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| Pantless art in The Joule, Dallas |
From the ACLU, "Banning sagging pants, or any other form of attire, also violates a
liberty interest guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution."
Young men in baggy bottoms may look silly to a few, but small town legislation of personal style looks disturbingly ignorant to the vast majority of Americans. Let's not make ourselves a laughing stock, Louisiana.
As an alumna of the LSU apparel & textile design program, my informed opinion is that the style being debated is both attractive & appropriate. 1) Saggy pants annoy old folks, so it's as valid as punk chic or zoot suits. Young people who don't dress in a manner that is offensive to their elders --- well, they aren't shaking things up, which would be an affront to the generations before them who did challenge authority via fashion statements. I'd bet most of the crabs bemoaning low-hanging denim are not treating the public to uniquely beautiful fabrics that are structured and tailored to fit perfectly. (Since most of us weren't ticketed for donning ugly '80s-wear, it would be hypocritical to support punishing this generation for apparel choices.) 2) Female bust cleavage is appreciated by some, just as male derrière cleavage is considered visually appealing by admirers. 3) The tenor of the ordinance is one of racism, and this news story re: closed-minded southern towns makes many locals & expats feel embarrassed of our native land. Louisiana, we're better than this. 4) If we're going to outlaw fashion eyesores, let's start with grape smugglers and thread-bare Lulu Lemon leggings. 5) As the nola.com article notes, the ACLU is working to fight discrimination in dress codes/ordinances. Here are just a few citations (noting legal precedent) among many statements, protests, and cases: http://www.aclu-ms.org/news/2012/09/11/why-does-aclu-care-about-saggy-pants "Why does the ACLU care about saggy pants?";
https://www.aclu.org/free-Young men in baggy bottoms may look silly to a few, but small town legislation of personal style looks disturbingly ignorant to the vast majority of Americans. Let's not make ourselves a laughing stock, Louisiana.
As an alumna of the LSU apparel & textile design program, my informed opinion is that the style being debated is both attractive & appropriate. 1) Saggy pants annoy old folks, so it's as valid as punk chic or zoot suits. Young people who don't dress in a manner that is offensive to their elders --- well, they aren't shaking things up, which would be an affront to the generations before them who did challenge authority via fashion statements. I'd bet most of the crabs bemoaning low-hanging denim are not treating the public to uniquely beautiful fabrics that are structured and tailored to fit perfectly. (Since most of us weren't ticketed for donning ugly '80s-wear, it would be hypocritical to support punishing this generation for apparel choices.) 2) Female bust cleavage is appreciated by some, just as male derrière cleavage is considered visually appealing by admirers. 3) The tenor of the ordinance is one of racism, and this news story re: closed-minded southern towns makes many locals & expats feel embarrassed of our native land. Louisiana, we're better than this. 4) If we're going to outlaw fashion eyesores, let's start with grape smugglers and thread-bare Lulu Lemon leggings. 5) As the nola.com article notes, the ACLU is working to fight discrimination in dress codes/ordinances. Here are just a few citations (noting legal precedent) among many statements, protests, and cases: http://www.aclu-ms.org/news/2012/09/11/why-does-aclu-care-about-saggy-pants "Why does the ACLU care about saggy pants?";
[Also: "Iberville outlaws saggy pants, underwear as outerwear" http://theadvocate.com/home/8668515-125/iberville-outlaws-saggy-pants-underwear]
