1870s
The oldest surviving jeans
Levi Strauss & Co.
The birth date of jeans is considered to be May 20, 1873. That day, Levi Strauss, a San Francisco merchant, and his business partner, tailor Jacob Davis, received a patent to make durable trousers from Nîmes twill, an indigo-dyed twill fabric fitted with metal rivets. Strauss was a fabric trader from Nîmes, France, and Davis was his customer who came up with the idea of making particularly durable trousers for California gold miners. Later the fabric received the international name “denim” (abbreviated name serge de Nimes, i.e. Nimes twill). The trousers became jeans, taking their name from a similar fabric brought from Genoa, Italy.
In the 70s of the 19th century, the Strauss and Davis company began producing denim overalls. He released his first jeans in the 90s of the last century.
1930s
Jay P. Morgan/Getty Images
At first, jeans were worn by people engaged in heavy physical labor – durable trousers from the wardrobe of gold miners were carried to the farms. There they were used not only by men, but also by women – in 1934, Levi’s released a model titled “Lady”, tailored to the female figure. So the farmers’ wives and daughters, who until then had been wearing men’s trousers, created their own line. By the way, it was because of women that zippers appeared on jeans, which were originally fastened only with buttons – they did not like buttons.
1950s
Still from the movie “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955)
Warner Bros.
By the end of the 40s, jeans began to be perceived not as business clothes, but as leisure trousers – this was facilitated by the large amount of denim stored in warehouses. Later, in the 40s, Europe met these trousers – the American army brought jeans here.
After World War II, jeans became the uniform of the rebels; it allowed them to show their love of freedom and desire to refute the norms. This did not happen without the help of Hollywood: the ambassadors were, in particular, James Dean from the movie “Rebel Without a Cause” and Marlon Brando from the movie “The Wild One”. The look was enhanced with a leather jacket. Some educational institutions in the US have even banned jeans, accusing their fans of immoral behavior.
1960s
Still from the movie “Night Clash” (1952)
Wald/Krasna Productions
In the late 50s and early 60s, jeans also gained popularity among women. And again thanks to cinema: For example, Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot appeared in jeans. By the end of the decade, flared jeans with embroidery and tassels became part of the wardrobe of followers of the hippie movement and again began to symbolize rebellion and the desire for freedom.
1970s
Actress and singer Jane Birkin, 1970
Getty Images
In the 70s, everyone wore baggy trousers, from Hollywood celebrities Farah Fossett and Lauren Hutton to ABBA soloists who were far from the hippie movement and French movie star Jane Birkin. Low waist, wide belt and elongated skirt were considered the highest manifestation of sexuality and liberation.
1980s
Actress Brooke Shields in a commercial for Calvin Klein jeans in the ’80s
calvin klein
In the 80s, jeans finally entered the studios of major fashion designers – American designer Calvin Klein became the leader of this trend. The promotional poster for the jeans line, starring then-15-year-old Brooke Shields, read: “Do you know what’s between me and my Calvins? Nothing!” The sexualized advertisement for the trousers caused a scandal in American society, but Calvin Klein was confident that he had found his way to success. “Jeans are sex. The tighter they are, the better they sell,” he argued.
Not only did the jeans not fit properly, they also lost their signature “indigo” color. The era of “Varenki” has come.
1990s
Princess Diana and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola, Venencio da Silva, 1997
Getty Images
In the early 1990s, the style of jeans changed to a simpler style – high waist, loose top and tapered bottom, today they are called “mom jeans”. Not only star mothers such as Princess Diana wore them, but also the then-young Winona Ryder appeared in public.
Musician Kurt Cobain and his wife Courtney Love with their daughter Frances, 1993
Global View Press
In the middle of the decade, abundance reached its peak – tube jeans appeared, which became fashionable thanks to rappers. And the popularity of the “grunge” style in the early 90s gave rise to the fashion for ripped jeans, which are no longer worn by rebels today.
2000s
Singer Britney Spears in the video “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” (2001)
A still from the video/Britney Spears/YouTube
The low-waist fashion of the turn of the century did not bypass jeans – they hung somewhere on the hip bones. The classic look from the early 2000s is tube jeans with thongs (or just panties for men) visible underneath. Bootcut jeans have become fashionable – slightly flared at the bottom so that they look good with boots or boots.
2010s
Actress Zendaya, 2016
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
With the invention of social networks, skinny jeans became fashionable and embraced the most advantageous places in every aspect. And not only dark blue, but also black, gray, pink – any. But the low waist, on the contrary, went out of fashion – panties no longer had to peek out from under the clothes.
2020s
Model Bella Hadid, 2023
Ignat/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Now skinny jeans are out of fashion, but they still have their fans and no one will judge them. Now the fashion of jeans styles changes every year, so you can wear it with anything. “Mom” jeans, tubes, cargo, flares and classic straight jeans of any color still look relevant and appropriate in most cases.
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Source: Gazeta
Calvin Turley is an author at “Social Bites”. He is a trendsetter who writes about the latest fashion and entertainment news. With a keen eye for style and a deep understanding of the entertainment industry, Calvin provides engaging and informative articles that keep his readers up-to-date on the latest fashion trends and entertainment happenings.