The development and historical evolution of jeans "jens"

The development and historical evolution of jeans "jens"

The first batch of immigrants to set foot on the American continent were almost bare-handed, and daily necessities were extremely scarce for them. In the early colonial era, immigrants mainly relied on Britain and European countries to import clothing materials, so every inch of silk was extremely precious. After entering the pioneering era, although the so-called upper class in the east coast cities could import clothing materials from Europe, the common people who pioneered on the frontier still had to work hard to solve the clothing problem themselves. The intense labor at that time made the clothing materials easily worn out. This phenomenon was particularly obvious when miners flocked to California in 1849 and formed the famous gold rush. In this context of life, solid and durable jeans emerged.

"Jeans" is jeans, which was first recorded in 1567. It is the name for the pants worn by merchant sailors from the Italian port city of Genoa, that is, "Genoese" or "Genes". The resounding name "Jeans" was only officially adopted by Levi's company in the 1860s. Before that, it was called "Waist High Overall" or "Pantaloons".

Levi Strauss is recognized as the inventor of jeans. He was originally a wholesaler of dry goods, dealing in fabrics, clothing, and grains. Because he was good at business, he won a good reputation in the local area. The gray canvas work pants he sells are strong and durable, and they look lean and sharp when worn, so they are very popular among miners. It is said that Levi's pants were inspired by the shallow crotch tights worn by Texas cattle boys. He formally established Levi Strauss Company in 1850. Levi's 501 jeans are the originator of jeans known to the world.

The birth of jeans is undoubtedly associated with the heavy outdoor physical labor on the frontier. It is work wear designed for miners, cowboys, railroad workers, loggers, and pioneers. In the process of continuous expansion into the western frontier, the rapid development of agriculture was accompanied by the increasing prosperity of industry. Although the urban population grew rapidly, in the United States in 1880, it was said that five-sixths of the population still lived in rural areas, and their clothing was still simple and casual. Jeans are completely used as work wear. Due to their superior quality, they are increasingly favored by manual workers. The "golden dream" of getting rich overnight and the image of cowboys depicted in Hollywood western movies have made jeans full of rich legend.

During the economic depression of the 1930s, wealthy easterners felt financially unable to vacation in Europe, so the western region became a natural destination for them. Easterners are not only intoxicated by the beautiful scenery of the Midwest, but are also fascinated by the stories of the legendary heroic cowboys of the West. They like the heroic and rustic jeans worn by the cowboys. By the mid-1930s, jeans, worn by almost everyone in the agricultural areas of the Midwest, were first brought to the bustling cities east of the Mississippi River. Since then, jeans have begun to enter the ranks of popular clothing. In 1935, the fashion column of the American "Vogue" magazine published women's overalls.

The Second World War became the decisive factor in the popularity of jeans in the world. At that time, the U.S. authorities designated jeans as an important wartime item. They were once used as uniforms for the U.S. military and accompanied the Allied forces deep into the heart of Europe. After the soldiers returned home after the war, a large number of accumulated jeans were sold locally in limited quantities. Local workwear manufacturers in Europe rushed to imitate the original American products, thus popularizing jeans. In the United States, the war forced women to take men's jobs, creating an unprecedented opportunity for the popularity of jeans among women. Students of the time also wore jeans as a symbol of solidarity with working people. After the war, everyone wore jeans. Jeans were the most influential clothing at that time. Due to shortage in supply, jeans were once a bulk item traded on the black market between the United States, the former Soviet Union and third-world countries, which shows their wide spread.

In the 1950s, the rise of the film and television communication industry shaped the image of anti-traditional heroes in the minds of Americans. Cowboy culture accompanied the glorious era of Hollywood and entered the world, such as the movies "Unprovoked Resistance" and "Family Dreams" "Sleep" and so on. In the film, the male protagonist James Dean appeared on the screen wearing jeans, and was praised by public opinion as "the dream lover of girls all over the world." Jeans are also worn by Hollywood stars such as Marlon Brando, John Wayne, and Cat Wang, Madonna and others have become the target of imitation and pursuit by teenagers. The film and television entertainment industry played an important role in driving the international popularity of jeans.

In the 1960s and 1970s, jeans. It played an important role in the anti-war, anti-system, and anti-traditional movements advocated by the new generation who grew up after World War II, and was once again regarded as a representative of revolutionary and rebellious images. Workers and other workers still use it as work and life clothing. , school students, hippies and other young people are also willing to use them as casual and fashionable daily wear. Discotheques make jeans a favorite for evening wear.

During this period, the appearance of jeans underwent major changes. The most obvious feature was that the traditional slimming cut of the trouser legs evolved into a flared shape, that is, denim bell-bottoms. The width of the trouser legs was unprecedented. New methods in decoration, fabrics, colors, finishing, etc. are becoming more and more popular. As a result, the popularity of jeans has grown rapidly and entered a new era.

Later, the advent of designer jeans brought denim to the top of fashion. The selling price of jeans is not inferior to that of high-end women's clothing. For its original producer, this is simply an incredible fantasy. After more than 10 years of popularity, although designer jeans swept the world in the 1980s, the popularity of jeans in Western countries has actually cooled down. Old denim companies such as Levi's have taken measures to reduce their scale and production lines. At this time, "beggar clothes" and "rags" were popular. In the mid-1980s, Levis took the lead in launching a back-to-basics campaign, and other established denim companies responded accordingly, causing the nostalgia trend to continue into the 1990s. Jeans with classic bag styles, red trousers, and copper buttons instead of zippers have become a hot commodity. In China, the jeans craze has just begun. The huge population resources and the rapid changes in clothing concepts have made the business of jeans merchants flourish. < /p>

During the Great Depression, jeans often gave people an unpleasant association. The more people wore them, the more people felt that the tragic fate of ordinary workers was everywhere. This impression was felt by Dorothy, a photographer at the time. Highlighted in the work of Thea Lange and Walker Evans, Roosevelt's New Deal included providing jeans to the poor, and people recovering from the depression viewed it as? Survivor's Uniform". Jeans, worn by almost everyone during World War II, were a reminder of thrift, solidarity and the glory of working for the country. No one wanted to be regarded as a member of the leisure class who got something for nothing. World War II spread the strong American flavor of jeans to countries all over the world.

The changes in the classic form of jeans

The so-called first pair of jeans is not what we think it is from birth. Even the name "Jeans" was only officially adopted by Levi's Company in the 1860s. Here we might as well take the classic 501 jeans, the originator of jeans, Levi's, as an example to trace the history of jeans from their birth to A classic twist.

1855 The earliest jeans had only one back pocket and no yokes.

In 1872, he first used metal rivets to reinforce the stressed parts of jeans.

In 1873, jeans were changed from gray to indigo. Orange double arch stitching details the back pocket.

In 1886, the pattern on the back waist plate was changed from a dwarf to two horses.

1890 Added a watch pocket and back yoke.

In 1905, a second back pocket was added, and the five-pocket style of jeans was fixed.

In 1922, belt loops were added to the waistband.

1937 The rivets in the back pocket are hidden inside.

In 1941, the rivet pins on the lower part of the front placket of jeans were cancelled.

During World War II

The bow on the back waist and the rivets on the watch pocket were removed, and the double arch stitching on the back pocket was replaced by a similar printed graphic. The logo "L.S.&Co.S.F.Cal." on the button is replaced by a laurel leaf.

In 1947, wartime rationing ended and the arch stitch reappeared.

In 1950, in order to conform to fashion, trouser legs were cut into a slimmer style.

In 1955, the first batch of 501 jeans with zippers was put into production.

In 1959, preshrunk jeans were developed.

In 1966, the corners of the back pockets were fixed with short bar-shaped stitches instead of rivets.

In 1971, the uppercase "LEVI''S" on the red sign was changed to lowercase "Levi''s".

In 1983, due to the improvement of looms, the door width was widened and the red trouser hems disappeared.

The accumulation of time has given jeans the perfect structure they have today. Not only are jeans unique in the vast clothing industry because of their special materials, colors and tailoring, but their complex detailed structures are equally rich. Characteristic, easy to identify, and giving jeans more diverse classic content through continuous improvement.

In the process of continuous technological innovation, the most eye-catching change in jeans is undoubtedly the use of zippers. As we all know, the zipper was first invented by Whitcomb Jubson in 1893 and improved by one of his employees in 1913. The use of zippers not only brings unprecedented convenience, but also brings a new look and feel. The first zipper jeans were launched by Lee Company in 1926. Since Levi's launched jeans specifically designed for women in 1938, early established denim companies "Lee" and "Wrangler" also successively started producing women's jeans in 1949.

But women's jeans take a lot of trouble to arrange the location of the zipper. At first, women found it difficult to accept the zipper opening in the front like men's clothing, so the zipper was moved to the side seam, and finally it became common today.

;