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Factoid
Levi (Loeb) Strauss sold cotton denim fabric to tailor Jacob Davis who made them into work pants for his customers. When Davis hit on the idea of installing metal rivets to strengthen the pockets, he couldn't afford the $68 for a patent. He approached Strauss to split the cost and together they received patent #139,121 for "An Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings" on May 20, 1873 -- and blue jeans were born. Source: Levi Strauss & Co. website history.

Ahhhhh -- I got the Blues!

Normally, "the blues" is a serious condition. Not when it comes to fashion. In many ways, blue jeans are so much a part of the fabric of American culture that they have taken on mythic significance. No other fabric, no other garment has the power to obliterate class distinctions and put us all on a level footing like jeans.

There's a lot of debate about where the words "denim" and "jeans" came from (if you're dying to know, you can check the Levi Strauss website history section). What is clear is that "blue jeans" have had lasting significance and impact on fashions of the 20th century and beyond. It's a far better name than the original one for the garment, which was "waist overalls" !

The appeal of blue jeans is in their comfort, durability, and versatility. Being made of cotton, the fabric breathes well. The thickness of the weaving strands makes jeans rugged. Weaving together white strands and dyed blue strands means that, over time, your favorite jeans take on that sublime fading that wins your heart forever. (Seriously, is there any other garment you would permit to get into the state of the one at left, and still wear it in public... regularly?)

Gold in them thar Jeans!

We've all heard the stories about Levi Strauss heading to the California gold fields to supply goods to prospectors (the real gold was in selling, not in panning.) Strauss and his partner, Jacob Davis (see Factoid above), had a lock on cotton denim pants with rivet reinforcement for about 20 years with their patent. But once that patent expired, the real rush was on for other companies to capitalize on their design.

Still, jeans were considered "work wear" and not at all chic. They were strong, utilitarian pants -- and would have probably stayed that way had not Hollywood intervened. With the popularity of the movies in the 1930s and '40s, millions of people were exposed to tough, handsome, horse-riding, jean-wearing cowboys on a regular basis. Later, people vacationed at "dude ranches" and brought home jeans.

After World War II, with new prosperity and availability of consumer goods, jeans took off in earnest. The phenomenal appeal of people like James Dean and Elvis gave jeans another boost -- right into the teenage culture, where they took up permanent residence. As Baby Boomers have aged, Lycra has been a welcome addition to the recipe for jeans, with its stretchable comfort. (If you see a senior citizen wearing jeans and think it seems odd, remember that grandmother was probably a teen when jeans were first widely accepted.  What else should she be wearing??)

In the 1960s, jeans were personalized like crazy with embroidery, lace and decorations. In the 1970s and '80s, they went upscale with designer labels and snob appeal (and prices to match.) In the '90s, they got bigger, baggier and low-slug, and some had "aging" airbrushed on them (but most people prefer to age their own.)You can still find brands that fetch incredible prices (like Chanel jeans with the logo on the back pockets created of crystals and pearls, sold for over $1000). But the comfortable staple in most people's closets are generally much less than $50 a pair -- which is why one study estimates that 450 million pairs of jeans are purchased in the US each year!

Read more about it:

• Designer jeans report by MSNBC -- hold onto your wallet!
• Gentrification of Blue Jeans -- a fascinating report by a student at the University of Toronto.
• Levi Strauss & Co. website -- a treasure trove of history and more.

If you got 'em, flaunt 'em!

You'd be hard pressed to go through a day without seeing someone wearing blue jeans. One statistic we saw said that half of us under 60 like to wear jeans. This means jeans far outstrip any other single style of garment in popularity.

If you pull out your own collection of jeans, you probably have different pairs for different functions. One pair is perfect for being a couch potato and watching a movie. Another pair has seen better days and you wear them when you change the oil or tackle a messy project. Then there are the "stars" -- the ones that you would feel comfortable wearing anywhere: on a date, to work with a jacket and nice shirt or blouse, to a variety of events around town. You try to keep them nice (and once they are not perfect, you'll relegate them to other tasks and get more.)

Have you ever experienced having them professionally cleaned and finished? A wonderful, crisp pressing with enough sizing to give them body but not stiffness makes them feel and look like new again. We take care of lots of jeans day-in and day-out. Say goodbye to noodle-legged, sort-of-pressed jeans and give us a chance to show you how great professionally finished jeans can be. We know you'll love it.