Why Beltless Pants?
 

Now, don't get me wrong, I think belted pants look horrible, and have been wearing beltless pants since I started officiating, but I was just wondering what's the origin of the beltless pant, why do we as officials wear it.

And to further that, why are pleats preferred to flat-fronts?

Why beltless? Why don't players wear belts?

As for pleats, they're looser, roomier, and more comfortable than Western cut.

BTW, you sure must be bored.

Personally, I prefer pantless belts. :D

All officials used to wear belts. Then college officials stopepd. So, others thought it looked "cool" or would make them look like they did college. So, all umpires were wearing beltless, plain-front pants.

Then, college officials started wearing pleats. ....

Then, college officials started wearing grey shirts. .... (but that was stopped, for most).

Then, college officials started wearing the wide black stripe on the side. ...

Then some college officials started wearing some white on the shoes. ...

WOW! Maybe some college officials will start wearing fishnets! :eek:

Why beltless? Two words.
Steve Wellmer.

I was surprised to see that around here, most of the guys were wearing belted pants. It's just not an issue. I think the reason most go belted is that you can't find beltless between here and Denver or Salt Lake City. The local sporting goods store doesn't carry them because he can't make a profit. You have to either get them on-line or drive 5 hours.
I prefer beltless, but haven't been able to find mine since we moved (they're packed somewhere). Walmart sells a decent pair of belted slacks for about $11. I was going to use them as a stop-gap until I noticed it wasn't an issue here. Now, I can bide my time for a good deal on Honigs or some similar web site.

Rainmaker is not a minority
 

Because we're all a bunch of high school girls. If you have teenage daughters, you've already learned that the reason they dress the way they do is to impress other girls. It's true. I always thought it's because they wanted guys looking at them with non-stop lecherous leers. But it's really because "the herd" punishes non-conformity.

And we're just exactly like them.

As long as we're reasonably, professionally presentable, I really don't think most coaches or ADs care how we dress. I don't think most would care if we wore white hightops with brightly colored logos. I don't think they'd have much problem with shorts. I don't think they would care if we had collars on our shirts. What type of lanyard; couldn't care less. Fox40, Dolphin, old metal clunker bought at a yard sale? Not really that much of an issue.

We are the major driving force behind "referee fashion." It's "the herd" who punishes non-compliance.

So why beltless, pleated pants? Because "we" said so. And you don't want to know what happens if you don't comply :eek:

I had this one partner who told me that the buckle could be a liability issue. He said a girl had tripped, fallen into the official and cut her forehead on the official's belt buckle.

Don't shoot me, I'm just telling you what he said.

That's about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. If a girl's hitting her head on his belt buckle the injury liability is the least of his worries.

Why dress pants to run around in, in the first place? Why not shorts? Track pants? Something functional and comfortable?

Well.......because officials have <b>always</b> worn dress pants.

Btw, I had to wear gray dress pants when I started out.

Steve Wellmer should wear suspenders and a belt.

Interesting. Now I have to wear grey shirts. I wonder how long before someone thinks grey pants AND shirts would look good.

I was told years ago it was a matter of uniformity.

Belts were never the same from ref 2 ref ..... darker, lighter, worn, new, patterned, cloth, leather, silver buckle, gold buckle, - all matching or conforming to "Black"

Going Belt less removed that lack of uniformity.

My partner on Friday night wore pants with beltloops, but didn't wear a belt.