Denim is an American Story embedded in the Fabric of the U.S.A.
May 9, 2019Denim is a quintessential element of America’s culture, style and brand. Nothing is as democratizing as a pair of blue jeans. Read on for more of denim an American story.
Nothing says “American” as much as a pair of blue jeans. Denim an American story, is at the heart of America’s style essence, embedded in the psyche, history and culture of America like nothing else.
Jacob W.Davis, 1831–1908
The evolution of American Denim
Denim as an American story, started way back in the 1800s, when a tailor called Jacob Davis made the first pair of blue jeans. He used copper rivets to reinforce the pockets and sold his jeans to people who needed sturdy workwear.
Farmers, miners, construction workers and cowboys were the early adopters of denim jeans.
The denim American story continues. Our inventive tailor sourced his denim fabric from a company called Levi Strauss and Company.
He also shared his vision of denim jeans with them and they were so impressed, they hired him to run their mass-production factory for blue jeans in San Francisco.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Prospecters panning for gold during the California Gold Rush, 1850
Denim as an American story of Rebels
Blue jeans did not remain the domain of working class stiffs. In the 1950s, James Dean immortalized his denim jeans, white T-shirt and red leather jacket look on the movie “Rebel Without a Cause”. Nothing said too-cool-for-school and bad boy as much as that outfit.
Teenage boys everywhere wanted to emulate the look and blue jeans flew off store shelves in a sales boom that has never ended.
trailer screenshot of Marilyn Monroe in the 1956 film, Bus Stop
Denim as an American story of Stars
The next evolution of blue jeans as a style statement came when global movie and music stars like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley picked up on the trend and rocked their denim jeans in promotional photo shoots and on stage in front of live audiences.
Now you saw women jump on the trend, wearing high-waisted, slim-fitting cropped denim jeans with rolled-up cuffs over ballet flats and with a white shirt tucked in.They finished off their outfits with a red and white polka dot neckerchief and had the Monroe look down pat.
And men of all ages were not left behind. Denim an American story was all about fighting against the establishment and showing you were hip and on trend. From teens to papas, blue jeans were the go-to off-duty uniform for looking like you did not try too hard.
James Dean in blue jeans with Ann Doran, and Jim Backus in the trailer for the film Rebel Without a Cause
Denim an American story that never ends
The denim story continued through the ages and is alive and well today. Denim now comes in all shapes, sizes, styles, colours and trends. There are of course the classic blue jeans that never go out of style and are worn by everyone of every age and in every country.
Then there are office-ready tailored dark-wash denim jeans that bring denim to the workday.
Denim dresses are available in all kinds of styles, from shirt dresses to overalls to retro fit-and-flare.
Denim jumpsuits and overalls are also very much on trend, thrown over striped T-shirts for casual-chic day style or worn with chunky chains and stilettos for night.
Retro or modern denim skirts in all lengths, denim shirts, bags, shoes and hair accessories round out your denim options.
Denim’s American story is kept alive by top American brands like Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Wrangler, Diesel, True Religion, 7 for All Mankind, Guess and Lucky Brand Jeans.
Visit these iconic stores online or in person for exclusive benefits. Use their gift cards to feed your denim passion and find new spins on a very old denim American story.
[i] https://www.historyofjeans.com/jeans-history/
[ii] https://jeanstories.com/the-stories/a-denim-story-told-perfectly/
[iii] https://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150401-jean-genie-the-denim-evolution
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