On this day in 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a patent for work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of blue jeans as we know them! Strauss owned a dry goods store in San Francisco. Davis was a tailor in Reno, and one of Strauss’ customers. In 1870, Davis was asked by a customer if he could make strong work pants for her husband, who was a woodcutter. To create them, he reinforced the weak points in the seams and pockets with copper rivets. They became super popular, especially with laborers along the railroad, and soon he found he couldn’t keep up with demand. Realizing the potential value in his concept, Davis approached Strauss to financially back his patent application. Strauss agreed and the patent for “Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings” was granted on May 20, 1873. While they were originally intended as work pants for factory workers, miners, farmers, and cowboys, they gained popularity after James Dean wore them in Rebel Without a Cause. Today, the average American owns 7 pairs of jeans. However, the average American woman only wears about 4 of those pairs on a regular basis. Learn more in the audio below.