Serge de nimes, and Janua

drieux H. (drieux@wetware.com)
Thu, 27 Jun 1996 13:04:01 -0400

To round out the legacy of Blue Sturdy Cotton Based
trousers, one of course must include the struggle between
nimes and Genoa for the legitimacy legacy that will
go on as to who has the rights, since at this late state
the differenciation of 'denim' and 'jeans' is lost on all
but the most ardent of philologists.

It should also be noted, the OED lists the first western
reference of Dungaree as 1613, deriving from hindi, denoting
a form of inferior indian calico, that was used to make sail cloth.
I can appreciate the 'populist' model of philology that would wish
to point towards 'dung' as the root word, and hence to support some
Classists Model of Stereotyping, but unfortunately this PopPsychoBabble
has no grounding in the language proper.

{SideBar: When Adrian had his pack ripped off in kathmandu, he
returned to the traditional model, and sewed his own 'jeans'
from the local calico, and used the aluminium coins as buttons
since they were still cheaper than buying real buttons. }

That these terms were in place when Levi Straus would
Hawk his product line to the '49ers should help predate
the construct, as well as legitimize the 'maritime'
connection which has come forward into the two major
fighting groups of the industry "Old Navy" and "Levi's Docker".

So you will forgive me if the 'farm labor' model is not
my first choice for social stratification in regards to
this series of garments.

{ Sidebar: For extra credit, list the year in which Norfolk
took 'Sailor' off it's postings of "Sailor's, Negroes and
Dogs, stay off the Grass." }

I will though support the 'class distinction' model, since
as an Xmas gift in the early seventies we would give my
father a set of Bib-Overalls, since they were coming out
as a 'fashion thing'. Father, ever the Gentleman would
wear them to the Christmas Dinner, complete with dress shirt
and cufflinks. But would never put them back on. He would
explain to me, that he had worked hard one summer to buy
his first pair of jeans, so that he would NOT have to go
to school in Bib-Overalls.

But then again, having spent a large portion of what should
have been my youth wearing "combat boots" I look with some
personal amusement as they have again resurfaced as a PopIcon
with this Newer Generation of Kids. I would give them up when
the "Master Shoe Maker" in my dorf in Bayern would tell me that
this was the last time that ANYONE could put a set of soles and
heels onto them. He was correct, they would not be recoverable
when his leather passed on.

They would Finally Die in Hawaii to Mold.

As for "jeans art work" I was never too sure that this was as
intended as much as it was a case of making a virtue of Necessity.
I can NOT break the Habit of Hording Scraps of "cotton twill" as
I may need them to patch things up, even IF I can now waltz into a
store and buy anything in the place. On the Road, a Needle and Thread
kept one Clothed. In some cases, the Patch work would outlive the
underlying "manufacture's stock"....

ciao
drieux

ps: ok, so my brother was confused about the point of the
drill and would do his needle work so that HE could see it
when he sat there, even if it was upside down to the rest
of the world coming at him....