In 1996, someone found some very old clothes in an old mine in Nevada, USA; they included a pair of dirty old jeans. Today, those jeans are very valuable, and they are now in the Levi Strauss Archival Collection, in San Francisco. The jeans, which are over 140 years old, are the oldest pair of Levi’s 501 jeans in the world.
They are almost the same as a modern pair of 501’s; there are just some small differences in the detail. For instance, today’s 501’s have two back pockets, the old pair just has one.
Jeans were the classic clothes of the American West.
In 1853, a young tailor from Germany, called Levi Strauss, began working in San Francisco; Levi sold thick canvas to miners; the miners used the canvas to make tents.
One day, a miner told Levi that he could not find trousers that were strong enough for work in the gold mines. Levi decided to make some trousers out of canvas.
Very soon, he had sold all the canvas trousers he had made! They were just what miners wanted.
However, the canvas was rather heavy andstiff. Levi therefore began to look for a different textile; soon he found a heavy textile from France; it was called serge de Nimes. Americans just called this de Nimes, and this name soon got reduced to denim.
Denim was a bit lighter than canvas, but it was very strong; it was ideal for miners.
However, original denim was almost white, and miners did not like the color! Their denim trousers got dirty as soon as they began working!
Levi Strauss therefore decided to use colored denim, and he chose dark blue. In 1873,he began to make denim trousers with metal rivets to make them stronger. This was a radical new idea: «Blue jeans» had arrived!
Levi’s jeans were so popular, that his company got bigger and bigger; soon, other firms were making blue jeans too. Miners liked them, but so did cowboys and other working men. Blue jeans became classic American working trousers.
After the Second World War, jeans became popular all over the world. Today, blue jeans are made throughout the world – most of them in Asia. Very few jeans are now made in the USA, because of the cost: but it is still possible to buy blue jeans that are made in San Francisco…. if you have a lot of money to spend.
Today there are hundreds of different brands of jeans. Many top fashion brands, like Armani or Benetton, make their own blue jeans. But for real authentic jeans, «Levi’s» are still the most popular brand.
1. Word Guide
for instance: for example
— tailor: clothes maker
— canvas: a very strong form of cloth, used for tents or by artists
— stiff: rigid — chose: (from to choose), selected
— leisure wear: clothes for free
2.Put out your unknown words and make new sentences by using them.
Archival (արխիվային)
Grandfather kept our old family photos in some archival folder, and they have already become history.
Tailor (դերձակ)
When my coat button came off, my mom sent me to our neighborhood’s experienced tailor to get it fixed quickly.
Canvas (կտավ / բրեզենտ)
During the school camp, we pitched tents out of thick canvas so we wouldn’t get wet in the rain.
Stiff (կոշտ / չճկվող)
On the first day I wore my new jeans, they felt kind of stiff and uncomfortable, but after a few days they broke in.
Serge de Nimes (սերժ դը նիմ / դենիմի նախատիպ)
During history class, I learned that the famous denim fabric used to be called «serge de Nimes.»
Denim (դենիմ / ջինսի կտավ)
We all liked the comfortable denim jackets that seem like they never go out of style.
Rivets (գամեր / մետաղական կոճակներ)
I looked closely at the edges of my pocket and saw the small metal rivets that reinforce the fabric.
Radical (արմատական / կտրուկ)
I decided to make radical changes in my room by painting the walls a completely different color.
Working men (բանվորներ / աշխատավոր մարդիկ)
In old times, jeans were created specifically for working men who needed durable clothing.
Cost (արժեք / գին)
I wanted to buy those nice sneakers, but when I saw the cost, I realized I had to wait until the sales.
Authentic (իրական / իսկական)
We tried grandmother’s authentic, traditional sourdough flatbread in the village, and the taste was completely different.
Leisure wear (հանգստի / առօրյա հագուստ)
On Sundays, I prefer to wear my most comfortable leisure wear and just walk around the yard.
Selection (ընտրություն)
There was a huge selection of clothes in the store, and I struggled for a long time before making the right choice.
Durable (դիմացկուն / ամուր)
I went and bought a new backpack that is very strong and durable against heavy school books.
Collection (հավաքածու)
My friend has been collecting souvenir coins from different countries since childhood, and he already has a big collection.
Valuable (արժեքավոր / թանկարժեք)
Dad gave me an old watch that is one of the most valuable items for our family.
Popular (հայտնի / տարածված)
Recently, this video spread so much on the internet that we all knew it by heart.
Brand (բրենդ / ապրանքանիշ)
It doesn’t matter what brand of T-shirt you wear, the main thing is that you feel comfortable.
Generation (սերունդ)
Our generation thinks a bit differently than our parents, but we always understand each other.
Details (մանրամասներ / դետալներ)
The teacher said that I need to add more interesting details to my essay so that the story feels more alive.
