Published by Lynda Stretton © 1994-2011.

loving denims

	Who would have thought that an old pair of miner's overalls would one day be worn on the Paris runways as a chic fashion item? In the Nineties, denim has been given a new lease of life. Denim has gone upmarket. We see almost everyone wearing denim from garage mechanics to supermodels. Look into almost any wardrobe and you'll find at least one denim item. I wonder if Queen Elizabeth II has any?
Dressed up Casual chic Denim can go anywhwere these days. Add style to everyday jeans with a military style jacket. Or make a bold statement with glittering accessories.

Since 1853, when Levi Strauss saw the need for hard-wearing trousers, we have made denim a part of our lives. Why is this simple fabric a fashion favourite? Levi Jeans 1999

It's comfortable and hard wearing Denim has become a classic fabric. It's a favourite because of its versatility, durability, and comfort. It's easy to care for Denim gets better with each wash, it's the reason you cling to those tattered and torn jeans. Though most denim can be tossed into the washing machine, to keep its original colour, dry-cleaning is recommended. It's versatile Denim can go from casual to chic in seconds. Dress it up with jewellery, or try a beige cashmere sweater, a fur cape or collar, and some high heeled sandals. Or throw on a dark jacket and you're ready for casual Friday.

Dressed down So comfy Even if you've washed your jeans a thousand times, the more you wash them the better they feel. Easy to wear overalls are a study in comfort.

History of Jeans Levi Strauss was a jewish merchant from Bavaria. He was lured to America when the gold rush was on in San Francisco in the 1850's. He was hoping to sell canvas for the use of tents and wagon covers. After getting to San Francisco he realised there was a need for hard wearing clothes, so instead of using his canvas for its intended purpose, he made double-seamed trousers for the miners. The canvas that Strauss was using wasn't tough enough so he imported indigo-dyed denim from Nîmes. This was the birth of denim jeans. Later, he added copper rivets to the stress points to prevent ripping and fraying. On the first jeans, a rivet was placed at the base of the fly, it was removed because a customer had complained of standing too close to a camp fire and suffering the consequences of an overheated rivet. Ouch! Lee started to manufacture jeans in 1889 and Blue Bell (renamed Wrangler in the 1940's) set up in 1904. By the 1930's, jeans had been made popular by Hollywood cowboys and were sought after as a fashion item. As a result of rationing during the war, the American government actually rationed jeans. They were made available only to those working for the war effort. By the end of the war, GIs wearing their jeans left the Europeans with a yearning for denim, and the jeans bug was spread. Sexy Hot, hot, hot! Keep your silks and satins. Sexy is a hip hugging pair of flare-bottoms topped with a slinky black top. Men don't even have to try, when they choose the classic look of blue jeans paired with a blue denim shirt and dark jacket. And don't forget that denim comes in other colours, too. White is especially sexy, worn skin-tight. Meanwhile in America, teenagers began to wear denim as a symbolic uniform - jeans were anti-smart and were associated with manual workers closely enough to annoy their parents. Motorcyle gangs were the 20th century cowboys, swapping their horses for Harley Davidsons. The 1950's saw the exploison of cinema and the rock'n'roll culture, associating jeans with sex and rebellion. The new young cult rebels, Marlon Brando and James Dean, appeared in jeans and T-shirts in films. By 1960, the average young worker had more disposable income than ever. Jeans had become the symbol of social and sexual freedom. British labels were promoted by bands like the Beatles, but American jeans were the most coveted. Europe began to enter the denim market with their own brands like C17 (France), Fiorucci and Jesus Jeans (both from Italy). With the Europeans entering the market, jeans became more stylish with hipsters, flares and bell-bottoms - quite different from the American straight legged look. In the 1970's denim began to be taken seriously by fashion houses and it moved into the discos studded and sequinned. With the acceptance of denim everywhere, its image of rebellion and sexual freedom melted and sales fell dramatically. Collegiate Great for School Jeans take on a Sixties feel when paired with an embroidered top, or go more retro with a twinset. The pieces can be of different colours, but make sure both the sweater and the cardigan are the same length. Forget the sneakers, choose suede loafers or lace-ups, for added style. Celebrities like Vidal Sassoon and Joan Collins began putting their names on jeans in the 1980's. The denim business was being saturated and sales were continuing to fall. Not until 1985, when Levis relaunched their 501's did the jeans business pick-up. Audiences were seduced by Levi's advertising campaign with their unforgettable 'Laundry' advert. (The one where a guy cooly takes off his jeans and throws them in the washing machine at the launderette in front of two astonished, giggling young women.) The campaign was a great success and sales rocketed. Rather than being clothing solely for the young, denim is now an everyday item in everyone's closets, old and young alike. Look into to any closet and I bet you'll find at least one pair of jeans, the most popular style being the straight leg. But, designers are now treating denim as the fabric for Summer. Inspired by the Seventies, denim has returned with a capital D. Fashion Page Home     -     Fashion Page Contents © Copyright 1994-2011 Lynda Stretton.