Today, jeans are mostly sold pre-shrunk and pre-worn. In his book, Miller argues they have become so mainstream that they are now a symbol of the ordinary, a garment people put on to feel comfortable and fit in.
"Jeans have become this neutral foundational garment. If you want to show you are relaxed, if you want to be relaxed, you wear jeans," says Miller.
But Trynka believes there is still something in their symbol of youth, their ease and casualness, that puts jeans beyond the reach of certain people.
"Famously, George W Bush and Tony Blair went out on the street in denim during their first summit meeting. The statement was, 'We are regular guys,' but of course they both looked like dorks," he says.
Jeans purists were offended by their pristine appearance. Many of them avoid washing their jeans for as long as possible - and it seems that the fabric may have some as yet unexplained capacity to stay clean.