Rock 'n' Roll

Rock n Roll being a flamboyant music style needed garments that were expressionist in equal measure.

Studs and applied decoration originally on Rodeo denims became essential onto rock leathers.

©The Black Leather Jacket

From Denim wearing rock legend Elvis the look morphed into trucker jackets and jeans in black leather.

©Denim from Cowboys to Catwalks

Stars such as Elvis spawned a black leather fashion trend that was in its infancy jeans style.

From rockers in leather evolved the punk black leather rock movement.  Decoration on both garment and body, tattooing and body piercing

©Denim From Cowboys to catwalks, ©Deadwood

Black rocker denims followed their jeans ancestors into anti establishment statements.

TREND ALERT: Rock 'n' Roll Rodeo

The Rodeo influence combines with Rock n Roll creating a natural home to worn in and worn out denim and its sexy spin offs.  Waistcoats, tie waisted blouses, decorated yoke shirts and the combination of plaids with denim are all key elements of this on trend look back at where it all started.

©Lhote, Gilles, and Christian Audigier. Jeans Des Héros. 1st ed. Paris: Editions Lincoln, 1992. Print. ©Current, E., Elliott, M. and Walsh, H. (n.d.). A denim story. 1st ed.

All American decoration.

The Texas Tux waistcoat combined original cowboy jeans with a bit of show off flamboyance.  Originally a mens trend it was quickly adopted by the cowgirls.  Such garments provided an opportunity for decoration and embroidery in this case patriotic.

Studded decoration highlights the yoke, collar, pockets and front placket. A classic 2x1 cowboy western shirt became a real must have item back in the day.  And of course today the influences of yoke and collar decoration on Western wear are enormous. Such an item if original, is a real collectors item.

©American Denim, A New Folk Art

Decoration abounds.  The Western shirt and jacket became a canvas for artistry and expression.  Given that the jean was the staple essential the top is where self expression created the fashion of the time with decoration such as  symmetrical yoke motifs, Indian inspired embroidery and freestyle artistry.

©American Denim, A New Folk Art

Fringing, studding and hand painting created wild garments for the flamboyant not for the fainthearted.  Glitz and glamour took the cowboy jeanswear into the arena of real fashion.

Jeans Legend: Hippie Trail

San Francisco was the spiritual home for the Hippie movement.  Synonymous with the cult was the flared blue jean; head to toe denim worn in and worn out.   Easy style; easy life; long hair for all, this was the birth of the free love drug culture.  It makes sense given that San Francisco was and still is the home of the legendary Levi Strauss.    The Hippie trail was in legend much more about the Levi Brand than any other although Lee and Wrangler jeans played a big fashion role. 

©Le Fabuleux roman du jean, levis story (1990), ©Denim from cowboys to catwalks, a visual history of the world's most legendary fabric (2002)

The Woodstock festival at Whitelake NY state galvanised the the peace and love hippie movement. Thousands of denim wearing hippies attended and clothing companies launched special editions for the festival.    Lee jeans launched their brilliant blue rainbow denims.   Levi's  limited edition decorated jackets are a great example of how the embellishment of the brand has evolved.

©levis.com , ©wrangler.co.uk

Embellishment and decoration has gone from strength to strength since the Woodstock days of anti - establishment denim messaging.  Hardly a jean exists without some embellishment or treatment even if it is only to emulate its being worn in or worn out. 

©levis.com

The great Levi's have revived the Summer of Love vintage.  Freedom, happiness and carefree.

Jeans Legends: Denim Heroes of Hollywood

Hollywood Heroes synonymous with blue jeans Marilyn; James; Marlon all put their own style mark onto the blue jean making the garments as much legends as the stars.  

Marilyn Monroe was one of first screen goddesses to wear denim - man's jeans to boot  >  the first gender neutral promotion of the cult.  James Dean the youth hero of Rebel Without a Cause who died before the film's release launching it into mega popularity.   Marlon Brando made jeans and black leather a cult look in On the Waterfront.   Still today the look has an aggressive independent edge.

Image sourced from ©Denim from cowboys to catwalks; a visual history of the worlds most legendary fabric (2002)

Elvis Presley in GI Blues helped perpetuate the head to toe blue denim as well as army fatigues. The greased quiff with blue jeans spawned the rocker look.

Steve McQueen was inevitably in blue jeans in Bullitt set in San Fransisco the home of Levi Strauss.

Bob Dylan started his legendary career in blue jeans and is still wearing a version of that look today.

images l-r ©Le Fabuleux roman du jean, levis story (1990), ©Denim An American Story (2007) , ©Denim from cowboys to catwalks; a visual history of the worlds most legendary fabric (2002)

Denim with attitude has become a feature of the festival circuit.  Madonna as a festival stage performer appeals to the crowds in head to toe denim - the sexy cowgirl.

Instead of cowboy boots we now need Adidas high tops and Levi 501's to cut the mustard.

Jeans Legends: Born in the USA

Bruce Springteen coined the phrase "Born in the USA" for his 7th, 1984 album. His first big commercially successful disc.  It spawned a huge following and represented a generation of dedicated denim and jeans followers.

©©Denim from cowboys to catwalks, a visual history of the world's most legendary fabric (2002), ©Denim an American Story,(2007)

Harley Davidson an American legend to even non bikers is synonymous with blue denim.   The cool, laid back drug culture expressed in Easy Rider represented everything enviable about "The Harley" - freedom; drugs; travel; wind in the hair and girl on the bike.

The legendary Levi 501's became a sexy symbol of blue jeans for girls in the 60's.  Bikers and blue denim sold sex to the masses with Hollywood and Beverly Hills being the aspirational  home of the movie following biker tribes.   Everyone wanted to be like a movie star or even be a movie star.

images l-r: ©Denim an American Story,(2007), Le Fabuleux roman du jean, levis story (1990)

The road trip is legendary.  Ideally in blues on the bike.   Route 66 is an iconic highway as a "road trip" route but as an original USA highway it was mostly used by farmers and workers and served as a major path for those who travelled west during the dustbowl migration.

Life's legends would not be complete without the iconic Levi shirt and Levi Jeans.

Jeans Legends: The General Store

Original "cowpoke's" could never have imagined that their everyday work attire would be worn little changed nearly 150 years on.   Both jeans and work shirts were always purchased in the general store - every small town had at least one.   

The story of the "fly rivet" is legendary.    >on the original cowboy's jeans there was a rivet at the base of the buttoned fly for durability and strength.   It was removed not long after being introduced because when the cowboys sat around the campfire at night the rivet became too hot in a delicate place! <   The General Store had a lot of returns from sore cowboys!

The Trucker jacket, originally introduced by Levi and Wrangler,  is an icon of denim style.  Details change; denim shades differ but the identity remains.  Still a highly popular gender neutral denim jacket.  

Vintage Levi and Lee advertising, ©Denim from cowboys to catwalks, a visual history of the world's most legendary fabric (2002)

Printed ads and paper tagging were examples of early clothing advertising.  Designed to be eye catching.   The General Store sold absolutely everything needed for farmers, workers and the homestead so gimmicks and eye catching details were needed to make a sale. Brands used every trick in the book to tell the cowboys about their product.   Lee Jeans co. even went to the lengths of making small dolls "Lee Buddies" dressed in the garments that they wished to promote.  Collectors items today.

©Denim from cowboys to catwalks, a visual history of the world's most legendary fabric (2002)

Denim work jackets, still great items today, started their popular life being sold in The General Store.

From The General Store of the 1800's to top fashion store of the 21st century, they have come along way. 

Hardware, workwear,  jeanswear there was little variation of style but it was all available at the General Store.

Trend Alert: JEANS LEGENDS

Legends in Blue Denim from way back influencing today's fashion jeanswear.    There were fewer variants in the indigo shade but the indigos were natural, bluer and brighter.    Slims and skinnies were born of the cowboy fit which in turn influenced rock n' roll jeans - slim legs; high waists; cuffs up.     The flying suit for women, born in the early munitions factories of the USA, reborn as 1950's denim wear, again has become the hottest denim fashion item on the street.                                                 

The Western shirt and Trucker jacket - are they original workwear? Yes!     Are they now universal everyday wear? Yes!     Are they current fashion denim wear?  Yes!  

So nothing changes, just the when and the where. 

From original biker's denim on denim to Amish farmer's work denims.

Legendary style of jeans and vest hasn't changed.

The recognisable Levi "swoosh" stitching matched with cowboy boots strikes a chord with denimistas every wear.   As does the re-inforced pocket stitching which replaced the original pocket rivet.     Real vintage jeans are dateable by button and rivet style and colour.

NEW ORDER: Easy Everyday

COMFORT is the driver.  Flexibility, softness, fluidity.

Knit denims in indigo and colour with a bit of stretch for extra flexibility.

Even the new khakis and chinos benefit from having stretch for comfort and ease.

Clockwise from top left: ©JackJones, ©Levis, ©Levis, ©JackJones

We mustn't forget cotton cords and cords in soft blended yarns including stretch. Corded chinos and corded 5 pocket jeans have a new cool vibe for the street tribe.

Big voluminous shapes in lightweight denims add a smarter look for everyday easy especially in super dark indigos.

L-r: ©Asos, ©

Knit denims -  woven indigos with a loop back to look and feel like knit fabric - have mushroomed since Diesel introduced them some years ago.  Now not only in indigo but in other jeans friendly colours and prints as well.  They are soft, warm, tactile, comfortable and especially amazing to wear when they have a little stretch.  

Fluidity in knit denims for guys are the new sweat pants.

Velour cotton with a little stretch adds another comfort dimension to every day easy jeans.

L-R: ©Asos, ©JackJones