We’re all familiar with the narrative of denim, of how it became the clothing of choice of the workforce who made an industrialised nation of the USA in a couple of generations. We’re also familiar with the way denim jeans became an item of fashion, rebellion and rock’n’roll garb that has remained with us to this day. Quite impressive for what is essentially a material; folklore doesn’t treat its brothers and sisters so kindly. Corduroy? Polyester? Cheesecloth? They don’t even come close to the mythological power of denim. Denim remains popular because it’s a working class staple that’s perfectly at home on the pampered bodies of celebrities and modern royalty – only the brands can betray the amount of money spent on them; otherwise denim defies class boundaries.

And denim is used for much more than jeans and jackets, too. How about that four-season classic, the denim skirt? It’s just as perfect for pulling on after a night out as it was for going out on the pull the night before. It’s a casual classic, whether worn long or short, round the waist or low slung, and it’s a simple wardrobe essential that will always be there when an emergency get-up needs to be assembled.

A particularly inventive chapter of the denim skirt’s story has been in their reclaiming from other denim garments. It’s difficult to imagine creating a denim jacket from cast-off jeans, unless a particularly patchwork effect is being sought, but as the skirt is basically a tailored rectangle of material, it’s possible to make a skirt or four from any pair of jeans or denim jacket.

Sometimes the skirt is made using any available featureless area of denim, but there’s no reason for this to be the case; a seemingly random (but actually carefully chosen) section incorporating angled seams and pockets from the donor garment can be really striking. And with a little cutting and sewing, a skirt can even be constructed from the top part of a pair of jeans, giving a skirt with ready made fly, belt-loops and pockets – essentially a pair of cut-down shorts minus the crotch. Hey presto! A designer label denim skirt, only designed by you. The designers themselves have got in on the act, not surprisingly, and skirts that look home-made can be bought off the shelf. The frayed-edge look certainly adds to this improvised air, and it has become part of the language of denim skirts, whether new or self-cut.

So whether it’s holidaying, nightclubbing, festival-going or nipping to the shops, the denim skirt will never leave you feeling under-dressed. With tights or bare-legs, boots, shoes or sandals, it just works, making the wearer look fashionably laid-back without looking slovenly thanks to denim’s toughness and shape.

Have a look around the vintage clothing stores and you’ll find some fascinating denim skirts. The knee-length pre-stressed ones are perfectly functional and serve a multitude of perfectly functional purposes. But for that cheeky, playful and ready-for-anything look, check out the wealth of custom-made and faux-custom-made ones (there might be some kind of internal contradiction in that last definition, but you get the idea). Call it recession chic or call it green fashion; these masterpieces will never let you down. And when you’re through with them, simply cut them into headbands and neckerchiefs.

Author Bio: Vintage fashion styles keep re-appearing. Very popular again are women\’s denim skirts and other denim-based items of vintage clothing such as jackets and of course jeans. James documents the changing trends in the vintage market.

Category: Culture
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