Dare to Ask: Are whites forever in blue jeans?

By PHILLIP MILANO, The Times-Union

Question

Why do white people always wear blue jeans?

Danny W., black, Memphis

Replies

Wow, you are right! That is all I buy for casual. I do admire the bold colors and accessories I see black people wearing, which are very beautiful.

Gina, 46, white, Flint, Mich.

White people like to fit in more. Jeans seem to be the uniform. I used to have a pair of black jeans and I found out later that whenever I wore them, people thought I was rebelling, or trying to be emo or Goth. I just thought they looked nice.

Alison K., 16, white, Herndon, Va.

Because they are so common, people probably just think of them first when deciding what to wear. It's probably similar to young black men and sagging pants.

Lynne, Gainesville

I don't wear blue jeans, because they're seen everywhere, from the guy picking up your trash on the garbage truck to the young, hot Hollywood starlet.

Bella, 35, Afro-Caribbean, Washington, D.C.

I have friends of many different backgrounds and ethnic groups. We all wear blue jeans . . . they just feel and look good.

Josh, 22, white, Bossier City, La.

Jeans . . . are forgiving and last for years. I can shop for hours trying to find decent trousers, or I can try on a couple of jeans and be out in under 10 minutes.

CLR, 25, white female, Seattle

Expert says

There aren't huge bolts of data out there on denim preferences among races, but industry group Cotton Inc. did release this morsel last September: 73 percent of white men prefer denim over casual slacks, compared to 63 percent of black males.

Not a wide seam there - and that fits well for Paul Cavazos of Olah Inc. in New York, which tracks trends in jeans. He doesn't see whites monopolizing denim, or mainstream jeans stores locking in on one race.

"I'd be shocked if the Gap targets only Anglos; their ads are as diverse as they get."

But there may be demographic preferences. There's still an urban aesthetic for baggier jeans, though Cavazos says more urban black males are going for tighter-fitting jeans.

It may also be that urban males in particular don't put the focus on jeans when creating their overall look.

"Jeans can be a status symbol, but I don't think as much for urban men," he said. "They may spend more on tennis shoes, hoodies or coats . . . so it's a focus on other accessories."

For some women of color, on the other hand, finding the perfect pair of jeans is just more difficult - though more stores are focusing on jeans for differently proportioned figures.

Apple Bottoms, for example, a brand by rapper Nelly, makes jeans that "highlight and accentuate the curves of a woman," its Web site says. Other companies have popped up to appeal to women with wider hips but who have small waists - a style not always stocked by mass-market stores.

Phillip Milano, author of I Can't Believe You Asked That! (Perigee), moderates cross-cultural dialogue at Y? The National Forum on People's Differences. Visit www.yforum.com to submit questions and answers. Send general column comments to phillip. milano@jacksonville.com. You can also hear his podcasts or watch his TV spots.