Denim’s Debut: The History Of The Pants That Revolutionized Rock N’ Roll, Labor Work, Counterculture, And High Fashion Alike
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The word “jean” first debuted during the 1800s and referred to a twill cotton cloth that was commonly used for trousers.
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Since then, the blue jeans that we now call “denim” have uniquely penetrated nearly every sector of society– from rock stars and high fashion models to miners, cowboys, and counterculture movers.
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The classic indigo-dyed denim that most people know and love today was actually created and patented by Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss in 1873.
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Davis was a tailor, and Strauss owned a wholesale fabric house– making the pair a dynamic duo equipped to take over an emerging fashion movement.
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Nonetheless, the pants were first appreciated by labor workers the most. The copper rivet reinforced pockets made the denim an extremely durable and functional work pant among miners, farmers, and more.
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Then, in the 1920s and 1930s, Hollywood films starring the likes of Gary Cooper and John Wayne began to romanticize blue jeans.
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The handsome cowboys donned stetsons, fringed jackets, and, of course, tailored denim pants.
Seeing the jeans in this new spotlight lit a fire amongst consumers across the nation– turning blue jeans into the latest casual wear for weekenders.
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By 1930, Vogue granted their fashion stamp of approval by regarding jeans as “western chic,” and in 1942, legendary designer Claire McCardell sold over seventy-five thousand units of her popular denim dress.
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Still, it took one more decade for jeans and denim in general to penetrate the wardrobes of counterculture rebels and rock stars.
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James Dean and Marlon Brando kickstarted this trend by portraying seductive and defiant teens dressed head to toe in denim. Then, rock stars came next– cementing denim as the “next big thing” in fashion.
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Anti-war protestors and hippies also followed suit in the 1960s and 1970s by attending marches, rallies, and gatherings while denim-clad.
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And during the women’s liberation movement, feminists and organizers also opted to wear blue jeans to tear down labor stereotypes and promote gender equality.
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Interestingly, the “denim jean” had become such a symbol of the counterculture by the 1960s that some high schools even banned the pant.
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But, not being able to have the garment only enhanced its “cool” factor among youth– and people across the nation continued to rebel against the status quo.
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And finally, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the denim jean saw a reinvention as a high fashion item.
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Calvin Klein became the first designer to ever display jeans on a runway, and Elio Fiorucci debuted the “Buffalo 70” jeans– a tight, expensive, and hard-to-come-by iteration of the faded and loose bell-bottoms loved by hippies and youth.
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Now, couture brands such as Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace have been a staple in the luxury jean market for about thirty years.
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Nonetheless, all styles of jeans have continued to serve their respective purposes among all different subgroups.
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Hip-hop stars and fans continue to popularize the oversized and sagging jean. Meanwhile, hipsters and millennials are known for wearing tightly fitted and dark-colored denim.
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The classic 1970s ripped jeans and bellbottom have also made a joyous return among Gen Z wearers– who are now opting for boyfriend-style jeans instead of the skinny jeans that dominated throughout the 2010s.
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So, it appears that the classic indigo-dyed pant will never go out of style; instead, jean trends and iterations will continue to circulate and peak throughout all sectors of society.
The only question is, what jean style will dominate the 2030s?
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