Changing Connotations Associated with Denim Fabric

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Recommended: Forms of Semiotics

Semiotics: Semiotics helps us understand the meaning of things. It allows us to go into more depth then we would usually do. It is split up into two words semeion (sign) and logos (story).

Sign is split up into signified and signifier. Signified is the something else that is being represented whereas signifier is anything that stands for or represents anything and the elements.

“On any given day in most countries, nearly half the population is wearing blue jeans” (Miller and Woodward 2011).

The word jean originates from the French phrase ‘Bleu de Genes’ which means ‘the blue of Genoa’. Jeans were a, cotton twill weave fabric that was originally made in Genoa, Italy. The fabric was initially used to make cheap pants.

Denim originated from the French town of Nimes, which is now known as denim worldwide, this is because fabrics were named after geographic place of origin. Denim was a much more stronger and expensive cloth compared to the jeans fabric, it was cotton dyed indigo, with a white under wrap. It has known to be originally been used as bed curtains for the rich and clothing for the poor.

Around the early 1900s denim was used for work wear, during this time work wear was very fashionable. The most popular work wear for men to wear, were bib overalls. Bib overalls were associated with rural men and boys such as farmers and railroad workers for a long time. The Americans originally used overalls as military uniform; they were intended to act as a protective layer of clothing for the breeches and stockings. Denim later replaced the linen canvas originally used this was because the twill weaves of the fabric made the overalls extra strong and durable. These new denim overalls/coveralls became standard work wear at fac...

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...rom Greasers to Punks, chronicles of a uniform (Online) Available from: http://www.ssense.com/news/history-of-the-leather-jacket (Accessed 08/03/2014)

• BELL, M (2011) History of Denim Part 2: From Ranches to Rebellion (Online) Available from: http://www.out.com/fashion/outfit/deluxe-denim/2011/10/06/history-denim-part-2-ranches-rebellion (Accessed 08/03/2014)

• HEGARTY, S (2012) How jeans conquered the world (Online) Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17101768 (Accessed 09/03/2014)

• NIVEN LOWENSTEIN, F (2012) Fabulous Fashions of the 1970s. United States of America: Lake Book Manufacturing Inc.

• URBAN OUTFITTERS (2013) The History Of Denim (Online) Available from: http://blog.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/?p=9863 (Accessed 11/03/2014)

• KIMMEL, A.C (2014) Prepped and Punked: Bring 1980s and 1990s Flair to Your Wardrobe. Minnesota: Capstone Press

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