Jeans in our Media (Blog 4)

For decades famous artists and personalities have influenced the minds of the youth by how they act, what they sing about, and also by how they dress.  As fans of a particular type of singer, an actor, or an athlete we take much interest in how they present themselves, especially by how they appear. Their outfits represent many aspects of their personalities so it comes to no surprise why the fans and the press take so much interest in celebrity outfits, especially their jeans. The one piece of clothing that Americans spent $15 billion in 2005 has been the icon of American fashion.

 When looking back at the Velvet Years of 1965 and looking at today’s trend in jeans fashion, we can see how music has influenced the industry. The trend cycle starts when artists of various music genres choose to wear a certain type of jeans, and then that artist advertises that specific style to their fans. This, in turn, dictates the fashion industry into producing to the masses that particular design, thus creating a fashion trend. From Eminem’s low, baggy style to The Fray’s straight cut jeans, singers of different genres of music have identified themselves with specific types of jeans. Since music is by far one of the biggest factors in defining cultures, the faces that represent the music industry influence their fans like none other. An icon of the music industry, Sean “Diddy” Combs, started his clothing line ‘Sean John’ in 1998 that specializes in jeans. His clothing line has become one of the most successful clothing enterprises in the world. The same goes for sports figures. For instance, the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, Brett Favre; and the NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., both are the face of the mega jean company Wrangler. They both have appeared in numerous commercials that air during prime time television. This is just another example of how influential celebrities are.

Cultures are defined by what is popular, what the masses appeal to. In our society there is certainly no lack of celebrities or fashion designers, so when the two driving forces combine, people rush to see the latest fashions worn by their favorite personalities.