New Jersey beach town BANS saggy pants and requires shirts be worn after 8pm... and you could be fined $200 if you don't comply



Ban prohibits visitors to Wildwood, New Jersey's boardwalk from wearing pants more than three inches below the waist

Saggy pants could result in fines from $25 to $200



Wearing your pants too low in Wildwood, New Jersey, is about to get expensive.

The popular shore town, which is a favorite for holidaymakers, has passed a law banning overly saggy pants with fines ranging from $25 to $200.

The vote was unanimously agreed by the Wildwood Commissioners and Mayor Ernie Troiano, who passed the city ordinance in the name of decency and safety.

According to the new law, when on Wildwood’s boardwalk:

-Shoes or flip-flops must be worn at all times.

-A shirt must be on after 8 pm until 5am the next morning.

-Pants, swim shorts, and skirts must not hang more than three inches past the person’s waist.

Regulations: Visitors to the boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey, will be subjected to dress regulations, including pants no lower than three inches below the waistline

'We’re not trying to set the world on fire here. We’re just trying to give a little bit better appearance to the public about what the city of Wildwood is,' said Troiano.

The mayor maintains from emails to calls, the feedback so far has been mostly positive.

Troiano explained, 'We just want you to take into consideration, if you have family or elderly people or people who just don’t want to look at your rear end, just have a little decency. Just pull your pants up.'



But one local, Robert Henderson, who calls Wildwood home and enjoys dressing how he likes, said: 'You should have the freedom to do what you want on a beach.'

The problem is what he considers his 'freedom', some find offensive.

Reggie Byrne of Wildwood explained, 'There’s a big difference between freedom of expression and indecent exposure.'

Mary Erceg, also of Wildwood added, 'What are you trying to say? It’s just not understandable, it just offends.'

Anthony Kordich of Kingston, NY questioned, 'How come they can tell you how to dress? It’s a public place, I don’t understand that.'

Coming to New York? A billboard is seen in Brooklyn, asking residents to raise their pants was seen in 2010

Opponents don’t like what they’re hearing, neither does Henderson but he understands rules are rules.

Henderson said, 'Yea I have to because if not, I don’t feel like going to the big house.'

Police will first ask violators to comply with the law. Barring that, they’ll be asked to leave the boardwalk. Refuse – and tickets are issued.

We’re told jail time is possible but the mayor says, it is his hope that it never gets that far.

'We don’t want anybody to be asked to leave the boardwalk, we don’t want anybody to receive a ticket. If he wants to be a thug and say, ‘Don’t tell me what to do’, then he will be asked to leave and then it’s in his ballpark.



'You can become a real wise guy and wind up taking a trip to jail or you can get a ticket,' Troiano said.

The proposed law would set fines of $25 to $100 for a first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses.

Having to do community service is also a possibility. The law is set to go into effect during the 4th of July weekend.

Mayor Troiano Jr said the shoe requirement was a safety issue, while the clothing rules reflect the town's values and the image it wants to project.

'I know the social climate's changed and what people think is decent is different than it was,' Troiano said.

Commissioner Peter Byron said he supported the ordinance in its current form.



'I think it's obnoxious with these kids who wear their pants down around their knees,' Byron said, adding he sometimes receives complaints from people unhappy with the style of dress.

Other towns such as Cape May and Ocean City have some regulation in place regarding clothing on their respective promenade and boardwalk.