No trousers day: Pants-free passengers on London subway turn heads

Hundreds of commuters in London stepped out without trousers on Sunday to take part in the annual “No Trousers Tube Ride,” a playful event designed to bring some cheer to the chilly winter months.
Participants casually rode the London Underground, wearing regular winter attire on top and only underwear below the waist.
The event, which began in New York in 2002 and has since spread to cities like Berlin, Prague, and Washington, DC, aims to inject humour into public spaces. Organisers emphasised its lighthearted nature.
“There’s so much bad, so much not fun going on. It’s nice to do something just for the sake of it,” said event organiser Dave Selkirk, a 40-year-old personal trainer.

Women on an escalator at Westminster Station as they take part in the annual event “No Trousers Tube Ride” in London, Sunday (AP Photo)

Participants in London gathered at Chinatown before heading to the Piccadilly Circus Underground station, where they boarded trains to the amusement of onlookers. Some tourists appeared baffled by the spectacle, while others exchanged grins and took selfies with the trouser-less commuters.
The No Trousers Tube Ride is inspired by a stunt created by New York comedian Charlie Todd. Speaking to the BBC, Todd explained, “The goal of this event is to amuse other people, to give people a laugh. It’s not to be provocative, it’s not to irritate someone. Hopefully, the spirit of that continues.”

People gather at Waterloo station as they take part in the annual event “No Trousers Tube Ride” in London, Sunday (AP Photo)

London hosted its first version of the event in 2009, and it has since become a regular fixture. Participants vary widely in age and style. Among them, lawyer Basil Long donned bright pink underwear and Underground-themed socks, explaining his motivation: “I just saw it online and I just thought, why not?”
Not everyone joined purely for fun. Miriam Correa, a 43-year-old chef, wanted to make a statement about body positivity. “I am a real woman. All bodies are perfect,” she said, adding that previous rides often featured slim participants, and she wanted to represent different body types.

People take part in the annual event “No Trousers Tube Ride” in London, Sunday (AP Photo)

Despite the chilly weather, the event once again brought humour and a sense of camaraderie to London’s Tube, offering Londoners a chance to embrace silliness for a day.