Skinny Jeans style for men is back!

Say what you wish, there’s no denying that the Skinny Jeans style for men is back. Yes, those skinny jeans which were considered feminine are today perhaps the most popular item of men’s clothing in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

Gone are days when baggy pants and loose fitting clothing were a hot commodity on the local market. Back in those days, teenagers were frowned upon by their peers for wearing clothing that hugged their bodies or trousers that were too close.

While this may be the new trend among many young men, some say they never envisaged the day when men would attire themselves in clothing which they think is better suited for women.

However, most young men don’t seem to fathom what is the big fuss about the clothes they are most comfortable wearing.

Stephen King, a student at the Bishop’s College Kingstown, told SEARCHLIGHT that the Skinny Jeans are the way in which they express themselves as individuals and flow with what is current in the world of fashion.

“Back in their time, it was about big foot pants, but right now it’s all about the pencil foot (Skinny Jeans) thing,” he said, as he sported a pair of Dickies pants, that hugged his body from the waist all the way down to the ankles.

When quizzed about his decision to rock the new trend, King quickly admitted that it was his own style and that he is not influenced by what is seen on television.

Another young man, who wished not to be identified, stated that “people are just jealous of our style. They can’t dress like us.”

Giving his name only as Jamal, he said that the pencil foot jeans is what makes girls more attracted to them. Asked how, he said: “Well, this is my new style. I just doing my own thing, and the girls just like to see we swagger.”

Some persons are of a different view.

Krystal Maingot, an Administrative Assistant, said she finds this new fad “ridiculous” and that most of the young men are just copying what they see on television.

“I saw a young man in one of these jeans the other day and I had to ask him if he shops in the ladies’ department, and all he did was laugh,” Maingot affirmed.

She added that some of these young men are even taking the fashion to school by tailoring their trousers. “I’m sure these schools have rules governing the boys’ pants, and these teachers should be harder on those who alter their school pants,” she opined.

Not only has the pencil foot jeans been a hot topic for quite sometime, but also the fact that some young men wear scarves around their necks, when others are complaining about the heat of the sun.

Shedding some light on the topic, one top local designer said many of the young men look at what is happening in North America and Europe in terms of fashion. Adding to the fact that there are not many local male designers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, she noted that the young men would often sway towards what is the new trend in the United States.

“With the influence of the hip hop culture and access to the Internet, the influences keep coming in and the young men follow these trends they are seeing,” she noted.

However, the ace designer said some people need to be aware of our climatic conditions and wear the suitable clothing.

“Although some of these trends are hot, they are not always suitable for our climate. The wearing of the scarf is just ridiculous for this heat we have in the Caribbean,” she added.

Young designer Jeremy Payne is of the view that people have a right to express themselves through fashion in whatever is comfortable for them.

“You can’t just go around telling people that their way of self expression isn’t good,” he noted.

Declaring that he sees nothing wrong with men wearing these jeans, Payne said some of these young men alter these jeans to their liking, which sometimes may not be the best fit.

He added that it is not something to be alarmed about, as other Caribbean countries follow trends from North America and Europe.

As a designer who has travelled and seen fashion trends in other countries, Payne says he does not have a problem with persons being themselves and wearing what they want to because these are the same people that give him ideas for his designs.