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As a lover of all things denim I have a real interest in how denim has shaped society and future denim trends. So I really wanted to share with you the following images of 17 women collated by Instyle.com in “The Sexiest Jeans Ever”. Images that depict a place in time that has influenced how we wear our denim today.
As you look down the page you will see most of the styles have come around again maybe for the exception of Mariah Carey’s waistband- less jean. Anyone fancy reviving this trend?
1: Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits, 1961
Marilyn Monroe demonstrated the appeal of jeans in some of her earliest photo shoots, later filling out a perfect pair of Levi’s in the Western drama The Misfits. Decades after her death, Tommy Hilfiger purchased three pairs of her jeans at auction for $42,550, gifting one of the high-waisted, curvy pairs to sex symbol Britney Spears.
2: Brigitte Bardot in A Very Private Affair, 1962
Playing a movie star in hiding from persistent fans, Brigitte Bardot made a bicycle and straw hat seem like viable tools of seduction. Certainly her full lips, just-rolled-out-of-bed mane and doe eyes had something to do with her appeal, but her curves set off in weathered denim certainly didn’t hurt. Offscreen, Bardot was known to favor (and fill out) all-American 501s.
3: Jean Seberg, 1965
In her oversize rolled denim and striped top, Breathless gamine Jean Seberg personified the unstudied cool of a Frenchwoman—even though she hailed from Iowa. As the ex-patriot once said, “I miss that casualness and friendliness of Americans, the kind that makes people smile. I also miss blue jeans, milk shakes, thick steaks and supermarkets.”
4: Raquel Welch in The Biggest Bundle of Them All, 1968
“This is the world’s sexiest robbery!” declared the posters for crime caper The Biggest Bundle of Them All, surely referring to the scene-stealing curves of star Raquel Welch. When she wasn’t costumed in the tiniest of bikinis, Welch spent her screen time poured into equally seductive hip-huggers.
5: Faye Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair, 1968
In her crisp white jeans and camel turtleneck, Faye Dunaway proved that one could smolder without showing skin. For Dunaway’s jet-setting detective character, costumer Theadora Van Runkle planned a timeless wardrobe with couture leanings, even when it came to denim: “Everything was handmade.”
6: Jackie Onassis, 1971
The former First Lady embodied ’70s ease in a pair of tie-dye jeans and Henley sweater. With her pared-down approach to casual wear, it’s no wonder Jackie O was originally approached to helm the designer denim line that later became Gloria Vanderbilt jeans.
7: Jane Birkin, 1973
English-born actress and singer Jane Birkin conquered France with the sort of easy glam that could inspire, well, a bestselling Hermes bag, for one. The style icon (shown here lounging on a dock in the Cote d’Azur, mais oui) wore her Made in Heaven wide-leg jeans with thin tees or girlish eyelet shirts.
8: Farrah Fawcett in Charlie’s Angels, 1976
A Jordache-clad Farrah Fawcett hopped on a skateboard (and showed off her enviable assets) for an episode of her hit detective series. The reason for her sporty attire? She was rolling away from danger, naturally!
9: Catherine Bach and Jessica Simpson in The Dukes of Hazzard, 1979 and 2005
Named after the Duke boys’ extremely persuasive cousin, Daisy Dukes require only the tiniest amount of denim and a whole lot of self-confidence. In fact, the micro-shorts were worn to such great effect by Catherine Bach on the 1979 TV series, that Jessica Simpson amped up her workout routine for the 2005 movie remake: “I never had a butt before—I had to do Daisy proud.”
10: Brooke Shields, 1980
“You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” When 15-year-old Brooke Shields delivered that infamous line, the world gasped…and bought Calvin Klein jeans. Either because of her age or the skin-baring commercials (one of which had her shimmying into a pair of skinnies) the outcry was continuous, but the designer’s response was unapologetic: “Jeans are sex.”
11: Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing, 1987
Who didn’t want to be Baby Houseman, crawling across the floor in her jean shorts towards her smoking hot dancing instructor? Not only did Dirty Dancing launch the careers of Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, but it inspired millions of teenaged girls to crop their fathers’ jeans into ’60s-style cutoffs. (Sorry, Dad!)
12: Claudia Schiffer, 1989
Who needs a shirt when you’ve got great jeans (and great genes)? A teenaged Claudia Schiffer channeled Brigitte Bardot for Guess?—and became an overnight star in the shoot by Ellen von Unwerth.
13: Janet Jackson, 1993
Okay, so maybe the jeans aren’t exactly the focus of Janet Jackson’s infamous Rolling Stone cover. But along with the pop icon’s serene gaze and a strategically placed pair of hands (generously provided by then-husband Rene Elizondo Jr.), the undone jeans undoubtedly added to the seductive quality of the Patrick Demarchelier shot.
14: Mariah Carey, 1999
Mariah Carey’s “Heartbreaker” video did more than get people dancing—it got them cutting up their designer denim in imitation of the sexy diva. Stylist Tonjua Twist took scissors to the waistband of a pair of jeans because Carey “didn’t want to wear anything anybody can buy in the store.”
15: Britney Spears in “I’m a Slave 4 U”, 2001
With her sculpted abs and curvaceous rear, Britney Spears was made to wear the ultra low-rise jeans that marked the millennium. In her steamy video for “I’m a Slave 4 U”, the pop star writhed around in a barely-there costume, inspiring sit-ups.
16: Cindy Crawford, 2002
The first time Cindy Crawford wore a pair of cutoffs to down an ice-cold Pepsi it was 1991 and she was a 25-year-old supermodel. Eleven years later, she reprised her role (this time with a Diet Pepsi) for a Superbowl ad that revealed her two real-life kids and the tagline of, “Some things never change. And some things do.” Certainly left unchanged was her ability to seduce millions with a pair of short shorts.
17: Heidi Klum, 2007
As a riding crop-wielding Jordache girl, Heidi Klum gave up the secret behind the perfect pair of skinnies: “The butt has to look good.” Director Brett Ratner shot Klum’s topless ads in L.A.’s Chateau Marmont, declaring: “I grew up in love with every Jordache girl.” With a view like that, who can blame him?
TELL US: Has any of the above iconic images influenced the way you dress your denim?
