Nowadays, jeans are the de facto uniform for fashion editors. However, if you voyage back in time, jeans were not always women's fashion wear. In the early 19th century, jeans were mainly used as workwear. It was solely in the late nineties that people started to wear them casually. In just a span of time, people turned this workwear into a marvelous style evolution.
Origin Of the Denim Jeans
The origin of denim dates back to the 1500s when traders started to trade denim fabric from France, Nimes, Genoa, and Italy. Denim was then used to make the dungaree and other workwear clothes. During that time, manufacturers tried different clothes. However, denim stood out as a more befitting fabric for work pants, so they continued to use it for years.
Evolution Of The Women's Jeans To A Fashion Staple
Women's jeans have quite a history associated with them, and here we are about to take you on a retro drive to explore different styles of jeans during different decades and how they have evolved from hippy bell bottoms to party rocker metallic jeans!
The Birth Of Women Jeans- 1930s
As 1930 rolled in, the Western world experienced a major change. The clothes that were previously only meant for men no longer being associated with gender. In those times, the best Western brand for jeans, Levi's, took this change as their advantage and produced the first ever women's jeans in 1934 that will soon become a fashion sensation. Designed by Levi Stauss and made to fit the female body, it was an atypical move for its time.
Rise To Popularity- 1960s
Although women's jeans came into life way back in 1934, it took over three decades to shout out to the popular. It was the time when Hollywood was at its top, and we had some of the finest artists of all time, and one of them was our favorite, Marilyn Monroe. She was a fashion icon and true American beauty. So, when she wore jeans in her film The Misfits (1961), it became a sudden fashion storm. After that, slowly and gradually, bell bottoms became the anthem of the late 1960s. Women's jeans also witnessed versatility during this time and birthed the styles that stayed in trends even decades later.
The Rise Of Straight Leg Jeans- 1970s
After an exciting decade of the 60s, the 70s come with a diverse section of women's jeans styles, colors, and prices. Womens can choose from flared styles, straight legs, and mom jeans that stand out as effortless cool designs. While these styles were favorites of womens during the Deco era, cuffed jeans also started a new adjacent fashion.
Designer Women's Jeans And the Metallic Era- 1980s
The 80s was when women's jeans reached an all-time high popularity. Model campaigns start to come out and bring denim to the forefront of the fashion designer's mind. The early 80s became the symbol of pop culture, and brands, including Calvin Klien and Jordache, stepped into the market. In the late 80s, metallic jeans were the ones to rock the fashion of parties and night outs. Everyone seemed into pop culture, embracing metallic fashion and putting a period to the 80s.
The Bigger and Baggier, The Better- 1990's
Keeping things casual was the idea of the 90s. Hip-hop was at its peak, inspiring and dominating the fashion trends. Mom jeans or high-waisted jeans gave life to this era's fashion trends and made a comeback after laying to rest in the 80s. Another style that caught driving the fashion streets became the relaxed fit jeans. Relaxed-fit jeans offered comfort and style at the same time.
Get Low- The 2000s
Popular singers like Brtiney Spears and Christina Aguilera popularized ultra low-rise jeans. People start to emulate their favorite pop stars, which leads to a resurgence of Capri jeans. Along with Capri jeans, flare and bootcut styles stayed on the trends from the early to late 2000s.
Innovations And Skinny Jeans Of The Rise- 2010s
With the growth of the denim industry, consumers demanded stretch and go-to styles for jeans, especially women's jeans. At the same time, shifts in pop culture led to the innovation of must-have fashion items like belts and hats. However, skinny jeans became the most outstanding trend to rise in the 2010s. They made it all over, from the fashion streets and red carpets to magazines.
To This Era- 2020s
The start of the 2020s rimmed in with skinny jeans and Capri styles, while as the decade evolved, it became more about wider-legged styles, often cropped. Smaller and independent brands continued to rise and induce eco-friendly denim lines, which deemed it the look-good and feel-good era. As of 2023, we see the metallic fashion coming back for jeans. Now, the long-gone trend of Metallic jeans scattered all over the internet is starting to make its reappearance from the 80s!
Wrapping Up!
That's it. This is all about this guide. We hope you have liked this retro ride of fashion trends in women's jeans. Thank you for reading this guide. Before you go, do consider checking out the exclusive collection of women's jeans from the MADISON MAISON luxury fashion store!