Fashion Details:
Confession of a fashion blogger here….I bought my first pair of distressed denim last year. I know it may seem shocking, but before that I’ve never owned a jean, jean short or jean jacket with any distressed markings. It’s completely crazy, right? Especially in this day and age given that distressed denim is kind of the standard. I’m sure a lot of you are thinking “how could this happen?”
Well, you could say I’m a bit uptight and my corporate finance job got the best of me. I mean, for my day job, I wear nicely pressed dresses and suits all day. And I’m not a huge fan of ‘Jeans Friday’ in the office either. You could also blame it on my 12-year stint working at the Gap, where I rocked jeans and a button down or sweater for almost every shift. We technically weren’t allowed to wear anything with holes in it, so I never even looked at the distressed denim. You could also blame my age. Do people in their mid thirties even wear distressed denim? Isn’t it reserved for the younger crowd?
Well, in true Later Ever After fashion, I bought my first pair of distressed jeans last year and I can’t believe I waited so long. Taking the plunge was no easy task…I actually made a list – a how to guide – on what to look for in distressed jeans. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about buying distressed denim. I was a first time buyer so I didn’t want to jump in with half my leg exposed. I wanted a few distressed patches and maybe a manageable hole. Keep reading for my ‘How to Buy Distressed Denim Guide’ and some of the my favorite styles out there now.
Pick a Wash and Fit
So many choices to pick from when it comes to wash and fit. You could spend hours deciding what you want. I suggest to start with the style of jean in which you are most comfortable. If you love skinny jeans, start there. If you love a looser boyfriend cut, then start there. There is no need to mess up a good thing, as you already know your go-to fit for denim. I only wear skinny jeans so naturally I started there and knew that I wouldn’t shift from that style.
Washes can get a little tricky, though. To pick the ultimate wash I now I would like, I took into account the following: where I would wear the jeans, the time of year, and my overall feelings on denim washes. While I love my indigo color high wasted skinny jeans I wasn’t sure if having a hole in the knee would look right. My dark jeans are my dressy jeans so I couldn’t fathom wearing dressy jeans with holes in them. I also knew that super light denim is a hard sell for me. The lighter the denim the larger my legs look, so that was not an option for me. Somewhere in the middle is what I landed. Given the seasons I would be wearing these (Spring and Summer), I felt that a medium washed color denim was the best option.
Decide What Details You Are Looking For
Distressed denim comes in all different looks. And did you know each distress is actually named? Do you know the difference between a scrape, a hole and a shred?
Shreds – Horizontal tears in the jeans that are actually fully intact and attached on both sides. Think of the shreds that hang off cut-off jean-shorts.
Holes – This one is pretty easy. It’s a hole in the jean. These are most likely found in areas where the jeans would actually get holes, such as your knees. It should almost look like a tiny slit when you are standing and when sitting your knee would pop through it. Holes in jeans shouldn’t be wider than the actual pant leg and should almost always be horizontally cut.
Scrape – These are small abrasions on the fabric. Everything should still be intact, but it will look like you rubbed up against the sidewalk or a hard surface.
Pick which features you want and have that in mind when shopping. I knew I wanted a little bit of each, but delicately placed and natural looking. Rips can look natural? Yes they can, I wanted holes near my knees with shreds around it.
Pick a Look You Are Going For
The overall look you are going for is a key factor in picking distressed denim. Would you wear the same jeans out to a steakhouse on Saturday night as you would painting your house on a Sunday afternoon? Probably not, so the sames goes for distressed denim. If your look is “rolled out of bed on a Sunday afternoon” then the more distressed the better. If your look is “preppy with a little edge” you may want a more refined pair of distressed denim.
For my very first pair of distressed denim I went for the “preppy with a little edge.” I felt that this was the most beginner look and a good place for me to start. This led me to look for lightly distressed denim with minimal holes and more scraps and shreds. With this kind of look I could pair it with my favorite hoodie and sneakers and a vneck sweater, blazer and loafers.
Based on the three main categories, I was able to narrow it down to a couple pairs and ultimately settled on a pair from the LOFT, which is now sold out 🙁 (fear not I have some great options that are currently available. Like this pair from J.Crew, the subtle distressing is adorable and this pair that is under $100, which is a great price for distressed denim) . The wash was exactly middle of the road in terms of denim colors and the details were perfect and what I considered great for a first time distressed jean owner. It had the shreds, scrapes and a hole at my knee. And the price was right, especially since I got them on sale. I wasn’t ready to commit over $100 on distressed jeans just yet. I wanted to truly see if I loved them before making that kind of commitment.
What To Wear with Distressed Jeans
Styling these beauties was pretty exciting too. It was like styling my first blazer when I was 9…the possibilities were endless. You’ve all seen it on Instagram or Pinterest, those chic women dressed perfectly wearing distressed denim and casually sipping coffee. Or the girl casually sitting on the curb with her knee peeping out of the natural hole in her denim…its style heaven! I set out to do just that.
The first look is my casual weekend look. I’ll wear this running errands or casually walking around town exploring the city. With this look I’ve opted for sneakers or street shoes and a cozy sweatshirt or a casual text tee. I’ve been living in this LOFT hoodie recently, its so cozy and so cute!
My preppy with a little edge look has quickly become my favorite go to look. This is the look that I longed to have after scouring social media. I feel perfectly put together in this camel color vneck sweater, blazer and loafers.
Getting over the initial shock of wearing jeans with holes in them was a hard task for me, but one that I quickly got over. Like anything you just have to do it! Back in the day I swore I would never wear skinny jeans…and today I only wear skinny jeans. I’m a late bloomer, I always do things on my own life timeline, including buying and wearing distressed denim. Now I’m hanging out all around town in my distressed denim jeans. Check out my casual weekend outfit in action!
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