Jeans: Our Pants Have More Than Pockets; They Have History, Too!

There is no denying that one of the most classic Americana clothing pieces is denim jeans. Loved by men, women and children alike, jeans are a staple in majority of closets across the nation—if not the world.

Today, denim has become so common yet versatile. Available in a multitude of different washes and styles that range from skinny and bootcut to kick flare and distressed, jeans offer a simple way to express oneself with fashion. However, denim jeans have a rich history—and they were not always so widely worn and accepted.

Mary Kate Donahue, 2019.

According to Jennifer Wright (2015) of Racked, “Blue jeans were actually an accidental discovery in the 18th century, when people in Nimes, France attempted to replicate a sturdy Italian fabric called serge. What they created was "serge de Nimes" or, as it’s been shortened to, ‘denim.’ However, denim fabric and more specifically jeans did not take true meaning in the United States until 1853 “when a Bavarian immigrant named Levi Strauss brought denim to America” (Wright, 2015). Levi Strauss’ jeans gained popularity with miners and cowboys, as the strength and performance of the pant appealed to each groups’ line of work. Then, “in 1873, near the end of the Gold Rush, Levi Strauss obtained a U.S. patent with tailor Jacob Davis for the process of putting metal rivets in men’s work pants to increase their durability” (Moore, 2019).

When did jeans make the transition from the worker’s uniform to mainstream fashion? Most credit Marlon Brando and James Dean, who wore jeans in various 1950s films and thus popularized the garment (Skidmore, 2019). More classic-silhouette jeans continued to gain popularity in the 1960s and then “flared styles from the '70s, cropped silhouettes from the '80s, and baggy fits from the '90s” (Bennett, 2019) all followed suit.

Another American figure who helped promote jeans, specifically for women, was Gloria Vanderbilt. In fact, “in the 1970s and ’80s, Vanderbilt’s name became synonymous with a new crop of jeans that were figure-hugging, upscale, and designed expressly for women — unlike the utilitarian, male-geared Levi’s that until then had dominated the market” (George-Parkin, 2019). Then in the 1980, women’s jeans took on an even more suggestive tone with Calvin Klein’s commerical starring the 15-year-old actress Brooke Shields. In the ad, “Shields purred that ‘nothing comes between her and her Calvins’ as she sat spread-eagle in a pair of his jeans and a taupe blouse” (Thomas, 2019). In the 1990s, jeans become staple items for pop-culture icons, musicians and actresses such as Brittney Spears, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Timberlake, among many others. Then in 2003, jeans mainstream prevalence was made evident in the humorous Saturday Night Live skit Mom Jeans (for a laugh, click here to watch).

Thus, it is no secret that jeans have been the “American uniform” for several decades. However, it is quite intriguing how the fabric has been historically restricted in certain social settings, such as country clubs. According to Christina Binkley (2010) of The Wall Street Journal, “jeans yank at our social fabric. Once a working-class textile, denim has been a social statement for more than 40 years.” However, most antiquated dress codes such as white-only on the tennis court, coat and ties required in the dining room and no white after Labor Day have all been softened or eradicated over the years. Yet, the battle over jeans still persists. For example, in July, Meghan Markle felt opposition for wearing jeans to Wimbledon. According to Will Humphries and Harry Shukman (2019), “the wearing of denim is frowned upon in members’ areas at Wimbledon. One member of more than 30 years said: ‘She’s not allowed to wear jeans.’” Thus, these “rules” surrounding denim seem to be more of a social more than a true restriction. Therefore, why does such a stigma still exist around denim jeans in particular settings?

There is no clear answer to this question other than one word—tradition.

However, in 2019, denim is extremely prevalent and widely accepted in most settings. Not to mention, denim can be highly fashionable or simply comfortable and practical, depending on the wearer’s personal preferences, lifestyle, occupation, etc. According to Lauren Eggersten at Who What Wear, denim trends for fall 2019 are anything but bland. Whether it be embroidered denim, jeans with hem detailing or even pintucks, jeans are without a doubt still in style this fall.

Truly, America’s favorite pair of pants have more than just pockets; they carry a rich history, too.

---

References

Bennett, Alexis. (2019, August 21). Gap Is Bringing Back Its Best Denim Pieces From the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Retrieved from https://www.instyle.com.

Binkley, Christina. (2010, May 27). Admitting Jeans to the Club. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com.

Eggersten, Lauren. (2019, August 18). Everyone Will Toss Out Their Skinny Jeans for These 2019 Trends. Retrieved from https://www.whowhatwear.com.

George-Parkin, Hilary. (2019, June 18). Gloria Vanderbilt changed how we feel about jeans. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com.

Humphries, Will and Harry Shukman. (2019, July 10). Meghan falls foul of All England etiquette by wearing jeans to Wimbledon. Retrieved from https://www.thetimes.co.uk.

Moore, Booth. (2019, August 30). Levi Strauss Exhibition Coming to San Francisco Museum in 2020. Retrieved from https://wwd.com.

Skidmore, Maisey. (2019, September 5). How denim has evolved over the decades. Retrieved from https://www.dazeddigital.com.

Thomas, Dana. (2019, September 3). The Real Cost of Your Blue Jeans. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com.

Wright, Jennifer. (2015, February 27). The Complete History of Blue Jeans, From Miners to Marilyn Monroe. Retrieved from https://www.racked.com.