by Rennie Anderson
Jeans are a staple in most people's closets and have been since the mid-1870's. Levi Strauss made the first pair of denim pants in the late 1860's. Strauss worked with Jacob Davis to patent them, and by 1873, the first modern pair of jeans were created. When the patent for the jeans ended, other companies started to recreate jeans with their own little details. Lee Union-Alls became the standard attire for war workers during World War I. In the 1920's and 30's, jeans became more than just workwear and people started including them in their weekend ensemble. In the 1960's and early 70's, they became a way for women to protest for women's equality. By the late 70's, jeans had taken the designer world by storm. Jeans started to appear more on runways, but also in everyday life.
Jeans have gone through many styles and will continue to evolve with time. They are versatile and can be dressed up and down in so many different ways. Jeans paired with a white shirt is a timeless look that has been in style for many years, and will doubtlessly continue to keep its relevance. This look can be utilized and changed for so many different occasions, and the possibilities of this look are endless.
Although jeans are a staple in fashion everywhere, the style is evolving with fashion trends. Bellbottom, lowrise, straight leg, and skinny jeans are some of the most notable styles that we’ve seen in the last 50 years. People don't just stop at different styles, there are so many more ways to spice up a pair of jeans. Patchwork jeans originally seen in the 70's have a fun pop of color, and most of the time include interesting patterns. Colored jeans are another direction that they have gone in. Traditionally, jeans and denim are dyed blue, originally with indigo to give it that nice blue color, but as technology has been enhanced, more colors have been made available.
Dungarees or overalls have been a monumental part of denim history. Like regular jeans, overalls were made by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis in the 1890's, and were first only seen in work settings, but became a fashion sensation. Overalls became very popular in the 1990's as a fashion statement, and you can find countless images of celebrities wearing them. Another bonus to overalls is that they are easy to throw on and can be made into an outfit with little effort.
Jean trends are changing rapidly along with today’s fashion trends. “Vintage” style is hugely popular right now, there are so many different layers to this but a lot of the inspiration for this style is drawn from the 90's, with many influences from the 70's. For example, low-rise jeans are making a comeback and are all the rage in street style, especially with Y2K fashion.
Jeans truly are the one clothing item that has withstood time, not to mention that they have only slightly changed from Levi Strauss’ original design, and will probably continue to keep that classic look. So no matter how much fashion trends change over time, you'll surely be able to see jeans going strong in the fashion world.
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