A strong, usually blue cotton fabric used especially to make jeans, jackets, and overalls.
From French *serge de Nîmes* meaning 'serge from Nîmes', referring to a type of cloth made in the town of Nîmes in France. Over time, *de Nîmes* was shortened and blended into 'denim' in English.
Denim started as a specific cloth from a French city, but now it’s a global symbol of casual and work clothing. Every time you say 'denim', you’re secretly naming a French town without realizing it.
Denim clothing, especially jeans, was historically gendered as workwear for men, with women discouraged or barred from wearing pants in many settings. Over time, women adopted denim as everyday and political dress, challenging dress codes.
Use 'denim' as a gender-neutral fabric and style descriptor. Avoid assuming certain cuts or uses are inherently male or female.
Women workers, activists, and youth subcultures used denim to resist restrictive gendered dress norms and claim practical, equal clothing.
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