Before the 1970s, ripped jeans were simply a result of over-wear and were mainly associated with the less fortunate. In the 1970s, the Sex Pistols had coined the British punk ideology to fight against the status quo and the conservative form of government. At the same time, in North America, the ripped jean began to become a fashion statement driven by cultural phenomena such as Iggy Pop, who claims to have been one of the first to start the trend.

Although the ripped jean was a subcultural phenomenon, the trend became very popular in the 90s and was accepted by a variety of cultural influences, from Kurt Cobain to hip-hop, solidifying its place as a mainstream fashion element. With widespread acceptance, the political past of ripped jeans was pushed to the background, while its appeal to more and more people grew.

Today, people with different tastes wear ripped clothing to express themselves in different ways. Ultimately, it is important to give meaning to what you wear, as it is a means to symbolize your thoughts, opinions and imagination.