Our editors carefully select every product. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

8 Denim Innovations that Made Your Jeans Better

If you’re one of those people who can’t do without wearing jeans, you’ll love this expose. For me, it’s been jeans all along from day one. If you’re a fan, you already know that this cloth is popular in America and hardly would you meet any American that doesn’t have one in their closet. While you admire your favorite pair of jeans, remember that without the innovation it underwent, you would not enjoy this wear today. 

In this post, I’ll countdown to some of the most genius moments in denim fashion. You’ll find your favorite design here. These are some of the innovations: 

Designer jeans

Whether you have a designer jean or not, the name Calvin Klein rings a bell. Designer jeans are fairly new to the fashion space as they became rampant in the late 90s. In 1980, Calvin Klein brand released a commercial detailing they new form of fitting jeans. Since it was new to the market, consumers rushed the product and gained satisfaction from it. Fashion designers also took notice of the new brand and sought for ways to expand their creativity. Sooner than we realized, designer jeans became a symbol for top designers like Gloria Vanderbilit, Jordache, and Calvin Klein. Today, you can shop for high-end designer jeans from expensive designers. 

Boyfriend jeans 

Top on the list of innovation is the boyfriend jean. The motivation for this style is that a lady borrows her boyfriend’s trousers for an event but it doesn’t fit. Instead of changing into something else, she converts it to a new style. After rocking it the first time, she loves it and wishes to continue with it. Other ladies who saw it loved it and ran to their boyfriends to steal their jeans for photo shoots. This style made waves in 2008 when Katie Holmes stepped out with her husband’s straight leg jeans. The earliest form of this jeans was worn as a casual outfit with baggy versions of a classic straight leg jean. Today, the legs aren’t as wide as it used to be. There are slimmer versions designed to fit perfectly and outline one’s body shape. Manty designers have jumped on this wagon and are making the best out if it. Women who can’t afford a new pair stick to stealing from their boyfriend and styling it to suit their mood. 

Maternity jeans 

Most times, it feels like pregnant women are sentenced to a life of maternity gowns until after childbirth. That was a widely believed notion many years ago but today, things have taken a new dimension. Pregnant women have always wanted to wear jeans but the recommendation for them is a giant pair that is wide enough not to constrict their belly. While they managed to purchase these oversized wears, it didn’t make sense to them aesthetically. With the riseof celebrity pregnancies and the need to look beautiful during pregnancy came the maternity jeans. The media was interested in celebrity pregnancies and wanted to cover it by all means. These celebrities needed to look good for the camera and use the opportunity to create awareness for their brand. When designers saw the thriving market, they jumped on it and started producing designs that fit women throughout their stage of pregnancy. These jeans are affordable to accommodate as many women as possible. If you or your loved one is pregnant, recommend this pair of jeans to them and you’ll certainly not regret it.

Colored jeans 

Before regular denims became rampant, fashion lovers imagined a time when they can rock their favorite denim in any color of their choice. Women who love pink can wear it for special occasions especially during the breast cancer awareness months. It then means that this dress is vast and can be mixed to create different looks. If you don’t want to appear too causal, this is the design for you. 

Stretch denim 

What would become of the American fashion industry of not for stretchy jeans? The first one infiltrated in the 1970s and captured the attention of fashion lovers who were tired of the usual. This design incorporates the humble jean with a small amount of elastic. This means that the trousers is aimed at showing off the curves of the wearer. It also proved that the design has a high degree of flexibility unlike most kinds of jeans. The stretch denim jeans era ushered us into the period of body-conscious styles and modern designer jean industry. 

Skinny jeans 

This is about the most famous jean type. It is so called because of its tight fit from the waistline to the ankle. This type of denim became popular among women in 2000. Although they have been around the fashion industry since the 1970s, it was worn by male celebrities and other fashion lovers. It took till the 1990s for women to begin to show interest in this kind of dressing. Female fashion icons like Kate Moss took the bold step and started appearing in skinny jeans when other women took a clue and publicized the design. It soon became a trend and every woman went ahead to update her wardrobe with skinny jeans. They wore it to the office an even used it as casual wears. 

Curve-friendly jeans 

Many people would love to wear jeans but there are many factors stopping them. Top on the list is that most denims hide their figure and gives them a different fitting. To solve this problem, many designers have introduced the shaping series of denim. This jean is designed to present a shape-sensitive alternative to skinny jeans and solved many issues related to a woman’s shape. From flattened backsides to gapping waistbands, this curve-friendly jean was constructed to address the curvy woman’s needs. It comes in different sizes and designs to suit individual customer needs. 

Eco-friendly jeans

Which is more important? Fashion or the environment? It’s hard to pick one because they are intertwined. How about merging both of them and getting the best out of the merger? Well, yes, it’s possible. In the past few years, some jean brands have recognized the need to be eco-conscious and have carefully designed jeans to suit this consciousness. Green jeans, as they are fondly called are different from the usual ones because they are made from recycled materials and organic cotton. It also uses fewer precious natural resources to produce new jeans. The result of this innovation is a vegan-friendly jean that is fashionable yet affordable. Whichever way you look at it, it is a win-win. 

If I wasn’t a fan of jean, I wouldn’t have taken my time to outline all the stages this American staple has gone through. It doesn’t matter how you prefer to rock it, what matters is that you do that confidently. The 21st century has to be the best time to be born a fashionista because the century allows you to experiment with various jean styles. There are also others not mentioned here for obvious reasons. You can check them out and rock them too. Don’t forget to take pictures when you try out any of these styles mentioned here and tell your friends about it too so that they slay with you. Remember that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to denim fashion. You only need to do what you want how you want it.

What do you think?

Written by Mark Greene

Mark Greene is writer and life coach dedicated to helping men to perform at peak level. He shares dating advice, style tips and strategies for building wealth and success.