By Sonal Sher
In India, from a symbol of expression, Jeans have now become a “must have,” something without which you can’t imagine your wardrobe.
Jeans, over decades, have stood for a variety of things. Youth, rebellion… they also symbolized independence. Maybe this is because they have never truly gone out of style. A material can go out of style but an idea doesn’t. And jeans are more than an idea. They are a statement which have accommodated centuries of change.
From the first blue pair that was sold to miners to the newest designer labels. Studded with Swaroski crystals, every decade has seen a new style emerge in the market. We look over various styles that have come and gone and how these effect the buying decision of youngsters today.
One of the biggest styles of the last decade was the shimmery Britney jeans, which became so popular that there were no simple ones left in the market. “I didn’t buy a pair for more than a year because I couldn’t find any simple ones during that time,” says Mansi, a professional. Then came the low waist and the ultra low waist ones, which made finding something that won’t expose your underwear impossible. The stone washed look was next, which made mothers question whether the clothes were new at all. “My mom thought that I was ripped off when she saw my faded jeans because she thought that they were not new,” says Prerna, a student. There were others like bellbottoms, boyfriend jeans, baggy jeans and finally the skinny jeans, which are very popular right now. “I choose my jeans based on the comfort and the style and skinny jeans provide both to me,” says Deepali, a student.
“I feel that they are popular because they can be teamed with everything, from Western tops to Indian kurtis,” says Swati, a student.
So how do youngsters choose the pair they want with the variety of styles that emerge every season. “Though a lot of people buy jeans that may not look good on them, I prefer to wear something that would suit my own body structure,” says Krushangi, a student. “I prefer to buy jeans of a particular brand only and though I prefer straight cut I did buy boot cut when they were popular,” says Rachna Singh, a student.
So how are different styles decided? “The style produced by designers is first given to celebrities to see the reaction and only then produced for the masses,” says Sashikant Singh, a designer. “They also see whether it would go with the weather of the intended market and look good on an average sized man or woman,” he adds.
Jeans, over decades, have stood for a variety of things. Youth, rebellion… they also symbolized independence. Maybe this is because they have never truly gone out of style. A material can go out of style but an idea doesn’t. And jeans are more than an idea. They are a statement which have accommodated centuries of change.
