JEAN-ERATION

TALKIN ‘BOUT MY JEAN-ERATION

It has long been said that "the more things change, the more things stay the same" That seems particularly true when it comes to denim and how denim is always become the must have items in our wardrobe.

According to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™, female respondents of all ages overwhelmingly indicated that they would wear a pair of nice-looking jeans to a range of venues, including restaurants and the office.
“Women will always love denim; no matter what their age,” says James Bradbeer, president of Lily Pulitzer. “:Denim is a true American classic that can be worn for virtually any occasion. Lilly Pulitzer’s consumers are women on the go; they’re looking for something versatile, from dress down to something more polished,” adds Bradbeer.

Denim has clearly stepped up and out, and has evolved both as a fabric and as a fashion component in a woman’s wardrobe, observer Betsy Thompson, director of public relations for Talbots, the national retailer said “Our customer sees denim as a staple and as a wardrobe update. It stands up to a lot of wear and tear, is easy to care for and generally develops more character with each wearing; need I say more?”
The answer is “no.” According to the Monitor, two out of three female respondents cite jeans as their first pick for casual wear. When asked if jeans were part of their pasts and not their futures, an emphatic 85.5% said jeans were definitely in their future.

Denim has survived so many decades of fashion change and has evolve following the new trend and never out of style. It has now become an iconic image. There was a time when denim and “blue jeans” were considered rebellious, very casual and symbolic of all things carefree and youthful. The evolution of jeans over the last fifty years is a reflection of the culture. Blue jeans, as they were called in the Fifties, had their place mainly as weekend wear or for working around the house. In the Sixties and Seventies people adopted freer lifestyles and more carefree wardrobes. In the Eighties, “brand name” jeans like Sassoon, Jordache and Gloria Vanderbilt, beame popular mainstream style. Denim went darker and cleaner in the Nineties as Americans pared down from the excesses of the prior decade. In the new millennium, denim became more stylish options and available in every price point from mass market retailers to the premium denim brands.

Today’s generation has grown up with jeans and jeans have grown up with them and adapted to their likes and needs. While this slightly older consumer shares many similar feelings about denim, differ in perceptions of style and price. According to the survey, 59% of female respondents aged 56 to 70 proclaimed fit as the most important factor they considered when buying a new pair of jeans, compared to 31% of those aged 16 to 24, 42% aged 25 to 34 and 39% aged 35 to 55. Older respondents also spend less money for jeans; on average, they spent less on their typical jean purchases, spending $31.28 and would pay for a pair of jeans that they loved up to $55.05. The youngest age group displayed the least financial restraint, spending $37.15 on average for jeans up to $68.62 for jeans that they absolutely loved.

This group aged 56 to 70 was the one most likely to wear jeans to a business meeting. Twenty-nine percent of them indicated that they would wear denim to a meeting, compared with 21% of those 16 to 24, 20% aged 25 to 34, and 25% aged 35 to 55. Depends on the personality, but jeans allow people to express their individuality no matter what the occasion.

“Denim is a great fit for women’s lifestyles. Even better, it’s evolving with the times,” tells Bradbeer from Lilly Pulitzer. “Each season we continue to explore different treatments, techniques and embellishments, adding to its appeal.”
Denim’s appeal is ingrained in a woman’s genes and keeps them coming back for more. As Thompson sees it, “Clearly, denim’s youthful allure has become an ageless obsession.”

Taken from Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ tracking research.

www.cottoninc.com