish). 2009-09-23. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "Is there any fashion sense in sagging of trousers?". GhanaWeb. 2015-04-01. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ Ayamga, Emmanuel (2021-10-11). "Ghanaians unhappy with Black Stars players who sag their shorts during matches". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ Ayamga, Emmanuel (2021-10-11). "Ghanaians unhappy with Black Stars players who sag their shorts during matches". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "SAGGING BUG, CRIMINAL SUSPECT'S STYLE, BITES YOUNGSTERS". August 29, 2010.
- ↑ "SAGGING BUG, CRIMINAL SUSPECT'S STYLE, BITES YOUNGSTERS". August 29, 2010.
- ↑ "What gives birth to new trends". Nigerian Tribune. January 22 2018.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ↑ "We sag our trousers to keep in vogue – Youths". January 17, 2020.
- ↑ Ogungbayi, Faesol (2023-11-19). "Why sagging pants have faded from the scene". News Round The Clock. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ↑ "Wear your jeans with style". The Herald. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ↑ "Not every look is worth imitating". The Standard. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ↑ "Saggy pants teen killer jailed". AllAfrica.com. 4 June 2016.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help) - ↑ "ヤバくね？「腰パン」 ルーツは刑務所（平成のアルバム）". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2019-01-26. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ "Olympic snowboarder's 'street' style offends Japanese - CNN.com". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ Robson, Lou (May 11, 2008). "Surf club's war on beach bums - No cracks in policy banning low-slung jeans". The Sunday Mail. p. 15.
- ↑ Millar, Kelly (21 July 2017). Mother of a Man-Child: My life with teenage boys. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1542962544.
- ↑ "Bonds 2009 Ad". YouTube. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- 1 2 Breen, Janice (2010-04-16). "The low-down on brief exposures". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
- ↑ Mooney, Lawrence (3 May 2010). "Monday Musings". The Age. p. 18.
- ↑ Blakeney, Baz (22 July 2017). "Sorry, distressed denim just isn't in my jeans". Herald Sun. p. 38.
- ↑ Manson, Bess (June 21 2002). "BATTLE OVER FASHION THAT'S BELOW THE BELT". The Dominion. p. 3.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - 1 2 Heath, Mark (23 April 2025). "Ipswich Town: Jack Clarke on why he wears baggy shorts". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ↑ Orchard, Andrew (10 August 2024). "Cardiff, UK. 10th Aug, 2024. Jack Clarke of Sunderland celebrates after he scores his teams 2nd goal". Alamy. Retrieved 19 May 2025.