Lets Talk Denim (Fashion)

I was recently inspired by an American Apparel campaign to think about the key materials in fashion. I thought it would be an interesting blog post idea to talk about why these materials are so popular and how they are used in all varieties of clothing. Today's segment is going to be about... 

In my opinion, denim has been one of the most important and prominent materials in fashion in the last century. Since Levi's began with the first pair of jeans in Nevada, USA in 1872, jeans have been the centre point of denim in fashion. In the 1930's women's jeans began to become more widely known thanks to Levi Strausse once again. 

In the 1940's fabric was in short supply after the war efforts, and this is when the first denim dress and skirt designs were created. This is because denim is a relatively long lasting, sturdy and cheap material, which is probably why 'jeans' are the most common form of trouser in the 21st century. The 1940's was also a time when other brands, for example Lee, began creating women's jeans. 

Since these first beginnings, denim has become more and more popular as the trouser of choice, and is now used in a variety of different garments, the 1960s/70s made jeans even more popular through the hippie movement (flares were cool back then). More recently the skinny jean has become the fit of choice, over the past few years the skinny jeans has reined supreme on the high street. 

Now in 2014, mens jeans tend to either be stretch or spray on skinny, or they are a slightly more relaxed 'vintage slim' fit which is slightly looser but with less elastic. Women's jeans have a lot more variety, generally skinny jeans are still most popular however in the past few years, rips, patterns, bleach washes, prints and artificial colours have crept into denim bottoms and have given the denim look a lot more variety. 

Recently...

For men, denim has been used in other items including:- Shirts

                                                                                    Denim Jackets/ waistcoats

                                                                                    Ruck Sacks and Duffle Bags

                                                                                    Shorts

                                                                                    Hats/Caps, etc...

For women, the material has been used for items like:- Dresses, mostly skater style

                                                                                  Skater Skirts

                                                                                  Mini Skirts

                                                                                 Shirts

                                                                                 Jackets

                                                                                 Mini shorts, etc... 

Below, is a picture of some of my favorite denim pieces that I own, and some of my preferences when it comes to shopping for denim. For jeans, I tend to go for a spray on or stretch skinny fit as I have dancers legs so they need some give in the material. For this, my favourite shops are New Look and TopMan. I find that the jeans are the right prices whilst still having a variety of colours and a comfortable fit. For the shirts, I prefer an over sized fit so I tend to go for vintage/ charity shop, and if not I tend to go to shops that have a 'renewal' or vintage section such as urban outfitters or asos. 

I hope you guys liked today's post. I know its a little bit different but I think it is interesting to learn a bit about the story behind what we are wearing today and how certain items or fabrics have become so prominent in the fashion world. 

See you Wednesday. X