Londoners go pantless! That’s right, the people in London braved the January chill and ditched their trousers to celebrate the annual 'No Trousers Tube Ride' on Sunday. Participants in shirts, suits, and scarves, but without trousers, took over the London Underground, spreading smiles and laughter in this quirky tradition.
The trouserless group was led by 40-year-old personal trainer Dave Selkirk, who headed the event by gathering participants at Chinatown. From there, the passengers made their way to Piccadilly Circus station before boarding the trains. The sight of commuters casually scrolling through their phones or reading newspapers, all while pantless, created a cheerful scene for unsuspecting passengers.
With no trousers, creativity flourished. Participants wore everything from tuxedo tops and trench coats to neon puffer jackets, pairing these with beanies and scarves. The highlight, of course, was their vibrant underwear that drew smiles and laughter from fellow travellers.
What is No Trousers Tube Day?
The No Trousers Tube Ride, as part of the larger No Pants Subway Ride, is an annual event organised by Improv Everywhere, a comedic performance art group based in New York City. Their slogan, "We Cause Scenes," perfectly reflects the spirit of the event. The event was first launched in New York in 2002. It has now expanded to 60 cities worldwide, offering a dose of harmless fun each January.
The inaugural No Pants Subway Ride saw just seven participants in New York. By 2006, the number grew to 150, though some were handcuffed for disorderly conduct. Today, the event is a global phenomenon. "There's so much bad, so much not fun going on," Selkirk told the Associated Press (AP). "It's nice to do something just for the sake of it."
'I'm very happy to see the tradition live on.'
During the event, many commuters remained straight-faced as they scrolled through their phones or chatted with friends, adding to the humour of the situation. Meanwhile, tourists and unsuspecting passengers gave wide-eyed glances and chuckles.
One such participant, Basil Long, a lawyer wrapped in a thick winter coat, revealed his bold ensemble: pink underwear, a rainbow-striped shirt, and socks inspired by the Underground. "I just saw it online and thought, why not?" he said with a grin, as reported by AP.
"I'm very happy to see the tradition live on. It's meant to be a bit of harmless fun," one man told the BBC. Another reflected on the event’s playful spirit: "Certainly, we are living in a climate where people like to have culture war fights and my rule in New York was always that my goal is to amuse other people, to give people a laugh. It's not to be provocative or to irritate someone so hopefully the spirit of that continues."
