Jeans. We've been wearing them for a very long time. And they've come a long way. Over 142 years that is. Here's checking out its long and colorful history, along with how it all came about, and finally, ending up where we are at today.

1873 — The Original Blue Jean

The first pair of jeans were called “XX” – the name of the first denim used to make them, which was the best denim in the U.S.,” according to Levis. “It came from the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire. It was so famous we decided to name the pants after them.”

1910s — “Dungarees”

Jeans got their own suspender straps, or “dungarees” (aka overalls). No one was making jeans for women back then, so they had to make do with castoffs from the men.

1920s/30s — Work Pants For Cowboys and Farm Folk

Blue jeans were fairly high-waisted and wide-legged so that they wouldn’t be restrictive during manual labor.

1940s — Women Get Theirs

“It wasn’t until women began working in factories, doing traditionally men’s work, that safety reasons required women to start wearing pants,” explains Vintage Dancer. “At first they just had to make do with wearing men’s pants but with a growing all-women workforce in the early 1940’s pants had to be designed for women.”

1950s — Jeans Become “Cool”

Jeans had stopped being just “work pants” and started becoming part of a youthful fashion statement. Narrow fit, zippered flys. More fashionable.

1960s — New Colors, New Cuts

Jeans had fully come into their own as a fashion statement. They were no longer one-size-fits-all work pants. They came in multiple colors.



Cuffs were widening and waists were climbing higher. And before we knew it...

1970s — Bell Bottom Mania

It featured a high, tight waist and taper leg that flared out at the cuff. And when it got too hot for bell bottoms, you just cut them into hot pants.

1980s — (Dis)Stressed To The Max

Cuff size returned to normal, but stonewashing and professional “ripping” had become all the rage.

1990s — Mom Jeans For All

The worst time for jeans ever was in the 90s when it was high-waisted, bunchy in the front, tight in the back and unflattering in just about every capacity.

Then Jnco’s happened.

Nooooo!

2000s — Waistlines Get Low

Jeans fashion quickly learned its mistakes from the 90s and began correcting itself. In the 2000s, waistlines started to get low.

2010s — Skinny jeans.

How long will this last for?