Jeans
- There is also a movie called Jeans.
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.
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 and for swimming. 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 in 1853, when Levi Strauss came to San Francisco to open a west coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business. 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 costumers 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, 1874, the two men received patent #139,121 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the blue jean was born.
Jeans have been often compared to four-wheel drive vehicles and hiking boots, because they can go anywhere. Levis are known for their rugged construction, personal "shrink-to-fit", and versatility. Originally worn by miners, farmers, and cowboys, Levis are now worn in all walks of life.
The concept of wearing jeans in water dates from their very beginning and continues today. Levis were originally produced in only three sizes, and the wearer would jump into a body of water - either a creek, a pond, or a horse trough, to shrink them to fit. Today, Levis are available in a variety of styles, from tight to loose fit, and are sold either pre-washed or shrink-to-fit. The best method of 'breaking-in' Levis remains the same ... buy them with a snug fit, wear them new, jump into a hot tub or spa -- then swim, and allow them to dry-on, for a personal fit.
LEVIS are practical for outdoor activities, most athletics, and aquatics. The famous 'top and levis' -- a neoprene jacket and shrink-to-fit Levis remains one of the best skindiving and scuba suits or diveskins, offering protection from overexposure to the sun, stings, and abrasion. Levis 501, 505 and 512 Red Tab are the best for swimming and diving. During World War II, families in the U.S. would send Levis to their sons in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines stationed in the Pacific -- beause their fit was better for swimming than the baggy dungarees issued by the military. In the U.S., Levis first became widely popular for swimming in the 1960's with the introduction of "White Levis" for surfers on the West Coast. White Levis fit lean and tapered, and made of unbleached, unshrunk denim, which shrank and bleached-out to a perfect white in clorinated pools and in the ocean. Levis have been advertised in a variety of under-water commercials where the athletic guy always attracted the pretty girl, including The Mermaid, The Levis Swimmer, The French Dictionary, and numerous scuba diving and beach commercials in the 1990's and early 2000's. Advertised as 'your second skin', Levis are considered by athletic, intrepid swimmers and divers to be an extension of their aquatic body, and are worn for swimming, diving, whitewater, snorkling and scuba. Levis Strauss has shrink tanks in some of it stores, allowing the customer to purchase a pair of jeans, submerge in a tank of water and soak while their new jeans shrink, and then stand in front of a 'human dryer' to dry their jeans, so that their new Levis will shrink to a personal fit on their body.
NAUTICA Jeans also advertised their jeans in a water commercial with wakeboarding champion Brian Grubb ... demonstrating his incredible wakeboarding skills while wearing NAUTICA Dimensional Denim Jeans.
DIESEL Jeans has print ads with male and female models underwater wearing Diesel Jeans.
SEARS featured their River Canyon Blues in water commericals, with the model diving off a pier, and surf swimming in form-fitting Sears RCB Jeans.
WRANGLER Jeans are traditionally worn as western wear, and are popular among professional cowboys and people who prefer true western style jeans. The most popular denim wieght for Wranglers is 15oz., which makes them actually heavier (thicker) than other brands, including Levis, which top out at 14 3/4 oz denim. Wranglers are regular or slim fit, with straight leg or boot cut. Very rugged and dependable, Wranglers are designed for outdoor activities, days in the saddle, and shrink to a good personal fit... good with boots and a cowboy hat. Many a cowboy has cooled off in a stock tank or creek, escaping the summer heat, wearing their Wranglers. Like Levis, Wranglers will shrink to a good personal fit, and are rugged and dependable. Professional competition rodeo cowboys shrink their Wranglers in water to achieve a tight fit for athletic support during rodeo bull and bronco riding competition. WRANGLER is an Official Sponsor of the PCRA.
Blue jeans in popular culture
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 "soshes" (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 Denim
