Day 134 | How it all changed

My dad was born in 1943, and grew up in the 50's. A time when juvenile delinquency was said to be at unprecedented epidemic proportions in the United States. A time of films such as "The wild one" with Marlon Brando and "Rebel without a cause" starring James Dean. A time when cars such as the Cadillac Eldorado was considered the epitome of luxury.

When my dad turned 21 he had saved up enough money to buy his first pair of denim jeans. He loved them. Finally a pair that was worn by his heroes of the time. There was only one problem. He lived in conservative South Africa, where just four years earlier, in 1960, the ANC was banned. Parents of the time were very strict, because they've just come from a very rebellious era of the 1950's. My grandfather sat my dad, his son, down and told him that he had no problem with him wearing the jeans, as long as he didn't wear them outside the house.

Quite funny when you think about it today, but that is how negative the sentiments were towards denim jeans in South Africa at the time. Only "bad" people of low standing wore them. A spectacular case of "What would the people say of us, if they saw you wearing it in town". Fortunately for us it has all changed today. I found this website where the lady has made a denim jeans outfit for a friend's child. Such a different world we live in today.