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| Sunday, 16 April 2006 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Why denim
reached the grassroots of our society
From proprietor to parvenu to peasant, they all wear denim in Sri Lanka now. WHY OH WHY? by Rikaza Hassan
Indeed it seems that people wear jeans just about everywhere judging by the numbers of jean clad people I see during my daily commute. But just like the fact that denim was once the working man's quintessential fabric of choice, so has it reached the grassroots of our society. In 1969, when jeans were the in-thing in the hippie world of the west, American Fabrics Magazine declared, "Denim is one of the world's oldest fabric, yet it remains eternally young." Is this why the middle-aged and older crowds increasingly wear jeans, in an attempt to be eternally young? "I like jeans. I don't wear the tight ones but I generally wear the baggy ones when I go out," declares Stella, 45. Does she feel younger in jeans? "Well, yes a little bit," she blushes. Her husband is yet another denim pants lover. "They're very comfortable and durable. Besides, everyone wants to look younger eh?" Infusion of denim
As the Los Angeles Times aptly put it in 1999, "Levi Strauss & Co. the number one producer of jeans and the single most potent symbol of American style on planet earth. Chinthaka, a mechanic says he wears jeans to work. "Of course I place a cloth over it when I have to work with oil leaks and stuff, but it's very comfortable to work in and I feel good even though my work entails spending my day under a car," he says. Jeans are as most of you would know made out of the fabric denim rather than actual jean cloth and has always been made out of cotton, an excellent way to beat the intense heat these days. "The fabric is not warm and it feels so much better than wearing nylon pants. You don't sweat in it at all. Besides it's got a very high spf level which means a high level of protection against uv radiation," says Chrishanthi. **** The denim fabric also beat out the jean cloth to its own name because it was so very much more comfortable and durable. Malinga, a 23-year old student agrees. "The really good thing about denims is the comfort factor. I don't think you'll be seeing guys out there wearing it if wasn't comfortable." (His male friends nod in unison to this statement. They also let me know that it is manlier to refer to jeans as denims.) "The best thing about denims however is the fact that not only are they durable and long lasting but the older it gets the better it looks. It's almost hard to believe that we can wear these pants for years and the longer we wear them, the better we look. Literally it's an investment for life," he states and smilingly adds, "You don't need to wash it for months at a time. No one notices the dirt." It has been declared that jeans are an established attitude about clothes and lifestyle and the younger generation most certainly seem to agree. "Jeans are really cool and a must-have for any guy or girl in their wardrobe," insists Melanie. "Personally I love the various cuts and styles available when it comes to jeans. You've got waisted jeans, hipsters, boot cut, stretch, straight, flared, baggy and so much more. The choice is just exhilarating. You have the liberty of choosing what fits your mind-set and body type and still end up looking so sexy." "There's nothing sexier than jeans," agrees Sanjaya. "Women look gorgeous in jeans and so do the guys as long as they don't try and wear a skin-tight, crotch hugging number. Denim is a piece of heaven; it's comfortable, tough and beautiful. What more can you ask for?" Jeans can also be very individualistic. This was clearly seen when the decorated denim fad hit the town a few years ago. "I always personalise my jeans. It's a way of making myself known to the rest of the world," according to Lasantha. "I buy them from the store as well as do the designs myself with a little glue, some sequins, spray paint. Even if you make a mistake it still looks great. That's the best part." |
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I love my jeans. I wear them to work. I wear them to the super market. I
wear them for formal occasions and I wear them to parties. Hell, I'll even
wear them at home if I could. I just can't seem to get enough of them. 
Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis (the man who invented the metal rivets on
your pants and together with Strauss' business acumen and money placed the
first step towards the infusion of denim in our lives today.) may have never
imagined their creation to become what it is today: a form of clothing that
is never completely out of style, is constantly reinvented and strutted on
the catwalks of dior, versace, chloe, channel and others. 
