Boot-cut jeans became part of the official working uniform of the United States Navy in the 20th century prior to being replaced by the coveralls and utilities uniform, mostly likely inspired by their usage by European sailors in the past.

The reason being was to prevent other more traditional uniforms from becoming soiled or torn in the ship’s rugged working environment and thus leaving them for wear during ceremonial occasions

In American popular culture during the 1950s, wearing of blue jeans by teenagers and young adults became symbolic of mild protest against conformity.

This was considered by some older 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. By the 1970s had become a general fashion in the United States, at least for informal wear.

Notably, in the mid-1970s the denim and textiles industry was revolutionized by the introduction of the stone-washing technique by GWG (Great Western Garment Co.).

Entrepreneur, importer, and noted eccentric Donald Freeland of Edmonton, Alberta pioneered the method, which helped 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.

It should be noted, also, that Freeland contributed to a variety of other denim textile developments throughout his career with Great Western Garments (GWG)[1] 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^[4].

As imported American products, jeans were somewhat expensive, especially in the case of the Soviet Union which restricted hard currency imports.

In Spain they are known as vaqueros or “cowboys,” in Danish cowboybukser meaning “cowboy pants” and in Chinese niuzaiku (SC: ???), literally, “cowboy pants” (trousers), indicating their association with the American West, cowboy culture, and outdoors work.

Similarly, the Hungarian name for jeans is “farmernadrág”, meaning “farmer-trousers”.

Jeans can be worn very loose in a manner that completely conceals the shape of the wearer’s lower body, or they can be snugly fitting and accentuate the body.

Historic photographs indicate that in the decades before they became a staple of fashion, jeans generally fit quite loosely, much like a pair of bib overalls without the bib.

Indeed, until 1960, Levi Strauss denominated its flagship product “waist overalls” rather than “jeans”.