I have a love affair with denim.  I think I realised this when I bought a new pair of jeans last week from Route 66 that I didn’t need.  It made me think about how many pairs I already had – 8 it turns out.  Was this excessive? Adding my denim shorts and skirts – we are talking about a collection of over 20 denim items.  Then I thought about how often I wear denim.  Always in the weekends and often during the week.  It is a staple item in my wardrobe.  Is it in yours?

I wonder who I need to thank for owning so much denim.  It turns out that the fabric originated in the French town of Nimes.  In the 20th century it was used for work-wear due to it being such a strong, durable and washable fabric. In the 1940’s it began to be used in other items of clothing including dresses, skirts and jackets.  By the 1970’s a denim-revolution occurred, with mass production from designer label jeans hitting the markets.  We were all hooked.

Of course we can’t forget about the original Levi’s 501 jeans from the one and only Levi Strauss, who initially designed work trousers, made from brown tent canvas and later went on to use the French denim fabric, which he dyed blue with indigo. He was smart enough to take out a patent for these garments and I guess the rest is history.

Yellow Tulip