Hanging low is a fashion no-no

A FASHION faux pas saw one teenager face the full force of the law last week.

Ellis Drummond (18), from Northamptonshire, narrowly avoided an anti-social behaviour order for wearing his trousers slung so low that the public could see his underwear.

In the end, prosecutors abandoned attempts to force him to pull up his pants after complaints over his human rights.

But what do the people of Oldham think of the low-slung look on fashionable young men — and what fashion crimes have they committed in the past? BEATRIZ AYALA spoke to shoppers at Tommyfield Market.


Karen Marland (39), from Oldham Edge, is not a fan of the low-slung look.

She said: “It looks disgusting, showing all that underwear. I just want to go up to them and pull their trousers up.

“The one item I loved wearing when I was younger were miniskirts.

“My parents would tell me I looked like I hadn’t bothered wearing anything, but skirts are a lot shorter now.”

Felicity Kearney (26), from Salem, said: “I think the low-slung look is awful, the lads look scruffy and I can’t understand why anyone would want to show their underwear.

“If my husband wore something like that, I’d divorce him.

“As for fashion crimes, I used to have a very low-cut pink top that I loved.

“I cringe now thinking about how low it was but loved it at the time and always wore it with white pants.”

Sisters Lily Cartwright (78) and Joan Pilgrim (70) were forthright in the views on the low-slung look.

Joan, originally from Rochdale Road but now living in Whitstable, said: “It’s horrible and doesn’t look nice. You are frightened that their trousers are going to fall down.”

Lily, from Fitton Hill, said: “It’s disgusting. There is a a fat lad who gets on my bus and when he bends over, everyone gets an eyeful.

“Girls are the same though, with their big bellies and everything hanging out over the side.”

Joan said: “I remember wearing my three and a half inch stilettos to the dances. I also loved pencil slim skirts.”

Elaine Rothwell (50), who runs the Best Wishes card shop, said: “Lads with their trousers worn low look absolutely ridiculous.

“I always think ‘what must their mothers think, showing their backsides like that?’

“When I was young, about 14, we all wore long, black Crombie overcoats with a silk hankie in the top pocket.

“I’ve been through flares and shell suits and I’d still love to wear a miniskirt but not now.”

Rebecca Walker (18), from Derker, said: “I don’t like low jeans on lads, it’s silly. A few of my friends dress like that but I have no idea why, I don’t know how their pants don’t drop down to their ankles.

“My only fashion crime so far has been wearing denim dungarees.

“I’m sure I’ll look back at myself in 10 or 15 years and think ‘what was I wearing?’”

Philip Armitage (57), from Skelmanthorpe, runs the Oriental Rug Company in the market.
He said: “I grew up in a small village and was the first person to have my head shaved. Someone came up to my dad and said they thought I’d been in a terrible accident.

“My fashion used to be Doc Marten boots and rolled up jeans. I never wore my pants low, I don’t understand that fashion.”

Harold McCleverty (80), from Springhead, said: “I don’t like low trousers, it’s vulgar, no one wants to look at anyone’s backside.

“When I was in my 20s, the extreme fashion was to be a Teddy Boy. I was never one of them but I did have a pair of blue suede shoes and I also owned a pair of flares.”

Michael Murtagh (20), from Lees, said: “The low trousers look stupid and they look like idiots. They should get pants that fit.”