Distressed jeans and a distressed world

“Why are people still buying ripped jeans?,” the New York Times asked. Ripped jeans, more popularly called “distressed” jeans — “the kind of wear and tear that is artfully, or not so artfully, designed into denim, as opposed to the kind of wear and tear that happens over time — have been with us for more than three decades,” fashion critics at the paper say (nytimes.com, Nov. 4, 2024).

Distressed jeans are here to stay. “I feel the resurgence of more destroyed jeans in the premium and luxury market,” an interviewed fashion designer, Benjamin Talley Smith said.

Distressed jeans have come a long way — to being a fashion statement. For the “in”-look! But Davis and Levi Strauss designed and patented durable denim work trousers in 1873, basically for coal mine and railroad workers, and, of course, for the American cowboys. Levi-Strauss jeans, or simply Levi’s, had proven to be so durable and safe (a shield against bruises and cuts) that other clothing manufacturers replicated the unique product, and made “blue jeans” for work, for play, and for almost anything one might need casual, dependable, low-maintenance clothing for. Blue jeans can last a lifetime.

Blue jeans that have had many years of service show the tears and abrasions in the body-movement and contact areas of the wearer. This badge of honor of old and worn blue jeans has urged the capitalist sellers to create and market “distressed jeans”— new jeans that pretend to be already old but which will still last a lifetime. Stone-washed and chemically bleached, machine-sanded and purposely torn, distressed jeans have become a paradoxical symbol of durability and strength, and, for its wearer, a declaration of enduring self-sufficiency and independence of mind (no more the urgency to conform with formal dress codes).

Distressed jeans are symbolic of integrity and steadfastness, dependability and principles.

It was about this independence of mind, and the awareness of rights, that the youth in America in the 1970s to 1980s defiantly wore torn clothing (remember the Hippies and the punk singers) to cry out at what was happening in their country. Distressed jeans came into fashion for the sympathetic collective consciousness.

The decade after the “Swinging Sixties” was marked by unrest and upheaval. Although the Vietnam War effectively ended with the Fall of Saigon, other conflicts arose, including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The United States faced political turmoil as President Richard Nixon resigned amid the Watergate scandal, and in Chile, Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected government. Also making news were the massacre at the Munich Olympics and the Iran hostage crisis (britannica.com/story/timeline-of-the-1970s).

Perhaps the angst against conscription into fighting wars not their country’s own (the US involvement in Vietnam and in Afghanistan), and then the disappointment and disillusionment with President Nixon over the incriminating Watergate tapes scandal — could that have affected the American psyche (and collaterally, the total human psyche) to fight to survive and thrive?

“Fashion has been a crucial trigger for a number of social revolutions and societal shifts. Many fashion houses and brands have used fashion, which is frequently described as a form of self-expression, to support and oppose various socio-political agendas. These movements have captured a person’s yearning for equality, their right to live with dignity, their desire for freedom, etc. Race, colorism, faith, religion, and other barriers have all been surpassed thanks to fashion… Clothing may, hence, express a thousand words and offer many people who lack a voice. The ‘hot pink pussy hats’ worn by women all over the world in 2017 during the worldwide Women’s Marches in opposition to Donald Trump’s inauguration and the various looks for the red carpet in 2018 that showcased their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, are examples of the same” (Fashion and Law Journal, https://fashionlawjournal.com/ , March 31, 2023).

And we now talk of the complex personality of Donald Trump, the incumbent 47th president of the United States, serving from 2025 to 2029, who had served a first term as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021. His headstrong implementation of his up-front declared agenda not only for the US, but for global politics has alarmed the world.

“A meeting at the White House between Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US president Donald Trump descended into a bitter argument in front of the press in extraordinary scenes as Trump demanded that Zelenskyy show more gratitude to his administration, while accusing him of ‘disrespecting the US.’ Trump told Zelenskyy that he was ‘gambling with World War three’ while US vice-president JD Vance told him he was wrong and ordered him to ‘say thank you’ to Trump,” the Guardian relates (https://www.theguardian.com/ , Feb. 28).

The world was aghast at Trump’s outright disrespect of Zelenskyy. Reuters and other news agencies relayed the immediate reaction of prime ministers and presidents from the north, south, east, and west of the continent posted on social media in support of Zelenskyy and Ukraine in the war against Russia’s invasion, following the extraordinary clash. “While they did not directly criticize the US president, their comments made clear they stood by Kyiv — highlighting a major rift between traditional allies the United States and Europe over the war since Trump returned to office” (Reuters, March 1).

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among the first to show his support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine on social media, telling them: “You are not alone. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa — the European Union’s two top officials — told Zelenskyy in a joint post: ‘Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people’.” (Ibid.)

“There is an aggressor: Russia. There is a people who are under attack: Ukraine,” French President Emmanuel Macron said (Ibid.). “Respect to those who, since the beginning, have been fighting. Because they are fighting for their dignity, their independence, for their children and for the security of Europe,” Macron added.

Trump initially intended to cancel Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington one week beforehand but was persuaded by French president Emmanuel Macron to proceed with it. The Trump administration pressured Ukraine to agree to share revenue from its raw minerals with the United States, and Zelenskyy had reportedly been planning to sign a framework agreement related to raw minerals during his visit. US Senator Lindsey Graham reminded Zelenskyy to focus on the present minerals agreement and to discuss a ceasefire and security guarantees later (CNN, Retrieved March 1). The idea for the agreement was originally proposed by Ukraine to the Biden administration in 2024 (ABC News, Retrieved Feb. 23).

The last 10 minutes of the nearly 45-minute meeting devolved into a tense back and forth between Trump, Vice-President Vance, and Zelenskyy, who had urged skepticism about Russia’s commitment to diplomacy, citing Moscow’s years of broken commitment on the global stage (apnews.com, March 1). And Zelenskyy left the Oval Office by Trump’s command to “Leave!” No deals were signed.

Before the Oval Office meeting devolved into a shouting match, Zelenskyy was asked by a reporter from a right-wing outlet — handpicked by the White House to be in the room during the talks — why he was not wearing a suit in the United States’ highest office. Zelenskyy was in his standard uniform — drab military shirt and pants.

“I will wear a costume after this war will finish, yes,” Zelenskyy said, responding in English. “Maybe something like yours, yes, maybe something better. I don’t know, we will see. Maybe something cheaper. Thank you.” (CNN, March 1).

Zelenskyy presented himself and his cause plainly and sincerely, dressed in his “work clothes” that declared simply that he means business and has no hidden agenda.

Trump and his staff expected Zelenskyy to come dressed in a formal Western business suit in respect for the President of the United States, the perceived mightiest country of the world.

And the vanities of power, even if only by the simple meanings of attire, have distressed the world by this disaster of a failed bid for peace and stability for all.

Maybe that’s why distressed jeans have been in fashion demand for the last three decades.

As the NYT says, “Distressed jeans are the story of a life”— working clothes dignified by the scars and stains from struggling to survive a distressed world.