Ever notice that it is getting rarer and rarer these days to find a male of the species under the age of 25 without an ear ring?

At the risk of sounding a bit outdated, I don’t happen to think guys wearing ear rings is exactly cool. But then again, it’s not my call.

There is one thing, though, that the legislature or someone should have the courage to outlaw. And that’s wearing pants about 10 sizes too big where the waists hang halfway down to their knees.

The most flagrant - although not obscene - encounter of late was outside the Target Store Saturday afternoon.

The guy looked to be perhaps 17, if that old. There was nothing unusual at first. Oversized pants. Baseball cap on backwards. Oversized shirt. It was the typical “I’m-making-my-statement” uniform of a teen kid who is much more copycat than original.

I wouldn’t have looked again if it weren’t for his peculiar stride. Then I looked again. The guy’s pants weren’t simply riding low on his hips or even slightly lower. They were somewhere between his knee and hip held in place by a belt flapping aimlessly in the air. The only thing keeping him from giving Target shoppers a full Monty was a pull-over shirt about four sizes too big and hopefully underwear.

One could only wonder what June Cleaver would do today. Instead of telling Wally to always remember to wear clean underwear because you never know when you might end up in a hospital, today she might well be telling him to wear underwear so a simple trip to the mall won’t turn into criminal exposure and all that junk.

Strike that. No one under 25 walking around with a serious crack exposure problem will ever get collared in this day and age for public indecency.

But let anyone else such as a 53-year-old walk down the street like that and the cops will have you handcuffed and in the back of a patrol car in no time at all. Go figure.

Teens today may think it’s hilarious to see pictures of their parents from the 1970s complete with Afros, bell bottoms and flares, polyester leisure suits and such. Don’t laugh too hard. Imagine what the future teens of today’s crack set will do when they dig thorough their parents’ old photos.

I digress. Back to the guy outside of Target who somehow got the false impression pants are knee warmers. Exactly how does one buy pants so the fit is right to wear between your knees and hips? Perhaps the youth market is why pant manufacturers today can’t seem to make two size 34s the same from the same style. If you’re not going wear them on your waist, there’s no need to be close in the waist size since waists are becoming a quaint notion with those who believe shoes are meant to prevent your pants from dragging on the floor.

In fairness to the guy without a clue on where to normally wear pants that was slinking and not walking in front of Target, at least he had his backside covered up so no one can see where the sun isn’t supposed to shine.

I’ve got bad news for the “dudes” who like the entire world to know their taste in underwear as well as those who like to partially expose their behind. You look just like what you’re exposing.

Maybe, just maybe, there are girls out there your age who find it attractive that you show the world your underwear while you go for a stroll.

I’ve never been a big fan of boxers. It used to be the guy world was divided primarily between those who wore boxers and those who wore briefs.

Now it is a three-way split. It’s between those who wear briefs, those who wear boxers and keep their pants pulled up, and those who make it easy to answer the question of whether they’re a boxer guy while you’re standing in line at the supermarket.

Not too long ago one of these “dudes” was outside Safeway complaining to another “dude” about how he couldn’t get a job. There’s not much demand for people who dress like Marky Mark in the work force.

I still believe it’s a matter of each to their own as long as they don’t cross the line of generally accepted decency. And if society would call the cops on a 53-year-old guy walking down the street showing his crack, then it is indecent for a 17-year-old doing the same thing.

This trend must terrify men like George Zimmerman of the Men’s Wearhouse.

You’re starting to see a small but growing number of “men” past 25 who are still wearing pants as knee warmers. I seriously doubt they’ll be potential candidates for buying a suit to wear to work, weddings, or even a funeral. They are crack guys through and through.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, e-mail dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com