| Parachute pants are a style of trousers (pants) | | | | embroidery, contrasting the earlier monochromatic |
| characterised by the use of ripstop nylon and / or | | | | heavy jumpsuits and trousers. They were also |
| extremely baggy cuts. In the original loose-fitting, | | | | sometimes seen with many zippers and pockets, |
| extraneously zippered style of the late 70s | | | | although often the pockets existed only in order to |
| 'parachute' refers to the pants' synthetic nylon | | | | apply another zipper or other superficial feature to |
| material. In the later 80s 'parachute' may refer to the | | | | the outfit, and the pocket(s) would not be large |
| extreme baggyness of the pant. They are typically | | | | enough to be usable. Parachute pants were then |
| worn as men's wear and are often brightly colored. | | | | used primarily in choreographed hip hop dancing, with |
| Parachute pants became a fashion sensation in US | | | | the light, baggy fabric and folds visually enhancing the |
| culture in the 1980s as part of an increased cultural | | | | flowing rhythm of the dancers' moves, while allowing |
| appropriation of breakdancing. Velvet WearEarly | | | | for greater comfort and mobility. Infrequent in |
| breakdancers occasionally used heavy nylon to | | | | fashion as of 2008. This garment has received little |
| construct jumpsuits or trousers that would be able to | | | | serious exposure since the late 1980s. By the early |
| endure contact with the break dancing surface, or | | | | 1990s parachute pants were sometimes mocked in |
| 'break pad', while at the same time decrease friction | | | | popular culture as emblems of the 1980s, much as |
| with the dancing surface, allowing speedy and | | | | flares (also known as "bell-bottoms") are associated |
| intricate 'downrock' routines without fear of friction | | | | with the 1970s. Parachute pants had made a hidden |
| burns or wear in clothing. Some (possibly apocryphal) | | | | comeback, however, as "Phat Pants", associated with |
| sources attribute the use of genuine parachute nylon | | | | the Raver subculture. For a short time in the late |
| having been cut to make such trousers possible. In | | | | 1990s/early 2000s, neon, khaki, or olive drab colored |
| the later 80s the term 'parachute pants' was used to | | | | heavy duty nylon pants became popular in the rave |
| describe any pants that were somewhat voluminous | | | | scene. While these trousers didn't exist principally for |
| and narrow at the ankles, sometimes cinched with a | | | | breakdancing, but rather participating in a rave, they |
| tie cord running through the lower hem (unlike bell | | | | were still primarily worn for functional reasons: many |
| bottoms or wide leg baggy jeans), in order to | | | | pockets for use with concealment of one's wallet |
| increase mobility for dance moves requiring flexibility. | | | | money, water, accessories, ecstasy etc. Often, the |
| Due to both the usage of nylon in the parachutes, | | | | pants had a zipper around the calf used to remove |
| and the large baggy appearance of the parachute | | | | the lower part of the leg, or otherwise vent the leg, |
| pants, the style of pants became known as | | | | to increase cooling on hot dance floors; and they |
| parachute pants. Often early outfits were of a single | | | | were durable and inexpensive. While the surface of |
| color or slightly patchwork in nature as they were | | | | the textiles used didn't have the gloss associated |
| sometimes made of found materials. When | | | | with parachute pants, they were much closer to the |
| manufactured and marketed as fashionable clothing, | | | | early 1980s version than the misnomer given to |
| parachute pants were often constructed with | | | | "Hammer Pants." They were made of the same or |
| lightweight synthetic fabrics, making this variety of | | | | similar heavy-duty artificial materials, with the same |
| pants more suitable for fashion than break-dancing. | | | | fit, featuring a profusion of pockets and zippers, and |
| As fashion cut pants, parachute pants were | | | | driven by functional awareness. Interestingly, one can |
| popularized by hip-hop performers. From this point, | | | | find adults who have worn both types of trousers |
| they were often woven of loose, light fabric, with a | | | | during their respective eras, and that person will |
| low seat containing many folds, and sometimes | | | | make no association between nearly identical |
| printed with complex designs, ranging from neon | | | | "parachute pants" circa 1982 and "rave pants" circa |
| patterns to prints resembling Middle Eastern pattern | | | | 1998, despite identical cut and material. |