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Nímes - Denim originally comes from this city in France, produced under the name serge de Nímes, meaning "fabric from Nímes." De Nímes would later give way to the name "denim."

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Accidental denim -

In the 19th century, textile producers tried to make a material similar to cotton corduroy. However, they could not get the method right. They accidentally invented denim by using more of an indigo-dyed thread when making the fabric. This makes denim material blue on top but whitish on the inside.

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Ordinary stuff - The material became very popular, but not in the clothing industry. It was just an ordinary material that was relatively strong. That is, until the mid-19th century.

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Levi Strauss (1829-1902) -

In 1851, Levi Strauss went to New York from Germany in order to help his brother with the family dry goods store. When he heard about the Gold Rush going on in the West, he followed the trail to set up a new commercial branch.

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Jacob W. Davis (1831-1908) - Meanwhile, a man named Jacob W. Davis was making a business for himself in Reno, Nevada. He was a tailor who specialized in practical items for everyday use. These included tents, mats, and horse blankets.

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Working trousers - A man came into his shop and requested some trousers that he could wear when working. They had to be strong as nails, but still comfortable. Davis used the tough denim he had bought from Levi Strauss to make the trousers.

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Reinforcement - Davis ensured that the trousers were strong by putting copper rivets in the flies and pockets, as these are the parts that rip the most.

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Partners -

The trousers worked so well that Davis wanted to patent them. He got in contact with Strauss and they became partners in the production of denim jeans. The All-American favorite was born.

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Workers wares - At first, jeans were only really popular in 1920s America, and only workmen and those working the land needed their robustness.

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WWI (1914-1918) - Jeans got more popular when, during WWI, they became an essential commodity for defense workers. All of a sudden, a large proportion of respected soldiers were going around in denim. What a great, unintended ad campaign!

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Celebrity status -

In the early 1950s, jeans were still not fashionable. They were largely regarded as overalls and only worn as dungarees or as working clothes. They were real cowboy attire. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, John Wayne (1907-1979) took a liking to them.

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Rebel fashion -

However, their popularity slowly grew later in the 1950s. Denim was adopted as a fashion trend. The coolest men such as James Dean (1931-1955) and Marlon Brando (1924-2004) wore them. They became a symbol of youth culture.

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Levi's 501 -

The most popular style was the Levi's 501. They're "shrinkable jeans" that all come in the same size but shrink to your shape. You have to put them on and then sit in a bath, get out and wait for them to dry. It sounds like a lot of work, but it is well worth it. And they were not skinny jeans–they just fit you perfectly around the waist.

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1950s - The 1950s trend was to wear straight-cut jeans with a plain white tee. Jeans were usually rolled up and were not fitted on the leg. Here is Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) rocking the look in the film 'Clash by Night' (1952).

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'60s & '70s - Soon, the ‘60s and ‘70s denim craze began. In the early 1960s, jeans moved from being boxy to slightly more fitted. People also added embellishments and patterns.

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Popular fashion -

In 1964-65, the jean took a semi-fitted turn: tight on the waist and low-rising. Levi Strauss & Co. also figured out how to stone wash their jeans, to give them a more rugged look.

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Famous publicity -

This style of jean was popularized by Cher, Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970), and numerous other famous figures. It goes without saying that consumers rushed to the stores after seeing their favorite stars wearing jeans.

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Boot cut - People usually associate the ‘60s with only flare jeans, but the boot-cut jean was also very popular. Boot-cut jeans are straighter but are still wide at the bottom so that you can wear shoes under them.

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'70s flare -

When the ‘70s arrived, people wanted to customize their jeans. The jean fanatics, like ABBA, longed for embellishments, frayed edges, and stickers. The jean style also began to rise up the waist. They became fitted around the hips and bottom.

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Bell bottom -

One of the most defining moments for jean culture was the invention of the bell bottom jean. Tight at the hip, high-waisted, and wonderfully flared, these became an absolute sensation.

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Elephant bottom - Then came the step up, the elephant bottom jean. They are exactly like bell bottoms but become even more flared at the bottom, like elephant ears.

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Punky - Inevitably, counter culture struck against the flare, and more tight-fitting jeans came onto the scene. As you can see with the Ramones, the punk scene adopted the fitted look with black boots.

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More punk - In the late ‘70s, jeans took a darker turn. They became almost black, and much tighter.

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Mom jeans - The 1980s saw the rise of the "mom jean." Jeans were usually high-waisted and even pleated. People also had a predilection for embroidered pockets and the double denim style.

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Low-rise -

The ‘90s were crazy about denim. Low-rise distressed jeans were all the rage with the female stars of the time, such as Madonna. Then, still with the low-rise, they flared out a little at the bottom to become boot-cut.

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Baggy -

Then, a denim explosion. JNCO jeans became insanely popular, despite their inherently inconvenient size.

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Beads and bleach -

The early 2000s saw the jean become bejewelled with gem-studded pants becoming extremely popular. There was also a trend for trousers that were laced up at the sides.

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Anything goes -

Then, from the mid-2000s onwards, denim moved away from, well, denim. The new material scarcely resembled the original, hardy denim. Now, denim of all colors and jeggings are making it big. The trends are essentially recycled from old, and we are in a perpetual cycle of jean trends. From baggy, to skinny, from high-rise to low-rise, from dark to light, there are few things more that we can do with our beloved denim jeans.

Sources: (Insider) (History of Jeans)

See also: Celebrity-approved double denim looks

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