Denim Through the Decades

Fashion trends come and go, but denim is eternal.

IVY SLEN | REPORTER

Fashion comes and goes but blue jeans are forever. From flair to wide, to skinny and everything in between, denim is a constant.

Denim was first manufactured in the French town Nimes. The origin of the word denim comes from a french Phrase “Serge de Nimes”, which means serge from Nimes. During the 19th century, denim started to gain momentum in the United States. Jacob W. Davis, a Russian- American tailor in Nevada, designed and constructed the first pair of modern denim pants. As the pants started to gain popularity, his small storefront in Nevada was not enough to meet the demand he was receiving. He moved to his suppliers, Levi Strauss and Co’s facilities to continue manufacturing his jeans.

In the 1950s jeans were mainly reserved for the working class and men. Towards the end of the decade, they were more widespread among the rising counter-culture.

By the early 1960s both men and women were wearing jeans, some as a fashion statement and some as a political statement against middle-class values and bourgeois. The styles in the ’60s were wide, bell-bottoms, and low-waisted. Wearing Denim jackets with jeans became a trendy style for the first time as well. Totally groovy.

During the 1970s, the denim trends from the ’60s are still going strong with flares, double denim looks with jackets and pants, but now the newly popularized denim skirt quickly became a fashion staple as new different styles were created. Jeans were so fashionable that they were seen paired with sequin tops and highheeled platform shoes in New York City nightclubs.

1950s

1960s

1980s

In the 1980s, denim became tapered in the legs and even skin tight. Women wore their jeans with leg warmers, doc martens, oversized sweaters, and blazers and the preppy kids paired their denim with oxford cloths and polos, boat shoes, and pearls. Denim was starting to get purposely distressed with different types of washes like acid wash, stone wash, and deliberate holes. It is also worth noting that jeans in the ’80s on women were high rise compared to the low rise of the 1960s and 1970s.

2010s

In the 2010s, the silhouette of jeans became slimmer and skin tight. Skinny jeans were worn everywhere, they could be dressed up for a night out and dressed down for school or work. We also saw more playful designs come back in style like overalls and rompers. Right now trendy jeans are high rise and ultra- wide-legged. Brands like Zara, Levis, and higher-end brands like Rag and Bone, and Mother are all honoring this style. But as trends from the 90s are coming back, the low-rise jeans are back in. Supermodels and style icons Bella Hadid, and Hailey Bieber have been seen wearing these styles encouraging the style to come back strong. As we enter 2022 expect low-rise styles and flared jeans to replace or co-exist with high-rise wide-legged jeans.

In the 90’s, denim was mid-rise, relaxed fit, and styles like mom jeans were in style. For some denim lovers, they took the grunge aesthetic and they wore their jeans with oversized t-shirts and flannels. And as the ’90s continued on the relaxed denim was paired with more stylish and polished tops. Denim overalls and shortalls were also popular during the ’90s. As the ’90s ended and the 2000s began the midrise became ultra low rise popularized by celebrities like Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, and the cast of the OC. Upscale boutiques started selling designer denim that was no longer just 100% cotton; this denim was premium and had just the right amount of stretch so that they could comfortably rest on people’s hips. Creating that iconic 90’s low rise look.

‘90s - ‘00s

Now

Still denim appears so often in our everyday wear, with all the versatility that it has it can be paired with so much to fit everyone’s personal style. But during the pandemic when people have been staying at home comfier styles are Madeline Akins board of directions on the St. Louis Fashion Fund and Divisional VP of retail development at Michael Kors says “It [denim] is a staple in the American women’s closet. More recently, however, denim may be replaced by sweatpants.”

Class of 1990

Clayton Alumni accomplish interesting and incredible things in every industry, all across the country and even around the world! Each month, we’ll profile a different Greyhound graduate. If you know a Clayton Alum who should be recognized, we want to tell their story! Contact us at globe@claytonschools.net.

CHS alumna Alix Henry performing ceiling maintenance. “I think the crazy architecture of the Ralph M. Captain elementary school and the open classrooms made me er ships out here, it is 100% photovoltaic-solar panels.” Wind power can also be used and harnessed understand architecture earlier in my life than through small propellers, although they tend to had I been in a normal building,” said Clayton break due to the several moving parts. High School alumna, Alix Henry. To maintain the sustainable and environ-

Henry currently works on sustainable and mentally friendly goal of an Earthship, they are off-the-grid buildings made from tires, cans and typically made of recycled or natural supplies. dirt in the New Mexican desert. “We use a lot of cardboard and aluminum

Henry graduated from Clayton High School cans and bottles for some of the walls in the in 1990 before attending Washington Univer- building,” she said. “We also use a lot of natural sity in St. Louis as an architecture major. After materials. For example, the walls in my house earning her degree and working in St. Louis for are adobe plaster which is basically dirt from the a year, Henry found that the area lacked interest site that we sift down to be very fine, then add in green architecture. sand, chopped straw, and water.”

After seeking out opportunities to work in This combination of materials serves as the sustainable development, Henry discovered a traditional plaster for the inside of the building. firm in New Mexico and secured a job. In 1995, Additionally, tires packed with dirt are used as along with her husband, Henry moved to New “bricks” for load-bearing walls and insulation. Mexico to design, build and live in a unique Despite her strong educational background method of biotecture: an Earthship.

An Earthship is a completely off-the-grid building, which means it doesn’t depend on outside resources for energy or other necessities. Henry’s firm has designed several methods of construction, so no fossil fuels are used for heating or cooling.

“We use a combination of thermal mass, and in an Earthship’s case, that’s tires rammed with earth and then insulated. It acts as a battery so when the sun shines through the windows and hits, it heats up the walls. In the winters we don’t need any heating system to keep the building warm,” said Henry.

Earthships are also off the grid in electrical supply.

“In the case of my house and many othand vast work experience in architecture, Henry continues to find her male-dominated field challenging; she often needs to combat ‘mansplainers.’

“Oftentimes I’m the only woman on the job site. The contractors are often all men, same with the engineers,” Henry said.

Despite frustrating conversations, Henry always ensures the job is done correctly and carried out in accordance with her design.

During her time at Clayton High School, Henry was involved in student government as well as other activities that allowed her to take leadership roles and fostered teamwork. She is thankful for her education from the district,

“At CHS, I was really lucky that the math and science departments were pretty strong. Part of the reason I ended up in architecture is because I had skills in math and art.”

Additionally, due to her strong English foundation, she was successful while studying at WashU, and after, when writing and communicating as an architect.

“I think Clayton High School just really gave me a strong foundation for being able to do many things.”

When asked for advice to give to the current students of Clayton High School, Henry said, “Take advantage of everything CHS has to offer. One of the nice things about the community of Clayton that I didn’t realize until recently is that it is a pretty diverse community. There are a lot of people from all over different parts of the world and a lot of differently educated people… in a lot of different careers within the community of Clayton. That makes for an interesting background.”