-
First Power Loom
First power loom constructed which allowed for long sheets of fabric and the mass production of fabric -
The 1850s
This began the rise of Levi Jeans, Loeb Strauss moved to San Fransico in 1953 during the gold rush. It was in San Fransisco that Strauss noticed that traditional clothing was no strong enough to maintain the heavy conditions for the mines. He invented jeans to combat the rough conditions that gold miners faced daily. -
Levi Jeans
Loeb Straus' company, becomes directly associated with jeans rather than wholesale business -
Improvements to the Jeans
Copper rivets were added to the pockets of Levi Jeans to make them stronger -
1930s-40s
Blue jeans were being worn primarily with blue-collar factory workers, the denim was durable enough to withstand the strong machinery of the factories. -
After World War II
Following the war, people began to wear Jeans more often as a rejection of societal normalities -
Levi Jeans go National
Levi jeans began being sold in places outside of the western states, making jeans more readily available -
The 1950s
The popularity of jeans begins due to the movies stars and cultural icons who began wearing jeans because they were the "rebellious fashion item of choice." -
Jeans in Movies
Marlon Brando wears jeans during his movie, "The Wild Ones" -
James "Jean"
James Dean wore jeans in his movie "Rebel Without a Cause" he helped portray the sterotype that if you wore jeans you were rough and tough. That Jeans weren't just for blue-collar workers, they were for everyone. -
The 1960s
The sixties were the beginning of women going the jean culture, in the past women would not wear jeans because they were primarily for people who worked and women did not work. However, starting in the sixties was the hippie movement that rejected common societal values, which meant women could wear jeans. -
The Hippie Movement
The Hippie Movement took place largely in the 1960s and 1970s Jeans became a huge part of the movement. They served as a way for them to express themselves through clothing. Jeans were easily customizable and because they no longer just had to serve the purpose of being able to work in them Jeans took on a new life through different styles such as bellbottoms. -
The 1970s
Jeans were seen as the true symbol of the all-new American culture and sexuality. Icons such as Farrah Fawcett and Lauren Hutton dawned the jeans regularly and skyrocketed the popularity of them among women. "Youth Rebellion" faded jeans became associated with rebellion and independence.