Parachute pants are a style of trousers (pants) characterise by the use of ripstop nylon and / or extremely baggy cuts. In the original loose-fitting, extraneously zippered style of the early 80s 'parachute' refers to the pants' synthetic nylon material. In the later 80s 'parachute' may refer to the extreme baggyness of the pant. They are typically worn as men's wear and are often brightly colored. Parachute pants became a fashion sensation in US culture in the 1980s as part of an increased cultural appropriation of breakdancing.