Denim fabric never goes out of style…never has…never will. People all around the world adore their denim.
Denim is a sturdy cotton warp-faced textile in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This twill weaving produces a diagonal ribbing that distinguishes it from cotton duck. The most common denim is indigo denim, in which the warp thread is dyed, while the weft thread is left white. As a result of the warp-faced twill weaving, one side of the textile is dominated by the blue warp threads and the other side is dominated by the white weft threads. This causes blue jeans to be white on the inside. The indigo dyeing process, in which the core of the warp threads remain white, creates denim’s signature fading characteristics.
Dominate the streets and the runways dressed in dazzling, durable denim!
Denim Fun Fact: The name ‘denim’ derives from French serge de Nimes, meaning “serge from Nimes”. Denim was traditionally colored blue with indigo dye to make blue jeans. The contemporary use of the word “jeans” comes from the French word for Genoa, Italy (Genes) where the first denim trousers were made.
Durable, delicious denim fabric has been used in the United States since the mid 19th century. Denim initially gained popularity when Jacob W. Davis, a tailor from the state of Nevada, manufactured the first pair of “rivet-reinforced” denim pants. Davis wrote a proposal to wholesaler Levi Strauss & Co. who had been supplying Davis with bolts of denim fabric. His proposal was to patent the design of the rivet-reinforced denim pants, with Davis listed as the inventor, in exchange for certain rights of manufacture. Levi Strauss & Co. came on board with their possibilities of profit in the manufacture of the garment and then hired Davis to be in charge of the mass-production in San Francisco.
What marvels come about when an inventor takes a leap of faith! Jacob W. Davis dreamed his denim jeans into a fashion and money dynasty! Gotta’ get me some of that magnificent Davis denim!
Denim Fun Fact: Over time denim will usually fade, which is considered desirable by some people. During the process of wear, fading will often occur on those parts of the material that receive the most stress. On a pair of jeans, that includes the upper thighs, ankles and the areas behind the knees.
After being made into an article of clothing, most denim garments are washed to make them softer and to reduce or eliminate shrinkage. Washed denim is sometimes artificially distressed to produce a worn look. Much of the appeal of artificially distressed denim is that it resembles dry denim which has faded. This process creates what many feel to be a look more natural than artificially distressed denim.
Never a fashion drought when dressed in denim!
When shopping for denim a true fashion diva will say, “Denim jeans, denim dresses, denim skirts, denim shirts, denim belts, denim shorts, denim shoes, denim purses and denim jewelry will do just fine!” So thrilled all this denim is mine!
Denim garments? Give me everything. I adore being dressed like a denim glamour queen!
Dry Denim Fun Fact: Dry denim is denim that isn’t washed after having been dyed during production. To facilitate the natural distressing process, some wearers of dry denim will abstain from washing their jeans for more than six months. Most dry denim is made with 100% cotton and comes from several different countries. The United States, Zimbabwe and Japan produce popular sources of cotton for making raw denim.
Dry denim also varies in weight, typically measured by the weight of a yard of denim in ounces. 12 ounces or less is considered light denim, 12 to 16 ounces is considered mid-weight, and over 16 ounces is considered heavy weight denim.
Whether you prefer to don your diva self in light, mid or heavy weight denim, one thing is certain. When dressed in dazzling denim you’ll look better than the all rest of them!
There’s no denying that people love their faded jeans! Fade patterns have helped personalize denim clothing articles!
Preferred Denim Fading Patterns in Jeans:
- Combs or Honeycombs – These are faded lines that are found behind the knees.
- Whiskers – Faded streaks that surround the crotch area of the jeans.
- Stacks – These are created by having the inseam of the jeans hemmed a few inches longer than the actual leg length. The extra fabric then stacks on top of the shoe, causing a faded area to form around the ankle, extending up the to calf area.
- Train Tracks – This appears on the outseams of the denim. This pattern showcases the selvage by forming two parallel lines of fades which resemble train tracks.
And just what is selvage, you ask? Selvage is the edge of a fabric as it comes from the loom. Selvedges are woven or knitted so they won’t fray, ravel or curl.
Who is that sexy denim girl?
Denim Fun Fact: Denim fabric is divided into two categories: indigo dyeing and sulfur dying. Indigo dyeing produces the traditional blue color or similar shades. Sulfur dyeing produces specialty black colors and other colors, such as red, pink, purple, gray, rust, mustard and green. Stretch denim incorporates an elastic component, such as spandex. This creates a certain amount of ‘give’ in garments made from stretch denim. It only takes about 3% of spandex within the denim fabric to create a stretch capacity of about 15%.
Stretch your beautiful body into a slinky, glamorous, stylish pair of stretch jeans. Move with the style of a true fashion icon and stay comfortable at the same time. Your denim duds truly move with you, every step you take, all of the time.
Make no fashion mistake. Denim is the garment road to take!
Denim: Durable, dainty, dazzling clothing to adore!
“Who was the one who stood out the most at Sunday brunch yesterday?”
“The one dressed in denim skinny jeans, a ruffled denim blouse, denim high heels and a strand of denim pearls.”
“I agree one-hundred percent. What a denim-dressed, head turning girl!”
“I was so mesmerized by the way she wore her denim that I barely finished my meal.”
“Her denim fashion show was worth far more than the price of the brunch. I’d say we got a great deal.”
Denim: Let’s give the divine fabric a shout out. A true fashion steal!
Nancy’s next book in her award winning murder mystery series, Deadly Decisions – A Natalie North Novel, available now in online and retail bookstores.
Nancy Mangano is an American fashion journalist, screenwriter and author of the Natalie North murder mystery book series, A Passion for Prying, Murder Can Be Messy and Deadly Decisions – A Natalie North Novel. Visit Nancy on her author website http://www.nancymangano.com, Twitter @https://twitter.com/nancymangano, her fashion magazine Strutting in Style! at http://www.struttinginstyle.com, and her Facebook fan page Nancy
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