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The Origin of the Jeans

July 17, 2011 by
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You slip them on just about every day. You have for years. Do you know where the blue jean comes from, though? Those pants you enjoy wearing and that come in so many styles, colors and patterns, have a long history of providing function, durability and style to people.

Learning the Jeans’ History

You will find it in everything from baby costumes to dresses. Jean material is something that started long ago, when a man named Levi Strauss first arrived in San Francisco in 1860.

  • The jeans’ invention stems from necessity. Strauss noticed the need that gold miners had as they worked out in the mines and fields for durable trousers. After selling canvas products, he later created pants using a product called denim. This added more comfort to the pants.
  • The first denim material, though, was not from Strauss. Rather, manufacturers began creating denim in Genoa, Italy.
  • Adding copper rivets happened to the jean pants in 1893. The addition helped to create more strength in the stress points of the pants. Work tools of those who wore these pants pulled at these locations as they hung on pockets and belt loops.
  • The name “jeans” hit in the 1920′s. It stems from the French Revolutionary period when the term “jeans,” which sounds like “johns” in French, then applied to the heavy cotton fabric created in Italy.

It would be some time before the material became more commonplace in American society. With the advent of fashion designers, though, the creation of this material was more for fashion than for functional use by the middle of the 1960′s.

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From Levi to Lucky: How Denim Became Designer

June 13, 2011 by
Closeup of a copper rivet on blue jeans. 

Image via Wikipedia

Jeans; talk about a rag to riches story. Once upon a time, denim trousers were favored by sailors from Genoa, who knew no other piece of apparel could stand months of deck swabbing and seawater. Eventually jeans made it stateside, where they were worn by laborers and prisoners, a duo of workhands who could wear through chinos faster than you can say “zip your fly”. At some point during their life, jeans got a whiff of new life when rebellious teens took a fancy to them. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

 

Not Cinderella’s Jeans

 

Remember Jordache? They paved the way for today’s $400 True Religions when they began selling cool jeans just for women. Women do love fashion, and as denim became more sophisticated, so did the offerings. Jeans weren’t casual standards anymore; they became tailored bottoms, suitable for work and date nights. The biggest names in denim today have only been around for about a decade, but they satiated the human desire for haute denim. Perhaps you recognize some of these jean big-wigs?

 

  • True Religion
  • Seven for all Mankind
  • Rock & Republic
  • Chip and Pepper
  • Citizens of Humanity
  • William Rast
  • Diesel

 

 

New Kids on the Rack

 

The designer denim option isn’t as narrow as it used to be; there are many more jeans companies than the well-loved names above with pant offerings in the $100 to $500 range. From high quality Japanese denim, edgy stitching, pocket fleur-de-lis, rips, paint splatters, or utterly chic tailoring, designer jeans have come a long way from their high-seas basic. Pair some flares with a navy striped top for a tribute to your beloved Sevens.

 

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How to Wear Denim for Any Occasion

May 5, 2011 by
Closeup of a copper rivet on blue jeans. 

Image via Wikipedia

Ok, ok you cannot wear jeans for any occasion but you can wear jeans for most occasions. As jeans are usually a staple in every woman’s wardrobe it is important to get the most from them. It is also important that you know when and where you can wear certain types of denim to look as stylish as possible.

With the craze of the skinny jean, chances are you have a pair in your closet. Skinny jeans are a great item to have in wardrobe because they can be worn to many different types of functions. Skinny jeans with a flowy top and flats is a great out fit to wear to lunch with girlfriends or while you are out shopping. To dress up the outfit and make it more appropriate for evening wear a silky top with a graphic detail or a metallic design. Ankle boots and chunky jewelry will help to add to the evening, dressy feel.

Dark wash denim will not only make you look taller and thinner but they will also dress up any normal outfit. Dark wash denim has even become appropriate for the work environment. While not all employers will appreciate denim in the office, if your work place is a little more laid back and fashion forward then dark wash denim can be worn. To dress up dark wash denim pair the jeans with a blazer and heels. When you are wearing denim in the office make sure to pair the denim with structured blouse which will help to make the look more professional.

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Style with Jeggings

March 28, 2011 by

In 2008, fashion bloggers posted that skinny jeans were out and gratefully posting pictures of wide-legged jeans. The flair leg is definitely more attractive on most figures, but the predictions were wrong. Rather than reject skinny jeans, the fashion industry has embraced them to the extreme—introducing jeggings.  Jeggings—that cross between leggings and jeans—are not attractive on most people. If you are Barbie—long, skinny legs—or under the age of 12, they might look good on you.

If you want to wear jeggings, make sure they fit right.  They should be just long enough to reach the ankle without bunching up around your foot. They look best with a long, slightly loose shirt—a tunic or sweater that comes to the hips, and low heels. If you wear them with a short, tight shirt and totally flat shoes, you will just look like you are on the way to a dance class in your leotard.

Make sure they are thick enough to cover your underwear.  Show off your shape, but leave whatever is under it to the imagination.  Panty lines are unattractive! Regardless of the recent tendency to let it all hang out, underwear should really be “under there.” Ask any ten guys if they like to see bra straps showing, and you will find that most prefer them hidden.  They favor a little mystique in their women. Women should look good without letting the world see how it is achieved.

Jeggings are nice for winter, because they can be worn with long-sleeve shirts and still look good. Then again, why not just wear long underwear?  Because jeggings are more attractive, that’s why!  Next time you are out shopping, why not try on a pair and see how they look? You just might like them!

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Strauss and de Nimes

March 24, 2011 by

Many people know the story of Levi Strauss—or so they think, but did you ever wonder where the terms denim and jeans come from?

Levi Strauss—originally Leob Strauss—took an already existing fabric and used it to create clothing for the gold miner.  Denim had already become common in the 1700s, used to clothe slaves, traders, and farmers because it was a strong, durable material. It was often blue because indigo was one of the more plentiful natural dyes.

During the California gold rush, miners wanted durable clothing that would hold up to the rigors of digging in the earth and wading in streams.  They did not have their wives or local seamstresses around to fulfill that need. Strauss saw the need and started providing denim pants at wholesale to outfitters.

The rivet, which is so famous for its first use on Levis, was not invented by Levi Strauss.  It was invented by a man named Jacob Davis, who saw that a big problem with working men’s pants was that the pockets tore away from the fabric.  He did not have the money to patent his idea, so he sold the idea to Strauss. Thus Levis became the first jeans with rivets, a staple for working men and cowboys from 1872.

Denim supposedly comes from a type of serge cloth sewn in Nimes, France.  Thus the term, ‘de Nimes became denim in English.  The word jeans comes from Genoa, Italy. Genes, or jeans, were cotton clothing worn by sailors. As you don your latest stylish jeans, think of wearing the pants made from the sail of a ship. They have come a long way in style since then.

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“Yeah, I Wear Mom Jeans. You Got a Problem With That?”

March 16, 2011 by

All you people who make fun of Mom Jeans, get a life, okay?  Mom jeans are the coolest thing around.  A woman who wears Mom jeans is a woman who has her priorities straight.  Once upon a time she was a young woman who had no one to think about but herself.  She could wear the latest fashions if she wanted. She could buy jeans in three sizes to compensate for monthly fluctuations and strut around in skin tight pants.

Then someone else entered her life, or a multitude of someone elses, and suddenly her belly stretched and her budget shrank.  Now instead of buying three sizes, she buys clothes for a child who goes through three sizes in a year. She buys him bicycles and birthday parties and pizza. Meanwhile, as all moms know, her own size can fluctuate from morning until evening.  So she wears her pants a little too tight or a little too loose.

Suddenly, skinny jeans are in style, but even skinny moms have learned that comfort is important to a woman who has to bend over the car and buckle kids in and out.  Looser pants are much better for playing soccer with her little ones, or attending their games.  They are better for sitting on the floor playing cars, and infinitely better for a soft comfortable seat as she reads a story to her children.

By the time the children are teens, they don’t want their own mother to be “hot.”  That’s plain embarrassing. Moms of teens are supposed to be invisible. So they oblige. They wear comfortable clothes. They have their priorities in order. They are Moms!

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Blue Jeans in the 70’s: From Maverick to Mainstream

March 9, 2011 by

In 1970, many girls were still required to wear dresses to school. When little girls played on the playground bars or swings, their underpants showed and no one thought much of it. When indoors they were taught to “sit like a lady”—knees together, skirt pulled down a bit—though it was difficult in the days of the miniskirt.

As schools eased up on their dress codes, many girls started wearing pants to school, but blue jeans were still considered unladylike.  Female teachers wore suits or dresses.  Some fathers did not care for their girls wearing denim, especially in farming areas. “Jeans are for working,” they said.

In 1973, a group of girls in a California school rebelled against their teacher’s favoritism of boys by dressing like the boys—in jeans, t-shirts, and ball caps—and no one sent them home. They didn’t even make the news.

By 1976, girls wore jeans to school and other places. The next big fad was bib overalls, which horrified the older generation. “They are men’s clothing!” they exclaimed in dismay. Along with the bib overalls girls wore “jumpsuits,” a one-piece garment that covered the body from neck to ankles. Those didn’t last long, as they were inconvenient to deal with on a daily basis.

By 1979, most girls wore pants or jeans to school all the time, and nobody blinked an eye.  Many teachers began to dress more casually as well, though usually not in denims.  Pants were skin tight to the knee—painted on, according to disapproving parents—and flared at the lower part of the leg, but not as full as the bell-bottoms of the 60’s. The older generation did not see how the young could stand them, especially in denim. But blue jeans prevailed, going from rebel to mainstream in the course of a decade.

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What Jean Size are you Really?

February 23, 2011 by

While it is generally recommended that you choose clothing that conforms to your body shape, it isn’t always true. This is especially the case when it comes to denim jeans. The majority of people actually wear jeans incorrectly, as they are either too big or too small.

This is typically the result of people not realizing how they look upon their body shape, but it is also the result of people trying to fit an image. To get the right jean size, you should ultimately try on various sizes and choose the pair that better compliments your figure or meets your desired appearance.

Thinner Figures

For those with a smaller figure, jeans should be on the tighter size. A person with a thin figure wearing over-sized jeans can look very awkward and unflattering. With a tight jean size, thin people can display their figure and project a taller appearance. Additionally, with a more body-conforming jean size, thinner people will actually have more mobility and comfort.

Wider Figures

People with wider figures are in a complete opposite camp. For wider people, it is recommended to wear somewhat of a larger jean size than the waistline. This provides a more straight appearance and avoids emphasizing those unwanted curves. A larger jean size also provides more room and is a better compliment to the upper body giving the outfit a more uniform appearance rather than having looser clothing on the top and tighter clothing on the bottom.

Image

For other jean buyers, how the jeans feel isn’t very relevant. Instead, they are more concerned by how they look on their body so that it gives them the style that they are looking for. For example, rappers prefer loose fitting clothes so wear only jeans that are baggy.

When it comes to denim, getting the right look means getting the right jean size.

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Denim Through the Ages

February 16, 2011 by
The denim fabric of a jeans

Image via Wikipedia

When it comes to the world of denim there are no age restrictions or age limits. From denim jeans to denim jackets, all age groups can don the garment and look good doing it. This fact signifies the adaptable qualities of denim.

However, that doesn’t mean kids and their grandparents should be shopping together for the same outfit. In each age group there are suitable denim styles and shapes that work for them and not so much for others.

Kids

Children have the luxury of looking good in just about anything. They can sport any type of denim product, from jeans to jackets to shirts. And in all different colors, too. Of course, for children there are limits to the styles. For boys, jeans that are too baggy are likely to fall to the ground. Meanwhile, for girls, wearing low-riding jeans like their older sisters should be forbidden.

Teens

When kids reach their teenage years they can be expected to branch out in all different styles and colors of denim. Some may prefer tighter denim clothing, while others are more interested in a looser fitting look. Like their other experimentations, teenagers are sure to wear many unconventional colors from red to purple.

Adults

As an adult there has to be more consideration to what style and size of denim is worn. Denim should be more conforming to the figure. Bright colors should be limited and styles should be more fashionable. Finding the right jeans for an adult is as simple as shopping where there are no teenagers.

Elderly

Like kids, the elderly are more than welcome to wear any clothing in denim. However, it should all be in traditional colors and styles with an emphasis on respectability.

Denim is one of the few garments that can literally span generations of wearers without losing its cool.

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The Many Shades of Denim

February 10, 2011 by

When people think of denim they are sure to think of the classic blue shade of jeans. That is understandable since it is indeed the color of choice for anything made of denim. But that color denim is just one of many that have been made and dyed over the nearly 100 years of the garment.

Once denim became a fashion piece, designers have been trying to broaden its color horizons. In recent times, shades of denim have been made to not only offer variety but to match the many different images people are trying to convey.

Dark

In the shade of blue, denim is available in many different dark hues. They start with the typical dark blue that signifys most jeans. The specturm then reaches blue shades that almost look black. To add affect, a lot of dark blue denim has steaks of lighter blue to create a creased, worn look.

Light

Going as far as one step above white, light denim is generally comprised of baby blues. The most notable of light denim are stone washed jeans, some of which have very little shades of blue. But like dark denim, light denim runs a full spectrum reaching full, yet soft, blue shades.

Fades

The biggest separator of dark and light denim are the fades incorporated to present different looks. The most popular is the rugged look with lighter colors in middle of the pant leg surrounded by dark blues on the edges. Other denim jeans have greater parity between light and dark blue as both are spread across the fabric in a seamless fashion.

Colors

Although blue is the preferred, and generally the more natural, color of denim, it is still just one color available. With the right dye, denim can be made into any color one desires. Darker colors like black, purple and green are the more fashionably accepted. That’s because light colors like yellow or red can stick out like a very sore thumb.

When shopping for denim consumers can be assured that there are plenty of colorful choices.

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