Denim style has come a long way from the original button fly and riveted pockets of the 1800's dustbowl denim jeans.

Images from DSQUARED2 online store | Photograph of burned denim from the book "My Archive 3" by Antonio Di Battista

Crazy slanted zipper experiment as a fashion denim gender neutral statement. Classic button down wrangler pocketing. Degradation taken to extreme levels of focus onto the fly.

Images from left to right: Fringe jacket from MSGM,  studded black denim from TOPMAN, SLANDY ANKLE Denim from Diesel and FLIP E Denim from Diesel. Background image by Ela Stipicic — Images from left to right: Fringe jacket from MSGM, studded black denim from TOPMAN, SLANDY ANKLE Denim from Diesel and FLIP E Denim from Diesel. Background image by Ela Stipicic

Fringing and fraying are interesting style features on back yokes, waists. Together with fancy studding and side seam raw edging the look is distinctly western in flavour.

Top left corner: FLIP jeans by Diesel | Bottom left corner: Philip Plein Stop me Fluo denim (Farfetch) | Center: KROOLEY JOGGJEANS by Diesel | Top right corner: NARROT by Diesel | Bottom right corner: DSQUARED2: Light Easy Cool Girl Jeans

Tied waists; external buttons at the fly; frills and fun embroidery detail at the fly all add fun detailing to classic blue denim jeans.

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. — ©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.

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.

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.