The other day, I wore my faded neon-pink khakis from the Gap. I call them my Safety Pants because they’re so visible. At the sound of “Safety Pants,” one of my students mentioned ‘The Safety Dance.” Oh, the 80s. To my students, I confessed my surprise when I first heard of a 90s party. But of course, the millennial people’s 90s are like my 80s. And I enjoy a good 80s party. Sometimes my closet feels like an 80s party.
Which brings me to the subject of this post. Between the talk of Safety Pants and the 90s, we ended up on a google search for MC Hammer pants, yielding the picture above (from neato tumblr ninetieslithium).
Drop crotch trousers did not perish in the 90s. People magazine’s Style Watch recently took Justin Bieber to task for his love of the spacious garment (photo below from their site) and offered hypotheses for why Bieber persists with the lower-than-thou crotch. I’m neither Belieber nor hater. It makes sense that the drop crotch is amenable to his dance moves (one of People‘s hypotheses. The same must have been true for MC Hammer, no?). And Bieber’s choice of that lavender leopard print is great.
WanderChic regulars know that I feel drawn to these trends of yester-decade. Part of the challenge is walking the line between vintage-inspired and costume.
I like these pants, above, from etsy seller Lila’s Fashion Joint (both photos from their site). The pants are 94% cotton and 6% spandex/lycra. I love the pocket design, like fancy canteens or the shapeliest cargo pockets ever. Or maybe it’s an expression of my inner Katniss Everdeen?
I’m also struck by the unexpected placement of the zippers in the front, a unique way to taper the leg. You’re both Hazmat- and runway-ready.
On the lively blog Man Repeller, drop crotch items are a repeat offender. I like that MR takes fashion risks and dresses to her own taste. The blog is an exercise in loving the unloveable (or underloved, I guess). I’m a softie for several items on Man Repeller’s list of culprits: clogs, jumpsuits, and my beloved shoulder pads.
But if the genius behind Man Repeller feels great in overalls and a jeweled ear cuff, and I feel like a million bucks in a shoulder-padded blazer/flotation device, then how could that be repellent?