It’s all in your Jeans!

One of the most common questions asked of  Ruby Slippers Stylists is what makes the perfect pair of jeans, and as an estimated 2.3 billion pairs of jeans are sold every year, we thought we’d give you the knowledge!

In the first of our three part series, our Male Stylist and fashion designer, Jim Thompson, looks at the origins of denim and gives you tips on how to select the best quality.

Brief history of denim

Denim gets its name from the French family who developed it and the city it originated from – Serge de Nimes. The term was shortened over time to Denim, giving birth to one of fashion’s most enduring icons. To create denim, Indigo dyed and white yarns are woven together to create a rugged fabric. The dye is fairly unstable and therefore fades quite easily over time, giving jeans their unique appearance. Originally a form of work wear, metal buttons and rivets were added to prevent ripping at stress points, giving modern day jeans their traditional look.

 

What denim should I look for?

Selvedge denim is best. Created using a traditional shuttle-weaving loom that is a narrow in width, the selvedge is the edge of each side of the fabric (self edge). It usually has the appearance of white or red finishing at the side seam of the jean. These fabrics are generally better quality and stronger, but, tend to be expensive as modern looms can create fabric at more economical widths. Japan is probably the best source for selvedge denim, as they took up the mantle, buying US shuttle looms post WW2 as the US modernised production.

In part two Jim will be reviewing what sort of jeans to go for and what are the best fits, before looking at which style will work for you and how to care for your jeans. Stay tuned