Why Were Parachute Pants Popular?
In the 80s, parachute pants were known to be some of the most comfortable and fashionable pieces of clothing around. Made famous by rapper MC Hammer, known as hammer pants, they were found in every fashionable clothing store around the malls, including Merry Go Round, Miller’s Outpost and Madigan’s. There’s also talk that the company Bugle Boy made them popular. Perhaps the two had worked together to make it all happen.
Whatever they did, they did it right! The Indian style comfy pants were trending throughout the 80s and 90s as it’s also an 80s fashion trend that’s back in style today.
About Parachute Pants
Parachute pants come in all different colors and materials. Celebrities wore them as they were considered the more functional clothing. They were especially popular among breakdancers as they would be able to endure the twists and spins as they slid their legs across the floor. They also seemed to match the fashion trend quite well as they were also included as part of dance uniforms.
Parachute pants usually sold for around $25 – $30 a pair with the majority of the wearers being men. They were also made for women, although they just weren’t as popular. But as a woman myself, I would definitely wear these when running errands or going to a friends house!
MC Hammer
Many of MC Hammer’s concerts would feature him rapping and getting down in his big baggy hammer pants. He wore them in gold sequin colors quite often, which inspired a number of young fashionistas to go bold and sport’em around town.
His biggest song, as you know, is “U Can’t Touch This” (1990) where you can see him showing off multiple pairs of parachute pants. With the explosion of the song came the popularity of the pants. Although perhaps it wasn’t as popular with the women because they were still wearing the tight athletic shorts in the music video. Much of womens’ clothing was also more form-fitting, so the bagginess just wouldn’t mix with this trend. But it still goes to show the power that celebrities and fame has on the world, more specifically, the United States.
What to Wear with Parachute Pants
When wearing parachute pants, you’ll want to contrast the baggy look. So a more form-fitting top would be most appropriate. I wouldn’t recommend wearing just a vest like MC Hammer did in his music video, but something a little tighter to complement your figure.
Many of the parachute pants also now come in patterns, such as leopard print, zebra stripes, colored paint splatters, sequins and everything else you can think of. So if you’ve got a lot going on down below, you’ll want to keep it simple with the top. I would recommend a simple white, black or other solid color form-fitting shirt. Common pieces I’ve seen include tank tops, crop tops, bralettes, tight sweaters and regular t-shirts.
Common accessories to pair with parachute pants would be some wooden bangles, open-toed sandals or flip-flops, anklets and long necklaces. The color of the accessories would ultimately depend on the color of the pants of course. But one of the coolest things about them is that they go well with almost anything!
Parachute Pants Today
Parachute pants are still seen as more of tribal wear, so something more nature-looking but still simple would go well with them. Common patterns I’ve seen on parachute pants nowadays are those with elephants, plants, tie-dye and even peacock feathers. They still come in all colors, but they’re considered part of the hipster look.
I’ve also seen more petite women wear them as they are more form fitting around the mid-section and baggy around the legs. Nothing like taking a walk in the park or on the beach with your bear feet in parachute pants. They flow beautifully in the wind and keep you warm in chilly temperatures.
Where to Buy Parachute Pants
Many parachute pants are sold online of course, but can also be found at Zumiez, Target, Walmart, Ragstock, Anthropolgie and a number of other more hipster stores. Personally I would look to Amazon and third party vendors as the sellers themselves are more passionate about the product and will be most knowledgeable about what they’re selling. Many also make them themselves, which in turn can be a little more expensive, but if you’re looking for a quality pair, they’ll look good. Here are some online stores I recommend:
Where to Wear Parachute Pants
I’ve seen people wear parachute pants almost everywhere. Of course at home, in the mall, at the beach, in the park, at family gatherings, in college, in high school, at festivals and most often, throughout the streets of LA. Los Angeles has a thriving community of millennials which is perhaps the biggest consumer of the parachute pants. I also see it as more of a warmer climate type of clothing as it blows nicely in the wind and because they were based on the harem pants from India.
About Harem Pants
Harem pants date as far back as 2,000 years, originating from the dressy tunic called the Dhoti. Similarly to the 80s, they were mostly worn by men in the eastern world. The dhoti is also known as pancha, mardani, or veshti. It was tailored in a number of different ways over the years, but the spectacular thing is that they never went out of style, unlike the fashion trends in the states.
By the mid-1800s, they started to make their way into the western world, first worn by women’s rights activist Amelia Bloomer. But to avoid feeling like a guy, the infamous name “Bloomers” came to fruition. With a little bit of marketing and advocating, she started and spread the trend of women wearing harem pants as they resembled freedom and liberation. The pants were still worn under the dress, but it looks like women would wear them to prove they were free to choose however they wanted to dress. Probably because men didn’t like them at first!
Famous Celebrities That Wore Harem Pants
Surely you’ve seen a number of celebrities who have worn harem pants other than MC Hammer, especially those with more of a middle eastern or hipster background. Some others may surprise you! Nevertheless, here is the list of famous people who wear parachute pants.
- Gwen Stefani
- Aladdin
- Ashley Olsen
- Rihanna
- Diane Kruger
- Jennifer Lopez
- Selena Gomez
- Justin Timberlake
Would You Wear Parachute Pants?
Even if you think parachute pants are a little over the top, they are more popular than you think! But after seeing these celebrities rock’em out on the streets and even on stage, would you consider picking up a pair and trying them out yourself? You wouldn’t have to get any crazy pattern or color, but maybe a solid black or brown to start. You never know, you just might like them!
