When it comes down to it, they are simply a pair of trousers. But jeans and the wearing of jeans has spanned two centuries from the initial patent by Levi Strauss, who actually patented the rivet, button, to the Milan fashion houses of the 21st century. But the fact is that this simple piece of clothing is something more than just a piece of simple clothing. In its original form it was purely for the working man who needed something to withstand the rigours of the job.

The geography of the blues

That could be working on a fruit farm in Mexico, riding horses in Texas, working in a steel mill in Ohio or picking cotton in Mississippi. It was the working mans outfit and no fancy fashion dandy in New York or London would be seen near a pair of jeans. But as time past and the music of the 1920s, with all its glamorous frolicking dress looked less realistic and life became tougher. Two world wars helped the jeans industry as the clothing required had to be tough and long lasting. Soldiers didn’t go into battle wearing blue denims but the idea that clothes had to be made from soft fabric was being replaced, as the economies of the western world felt the pinch, post war.

Music had a big part to play in the development of the ‘Jeans Culture’ with the greatest American blues guitarists appearing on stage wearing the standard clothing of their compatriots and work colleagues. They were not dressed in showy, fancy outfits but appeared, guitar and harmonica in hand, clad in a T shirt and blue jeans. The wearing of denim jeans became a symbol and in as much became a culture all of its own.

Rock artists could appear at the biggest music arenas wearing jeans and a jacket – and it looked good. The public followed suit and in the 1960s the pair of jeans was the only thing anyone wore. Only the work clothes remained formal. Despite all the fashions which have come and gone the pair of jeans still looks alright, and again in the music business an artist can take a chance and wear something a little avante garde, or they can play safe and wear some nicely fashioned quality jeans.

Time goes around

It could be said that the ubiquitous pair of trousers has come full circle, and now it’s a standard part of the wardrobe for men and women. Females can look fantastic in a pair of quality jeans, whilst sports men can still raise that macho stance when posing for the Levi advert. This is the culture of a pair of trousers and there can hardly be any equal when it comes to history, music and style; all of which have come together as unlikely partners.

So the question now is whether the jeans can continue in their popularity. The answer is probably yes, as the newer generations discover the music and the styles which existed 40 or even 50 years ago. People like to emulate their musical heroes and there are enough followers of the blues and rock artists of previous eras to keep the tradition going. A look through the internet music sites such as You-tube will reveal all sorts of stars from the past, with the likes of a 1948 recording of Leadbelly. Old guitar, and old jeans were his main accompaniments.

There - invention of clothing styles

All takes is for a super star model, a sports hero or a television celebrity to appear in a pair of jeans from a certain manufacturer and the ball will be rolling again. In these days of sponsorship, the big names are not slow to use the media to promote their goods. Whilst there are rules in the UK about television product placement, those rules don’t exist everywhere, and they are often circumvented anyway.The figures suggest that the old pair of jeans may have had its day, but clothing has a habit of re inventing itself, and it would be no great surprise if the clothing worn by the farm hands of Kansas and the cotton pickers of Alabama re surfaces again one day, in another era of jeans and music.