Who would have thought this fabric with humble beginnings would reach iconic status? This 18th-century indigo fabric originally worn by workers, farmers and miners for its durability has come a long way. In 1853, German immigrant Leob Strauss, who then changed his name to Levi, started a dry-goods wholesale business. During the California gold rush, a customer suggested that he make his rough canvas tents and wagon covers into pants instead. He did but the miners found the fabric irritating. So he replaced it with twilled cotton from the French town of Nîmes, from which “denim” is derived. Then, the idea for the rivets came from Jacob Davis, who used metal rivets to hold the pockets and the jeans together. Miners needed pockets that would not easily rip. Due to financial difficulties, he offered the idea to Strauss as long as he would pay for the patent. The deal was finalized and copper-riveted “waist-overalls” with leather labels of a picture of a pair of jeans that was being pulled between two horses were made and sold. This became the unofficial uniform of the coal miners.
Technically, jean and denim aren’t the same, although both have European origins. Denim, the more expensive and stronger of the two, was woven with one colored thread and one white thread, while jean was twilled with two threads of the same color. “The word “jeans” came from the French phrase bleu de Gênes, literally the blue of Genoa. Take it from the Italians who were already fashion-forward then: this fustian — a blend of cotton, linen and/or wool was used for topcoats and trousers finely tailored for working men not engaged in manual labor. The fustian was so popular that it was imported to England in large quantities in the 16th century. Then another name, dungarees, came from Dungha, India, where sailors’ trousers were made of denim material.
Now’s the time to do some spring-cleaning. Check out your closet for those forgotten denim jackets, vests, shirts, skirts, shorts and pants. You will be surprised at what pieces you can resurrect. If you think your favorite worn-out jeans are ready for the throwaway pile, think again. Patch them to add summer’s latest detail. Or cut them to create shorts or a mini. Keep the top and attach a cool fabric to make a prairie skirt. Reinvent your resurrected pieces with the latest summer accessories. It’s the quickest way to update your look. Creativity and technology make the latest collections modern, appealing yet functional and comfortable. Here are quick tips to get into the summer’s cool blues:
• Try different styles to find the perfect fit for your body type.
• Lightweight fabrics work best for our weather.
• If you want seasonless pieces, choose basics with subtle details.
• One must have a dark, straight-cut pair of jeans. This classic can go from casual to party mode with just minor detail changes.
• Update your old pieces with current accessories. Invest in versatile accessories you can maximize to get your money’s worth.
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Send queries and suggestions to jo@joyceoena.com.