Yves Saint Laurent once said, "I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity — all I hope for in my clothes."

Well, Laurent might be saying that now, but when Levi Strauss first left New York in 1853 to venture out to San Francisco at the height of the California gold rush, creating pants with "sex appeal" was most likely not what he had in mind. So how did these pants made from "serge de Nimes" (twill cotton cloth) worn by miners become the $300-plus blue jeans that we buy (and sometimes cannot afford to buy) today?

It seems unbelievable that what began with a simple (and might I add cheap) pair of high-waisted denim pants has now turned into one of the most successful, desirable and expensive forms of trousers known to man (and woman). What is believable, however, is the reality that fashion is an extremely progressive industry. It is no surprise that something so cheap has turned into something so expensive. Like so many other aspects of design within the industry, blue jeans have gone from needed to wanted. At one point, they were even representative of equal women's rights. Some may even go so far as to label them iconic.

So if jeans are in fact iconic, then they have some right to hold their current price tags, correct? The answer is debatable; because however ripped, distressed, embellished, worn or torn jeans are now "uniquely" manufactured to be, it still seems outrageous that some companies are charging anywhere from $175 to $10,000 (Escada's couture line) for them. Or here's a fun fact: In May 2001, Levi Strauss & Co. spent $46,532 in an eBay auction buying back a pair of their own jeans from the 1880s found in a Nevada mining town.

Obviously it is no longer just the tough, sturdy twill that makes the pants what they are. In this day and age, it's all about fit, feel, adornment, brand and style. Marshal Cohen of the NPD Group says, "We've reached the point in that number one, denim is being viewed as an investment like jewelry and hand bags, and that number two, like women with a shoe fetish, there are now women with a denim fetish. Everyone, woman and man, is in the quest for the perfect jean and will be for a long time."

Does this seem threatening — the idea that Rockin' Republic might be becoming the new Manolo? What is it about these simple, everyday, play pants that has turned us into denim-obsessed (and considerably broke) fashion victims? Maybe it's the idea that they are sturdy and comfortable, or maybe it has more to do with the fact that they are now just another way to flaunt a wealthy brand (like you would by carrying around a Louis Vuitton purse). More likely, however, it's in the timeless and classic nature of the pant. The great thing about blue jeans is that they are found everywhere, from the closet of the pauper to the closet of the prosperous.

Within the stiff twill lies centuries of tradition, culture and comfort. Because every great pair molds to the individual's body that wears them, it is no wonder why prices are on the rise. A comfortable, fitting, flattering and stylish pair of jeans can make an outfit stand out and look great. Similarly a badly fitting, uncomfortable, slouchy pair can make a body look horrible. So as a note to the price tag confused consumer: Jean companies know you want to look good — so they are going to take advantage of the fact that a large enough percent of people are willing to pay (sometimes more than) $100 in order to achieve that ideal jean appearance.

So the question still stands: Do jeans dress down an outfit while simultaneously pulling the look together; or have the jeans themselves become the accent piece of an outfit? How this question gets answered is up to you. Celebrities, models and designers without a doubt follow the latter philosophy. However, the consumer still has the choice. Because of their nature, jeans will most likely never go out of style, nor should there ever be a predetermined fashion in which they should be worn. Whether you're playing rugby with the boys, out for a night on the town, willing to pay more than $300 or less than $30, there is a jean out there with your name on it. So go ahead, jump, dance, play, strut or simply flaunt that fabulous figure in whichever pair of "serge de Nimes" twill pants you so desire!

Sydney Burdick is a freshman intending to major in fashion journalism. Direct any questions or comments to [email protected].