Parachute Pants For Hip-hop Performers ► ‘parachute‘ referred to the pants’ synthetic nylon material. Parachute are typically worn as menswear and are often brightly colored. Parachute pants became a fad in US culture in the 1980s as part of an increased cultural appropriation of break-dance.

Parachute pants were popularized by hip-hop performers, they were often woven of loose, light fabric, with a low seat containing many folds, and sometimes printed with complex designs, ranging from neon patterns to prints resembling Middle Eastern pattern embroidery, contrasting the earlier monochromatic heavy jumpsuits and trousers.

They were also sometimes seen with many zippers and pockets, although many of these pockets were too small to be used as pockets and existed only in order to apply another zipper or other superficial feature to the outfit. Parachute pants were then used primarily in choreographed hip hop dancing, with the light, baggy fabric and folds visually enhancing the flowing rhythm of the dancers’ moves while allowing for greater comfort and mobility.

While these trousers didn’t exist principally for breakdancing, but rather participating in a rave, they were still primarily worn for functional reasons: many pockets for use with concealment of one’s wallet/money, water, accessories, ecstasy etc.

The pants had a zipper around the calf used to remove the lower part of the leg, or otherwise vent the leg, to increase cooling on hot dance floors and they were durable and inexpensive.

Parachute pants are a style of trousers pants characterized by the use of ripstop nylon and extremely baggy cuts