If you’re happy to see more baggy, wide and oversized pants options at your favorite clothing store, you can probably thank skateboarders for that.
Christopher Smith, territory manager for the northeast for RVCA, a popular skateboard and clothing company (pronounced rew-ka), said trends in skateboarding often have a large influence on the fashion industry as a whole.
“I would say skateboarding really drives trends, and I think it has for a long time,” Smith said. “Some of the most popular brands have basically started out as skate shops, like Supreme and Palace.”
Smith said the company has definitely seen an increase in demand for bigger fitting pants in recent years.
“There has been a trend shift towards a larger, bigger leg opening,” Smith said. “I think most of that’s been really driven by skate shops, mostly by skate in general.”
Logan Kentner ’25 said he prefers to wear baggy denim when he skateboards, both for fashion and function. While Kentner likes the way they look, he said bigger pants provide more leg mobility for skateboarders.
“Partially it’s for aesthetics, but a lot of it’s utilitarian,” Kentner said. “It’s a little more movable when you’ve got room in there. And compared to sweatpants, jeans are just tougher. If you fall, it’s not going to tear them to shreds.”
Kentner said he usually purchases his pants from retail locations that have nothing to do with skateboarding.
“I got my favorite pair of jeans from Boscovs for like 10 bucks,” Kentner said. “My other favorite pair of jeans I got from Tractor Supply.”
Christian McCarry ’24 said perhaps the most popular baggy pants are “Big Boys,” a style of denim by Polar Skate Co., a European skateboard and clothing company. Big Boys are some of the first styles of pants featured on the “Pants” page of Polar Skate Co.’s website, and retail for about $130.
“I really like the Polar Big Boys whenever I see people wearing them,” McCarry said. “I don’t have a pair myself, but whenever I see people wearing them, I get kind of jealous. They’re sick.”
McCarry said buying directly from companies is not the only option, and he prefers wearing vintage pants that he finds at thrift stores and on a reselling app called Depop.
“You can definitely find a lot of baggy stuff on Depop,” McCarry said. “But if you want to get something cheaper, you can definitely find baggy clothes at your local thrift stores. That’s where I find the majority of my baggy clothes. It’s a little cheat for buying baggy pants.”
Kentner said his outfit can actually influence the way he feels on his skateboard, and ultimately his ability to do tricks.
“If you’re wearing a dumpy outfit, you’re not feeling great,” Kentner said. “Skateboarding [requires] a lot of confidence. So if you’re not feeling confident in your outfit, you’re not going to skate confidently.”
