The history of overalls (aka “bib overalls”) can be difficult to trace. Originally called “slops,” overalls first appeared in the U.S. in the mid-18th century as a replacement for “spatterdashes,” side-buttoning canvas or leather gaiters designed to protect a worker’s breeches, shoes and stockings—the standard clothing of the time. While spatterdashes only protected a person’s legs from the knee down, overalls were a fully-fledged pant that covered up to the belly button. In fact, overalls were considered so effective that American militias used them during the Revolutionary War, wearing ones made from canvas during the summer and wool in the winter.

By the beginning of the 19th century, civilians in the U.S. and England were wearing overalls as full-on replacements for breeches, the clothing they were originally intended to protect. An example of early overalls can be seen in the 1838 oil painting, “In the Woodshed,” by James Goodwyn Clonney, in which a man wears a pair of ecru-colored overalls with a waist seam and thin straps that button at the chest. By the 1850s, colors for overalls began to represent the people who wore them—white for painters, pin-stripes for railroad workers and blue for farmers—and in the 1870s mass-produced patterns of the garment began to appear. The 1870s also marked the use of buckles to replace buttons as the preferred type of fastening on overalls and, of course, the founding of Levi’s, which introduced rivets as a reinforcement technology.

Although it’s hard to determine when Levi’s began producing bib overalls (versus “waist overalls,” the name for jeans until 1960), a pair of their children’s overalls has been dated to approximately 1904. In 1911, Lee—the other behemoth of American denim—began producing its own version of bib overalls. A year later, Levi’s debuted “Koveralls,” a one-piece playsuit for children that remained popular at least through the ’30s.

Although women often wore men’s overalls when they replaced them at work during WWI, and overalls continued to be a common workwear garment, they did not begin to enter popular fashion for adults (specifically women) until the late ’30s. Throughout the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, overalls remained a casualwear option for women, but it wasn’t until the ’70s that they became an acceptable style for men outside of the workplace. During the ’80s, mass media, especially music videos, helped popularize casual overalls for men. In their (retrospectively problematic) 1982 video for “Come On Eileen,” the members of Dexy’s Midnight Runners sport faded denim overalls/ Similarly, the traditionally utilitarian garment became a signature look for groups like New Kids on the Block.

Of course, it was the ’90s when overalls status as a fashion item truly took hold. As baggy military and workwear styles were popularized by hip-hop artists such as Tupac, Will Smith, The Fugees and Naughty By Nature, the nation quickly adopted an item that was suddenly subversive yet still highly emblematic of the working class. Will Smith’s bleached-out pair and Tupac’s “Thug Life” version are arguably the most iconic iterations of the era. Brands like Tommy Hilfiger, FUBU and Ecko Unltd all produced their own versions to capitalize on the trend throughout the decade. As urbanwear brands influenced waned in the mid-2000s, and men’s style became more tailored, overalls took a dip in popularity. Still, in recent years the iconic garment have started to stage a comeback. While overalls remain an intimidating garment for many men, workwear-inspired brands like Engineered Garments have made them a standard piece in their collections while others, such as Alexander Wang and Rochambeau, have recently incorporated the garment in slightly more conceptual ways.

Created in 1872 and patented on May 20, 1873 by Levi’s founder Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada tailor Jacob Davis, the first jeans were called “waist overalls”—the name for work pants at the time—and featured copper rivets at “points of strain,” a technological innovation that prevented fabric from tearing during manual labor. Made from denim—a supposed descendant of the seventeenth century French and English fabric, “Serge de Nimes”—jeans first became renowned in the American West for their superior durability and have since become a symbol of American toughness and innovation, being revised and reimagined countless times over the past nearly 150 years.

In 1915 Levi Strauss & Co. began using Cone Milles Denim and, in 1922, the brand introduced its first pair of [waist overalls with belt loops](http://www.complex.com/style/2013/06/50-things-you-didnt-know-about-levis/khakis0. In 1924, another American company, Henry David Lee’s H.D. Lee Mercantile—originally founded in 1889 in Salina, Kansas as a wholesale grocery distributor—introduced its 101 jeans featuring a U-shaped saddle crotch and button fly designed specifically for the needs of cowboys and rodeo riders. Two years later, Lee—as the company would come to be known—debuted the 101Z, the first pair of jeans to feature a zipper fly. Quickly disseminating due to their affordable and durable nature, jeans quickly became an American mainstay. In 1939, jeans entered the American pop cultural canon with the release of John Ford’s 1939 film Stagecoach, in which John Wayne wore a pair of Levi’s 501s.

In the ’40s, the U.S.’s involvement in WWII not only led to innovation, but also to the expansion of the jeans market. In order to comply with the requirements of the War Production Board, Levi’s scrapped the back waistband cinch and removed the watch pocket and crotch rivets on its jeans, among other changes. The new, simple design allowed for mass automated production, and paved the way for international expansion. After seeing jeans on G.I.’s stationed abroad, countries as widespread as Thailand, England and Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific contacted Levi’s® about buying their waist overalls. By the ’50s, both Levi’s and Lee began exploring overseas markets. The ’50s also saw jeans become part of the bad boy uniform through Laslo Benedek’s 1953 film, [The Wild One], starring Marlon Brando as motorcycle gang leader Johnny Strabler. By the end of the decade, jeans were one of if not the most ubiquitous garments in America.

During the early ’60s, Levi’s sold its first pre-shrunk jeans for men and both Levi’s and Lee expanded rapidly throughout Europe and Asia. The ’60s also marked the introduction of Japan’s first domestically produced jeans made by the brand Canton in 1963, using denim from Canton Mills in Georgia. Japan’s American-style jeans market rapidly expanded thereafter through brands such as Big John and Edwin.

In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Calvin Klein ushered in the age of designer jeans with the help of suggestive ads staring a teenage Brook Shields. During this time, French designer brand François et Marithé Girbaud industrialized the stone-washing technique for denim and introduced baggier silhouettes that would later compete against straight leg denim in the ’90s. Although traditional denim saw a downturn during the decade—mainly due to rave, streetwear and Hip Hop-inspired silhouettes from brands like JNCO and Phat Farm—it quickly rebounded in the 2000s with the introduction of Japanese reproduction brands, such as Sugar Cane and Studio D’Artisan, to the American market.

Much like jeans, the history of denim jackets is defined by the two American brands, Levi’s and Lee. Levi’s was not only the first brand to produce jeans, but also the first to produce denim jackets—meant for cowboys, miners and other manual laborers out West—starting in 1905 with the 506XX blouse (the XX stood for “extra strong”). Made from Amoskeag Manufacturing Company’s 9oz. double heavy extra strong quality unsanforized denim, the 506XX had a short, boxy fit, tacked-down vertical pleats on the front, a single front chest pocket, and a buckle cinch on the back. In 1917, the blouse was rechristened the “Number One (Type I).” In 1928, a front pocket flap was added and in 1936, Levi’s famous Red Tab was placed on the pocket. It was only in 1938 that the word “jacket” was used to describe the 506XX in the western wear catalog, Dude Ranch Duds. They have been called jean jackets ever since.

While Levi’s was supplying workers in the American West with its 506XX, Lee was producing workwear for midwestern railroad workers. In 1921, the brand introduced its Loco Jacket—also known as a “Railroad Jacket”—which was tested by railroad workers and featured three front patch pockets. By the end of the decade, Lee debuted the first denim jacket with a zipper front, known as the 91. Then, in 1931, Lee introduced the first slim-fit denim jacket with cowboys in mind, the 101J (Jelt). Apart from a trimmer silhouette, the 101J had nearly identical details to Levi’s 506XX. Two years later, Lee produced its now famous winter version of the 101J (dubbed the Storm Rider in 1956), which had a corduroy collar and a striped Alaskan wool blanket lining.

Although both Levi’s and Lee made slight modifications to their denim jackets throughout the ’30s, significant updates would not arrive until after WWII. In 1946, Lee exchanged the single front pocket on the 101J for two button-down flap pockets on the chest, removed the front pleats and added two adjustable tabs to the waist—the back cinch was removed earlier in the decade.

Then, in 1953, Levi’s introduced the first major update to their denim jacket, the 507XX, also known as the Type II. The main updates between Levi’s Type I and its Type II jacket were the addition of a second chest pocket with a button-down flap, the replacement of the back-waist cinch with two adjustable tabs at the waist and the addition of bar tack stitching for reinforcement.

The ’50s was also the decade that represented the propagation of denim jackets through popular culture. In 1951, singer Bing Crosby and a friend were initially rejected from a Vancouver hotel because of their hunting gear, which included Levi’s waist overalls (eventually a bellhop recognized Crosby and admitted him and his friend). Presumably after hearing about the incident, Levi’s attempted to capitalize on the singer’s affinity for the brand, and constructed him a custom denim tuxedo jacket and matching pants. Made from 501 denim and decorated with a corsage constructed from Red Tabs secured with copper rivets, the brand presented the tuxedo to Crosby at the 1951 Silver State Stampede in Elko, Nevada—where he was the honorary mayor. In fact, the musician was so pleased with the suit he went on to wear it during press appearances for the film, Here Comes the Groom. Elvis Presley also helped spread the gospel of denim during the ’50s, wearing a Levi’s Type II jacket in Hal Kanter’s 1957 film Loving You and denim separates in Richard Thorpe’s Jailhouse Rock that same year.

In 1962, Levi’s introduced its second major update to its denim jacket with the release of the 557XX or Type III. The Type III took after Lee’s 101J, featuring a slimmer fit due to slanted chest seams, and featured two hidden chest pockets with pointed button-down flaps. In 1967, Levi’s gave the Type III the lot number 70505 to match its companion piece, the 505 zipper fly jean. The late ’60s and early ’70s saw denim (including denim jackets) reach new heights of popularity. Ringo Starr appears in a double denim outfit on the cover of The Beatles’ 1969 album Abbey Road, and Martin Sheen wears a Levi’s Type II jacket in the 1973 movie Badlands.

Since the 1970, denim jackets have roughly followed the trajectory of jeans, receiving designer interpretations throughout the ’70s and ’80s, getting bigger and baggier during the ’90’s, and seeing a return to their workwear origins from the mid-2000’s to the present—with numerous designer interpretations to match. Of course, there have been updates along with the way. Levi’s, for instance, introduced hand pockets to the Type III in the ’80s and through their Levi’s Commuter divison now produce performance denim jackets made specifically urban cyclists—Outlier does the same. Still, the classic workwear versions still dominate the market, as well as fashion designers’ collective unconscious.

The bleu de travail (which translates as “working blues”), also known as the chore jacket, began as a common working uniform for craftsmen, farmers, auto workers and railroad workers in 19th century France, although its origins beyond that are murky. Initially, bleu de travail was a catchall for any workwear garment (pants, overalls, jackets, etc.) sewn from heavyweight canvas or cotton moleskin. Always dyed blue—a particularly affordable dye at the time—the uniform color helped identify manual laborers from their bosses. Although there were no fixed design details for the chore jacket, most featured a simple button front and multiple large patch pockets.

During the first few decades of the 20th century, stores specializing in workwear, including blue de travail, emerged in France. In 1913, Le Mont St Michel was founded nearby the abbey for which it was named. In 1927, the jacket’s most famous manufacturer, Vetra, was founded by Edouard Beerens, whose family continues to oversee the textiles business.

Although the bleu de travail has been common in France for well over a century, it did not enter American popular fashion until somewhat recently, and might have never become a widely recognized garment without the help of late, great fashion photographer Bill Cunningham, who made the jacket a perennial part of his own working uniform. Supposedly, while in France, Cunningham was drawn to the chore jacket due to the practicality of its numerous large pockets and its affordable price. When on assignment in Paris for The New York Times, Cunningham would stock up on the jacket to tide him over until his next trip. In fact, the bleu de travail became such a symbol of Cunningham that his colleagues renamed it “The Bill” and, after he died last year, wore matching blue chore jackets to New York Fashion Week in tribute.

The influx of American and French-inspired Japanese workwear in the American market during the 2000’s and current renaissance of workwear-as-high-fashion has also provided the blue de travail a larger stage. Brands as diverse as Apolis, Blue Blue Japan, Blue de Paname, Dana Lee and Vetements—which reinterpreted the original definition of bleu de travail for a few garments in its SS16 Ready-to-Wear collection—have produced their own versions of the chore jacket, and stores like Union Made even stock the authentic version from Vetra.

The Japanese word “noragi” (much like the French phrase “bleu de travail”) originally referred to a number of hand-made garments worn by rural workers. From ancient times through the early 20th century, Japanese craftswomen living on farms spun and loomed fabric to make clothing for their families. Noragi refers to the jackets, vests and monpe pants, among other garments, made by these women. Originally sewn from bast fibers such as hemp and linen (“asa” in Japanese), the craftswomen began incorporating cotton in the 17th century when locally grown cotton became available to peasants. During the 15th century, Japan’s ruling classes began importing raw cotton and finished cotton goods from China and, by the 16th century, they began using Chinese cultivation techniques. Eventually, these techniques spread to Japanese peasants, and production hubs developed in places like rural Kyushu Island and beyond.

Noragi were completely hand-made using traditional techniques that were passed down from mother to daughter. Craftswomen did not only make clothing, however, they also produced a wide range of home goods, from futon covers to carrying clothes and aprons. Most of these garments and home goods were dyed using indigo and many were marked with traditional Japanese resist dye patterns such as shibori, kasuri and katazome, or weaving patterns such as kasuri and sakiori.

Many noragi were produced and/or patched with leftover or discarded pieces of cotton cloth, since cotton was relatively scarce and couldn’t be wasted. Traditionally, craftswomen used hand-sewing methods such as sashiko (meaning “little stabs”), which combines mending techniques with decorative patterns made from the contrast of thread on indigo fabric. Often, craftswomen would then boro (meaning “ragged”) patch these garments as a way to reinforce them and extend their life. Many of these technical and decorative innovations were a result of complicated Edo period (1603-1868) laws that forbade lower classes from wearing silk, bright colors and large patterns.

As Japan industrialized, Westernized and dissolved its feudal system during the Meiji period (1868-1912), noragi—and the techniques used to create them—fell out of popularity. Although cultural exchange between Japan and Europe increased during this time, and Kimonos rising to prominence in England and France as European designers began included traditional Japanese motifs and silhouettes in their designs, noragi were not part of the exchange, most likely due to their humble origins.

While noragi jackets do not look dissimilar to karate gi (meaning Westerners have been familiar with the general aesthetic for decades), they did not enter Western fashion until the rise, and subsequent export, of Japanese Americana. Although this subset of brands initially focused on American styles and manufacturing techniques between the ’60s-’90s, brands began to incorporate traditional Japanese techniques as they moved beyond simple reproductions and established themselves as a fashion movement in its own right. Over the past fifteen-plus years, Japanese brands such as Hiroki Nakamura’s Visvim and Japanese-focused American textile galleries such as Stephen Szczepanek’s Sri Threads—both founded in 2001—have helped popularize noragi, as well as other Japanese folk garments, textiles and techniques. Possibly due to its similarity to a cardigan, the noragi jacket has become particularly popular, and it is constantly being reinterpreted from a wide range of brands, from Visvim to A Kind of Guise and GREI.