COTTON
Cotton was the focus of week 4. We had a guest lecturer in class who spoke to us about the history of cotton in jeans, and clothing as a symbol of identity. We were instructed to wear a pair of jeans to class and write about what that particular pair of jeans meant to us and then reflect on what they said about our identity.
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I have always loved jeans. While many people see all jeans as the same, each pair to me is a different fashion statement. I have over twenty pairs of jeans in my wardrobe. They are a vast array of fabulous colored skinnies, jeggings, barn jeans, flares, bootcuts, dark wash, light wash, and holey. I am proud to say the majority of them were fantastic thrift store finds, and others hand-me-downs. Each pair says something different about me when I wear them. My colored and patterned jeans bring out adventure and the carefree me. My barn jeans show the small town country girl and me. I firmly believe one can never have too many jeans!
I chose to wear a pair of medium-wash flare jeans that I had just recently purchased. They have "blitzed" out pockets...because that seems to be a trend now.(: Their flare fits perfect over my cowboy boots, which is part of the reason I like them so much. This particular pair of jeans is also very casual, as they are holey and have obvious washing and distress. Every college student needs a good pair of comfy jeans - and these are it!
Cotton originated in India thousands of years ago. As cotton spread across the world, it reached Europe with negative responses. Parliament did their part by trying to control cotton's use with consumption laws. These consumption laws prohibited the import of cotton, and eventually the selling of any Indian cotton in Europe. Weavers and Parliament tried to reestablish the traditions of the British wool trade. They took to burning and stripping women who wore cotton gowns, and destroy shops which sold cotton. Women used cotton as an expression of their individuality and their new found role as consumers. As protests died down at the end of the 18th century cotton became socially acceptable everywhere! However, this would not have been possible without the persevering attitudes of European women of the 17th century.
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