Off with their pants
In cities around the world, from Sydney to Shanghai, people stripped off their trousers on Jan. 13 and rode subway systems fully clothed on top but wearing nothing on the bottom but their underwear. This was not a nudist protest or a case of everyone forgetting to do their laundry. It was the 12th annual edition of the “No Pants Subway Ride,” – an improvised comedy event started by the New York group “Improv Everywhere.”
A woman looks away as people take part in the "No Pants Subway Ride" on the uptown 6 train in New York.
The main website for the event states anyone can take part so long as he or she is: “1) Willing to take pants off on subway 2) Able to keep a straight face about it”.
Participants in New York, like this man in his boxer shorts, met at six points around the city at the beginning of the event.
New York participants were instructed to tell anyone who asked them why they were not wearing pants that they “forgot”, and that they are “a little cold.”
Participants were also told to act as if they didn't know one another once they were inside the subway system.
A participant takes off his pants in Shanghai. Those taking part in New York were told to respond to questions about why they were taking their pants off on the train by answering that they were "getting uncomfortable".
Passengers look at two women without their pants on the subway in Shanghai.
The legs of a man taking part in the event stick out into the aisle of the Shanghai subway.
Fellow passengers react to seeing a man just wearing his boxers. Participants were told to act as if nothing was unusual: "Read a magazine or whatever you would normally do," instructs Improv Everywhere's website.
About 150 people took part in the London version of the event.
Passengers laugh at participants of the fourth annual 'No Trousers Tube Ride' in London.
A man in his underwear takes part in Berlin.
Other Berlin residents join in.
People without their pants wait to enter an approaching subway in Berlin. Organisers reminded everyone taking part in the city not to forget to buy a ticket.
Participants in Berlin wait for a train at Potsdamer Platz.
A man wearing a mask and a sombrero takes part in the Mexico City version of the event, organised by Flashmob Mexico.
A subway zooms past participants in their underwear in Mexico City.
Two people taking part in Sofia kiss as others wait without their pants for a train.
