James Dean: Fifties influence on fashion This article covers all aspects of being a
The
teenager in the 50s including subculture,
popularised lead back to the 1930s America
music, fashion, youth culture, film, iconic
where
looks, establishment of misunderstood teenage
masses during the Golden age of Hollywood
style and above all the impact that James
but it wasn’t until the 1950s that the garments
Dean had during such a short amount of time.
became a fashionable piece to wear due
back
story
jeans
of
how
claimed
denim
exposure
became to
the
the rise of the cultural revolution of youth. On 18 April 2014 a cinema re-release of Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden and Giant was
The youth revolution was a movement during the
conducted at BFI Southbank and selected
1950s that sparked a change in cultural behavior
cinemas nationwide in celebration of Deans
of teens at this time. “In the 1950s amid the social,
acting and contribution to film. This gave me
political and economic changes occurring youth
the idea of not just celebrating his occupation
culture experienced a revolution of sorts. What it
but his iconic and recognizable style, a style that
meant to be a teen and the activities that defined
was a perfect representation of the first decade
teen culture drastically changed from the past
where the style of the younger generation was
times of previous generations. With the debut of
distinguished from their parents as the older
rock and roll and influential artists, teens were
generation. His defined style on and off set is a
boppin’ and swingin’ their hips more than ever
classic look that was captured with photographs
before. The music brought with it a culture of
that are classed as famous fashion looks. This
rebellion. Never before were the wholesome
campaign with Levi’s is a celebration of Deans
teens exposed to sex and drugs.
fashion and sculpting his style with the inclusion
The exposure frightened many
of denim jeans. The idea behind the campaign is
especially those concerned
to encourage sales of older makes of Levi’s blue
with the moral decay of
jeans as well as showcasing the signature and
society.” - https://crandall1
now vintage look isn’t dead due to the growing
950syoungculturewordpr
popularity of vintage clothing. In return we want
ess.com
you to upload a photo of how you define and style older pairs of Levis jeans, or maybe you rock the
As a result of the rise
50s look yourself. Whatever you wear with the
in popularity of blue
pair we want to know! Get involved by taking a
jeans the 1950’s teens
photo of your jeans, your take on styling an outfit
began to wear denim
or wearing either old or new cuts of Levi’s. Some
for fashion purposes
selected photos with be featured on our website
and as a form of
along with your instagram. Use #denimdean
expressing themselves.
Many trends grew from the denim material
From a recent survey asking the public what they thought of the dress sense
but one trend in particular had recognisable
of James Dean as a denim fashion and style icon and their opinion of his
effects from fifties menswear to the present day.
look. The majority of people I asked knew that Dean wore Levi’s and one
Teenagers craved materialistic items such as clothes
actually knew what replica of jeans he used to wear. This primary research
and
jobs
concludes that he played a role in the popularity of Levi’s jeans and naming
desires.
the brand well known. Here are some of the answers to display the general
they
with
many
were
able
holding to
meet
part
time
their
feedback I received. With strong influences from magazines, television and film being exposed to them the younger generation
“He had an individual look, I must admit that he did look incredibly cool.
idolized and obsessed over Hollywood icons wore
White tee shirt, jeans and a leather jacket. All American wholesome boy
were and how they lived.
with a bad side.”
Rock and Roll music was an evident contribution
“When men dress nowadays they aim to look as good as he did.”
to the rebellion of teenagers. At the time rock and roll music contained sexual content and references,
“He dressed casually but kept a distinct look. He used to wear Levi’s 501s and
forms of socially unacceptable behavior and bending
checked shirts and ray bans. People idolised him more for his dress sense
of morals, drugs, alcohol and overall carefree
when he died. He died at his peak and will always be remembered in that
approach to the structure of class and society caused
way, at his best.”
teens to want to engage in the music and lifestyle more, partly due to the disapproval of their parents.
“He was a style icon then, cliché now but he looked good at his time. If you go out looking like that now you’d look old fashioned. His hair was cool. It
“James Dean was a cultural icon of teenage
was a basic look and feel it has been modernised now. It was a 50s look that
disillusionment and social estrangement”. The movie
is now considered iconic to the time it was first in fashion.”
‘Rebel without a cause’ (1955) sparked a desire for the greaser look worn by 50s actor, heartthrob and style
“He’s got a quiff, like many actors have today. He looks swerve and
icon James Dean. The film featured Dean wearing a
sophisticated but with an edge. Seen a lot in a Harley Davidson motorbike or
pair of raw denim Lee 101 jeans teamed with a plain
in a nice Porsche. I think this contributed to his cool image. I like they way
white t-shirt, boots with a cigarette. These particular
he wears his jeans teamed with a leather or bomber jacket with the boots.”
cut and style of jeans became his signature look. There are many photographs of him posing in Levis
“He looked like he was in Grease.”
501’s (his favorites) as well as Lee 101s in the film. This iconic look was cemented in the minds of the
Visit https://chloe-hannah-jlse.squarespace.com for more details and
viewer and this simple outfit was the desired fashion
updates.
trend during the 50s that went hand in hand with rock and roll music and teenagers really living up to the stereotype. Jeans symbolized rebellion, youth and was an understated garment that emitted an ultimately cool appearance. The brand Levi’s have James Dean to thank for the increase of popularity of blue jeans and defining their label and American heritage. Levi Strauss & Co also known as Levi’s is a brand of denim jeans that was founded in San Francisco, California in 1853 by Levi Strauss. The company produced their first ever pair of 501s in the 1890s and the style then became the world’s best selling item of clothing. Between the 1950s and 1980s, Levi’s jeans became popular among a wide range of youth subcultures, including greasers, mods and rockers.
DD
ean