Hip Huggers: a Personal Commentary

For years, I thought myself to be fairly liberal minded and accepting of each generation's individuality. It didn't mean that I had to like the new styles and fashions, as they often do just come and go. I can also accept that the young have to express themselves in their own unique way, just as my generation did in the seventies.

I can still hear my father's words reverberate through the archives of my mind. "Boys should not be wearing their hair long. They look like (expletive) girls." Well, I'm sure his parents had a few things to say about his generation too.

However, there is just one thing I cannot for the life of me understand and it makes me wonder if I am finally becoming my parents. That can feel a little bit scary. Maybe some readers can give me some thoughts on this subject to help put my mind at ease. This just cannot be right no matter how you look at it!

Now, I remember back in the seventies, the style was hipster jeans (or hip huggers as some might call them). Yes, those hip huggers have come back to life, as most things tend to do. But a huge question remains. Why is it that today's hip huggers don't stay on the hips, as they did in my day? Thinking about it, as I write this article, maybe because fashions are even more liberal and more daring than they once were. Possibly younger generations are always looking for ways to shock the older generations. The hip huggers fit a wee bit lower on the hip today than our hip huggers did.

I have seen where the young men will wear pants that are a few sizes too big, in order that they almost appear as though they are falling off their behinds. I understand, for some unfathomable reason, that it is fashionable to show off their colorful boxer shorts. I can't say that I am in favor of this fashion, but #1, I don't have to follow suit (and of course never would) and #2, I don't have to look.

Recently, we had some work done to our home and had to hire someone for installation of some railing. The company sent a young lad to do the job. Yes, you guessed it, he was wearing his jeans so that they rode down his hips, showing off not boxers, but baby blue briefs. I wasn't sure if I should go out and tell him to pull up his pants (I was so afraid for him that they would soon be tripping him, after suddenly falling to his ankles. Could we be sued because it happened in our yard?), or to just stand there and laugh out loud. Of course I did neither, as I stood in shock, half trying not to look (The old song "The Streak" by Ray Steven's comes to mind. "Don't look Ethel"). It's one of those things where what you see, you find yourself tugging on your own clothing to make sure that nothing private is showing. Subsequently, I just allowed him to go about his business and I went about mine, with a silent hope that his pants would last the duration it took for the railing to be completed.

In the case of the young ladies of today, it seems that it's okay for them to show off the fact that they are wearing a thong under their clothing. Well, I have an example of this to talk about as well, that I will never understand. Again recently, which is what compels me to relate this article to the readers of AC, my neighbor was out in her yard doing some work on her front lawn. To a certain degree, I can understand if a young girl is wearing these low riding jeans. We all want to be with the fashions of the day and keep in step with our peers, but this woman is well into her mid 30's. I didn't purposely intend to stare out her way, but as I was preparing a meal in my kitchen, I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of her out of my kitchen window, just as she was bending over. I hate to think that I'm "old", but I about near had a heart attack or seizure of some kind. There in broad daylight, almost her entire butt exposed (and I mean entire) to the busy street that we reside on.... and she wasn't wearing so much as a thong.

Again, I thought that maybe I should run out and let her know that her behind was being exposed to the world. After all, when someone's skirt is pulled up or they're dragging a piece of toilet paper on their shoe, isn't it the duty of the person closest to them to point it out so they won't be embarrassed unnecessarily?After a second thought, I decided against telling her. There was a breeze out that day and surely she could feel it on her all too protruding exposed flesh. Or, maybe that was her intention. I wasn't sure if I should feel embarrassed for her, or be repulsed by her blatant exhibition and shameless behaviour at her age. Maybe I'm just being an old fashioned prude. Maybe I am becoming my parents! Perhaps it's just nothing to be embarrassed about anymore, which makes one wonder, what fashion shocker could possibly be in store for the next generation to come?

Hopefully some readers can give me their thoughts on this! Thank your for reading.