Saggy pants: pull up or get off the bus

In Ft. Worth we like our pants where they belong: on the waist. And the new dress code for the Ft. Worth Bus system reflects this preferred dress. The Ft. Worth Transportation Authority, the “T”, has implemented a new dress policy. Adding to the old code of “no shirt, no shoes, no service” they have added “no exposed butts or undies.” Pull up the pants or get off the bus.

Sagged pants have been around for at least a decade. In case you didn’t know the history, it all started with prison wear where pants would sag as a result of not having belts. From there it was picked up on the street as a statement of survival and perseverance and now I don’t know what it means. For many young people it’s simply a symbol of youthful defiance, for some a cultural symbol of freedom.

In Ft. Worth they don’t care. “Riders don’t want to see a person dressed like that on a public bus,” said Joan Hunter, communications manager for the T. “Our customers think it’s disrespectful.” I’d bet more than a few think it’s downright stupid.

Sign are now hung city buses: “Pull ‘em up or find another ride.” And on the first day, about 50 people were told to do just that.

But the policy is actually not nearly as difficult to accommodate as no shirt and no shoes. “All you need to do is pull your pants up before you get onto the bus. You don’t have to go home and get a shirt or get a pair of shoes. Then, after you get off the bus, you can dress however you want.” Even if it’s stupid.

Source: Reuters, Fort Worth Star Telegram