Nobody in the fashion world ever conceived of the idea that the clothing needed by gold miners would change the clothing industry. However, it did. The humble denim jean material that was difficult to tear or rip has changed a lot since its invention. The credit for that change goes to Levi Strauss. What does this mean? It means that ripped denim of old is now a fashion statement!

Jeans really became popular in the 1930s (credit: http://www.getclassedwithstyle.com/) because of movies that featured cowboys wearing jeans. Of course, by the 1940s Levi Strauss was beginning to feel the crunch of competition who realized that the market was going to be a very successful one.

The popularity of jeans increased even more in the 1950s thanks to James Dean and schools who would not allow students to wear them to school. Because of James Dean’s “Rebel” movie, schools thought that they were encouraging rebellion. All that did was make teenagers want them even more.

In the 60s and 70s, jeans became psychedelic, painted or embroidered. These colorful new looks changed the style of jeans immensely. In the 80s, fashion designers began to market their own styles with their own brand label. What had once been infamous for ruggedness was now synonymous with designer names and high fashion. Jeans popularity increased even more, right along with the price.

Although, in the 90s the youth discovered that khakis and carpenter pants were more comfortable. They wanted something different from what their parents had. This did not stop fashion designers. They came up with jeans that looked characteristically different and appealed to the younger generation. They incorporated an age-old style called the hip huggers and produced low rise jeans.

Now, at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, jeans are back in fashion. Now you can find sexy low rise jeans bearing the name of various designers. There are all types and styles of jeans on the market today that have a variety of price ranges. Designer jeans have become a fashion statement again. This means there is a pair of jeans out there just for you, even if you only want a pair of jeans that are comfortable and strong to work in.