During the 1980’s it wasn’t uncommon for people to be seen wearing ripped jeans. This phenomenon was one that you won’t see much of today, but for a while it was the thing to wear.
Jeans could either be purchased already ripped, or you could damage them yourself, as long as the holes were big, you could get away with having holes in your pants.
Madonna, Jon Bon Jovi and Michael Jackson to name but a few, were seen wearing ripped jeans, which helped them to become popular almost everywhere.
Kids and young adults of all ages were more than happy to wear a pair of jeans that looked like they had seen better days, but it was ok, because it was the cool thing to do.
80s Ripped Jeans
Ripped jeans were so fashionable during the 1980’s that people were more than happy to get a pair of scissors and cut holes in them. The more holes the better, but you definitely had to make sure you had holes at the knees.
The frayed look was also pretty popular at the time, and as well as seeing people with deliberately damaged edges of clothes, it was also important to make sure the holes in your jeans were frayed too.
To keep the holes in their jeans frayed, people would frequently pull the loose threads or put them in the tumble dryer as it would ensure there was a lot of fraying going on.
But the jeans didn’t just come with holes, they also came with a few slits too, and it wasn’t uncommon for people to deliberately take a sharp knife to their pants so they got the look they wanted.
Battered And Torn Ripped Jeans
As with anyone who wants to keep up with the latest fashion, it was important in the 1980’s to have that ‘Must-have’ garment, and if that meant wearing a pair of jeans that looked as if it had been battered and torn, then that is what they would have.
Unfortunately ripped jeans didn’t look good on everyone, and those who didn’t have great legs would tend to shy away from cutting holes in their jeans.
Ripped Jeans As A Unisex Fashion
Both men and women and teenagers alike would be more than happy to wear a pair of ripped jeans as it meant they were cool.
But they weren’t always very warm, so some took to wearing shorts, panty hose or leggings underneath. Not only did this help the wearer to stay warm, but it also looked good too.
Are Ripped Jeans Still Popular?
From time to time you may still see someone wearing a pair of ripped jeans, but it’s unlikely you’ll it very often. Like a lot of fashions that come and go, wearing ripped jeans is one that seems to be stuck in the 80’s.
Who knows, maybe one day soon it will become fashionable to wear jeans that are full of holes, but for now ripped jeans will remain truly an 80’s phenomenon until a brave pop star or celebrity decides to put a pair on, making it fashionable once more.
