Blue jean

Initially blue jeans were simply sturdy trousers worn by workers especially in the factories during World War II. During this period men's jeans had the zipper down the front whereas women's jeans had the zipper down the right side. By the 1960s both men's and women's jeans had the zipper down the front. In the United States during the 1950s, wearing of blue jeans by teenagers and young adults became symbolic of mild protest against conformity. This was considered by some adults as disruptive; for example, some movie theaters and restaurants refused to admit patrons who wore blue jeans. During the 1960s the wearing of blue jeans became more acceptable and by the 1970s had become a general fashion in the United States, at least for informal wear. Notably, in the mid-1960s the denim and textiles industry was revolutionized by the introduction of the pre-washing craze. Entrepreneur and noted eccentric, Donald Freeland of Edmonton, Alberta developed the technique to bring denim to a larger and more versatile market. Denim suddenly became an attractive product for all age groups and Freeland became one of the most important innovators in the history of denim and denim products. Acceptance of jeans continued through the 1980s and 1990s to the point where jeans are now a wardrobe staple, with the average North American owning seven pairs.