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: 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.