Jeans Is It!   

Despite having come a long way, denim materials remain a fixture in many wardrobes

By ADEBISI SOGEYINBO

It is the fabric for all seasons. There is hardly any teenager without a pair of jeans in their wardrobe. It is not just teenagers who are crazy about the material. Young and old treasure their pair of jeans. It is, simply put, an outfit for everyone.

Sometime ago, a woman in a pair of jeans could not walk into a mosque or church to worship with other people, but things are changing and the attitude to this fashion item is changing. Jeans materials are breaking barriers. Everywhere one goes, one sees men and women, young and old wearing this denim material.

And they come these days in different colours. There is the legendary blue jeans, white, cream, brown and other colours. Skirts, dresses, jackets, bags, face cap, slippers, even wallets and accessories like wrist watches are now made of denim material.

The material simply has something to do with the youth. It is seen as one of the ëëritesíí a teenager has to pass through and its popularity has been growing steadily since the 1950s.

It is difficult to imagine any fabric that has survived cultures as jeans. Though originally seen as perfect for work, it is now worn to party, school and even formal meetings. And they come in attractive designs for all categories of people. ìI love my jeans and feel defined by them in a way. I donít feel that way about my other clothes. Infact, I wish I can wear it to work everyday because the material does not get dirty quickly. They do not get creasy even when not ironed,î Sholape Adeniyi, a banker told TheNEWS.

Jeans do not have problems common with other fabrics. They are not just resilient, they are durable and handy for just about any situation. Jeans are of different types, i.e. the baggy, boot-cut, pencil, hip-huggers to mention just a few.

For even some of todayís most fashionable men and women it is a veritable staple and can be worn with any shirt or blouse or jacket. It also sits well with Adire or any other African fabric for that matter. Most of all, it offers comfort to the wearer.

ìJeans are not expensive, they can be worn for a long time and even after they have seen better days, they could be turned into something different. It can also be dyed to any colour. If the jeans has lost too much dye stuff, some women cut them or even make a short pant out of them,î Ifeanyi Ogochukwu a jeans seller explained to TheNEWS.

Low rise jeans, also known as ìhip huggersî are preferred by most men and women. These are generally made from denim and are worn tightly around the hips, and flared a little bit towards the feet.

Although they may seem perfect, jeans pose a variety of risks. They do not allow the skin to breathe, which is not very healthy. It can also cause itching, thereby leaving a permanent mark on the skin when worn too tight. Being the most common and comfortable clothes, jeans will definitely retain their high position in todayís fashion.