Did you know skinny pants are over 200 years old? In face the word pants originally referred to a skinny trouser. The first recorded fashionable skinny leg trouser was in men’s fashion of the 1790’s; they were worn high on the waist and then tied at the ankle so they stayed neatly tucked into boots. The style didn’t resurface until the 1950’s when popular celebrities of the era, like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, started wearing tapered jeans that became very slim at the ankle. The trend continued with the bad-boy rock stars of the 1960’s while Audrey Hepburn made them classy and fashionable for women. A reaction against the bell-bottom jeans worn by hippies in the 1970’s kept the skinny jean popular, though they were referred to as drainpipe jeans at the time. The punk movement even popularized the skinny plaid jean, a precursor to all the bright options we have today. In the 1980’s into the early 90’s the skin-tight jeans of choice often came with stone or acid-washed finishes. With the rise of hip-hop and grunge in popular culture, however, the skinny jean briefly went out of fashion. In the 2000’s skinny jeans once again became popular for all genders, coming in a variety of retro finishes, like acid-wash, and bright colors. Though the skinny jean’s origin is over 2 centuries ago, they remain a popular and comfortable choice no matter what your style. Check out skinny jeans through the ages below:

posted by: Bonnie Coombs on January 24, 2012 at 11:33 am
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: skinny jeans, high waist jeans, taper jeans

Back to blog home

Jessie of The Concrete Catwalk is the go to girl for fashion and styling advice. She takes a mix of vintage and new pieces and creates a signature look all her own. Fortunately for the rest of us, she also runs her own styling company Style & Pepper, so she can share her unique fashion viewpoint. Recently, Jesse designed a high waisted pair of INDI tapered jeans and we jumped at the chance to ask her about denim and personal style.

1. How would you describe your style?
I’ve been thinking so much about this lately, and it’s honestly a tough thing to do!  I like to dress for my mood, and always try to inject a bit of humor and visual interest into my look.  I’m definitely drawn to more “eclectic” styles, and love wearing things that elicit an eyebrow raise or two. (;

2. Custom denim is a big investment. Any tips for how to wear jeans multiple ways?
I think pairing jeans with pieces that are really unexpected is the best way to get the most bang for your buck… I can honestly say that I hardly EVER wear jeans with something as simple as a t-shirt, but instead have been snazzing them up lately with focal pieces like crazy layered jewelry, neon knit sweaters or multiple animal print accessories.

3. How do the places you’ve lived (AZ, CA, and KC) effect your style?
I love being influenced by the cities I’ve lived… the part of AZ that I grew up in has a more resort-y classic vibe, San Diego added an edgier laid-back touch, and Kansas City has really inspired me to embrace the vintage style that I feel makes up the majority of my wardrobe today!  We’re moving to the NYC-area next month, and I’ll be interested to see how that affects my day-to-day outfits, as well.

4. What blogs do you use for style inspiration?
Oh man… I love reading blogs for inspiration, and there are SO many that I could name here that it would be ridiculous.  I definitely have my faves, but I would say the ones that inspire me the most are the outfit bloggers who aren’t afraid to take risks, and who find the majority of their pieces from vintage/resale/thrift shops instead of buying every single trend they see from the bigbox fast fashion stores.  I love having things that are unique to me (which is why I LOVE my INDI jeans!), and I think the bloggers that creatively show how have a big impact in the most unique way are my absolute faves. (:

Check out Jessie’s adventures in fashion at Concrete Catwalk and follow her on Twitter!

posted by: Bonnie Coombs on October 27, 2011 at 11:03 am
filed under: blogger in INDi | Add a comment
TAGS: high waist jeans, taper jeans

Back to blog home