Denim Trends of Yesterday and Today: From Mom Jeans to Boyfriend Jeans (and Back Again?)
Renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld recently caused a stir by criticizing another icon, Coco Chanel, for declaring jeans a fashion don't. Of course, Chanel made that pronouncement in the 1960s. No doubt this great lady of fashion, born thirty years after Levi Strauss founded his famous company, would be flabbergasted, and perhaps excited, to see how jeans have evolved since she passed away in 1971.
While a classic pair of jeans has never really been out of style, looking back at more daring denim trends from the past few decades is good for a few laughs. But it also puts current trends in perspective and even provides clues about which contemporary looks might endure and which might be regretted by present fashion designers.
Top Three Denim Trends of the 1980s and 1990s
Tight and Tapered. 1980 saw the premiere of controversial ads featuring Brooke Shields in form-fitting Calvin Kleins. Displacing the bell-bottom leg distinctive of the 1970s, tight, tapered-leg jeans exploded in popularity. On the strength of his jean sales, Klein's 1981 personal income was reported to be $8.5 million, according to jeans historian James Sullivan. (His book Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon should be required reading in fashion design school.)
Acid-Washed. Brands like Girbaud and Guess pioneered stonewashing in the early 1980s, softening their jeans by pre-washing them with pumice. By the middle of the decade, chemicals including bleach and potassium permanganate were added to the pumice. The resulting "acid-washed" jeans became one of the defining fashions of the era. Actress Alyssa Milano has told Glamour Magazine that while some of her "Who's the Boss" outfits haven't stood the test of time, she still misses her acid-washed jeans.
Mom Jeans. Stars like Sarah Michelle Gellar rocked high-waisted "mom" jeans on the red carpet in the 1990s, but when model Hilary Rhoda sported the look last July, she drew a decidedly mixed reaction. Referring to her outfit, one Huffington Post commenter summed up many other responses by declaring, "the mom jeans are the real fashion crime here."
Three Denim Trends Today
Skinny or Wide. "Skinny" jeans recalling the tight numbers worn by punk rockers in the 1970s and 80s have been enjoying a renaissance since labels like J. Brand brought them back in the early years of the new millennium. While the skinny look is still popular, 2010 saw billowy boot-cut and wide-leg jeans hit the runway, thanks to fashion designers like Derek Lam, Stella McCartney and, yes, Jessica Simpson.
Jeggings. Mixing denim with Spandex and elastic waistbands, jeggings are so tight that they are--you guessed it--part jeans, part leggings. While some praise their comfort, other fashion pundits are already rolling their eyes, claiming jeggings are universally unflattering. But the nay-sayers can't deny jeggings have A-list cachet, with fans such as Halle Berry and Charlize Theron.
Boyfriend Jeans. Fashionistas including Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel Bilson have been spotted in loose, distressed jeans with rolled hems. These comfy-looking, casually chic jeans seem to have been borrowed from a boyfriend, hence their name. Fashion forecaster Sue Barrett thinks that raiding your boyfriend's closet might be just one step away from raiding...your mother's. She predicts that boyfriend jeans will soon morph into an updated version of mom jeans! So depending on your opinion of that look, you should get excited or brace yourself for a bad fashion flashback.
