Jeans were originally created for blue collar workers as protection on the job. Skinny jeans were created purely for fashion. Also known as the slim-fit pant, these styles can have a leg opening of anywhere from nine inches to 20 inches depending on the size. With the legs so tight, often a zipper is needed to get them over the feet. Though they are similar, skinny jeans are actually different than the popular drainpipe pants. Skinny style tapers down at the ankle for maximum tightness where the drainpipe maintains a straight, yet narrow, cut all the way down leading to a slightly baggier look at the ankle.
In The Beginning
Since their inception in the 1950s, there have been many names associated with skinny styles including peg, drainpipes, stovepipes, cigarette pants, pencil pants, skinny pants or just plain skinnies. Going hand in hand with the rebellious label the 50s gave to jeans in general, drainpipes became synonymous with the "bad boy" image. Featured one Elvis Presley himself, skinnies shocked the country and were soon seen on everyone from the Lone Ranger and Zorro to Marilyn Monroe and Sandra Dee. Though Monroe and Dee certainly don't fit the "bad boy" image, they helped bring the pants to mainstream levels.
Rock 'n' Roll Takes Over
Following suit in the 1960s, rock bands took their cue from Elvis and not long after groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were caught wearing ever tighter jeans. Hitting two decades after Elvis, a revival of his style came back into vogue with rockabilly and the Teddy Boy look, complete with pompadour and skinny jeans, were the height of fashion. Glam rock also took notice and heralded in a love of jeans so tight they might have been spandex. All this seemed to have been yet another rebellion. This time not a rebellion to society at large, but to the hippie scene that was burgeoning in the 60s and spilling over into the 70s. Keeping the rebellion alive and kicking, punks coming out in the late 70s held tight to their skinny jeans.
Heavy Metal Keeps up the Momentum
The 1980s continued to witness the rise of skinnier and skinnier pants with spandex become the tightest they would go. Though "hair metal" groups like KISS and Poison would adopt the spandex, heavy metal bands including Metallica and Anthrax would stick with the skinny jeans. Pop stars like Michael Jackson and Freddy Mercury also prevented the style from slipping throughout the decade. As always, things must end at some point and the grunge scene of the 90s effectively put the lid on skinny jeans.
Indie Rockers take the Torch
Turn of the century brought back skinny jeans for the hipster and indie scene. Though they are becoming more popular with women and an almost Audrey Hepburn feel, they are also making a comeback for men and in particular, some rappers are taking on the style over the traditional baggy pants. If history is any indication, skinny jeans are not going away any time soon
