Jeans
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BlueJeans.jpg
Jeans are trousers made from denim. Originally work clothes, they became popular among teens starting in the 1950s. Popular brands include Levi's and Wrangler.
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History
Jeans were invented in Genoa, Italy when that city was an independent Republic, and a naval power. The first jeans were made for the Genoese Navy because it required an all-purpose pant for its sailors that could be worn wet or dry, and whose legs could easily be rolled-up to wear swabbing the deck. These jeans would be laundered by dragging them in large mesh nets behind the ship, and the sea water would bleach them white. The first denim came from (French:de) Nîmes, France, hence the name denim. The French word for these pants was very similar to their word for Genoa; this is where we get the term 'jeans' today.
Jeans were developed in America around 1872. Levi Strauss was a Bavarian dry goods merchant living in San Francisco. One of Levi's customers was Jacob Davis, a tailor who frequently purchased bolts of cloth from the Levi Strauss & Co wholesale house. After one of Jacob's customers kept purchasing cloth to reinforce torn pants, he had an idea to use copper rivets to reinforce the points of strain, such as on the pocket corners and at the base of the button fly. Jacobs did not have the required money to purchase a patent, so he wrote to Levi suggesting that they both go into business together. After Levi accepted Jacobs offer, on May 20, 1873, the two men received patent #139,121 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the blue jean was born.
Jeans in popular culture
Blue Jeans
Initially blue jeans were simply sturdy pants worn by workers. In the United States during the 1950s wearing of blue jeans by teenagers and young adults came to be symbolic of mild protest against conformity. This was considered by some adults as disruptive, for example, some movie theaters refused to admit patrons who wore blue jeans. The alternative to jeans was a type of light khaki pants worn by conformist teens who were branded with the name "Socs" (apparently from "social"). During the 1960s the wearing of blue jeans became more acceptable and by the 1970s had become a general fashion in the United States at least for informal wear.
Outside of the United States particularly in Russian popular culture blue jeans were and are fashionable, symbolizing American culture and the good life. Being imported American products, especially in the case of the Soviet Union which restricted hard currency imports, they were somewhat expensive.
Brands
Manufactuers and retailers:
- earnest sewn (http://www.earnestsewn.com)
- Nice Work Textile (http://www.niceworktextile.com)
- Edwin (http://www.edwin-jeans.de)
- Lee Jeans (http://www.leejeans.com/)
- Levi's (http://www.levis.com)
- Lucky Brand Dungrees (http://www.luckybrandjeans.com/)
- Mavi (http://www.mavijeans.com)
- Mudd (http://www.muddjeans.com)
- paperdenim&cloth (http://www.paperdenim.com)
- Parascuo (http://www.parascuo.com)
- Silver (http://www.silverjeans.com/)
- Wrangler (http://www.wrangler.com/)
- (http://www.arizonajeans.com)
Retailers with jeans as part of their collection:
- Abercrombie and Fitch (http://www.abercrombie.com/anf)
- Banana Republic (http://www.bananarepublic.com)
- Bongo (http://www.bongo.com) Jeans
- Buffalo by Biton
- Diesel (http://www.diesel.com) Jeans
- GAP (http://www.gap.com)
- Guess (http://www.guess.com) Jeans
- L.E.I. (http://www.lifeenergyintelligence.com)
- Old Navy (http://www.oldnavy.com)
Fits
Fits of jeans are determined by current styles, sex and by the manufacturer. Here are just some of the fits of the past and present:
- Loose
- Straight
- Boot Cut
- Baggy
- Slim Fit
- Low Rise
- Boy Cut
- Bell Bottom
Types
Besides trousers, jeans can also be made into:
- Shorts
- Skort - combination of shorts and skirts
- Dress
- Skirts
- Jackets
Law
On 10 February 1999 the Italian Supreme Court of Appeal in Rome overturned a rape conviction, stating that jeans are unable to be removed without the wearer's consent. Therefore, they ruled, the supposed victim must have been an active participant in the act. [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/277263.stm)
Movies
There is also a movie called Jeans.
See also
External links
- http://www.levistrauss.com/about/history/timeline.asp
- http://jeans.information.in.th/how_they_make_jeans.html
- http://www.wrangler.com/
- http://www.levistrauss.com/anniversary/default.html
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