Why We Love Our Blue Jeans - Part 1
Everyone loves blue jeans. They are comfortable, durable, inexpensive, and seem to never go out of fashion. One of the great things about jeans is that they can be worn in almost any situation. They can be worn when performing household chores, for lounging around the home, for working at the office, for evenings out, and especially for informal gatherings of all kinds. Many celebrities even wear jeans when appearing on talk shows. There’s good reason for the expression “you can live in your jeans”.
Who originally created jeans?
There is no one “inventor” of jeans. Believe it or not, they evolved over a long period of more than 400 years. They started out as versatile and rugged pants worn by sailors and turned into the everyday uniform now worn by millions of people around the world.
When we think of jeans, we think of the everyday jeans made of denim. Denim is very tough and versatile because it is made with a strong cotton twill material with a unique diagonal weave. Before it made its way to Europe this fabric was being made in India where it was known as dungaree.
Before the 1600’s there was a distinctive cotton cloth developed in India called “dungaree”. This name derives from the area near Bombay where it was made and sold. “Dungaree” became a popular fabric for making clothes for Portuguese sailors on trading vessels plying the Spice Route. It was normally dyed indigo blue, as it still is today. The Portuguese introduced this material to other parts of the world.
By the 1600s a similar cloth was being woven in France near the city of Nimes where it was called “serge”. The name “serge de Nimes” was soon shortened to “denim”, and the rest is history.
Denim trousers became known as “jeans” because the port of Genoa (Genes in French) became a major manufacturer of denim pants. The sturdy pants were used by sailors in the Genoese Navy. They were ideal for sailors, like modern teenagers - who had to practically live in their clothes. They could wear their denim clothing wet or dry, the legs could be easily rolled up, and they could be washed simply by dragging them behind the ship in a large net.
Hey! What could be more convenient than that?