But have you ever thought about the history of these pants? The documentary, “Riveted: The History of Jeans” looks at the pants through the lens of world history and American history.

Anna Lee Strachan, the producer/writer/director of the film, explained in a virtual press conference, “I came to this with just a fascination with that question, that fundamental mystery: Why is everyone in the world walking around in the same pair of pants? It was fascinating to me for a long time.”

Strachan added, “I knew it was something that was thought of quintessentially American. My curiosity, I think, had been piqued for many years. My dad used to work at Levi Strauss, actually, growing up. And my grandmother was someone who dressed to the nines her whole life, and I never thought about the language of clothing until her death. So that got me thinking even more deeply about clothing and why we wear the things we wear.”

Indigo is the color most associated with jeans. But how did indigo come to America? When asked why blue is the predominant color for jeans, Strachan answered, “I think we did a lot of research to find out why are jeans blue, and we couldn’t come up with a very clear answer other than just humans really seem to like blue.” She added that blue is a good color for hiding dirt.

While cowboys and miners are mostly associated with the history of the pants, viewers will be enlightened to discover how the pants have become the de facto uniform of many professions, biker gangs and the U.S. Navy.

The classic pants have changed only slightly during the years. Starting with button flies — then moving to zippers — was probably the most visual evolution, but the addition of copper rivets made the pants more durable.

The 1970s were the turning point for jeans. Hippies and other members of the counterculture took the classic pants and altered them with embroidery, colors and designs. And then the high-end designers jumped on the jeans bandwagon. No longer were jeans solely produced by Levi Strauss, Lee, Wrangler, and the like.

Calvin Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, and even Chanel — as hard as it is to imagine — began their own lines of designer jeans. Let’s not forget, Brooke Shields proudly professed in a commercial that nothing comes between her and her Calvins.

This documentary includes images of the pants through history, as well as interviews with historians, authors, fashion designers and textile experts.

It is an eye-opening story that traces the evolution of jeans and its parallels with American history. Jeans are an indelible part of American culture and the film delves into how and why.

“Riveted: The History of Jeans” premieres Feb. 7 on PBS American Experience.