In the 16th century, a thick cotton cloth known as dungaree was died in indigo and sold near the Dongarii Fort near Bombay. Sailors would cut the dungaree to suit them. In the late 18th century, a cotton twill textile called serge surged in popularity in France, specifically in Nimes. Originally called serge de Nimes, the name was soon shortened to denim and in 1864, the term was printed in Webster's Dictionary.
 
In the 1850s, a San Francisco dry goods merchant named Levi Strauss was selling blue jeans under the name Levi's to the mining communities in California. Jacob Davis, a tailor, frequently purchased fabric from Levi Strauss' wholesale house and used the material for jeans. Because one of Davis' customers would return often for repairs on torn parts, Davis was inspired to use copper rivets to reinforce points of strain, such as along the pockets and at the base of the fly.
 
Unfortunately, Davis didn't have the financial capacity to patent his idea. Instead, he wrote to Levi Strauss with a proposal and on May 20, 1873, the two men received patent #139,921, a patent for Improvement in Fastening Pocket Openings.
 
Throughout the 1900's, jeans sky rocketed with popularity. During World War II, jeans were worn by factory workers and ideal because of their durability. Back then, men's jeans had a zipper down the front while women's jeans had the zipper on the right side.
 
In the 1950's, however, jeans became an icon of rebelliousness: disruptive teenagers and young adults would wear them as a mild protest against conformity. Movies like Rebel without a Cause showcased jeans as the fashion choice for the disruptive outcasts rebelling against society, conformity, and authority. Some schools, restaurants and movie theatres even banned blue jeans!
 
In the 1960's, this social misconception shattered and by the 1970's, jeans had become a fashion staple. Great Western Garment Co. introduced a stone-washing technique that would revolutionize the denim and textiles industry. Suddenly, denim became an attractive product for all age groups.
 
Throughout the 1980's, 1990's and through to present day, the popularity of jeans just keeps increasing: different washing techniques, cuts, and embellishments enable jeans to be as versatile as you are, thus attracting a wider audience. It is estimated that the average American owns 7 pairs!
 
How many pairs of jeans do you own?
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