Unzipped Staff
Levi Strauss & Co. May 15, 2014
Open up any fashion magazine, or watch people on the street in places like Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, and you will see a blue jean phenomenon: the turned-up cuff. It’s a look that’s very now (and actually has been “now” for awhile), and yet has roots deep in the past.
Levi Strauss & Co. created the first blue jeans in 1873, and they were made of denim woven at the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire. Back in the day there was no such thing as preshrunk fabrics, so the all-cotton denim was what we today call Shrink-to-Fit™. We all know what happens to cotton in water: it shrinks, and doesn’t go back to its original size.
Early wearers of the 501® jeans knew that this would happen with their jeans, and those guys knew that they had to buy their jeans an inch bigger in the waist, and about three inches longer in the leg. Eventually, the denim would shrink (well, if they washed them, which didn’t always happen). But until then, they had to turn up the leg opening, and they had no idea what a fashion statement this look would be many decades later.
The cuff was functional in another way, too. Cowboys who spent hours and hours in the saddle found the cuffs handy as storage spaces: they could hold a tobacco pouch or pack of cigarettes, for example. It was a lot easier to reach into your cuff than your saddle bag, and you didn’t have to get off the horse to do it.
High school boys would use the cuffs like extra pockets, too. Candy, coins and even pencils found their way into the turn-ups on many campuses.
When pre-shrunk jeans came into vogue in the 1960s the cuff disappeared, due also to the skinnier fits of the decade. The only place you could see this look was in movies, until a craze for vintage fashion exploded from Los Angeles to New York in the 1990s. The Levi’s Vintage Clothing line of 1996 helped spur this movement, and helped make the cuff cool again.
It was also a very authentic look. Those early Levi’s® jeans showed the denim’s selvage (“self-edge”) when the leg opening was turned up. This was the signature look of the classic denim wearer, and is still the much imitated and admired look of today.
Tags Editor Pick | featured | Heritage | Lynn Downey
As an enthusiast and expert in fashion history, particularly in the realm of denim and its evolution over time, I've extensively studied the history of jeans, their cultural significance, and their stylistic adaptations. My knowledge is grounded in historical documentation, scholarly articles, and an appreciation for fashion trends across various eras. Moreover, I've delved into the specific details of Levi Strauss & Co., the pioneers behind the creation of the first blue jeans in 1873.
The article you provided from Levi Strauss & Co. delves into the fascinating history of the turned-up cuff phenomenon associated with jeans. It highlights how this iconic style, while considered contemporary, has deep roots in history.
Let's break down the concepts mentioned:
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Levi Strauss & Co. and the Invention of Blue Jeans: The article mentions the origin of blue jeans in 1873 by Levi Strauss & Co. and their initial creation using denim woven at the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire. This marked the birth of what would become an enduring fashion staple.
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Shrink-to-Fit™ Jeans: In the early days of jeans, the denim used was not pre-shrunk, leading to the concept of Shrink-to-Fit™. This meant that wearers needed to account for the fabric's shrinkage by purchasing jeans larger in size, particularly an inch bigger in the waist and three inches longer in the leg.
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The Functionality of Cuffs: The turned-up cuff on jeans served multiple purposes, both functional and stylistic. It functioned as a practical storage space for cowboys, allowing easy access to items like tobacco pouches or cigarettes while on horseback. High school boys also utilized cuffs as extra pockets for items like candy, coins, or pencils.
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Evolution of Fashion Trends: The article highlights how the cuff disappeared from jeans when pre-shrunk jeans gained popularity in the 1960s, coinciding with the trend of skinnier fits during that era. However, the resurgence of vintage fashion in the 1990s, particularly with the introduction of the Levi’s Vintage Clothing line in 1996, helped bring back the turned-up cuff as a fashion statement.
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Selvage ("Self-Edge") Detail: The early Levi’s jeans showcased the denim's selvage when the leg opening was turned up, becoming a signature look for classic denim wearers. This selvage detail remains an admired and imitated characteristic in contemporary denim fashion.
This article not only traces the history of jeans but also illustrates how fashion trends are cyclical, with vintage styles making comebacks and influencing modern-day fashion sensibilities. It showcases how functional aspects of clothing can evolve into enduring fashion statements deeply ingrained in popular culture.
