How did one event make blue jeans into the iconic uniform of rebellion in the 1950s? Thousands of motorcyclists, many of them recent returning veterans from World War II, rolled into Hollister, California on the July 4th weekend of 1947. As the crowds swelled, journalists eagerly captured images of the bikers, the overwhelmed town, and the chaotic aftermath. Add a movie starring Marlon Brando, and soon denim jeans and leather jackets became the fashionable look of rebels nationwide.
Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3G3Ozj6 | #HistoryOfJeansPBS
RIVETED: THE HISTORY OF JEANS reveals the fascinating and surprising story of this iconic American garment. At any given moment, half the people on the planet are wearing them. They have become a staple of clothing the world over, worn by everyone from presidents and supermodels to farmers and artists. More than just an item of apparel, America’s tangled past is woven into the indigo blue fabric. From its roots in slavery to its connection to the Wild West, youth culture, the civil rights movement, rock and roll, hippies, high fashion and hip-hop, jeans are the canvas on which the history of American ideology and politics are writ large.
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