Today is the birthday of jeans. 145 years ago, on May 20, 1873, it received a license to produce its stellar invention: trousers with rivets on the pockets. Back then, these durable and practical pants were gray. But the company soon switched to a more attractive and equally durable blue fabric. And since the middle of the 20th century, jeans, which at the beginning were an attribute of gold miners and farmers, have become a fashion trend - clothing that is incredibly popular among men and women of all ages and classes.
These days, jeans are seen as a completely casual item for everyone, from the poor to the millionaire. As a fashionable item of clothing, they have undergone so many changes and acquired so many variations that it is hard to tell. Even someone who seems to have spent half his life in “jeans” also has something to be surprised about when going for something new. Therefore, for the birthday of jeans, MIR 24 has prepared six rules for those who want to buy only high-quality, well-made jeans.
Where to buy
You need to understand that looking for high-quality jeans on the clothing market is almost pointless: if they are found there, it will only be a miracle. Therefore, all the tips that will be discussed below relate to choosing jeans in a store - if not a branded store, then at least one that specializes specifically in denim clothing. And not always from the most famous manufacturers.
Recently, several brands of denim clothing have entered the Russian market, developed by domestic designers and aimed specifically at Russia, but sewn abroad. They outperform well-known competitors in price, without compromising on quality. True, you only need to look for them in chain stores: as a rule, they order such “niche” brands for themselves and do not sell them to anyone for sale.
We make jeans smaller: machine washable
It’s still easier to make jeans a size smaller by washing them in a machine. To do this, you do not need to use any special detergents. The main thing is to choose the right mode.
We load the jeans into the machine and set the intensive wash mode at a temperature of at least 90 degrees. We set the spin speed to maximum and the result is noticeably shrunken jeans.
True, it is not recommended to use such an intensive mode with every wash. For the sake of safety, it is better to alternate it with the usual one. Except for fabrics containing at least 30 percent synthetics, this method is not suitable for jeans decorated with rhinestones, appliques or decor made from delicate fabrics. Such models will have to be washed by hand.
Textile
The right fabric is the first step in choosing quality jeans. For classic cotton ones, it will be dense and rough to the touch and quite heavy. Jeans should not give the impression of being made from rags, even if they are summer and have very thin fabric.
Photo: @RAKOPTONLPN/PressFoto
After tactile sensations, visual ones come into play.
Good denim has a right-handed twill weave: the diagonal ribs in the fabric run from right to left and from top to bottom. If you come across a herringbone weaving option, even better! It is used less often and on thinner fabrics, which never gives the effect of twisting when worn. By the way, both types of such weaving will be undyed on the inside, unless the fabric is double black or similar (that is, one in which both threads - weft and warp - are initially equally colored).
But a poorly visible weave, an underside dyed to match the outside, and uneven weave of the fabric are signs of low-quality jeans that are best avoided.
Finally, classic denim consists of 100% cotton, although recently elastane has increasingly been added to it - from 2 to 7%. Two percent makes the fabric more wearable and helps prevent blistering at the knees, while seven percent is used when you want to make the fabric have a stretch effect that stretches when put on and fits tightly to the body.
The history of elastane
Who invented elastane, you ask? And I have a definite answer, because... The name of the creator is known to many and is not kept secret. This is American Joseph Shivers, a scientist working in the DuPont chemical laboratory in the mid-twentieth century. It was he who studied thermoplastic elastomer, which had the property of stretching when exposed to temperature. As a result, elastane threads were created, and when added to various fabrics, 20 years later they began to make stockings, corsets, sportswear and much more, which we will discuss below. Elastane is not an independent fabric, but, in simple words, a synthetic additive. Durable, thin, lightweight, resistant to negative environmental influences.
The appearance of cotton fabric with the addition of elastane.
Today, the largest suppliers of fabrics with added elastane are the USA, Japan and Italy. The largest giant in the production of elastane threads is American. It is here that the well-known brand called “Lycra” and “Elaspan” is produced.
Zippers, rivets, label
Fittings, labels, branded stripes - all this can serve as another confirmation of the quality of the product.
High-quality jeans will have exclusively metal fittings - there can be no plastic anywhere near them! The zipper on the fly is only metal, and there is nothing to say about buttons. Even if the manufacturer for some reason decided to use ordinary buttons rather than classic “bolts,” they will be made of metal. And let’s not even talk about the rivets on the pockets.
The labels on good jeans will always be made of fabric, and the inscriptions on them will not be printed, but embroidered. Moreover, this applies to all labels: both internal branded inscriptions and information stripes with information about the manufacturer, fabric composition, washing conditions and everything else.
Photo: @HECKMANNOLEG/PressFoto
But the rule “real jeans can only have a leather label” should be forgotten - they abandoned it long ago. Even the manufacturer of the very first and legendary jeans did this, not to mention his followers. Increasingly, thick leatherette or even thick fabric is used for branded patches. There is only one condition here: all inscriptions on the label must correspond to the logo and be clearly readable. If the patch raises any doubts, it is better to refuse the purchase: the quality of the product may be lower than traditional.
Care instructions
Of course, before washing, always pay attention to the product label (they hang it up for a reason). But I advise you to wash products made from elastane fabric by hand and at room temperature. If this is not possible or desirable, then in the washing machine select only the “delicate mode” and spin at the lowest speed. It’s better to forget about bleaches and conditioner, and opt for “soft” powders (you can even use children’s ones). And most importantly, wash colored items separately, otherwise staining is possible. It is better to dry things away from sunlight and in a horizontal position to prevent stretching. It is also better to iron elastane items at low temperatures on the “delicate” setting.
Proper care is the key to a long service life.
As you can see, products with elastane additives do not require special care. You just have to follow the recommendations shown on the product labels, and, believe me, then your items will delight you with their original appearance for quite a long time.
Size
If the quality of the fabric and accessories is high, you can try on the jeans for yourself. As a rule, we go to the store with a good idea of the desired size of jeans - the treasured ratio of W (waist circumference) and L (length). But it happens that instead of the usual designations, the manufacturer decides to resort to a simple numerical or alphabetic system of sizes - and on the label, instead of W32/L34 (waist circumference - 32 inches, length - 34 inches), simply L or simply 46 suddenly appear on the label. Then it is better not to believe the embroidered take my word for it, but check it out for yourself.
The surest way is fitting. Women are recommended to always try on jeans, men - if the figure is non-standard. You can only buy something without trying it on if you always buy jeans of the same model from a certain manufacturer, and you know for sure that they will fit you.
But many men still take the risk of buying jeans without trying them on. If the figure is standard, then this method will help you determine the size. As a rule, jeans sit exactly at the waist, inside of which, at waist level, when they are buttoned, you can stick your forearm from the elbow to the end of the palm clenched into a fist. The hand fits in - the right size, it dangles or does not fit - more or less than needed. But in order not to get into trouble, it is better to test this method of fitting at home on your favorite jeans and know for sure whether you need to straighten your fist or whether your forearm does not fit into all the jeans you have. Then it’s worth remembering how many centimeters it doesn’t fit – that’s all!
Making sure your jeans are the right length is much easier. If it is indicated in an unusual way, you can simply attach the belt to the waist or hips, depending on the model, and see where the legs end. They should reach almost to the floor, then when put on they will look a couple of centimeters shorter. An even more accurate method is to measure the legs from the crotch, but not everyone will decide to do this, especially in a crowded place.
One last thing regarding size. As a rule, jeans with a waist size chosen according to the formula “minus one inch” look best on a man’s figure. That is, they should be fastened with some effort, but there is no need to pull in your stomach. After trying on jeans, you should try to sit down in them. If they don’t pinch anywhere to the point of pain, don’t cut or squeeze your thighs like a vice, the size is appropriate.
Characteristics of elastane
From experience studying various types of fabrics, I can say that synthetic fabrics have distinctive features from natural ones. Here are some of them: the ability to stretch, higher color saturation, lack of deformation, wrinkling, etc. Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of elastane. The positive aspects of elastane include:
- Elasticity. Just imagine that an elastane thread can stretch almost 10 times, and then quite easily return to its original state. Agree that this property is ideal for sewing clothes of any size and shape.
- Moisture resistance. Due to poor moisture absorption, elastane does not allow dirt to penetrate deep into the fiber structure. Therefore, you won’t have any problems with washing at all.
- Subtlety and lightness. Due to the small diameter of the threads, things will never fill you up.
- Strength. Elastane, as described above, has a very dense structure. The material is wear-resistant, does not tear or tighten.
- Elastane does not wrinkle or fade.
The disadvantages of elastane include the following features (however, these disadvantages are inherent in almost all fabrics of synthetic origin):
- Elastane can cause allergies in people with sensitive skin.
- Elastane has poor breathability, which can lead to overheating.
- Elastane accumulates static electricity.
As you may have noticed, elastane fabric has fewer disadvantages than advantages. If you want to reduce these shortcomings to a minimum, then purchase products with an elastane percentage of 5% or less. By doing this, you will reduce the risk of the mentioned shortcomings, but maintain the practicality of the fabric.
Cut and silhouette
The squat method is not very suitable if you choose jeans with a “loose” cut, aka tubes. By definition, such jeans will not pinch anything. Squats are the best way to test jeans with a traditional “regular fit” cut, that is, straight along the entire length. You can also try to check the slightly narrowed “slim fit”, or the compromise versions of “relaxed fit” (a little looser than the classic) and “carrot fit” (very narrow at the bottom and wide at the top), but the slim-fit “skinny fit” “It is better not to subject such a test. Although they will most likely cope with it: jeans of this particular cut are made from fabric with the highest elastane content.
Photo: @KECH/PressFoto
However, the appropriate cut, as a rule, is already known to you. But this advice applies more to the case when you want to try something new or need to figure out what the seller brought. But it is not necessary to memorize all the types of cut and silhouette listed above and below - it’s easier to turn your head in search of a poster with their description, which hang in most specialized stores near fitting rooms or product shelves. Another option is to ask the seller to explain what this or that type of cut means, but there is a risk of meeting a beginner who is also not very familiar with these subtleties.
It’s not superfluous to know the three main types of silhouette. It can be “straight”, that is, straight, but in fact slightly tapered at the bottom, “tapered”, that is, noticeably tapering from the knee, and “boot cut”, that is, slightly flared - so much so that even jeans that fit tightly on the hips can be be rolled up to the knee. And it's good to know which of the three fit styles looks best on you. This can be high rise, that is, a high-sitting belt, medium rise, that is, an average fit, and low rise, in which the belt is located in the hip area.
Types of elastane
Today, the following elastane fabrics are widely used:
- Lycra;
- Meryl.
According to the characteristics of elongation, elastane fiber can be:
- Two-dimensional (stretches either in length or width);
- Four-dimensional (stretches in all directions simultaneously).
By thread color:
- White;
- Translucent;
- Transparent.
The fiber density of elastane can be 1.1 -1.3 g/cm3
How to understand what suits you
Of course, everyone chooses for themselves what kind of jeans to wear, and there can be no universal solutions here. But there are a few basic rules that may be worth remembering.
High rise jeans visually lengthen your legs and shorten your torso, while low rise jeans do the opposite. The “carrot fit” cut option is not suitable if you do not want to emphasize wide hips, and for the same reason you should not choose the “tapered” silhouette. The “boot cut” silhouette is suitable for those with large feet, as it will visually make them smaller, while the “tapered” silhouette, on the contrary, will visually enlarge a small foot. At the same time, for those who prefer massive shoes with thick soles, or even a purely cowboy style, nothing better than “boot cut” can be found, while for lovers of sneakers and similar light shoes with thin soles, it will not suit them.
And one more consideration regarding the features of wearing jeans. The legs of a standing person, which end directly above the shoes, look a little short. So you should only wear jeans with a “slim fit”, “carrot fit” or “skinny fit” cut. In other cases, it is better to choose an option in which the bottom of the trouser leg covers the heel halfway and forms a light accordion in the front. Then, for a sitting person, it will not rise too high, unnecessarily exposing the ankle, and for a standing person, it will not look like it was borrowed from a shorter-legged friend.
Handwash
To get jeans to fit properly, you need to wash them in really hot water, which is difficult to do by hand. Few people will be able to scrub away dirt at the temperature required for shrinkage.
Therefore, you can first wash the contaminated areas in ordinary water, and then use hot water. An additional advantage in this case is the ability to give jeans contrasting baths, when the item is alternately placed in hot and cold water. This enhances the effect.
You can also not wash the entire item by hand, but place it only in strategically important places. To do this, mix water with fabric softener and apply the liquid through a spray bottle to the stretched areas. Then we use high temperature when drying.
You can do this in two ways:
- If your washing machine has a drying function, then put the wet jeans in places and dry them at a temperature of at least 90 degrees.
- Or we iron the wetted areas through a cloth with a hot iron.
Boiling
Another way to make jeans shrink is by boiling them. This is also a way to make such jeans, that is, bleached or unevenly dyed. Therefore, if you do not need such an effect, then it is better not to resort to boiling. If color changes in your favorite trouser model don’t scare you, then take a large metal dish (bucket, pan, basin) that can hold 8–10 liters of water and get started.
If you do not need a whitening effect, then put clean jeans in heated water and boil for half an hour. After this, rinse in cold water and dry. To achieve the effect of such jeans, you can add washing powder with a bleaching effect to cold water in the proportion of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters, or add a glass of white to heated water.
With any of these options, add clean, dry jeans to already boiled water. Boil for 20 to 30 minutes. The degree of whitening depends on time. After this, you need to do a particularly thorough rinse in several waters, alternating warm and cold. But you can only boil it this way once. During boiling, the jeans should be completely covered with water.
A few words about jeans...
Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who has not worn such a wardrobe item as jeans at least once in his life. We often spend time in jeans on vacation with family, in educational institutions, and in many cases at work, because... The dress code in many companies is gradually blurring and then disappearing altogether - just a sign of the times, characterized by a simplification of forms, a shift in emphasis from formality to comfort, which, of course, is more good than bad...
For some, jeans are just inexpensive everyday clothes that you don’t mind throwing away and replacing if they become unusable; for others, they are a fashionable wardrobe item with which a person tries to express himself; for others, they are not just clothes , but an object of cult and interest, and a person knows thoroughly about his dark blue pair, if not everything, then a lot... There are always legends around “denim trousers” (both real and fictional), there is, in a sense, even a cult and hobby. Controversy does not subside around them; their story excites minds. In general... even the most technologically advanced membrane clothing is far from achieving the cult status that jeans have. At the same time, jeans are long-lived clothing; they have not left the “scene” for more than a hundred years. Today we will try to figure out what jeans are, what they can be, what technologies are used in their manufacture and what is the reason for the “denim phenomenon" in everyday fashion...
History and development
It’s worth saying right away that long before the famous native of a family of emigrants from Bavaria, Leib Strauss (Levi Strauss), patented his “topless overalls” and thus. marked the beginning of the creation of the first jeans, clothing made from such fabric had its own prehistory. Sources indicate that the French city of Nîmes was famous for the production of fabrics vaguely reminiscent of modern denim twill back in the early Middle Ages. The term "serge from Nimes" - serge de Nimes (sairjh du NEEM) was famous. This fabric was a popular product in Europe. In addition, this twill was used to make not only clothes, but also sails for ships. Another European city that influenced what we now understand by jeans was Italian Genoa. Italian sailors from this city wore a strong canvas robe called "Genes". And the term itself, with some degree of probability, could have been born from a reinterpretation of the word Genua. One way or another, these are the stories that exist around the word “jeans.” By the way, an interesting point. In 2011, the exhibition “The master of blue jeans” was held in New York, where several paintings by an unknown ancient European artist were presented. They depicted people wearing clothes that were very similar in color to modern denim.
All of the above does not at all negate the merits of Levi Strauss, but rather makes it clear that the very idea of denim clothing did not appear out of nowhere.
Moreover, initially the Levis Strauss company was engaged in the sale of durable fabrics from Europe, which were actively used for the production of work clothes. At that time, there was a boom in industrial and urban construction in America, and I think there is no need to remind once again about such a phenomenon as the Gold Rush.
Strauss's enterprise developed rapidly. From unsold remnants of fabric, a batch of durable trousers for workers and gold miners of our own production was sewn on our own, which were sold very successfully both in San Francisco and in the rest of the United States. And so, over time, the world-famous Levi's company appeared.
It is known that these first jeans had a very wide cut, only one back pocket, rivets on the corners of the pockets and in the crotch seam, riveted buttons on the waistband for fastening the waistband and a cinchback on the back to adjust the size in the waistband. Some of the gins from this period have survived to this day, although they look quite dilapidated.
Denim clothing became popular in the USA, workers, gold miners, and cowboys became real symbols of America. Along with them, the clothing typical of these people was also popularized. In addition to Levi's, other manufacturers began to appear that deal with durable, reliable work clothing.
During World War II, jeans were often produced in a more economical version. So, the same famous Levi's 501 came not only without hidden rivets on the back pockets and with cheaper metal on the fittings, but even without the characteristic embroidered “arch” imitating the beak of an American eagle. The arch was simply painted on the pocket with yellow paint. On the one hand, the manufacturer saved on materials, and on the other, sought to keep its products recognizable.
After the war, the “denim boom” gradually gained momentum. Cinema and printed materials created attractive images of cowboys, gold miners and adventurers, including thanks to which goods began to sell better.
Denim clothing confidently entered the everyday wardrobe and was no longer perceived as something purely utilitarian. Jeans began to be perceived as an inevitable attribute of a rebellious image, which was also characterized by a passion for music and motorcycles. Thus, jeans became iconic clothing for American subcultures of that time, for example, the so-called. "Greasers".
Cinema broadcast images of American heroes to the whole world. Jeans became associated with celebrities and their cinematic images, which made these clothes even more popular and attractive.
Over the years, having become an international phenomenon thanks to popular culture and advertising, denim fashion has been actively popularized outside the United States, while at the same time not losing popularity in its homeland. These clothes began to be perceived in completely different ways at different times. For rock musicians of the 60s and the hippie movement, jeans were an attribute of freedom, democratic clothing, which was often so worn that it was covered in patches and, paradoxically, was valued even more for this. And for the punks of the times of the Ramones, jeans were, first of all, very tight pants with a characteristic “flaw”.
In Europe, for some time, jeans were perceived in their classic forms. However, later everything changed and sometimes very radically. Thus, among punks and late skinheads in the 80s there was their own fashion, expressed in the characteristic “boiling” and obtaining fancy colors. Later, this phenomenon became a mass fashion, to which manufacturers responded over time, which later came to the USSR in the form of “varenka”.
In the USSR, jeans were often an object of cult and adoration. Along with other attributes of “Western life”, they were bought at exorbitant prices from resellers, because Such things were very rarely found on free sale. Which, on the one hand, gave rise to inflated prices from the above-mentioned resellers for original goods, and, on the other hand, non-original counterfeit goods went on sale.
Official propaganda castigated such manifestations of materialism as best it could, but, alas, it was powerless here. Surely many readers consciously caught this time and can share their stories themselves.
Currently, there is complete diversity and freedom in the “jeans world”. There are areas where jeans are offered simply as inexpensive casual wear, unencumbered by traditions and cult.
At the same time, many manufacturers and designers may present gins as a certain attribute of luxury, wealth and status. The cult of celebrities and pop stars is often played out here, which, of course, also finds a response among potential buyers.
And finally, the development of “jeans culture”, having made a big circle, returned to traditions and quality. Currently, the idea of raw denim and jeans in their original classic sense is also very popular. Japanese manufacturers are the strongest in this area.
The world of jeans at the moment is very diverse and multifaceted, and is quite capable of satisfying the interests of almost any buyer.
BRAND LABEL
This is another way to protect against counterfeiting. Many people prefer products from certain brands, considering them to be of higher quality and more practical. It is from the label that we learn about the manufacturer's brand. The better it looks, the more trust we have in the brand.
Modern labels are made either from leather or high-quality cardboard (eco-friendly materials are in fashion). As a rule, they are made in the form of embossing and are neatly placed on the product. Although rags and leatherette can now also be found on branded items as a creative approach.
Equally important are the internal labels, which display complete information about the composition of the product, size, country of origin and how to care for them. Everything should be written clearly and readably, without blurriness or strange symbols.
