The Story of Jeans

The Story of Jeans

Introduction Take a look in your closet or clothes drawer. Do you see a pair of jeans? You probably do. The average American owns about seven pairs. You may be wearing a pair right now. Or you might have a jean jacket, shirt, or a pair of denim shoes. Jeans are so common, you may wonder who invented them and how the fashion took off.

History Jeans were invented by a German man named Levi Strauss. He went to the U. S. in 1847 and followed the Gold Rush to San Francisco. He carried many kinds of fabric to sell to dry goods stores. Business was booming in California during the Gold Rush. Levi quickly became a successful businessman.

The miners in California had a problem with their pants. When they found gold or ore, they carried it in their pockets. But the metal was heavy, and the pockets ripped. In 1873, Levi became partners with a tailor named Jacob Davis. Jacob and Levi made tough denim pants with copper rivets sewn into the seams. Rivets are strong metal fasteners. The miners loved the “ waist overalls, " as they were called, and they quickly became popular.

Changing Fashions Levi's jeans were work pants. Male workers wore them all the time. But a gentleman wouldn't think of wearing jeans. Women didn't wear pants at all. But this changed when Western movies became popular. All the cowboys wore jeans. People thought the cowboys looked tough and cool. But jeans still weren't proper for places like school, stores, or offices.

During World War II, off-duty U. S. soldiers wore jeans. They made jeans seem like tough, casual American pants. They became a symbol of America in many other countries.