Yes, jeans were indeed originally workwear. Here’s a brief background:
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Origin: Modern jeans trace back to the 1870s, when Levi Strauss & Jacob Davis patented and began selling durable pants reinforced with rivets at stress points.
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Purpose: They were designed as sturdy trousers for laborers, miners, cowboys, and factory workers during the California Gold Rush and the industrialization era.
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Material: The use of denim (a tough cotton twill fabric) and indigo dye (which helped mask stains) made them ideal for tough, dirty work.
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Transition to fashion: Jeans gradually entered mainstream fashion in the mid-20th century, popularized by Hollywood movies, youth culture, and later by high-end designers.
So, while today jeans are a global fashion staple, their roots are firmly in functional workwear.
