Skinny jeans
Encyclopedia
Slim-fit pants or skinny jeans have a snug fit through the legs and end in a small leg opening that can be anywhere from 9" to 20" depending on size. Other names for this style include pegs, drainpipes, stovepipes, Asian tight-pants, cigarette pants, skinny pants,insolent pants or skinnies. Skinny jeans taper completely at the bottom of the leg, whereas drainpipe jeans are skinny but then the lower leg is straight instead of tapering and so they are often slightly baggier at the bottom of the leg than skinny jeans. In some styles, zippers are needed at the bottom of the leg to facilitate pulling them over the feet. Stretch denim
, with anywhere from 2% to 4% spandex
, may be used to allow jeans to have a super-slim fit. Skinny Jeans come in many different colors as well as styles.
, and Sandra Dee
wearing their pants very slim to the ankle. Tapered jeans became most notable with country music stars and with the birth of rock and roll
in the 1950s, when Elvis Presley
donned slim-fitting jeans and shocked the country. Drainpipe jeans and rock 'n' roll were inextricably linked to create the "bad boy" image that remains today.
and The Rolling Stones
.
and rockabilly
bands reviving the Teddy Boy
look popularised drainpipe jeans in contrast to the flared trousers worn by hippies. Red tartan
drainpipe jeans (as they were then called) were popular in the punk subculture
of the late 1970s, worn by many bands and scene leaders such as The Clash
and Sex Pistols
.
Skin-tight acid-washed jeans were also very popular in the 1980s with most heavy metal
bands, and in particular those in the thrash metal
scene, such as Anthrax
, Megadeth
, Metallica
and Slayer
. This was the trend for those who did not wear spandex
, which was popular with the dominant heavy metal
scene at the time. They were often worn with white high-top sneakers
or basket-ball shoes like Converse.
, Mötley Crüe
, Kiss
, Bon Jovi
, and Slaughter
, ditched the spandex and wore the form fitted jeans. Tight fitting jeans were also worn by pop stars like Michael Jackson
and Freddie Mercury
. However, with the rise of grunge
and hip-hop music in the early 1990s
and the post thrash movement, drainpipe jeans quickly went out of fashion in favor of baggy carpenter jeans
, as worn by hip-hop/rap acts such as Kris Kross
, Another Bad Creation
, Snoop Dogg
and other rap artists.
and early 2000s. Among women, skinny jeans are most often worn tucked into boots or scrunched up over the wearer's footwear, and are also often paired with ballerina flats
. The fashion spread to teens, children and young men in 2004. The explosive trend for colourful skinny jeans dominated Asia and eventually made a statement throughout the world from early 2009 thanks to the concept of South Korean girl group
Girls' Generation
's hugely popular song
and EP
Gee
, which ultimately made use of colourful slim-fit jeans . Popular South Korean boyband SHINee
also put heavy use of colourful slim-fit jeans since their debut in 2008 in what is known as the "SHINee Trend", spreading the skinny jean trend throughout Asia's fashion capitals and fashion capitals across the world, as well as helping popularize high-top sneakers and brightly coloured sweaters and hoodies.
Lately, skinny jeans for boys or men have a loose waist to appear "baggy" at the top but skinny on the legs.
such as skinny jeans, leggings, leg warmers, aviator sunglasses, western shirts.
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
, with anywhere from 2% to 4% spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
, may be used to allow jeans to have a super-slim fit. Skinny Jeans come in many different colors as well as styles.
The 1950s
The style of pants originated in the 1950s, with popular stars such as Roy Rogers, Lone Ranger, Cisco Kid, Zorro and Gene Autry, Marilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
, and Sandra Dee
Sandra Dee
Sandra Dee was an American actress. Dee began her career as a model and progressed to film. Best known for her portrayal of ingenues, Dee won a Golden Globe Award in 1959 as one of the year's most promising newcomers, and over several years her films were popular...
wearing their pants very slim to the ankle. Tapered jeans became most notable with country music stars and with the birth of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
in the 1950s, when Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
donned slim-fitting jeans and shocked the country. Drainpipe jeans and rock 'n' roll were inextricably linked to create the "bad boy" image that remains today.
The 1960s
In the early 1960s they were worn by numerous rock bands, including The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
.
The 1970s
In the early 70s glam rockGlam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
and rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
bands reviving the Teddy Boy
Teddy Boy
The British Teddy Boy subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes that were partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, styles which Savile Row tailors had attempted to re-introduce in Britain after World War II...
look popularised drainpipe jeans in contrast to the flared trousers worn by hippies. Red tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
drainpipe jeans (as they were then called) were popular in the punk subculture
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
of the late 1970s, worn by many bands and scene leaders such as The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
and Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
.
The 1980s
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
bands, and in particular those in the thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
scene, such as Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
. This was the trend for those who did not wear spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
, which was popular with the dominant heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
scene at the time. They were often worn with white high-top sneakers
High-top
The high-top is a shoe that extends significantly over the wearer's ankle. It is commonly an athletic shoe, particularly for basketball. It is sometimes confused with the slightly shorter mid-top. Examples of basketball shoes that are high-tops are Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars; Nike Air Forces...
or basket-ball shoes like Converse.
The 1990s
By the early 1990s, many glam metal bands such as PoisonPoison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
, and Slaughter
Slaughter (band)
Slaughter is an American heavy metal band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada by lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum. The band reached stardom in 1990 with their first album, Stick It to Ya which spawned several hit singles including "Up All Night", "Spend My Life", "Mad...
, ditched the spandex and wore the form fitted jeans. Tight fitting jeans were also worn by pop stars like Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
. However, with the rise of grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
and hip-hop music in the early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
and the post thrash movement, drainpipe jeans quickly went out of fashion in favor of baggy carpenter jeans
Carpenter jeans
Carpenter jeans are jeans with many pockets and loops which can be used to carry objects such as tools and are often loose around the leg to be able to accommodate the affixed items...
, as worn by hip-hop/rap acts such as Kris Kross
Kris Kross
Kris Kross was an American rap duo of the 1990s comprising Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith. The duo are best known for their hit 1992 song "Jump", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and was certified double platinum as a single...
, Another Bad Creation
Another Bad Creation
Another Bad Creation were an American R&B and rap musical group from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:ABC consists of Romell “RoRo” Chapman, Chris Sellers, David Shelton and brothers Demetrius and Marliss Pugh, as well as “unofficial” member Adrian “G.A.” Witcher...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
and other rap artists.
The 2000s
By the end of the decade the fashion began to replace the baggy gangster jeans of the 1990s1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
and early 2000s. Among women, skinny jeans are most often worn tucked into boots or scrunched up over the wearer's footwear, and are also often paired with ballerina flats
Ballet flat
Ballet flats or Dolly shoes are derived from a woman's soft ballet slipper, with a very thin heel or the appearance of no heel at all. The style sometimes features a ribbon-like binding around the low tops of the slipper and may have a slight gathering at the top-front of the vamp and a tiny,...
. The fashion spread to teens, children and young men in 2004. The explosive trend for colourful skinny jeans dominated Asia and eventually made a statement throughout the world from early 2009 thanks to the concept of South Korean girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
's hugely popular song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
and EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Gee
Gee (Girls' Generation song)
"Gee" is a song by K-pop girl group Girls' Generation. It was released on online music sites on January 5, 2009, with the physical release of the EP on January 7...
, which ultimately made use of colourful slim-fit jeans . Popular South Korean boyband SHINee
SHINee
Shinee is a contemporary R&B South Korean boy band. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2008, they made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo with their promotional single, "Noona Neomu Yeppeo "...
also put heavy use of colourful slim-fit jeans since their debut in 2008 in what is known as the "SHINee Trend", spreading the skinny jean trend throughout Asia's fashion capitals and fashion capitals across the world, as well as helping popularize high-top sneakers and brightly coloured sweaters and hoodies.
Lately, skinny jeans for boys or men have a loose waist to appear "baggy" at the top but skinny on the legs.
The 2010s
The early 2010s, so far, have seen many recycled fashions from the 2010s2010s in fashion
The early 2010s have thus far been defined by the hipster subculture, a mix of 1980s-inspired neon colors, and a revival of 1930s, 1950s and 1980s fashions.-General trends:...
such as skinny jeans, leggings, leg warmers, aviator sunglasses, western shirts.