Blue Bell’s First Women Jeans
In the 1940s, Blue Bell, the American workwear company, made a groundbreaking move in the fashion industry by introducing their first jeans specifically designed for women. At the time, denim was primarily associated with men’s workwear due to its durability and suitability for tough, labor-intensive jobs. The end the 1940s began to reshape this landscape as women stepped into roles in factories, farms, and other traditionally male-dominated fields. This change drove a rising demand for durable, practical clothing designed specifically for women.
The Same Features As The First Wrangler Jeans
Blue Bell released its first pair of women’s jeans at the end of the 1940s. The same period when the denim company brought their Wrangler brand onto the market. This was the 11MW (Men’s Wear) jeans. In the first year of production of the Wrangler jeans in 1947, their back pockets featured the typical arcuate stitching. The year after they switched these stitching on the back pockets and the ‘WW’, which stands for ‘Western Wear’ were introduced. Their first run of jeans is nowadays known as the ‘proto type’ and a true collectible piece amongst denim collectors.
The Wrangler 11MW proto type jeans from 1947. Read and see more of this jeans here.
If you zoom in on the arcuates, you will notice that this pair shows a diamond pattern. This means that they’re sewn with a double needle stitching machine that were used after World War 2 at denim factories. Although the use of these machines became soon the standard, some of these pairs are still sewn with single needed machines, and therefore doesn’t show the diamond pattern. The same story as the first Wrangler jeans.
The first women’s jeans by the Blue Bell company feature a few same details that link to these first pairs of Wrangler. The shape of the back pockets with exposed rivets and the belt loops are identical to the first Wrangler jeans. Another reference to the men’s version of the Blue Bell company.
Known As Jeanies Or Lady Wrangler
The first pair of women’s jeans by Blue Bell was most probably released under the name ‘Jeanies’. Back then, Blue Bell had a wide brand portfolio under its wings, and ‘Jeanies’ was one of them. But, it can also be that this pair was already part of what later would be the ‘Lady Wrangler’ collection. During the early 1950s, you saw this highlighted pair but then with the ‘WW’ stitching on the back pockets. As this first pair of women’s jeans don’t have an inner label, something later models have, it is guessing if it were ‘Jeanies’ or ‘Lady Wrangler’.
Typical on the women’s jeans are the side zipper, which is made by Talon. And on top of the waistband there’s a snap button branded with ‘Sanforized’. This is exactly the same button can be traced on later Blue Bell women’s jeans as well.
This Blue Bell women’s jeans has a feminine cut with a higher waist and slightly tapered legs. The previous owner narrowed the waistband of this pair so it would most probably shaped better for her. The entire jeans is stitched with orange-colored thread. Something very common during the 1940s. The fabric used for this jeans is light-weight. Another nod to women’s jeans.
Women’s Jeans These Days
Nowadays, jeans designed specifically for women are standard, and there’s a huge availability in each denim store. But, there was a time that women needed to wear a men’s pair, you can say it was the frontrunner of the boyfriend jeans.
In 1934, Levi’s introduced the very first pair of women’s jeans in history specifically designed for women and set a new milestone. This pair is known as the Lady Levi’s with lot number 701. (You can read more about the Lady Levi’s 701 here).
The introduction of the first women jeans by Blue Bell provided the need of the growing demand. Jeans changed very slowly more and more from a true workwear style into an everyday style. It would still take a while before it boomed into the wide variety of styles and cuts we see today.
This pair of Blue Bell jeans was part of this huge movement within the history of denim. A very rare pair that is a true collectors piece these days and very hard to get your hands on.
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