The history of denim and how jeans were created

Through Strauss’s connections as a wholesaler, the company’s proven clothing quickly spread throughout the United States, becoming the garment of choice for working men everywhere: miners, cowboys, farmers—any role that required durable clothing.

Jeans were exclusively for the workplace at the time, but as emerging denim manufacturers competed for a similar customer base, they looked to expand their assortment to increase sales.

“Slowly but surely in the 20th century, you start to see some of these manufacturers making differences,” said Sonia Abrego, a fashion historian based in New York City. “There was one design called spring-bottom pants, which were kind of more fitted, sleeker, a little roomier, probably what a factory foreman would wear, right? As opposed to a guy who’s just on the shop floor.”

In 1934, Levi created the first ever line of women’s jeans. Around that time, denim began to become more popular in settings outside of work, primarily for activities such as farm vacations, camping, and horseback riding.

“So they were kind of dressed in cowboy clothes or kind of worker clothes but they were wearing it at a… resort,” Abrego said.

Dude ranch vacations became popular because there were finally highways connecting different parts of the country, and few were willing to venture to Europe during the war. Companies like Levi’s began running ads highlighting their denim products as “farm duds” and “authentic Western riding wear” to attract shoppers looking for jeans to bring with them on vacation, according to archival ads from the time.

These cultural moments helped expand the reach of jeans beyond workers, but jeans did not become widespread casual wear until after World War II, when American fashion in general began to shift.

By the time World War II ended, a powerful American consumer was beginning to emerge. For years, Americans were forced to ration public goods such as rubber, sugar, and meat, while at the same time being encouraged to save their money by purchasing war bonds and using up surplus funds.

As the country transitioned from wartime to peacetime, Americans were willing to spend lavishly and soon began spending large sums on new cars, appliances, and clothing.

“As you spend more money, you start to see a bigger push for athleisure clothing, fun clothing, playwear, clothing that can be worn to backyard barbecues,” Abrego said. “Clothes that we consider today as casual wear.”

Slowly but surely, it is becoming more and more acceptable for both men and women to wear jeans outside of the workplace. Afterwards, denim manufacturers made efforts to allow jeans in schools.

“They wanted to sell to as many people as possible,” Abrego said. “The idea that jeans are good for school means they’re good for every day.”

By the 1960s, denim manufacturers had expanded their product offerings and were selling a wider range of colors, fits, and styles. He became a symbol of the hippie movement and a mainstay on Hollywood sets.

Denim quickly became ubiquitous, and the 1970s brought the popular bell pants and the first iteration of “designer jeans”—denim pants produced by brands and labels whose designs had nothing to do with workwear or Western wear, such as Calvin Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt.

Since then, denim has remained a fixture in global fashion. Although silhouettes, washes and fits have changed over time, jeans never go out of style, which is what makes them so enduring, Abrego said.

“This is a design from 1873… Do we see anything else from 1873 on the street? It’s a little strange if you think about it that way,” Abrego said. “We can talk about all the details, all the changes in manufacturing and all the different fits and finishes, but this is something that’s recognizable, it’s still a pair of jeans. For me as a historian, that continuity is very compelling because I can’t really name anything else that has remained the same to this degree.”