Raw denim will always have its appeal. While washed out, pre-faded jeans skip all the hard work and get straight to the worn-in look we all strive for, the authenticity of a pair of raw denim jeans, untouched by sand paper and enzyme-infused wash cycles, can’t be beat. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure that will always yield a happy ending. Whether you’re just diving into your first pair (if that’s the case, read this) or you’re looking to get into adding another pair to your selvedge library, now’s the best time to break in a crunchy new pair. here’s why.
Fall is arguably the best time for dressing. Specifically, it’s prime time to bust out your denim. The weather’s cooled down enough that you finally slip into something that covers your calves. Though denim’s been shown to be a terrible insulator to get you through the most brutal of winter, Uniqlo’s Heattech exists and you can easily keep your jean streak going, blizzard be damned. Can’t really say that about that summer.
All of that means nine months straight of raw denim gestation with a beautiful set of fades birthed by June. Plus, it’s perfect timing if you’re into the myth of wearing your jeans for six months before their first wash to set in the fades. And if you run really cold, you might even be able to wear jeans at summer’s peak. In that case, ignore this article and cop a new pair of raw denim jeans whenever.
Not only do you get to really dig into fades this time of year, you can style your jeans for three different seasons. Flannels and fleece for fall, hardy boots and down jackets through winter and plain t-shirts for spring. Jeans look great with everything, sure. And if you’re the type to wear blue jeans every chance you can get, before it’s too hot, there’s no better time than now.
If you’ve had your share of lightweight or midweight jeans and you’re looking to get into something more challenging, this would be the time to try your legs at a pair of heavyweight jeans. Anything from 16 ounces and up can be too much too handle for even the milder months, depending on how hot or cold you run. But the cooling temps makes this time of year ideal to incubate some some burly denim that would otherwise be even more painful any other time of the year.
Now which pair do you spring for? Here are a few suggestions.
Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans
The game-changing garment everyone knows, the Levi’s 501 jean is the definitive blue jean. Not much else is worth considering at this price point. Make sure to look into sizing because, as the name implies, these will shrink.
Levi’s
Tellason Stock Slim Tapered Fit
Tellason tellason.com
$99.00
Using a 14-ounce Cone Mills non-selvedge denim, these affordable blue jeans are cut and sewn in San Francisco and feature copper buttons and rivets. It’s a step up from the 501 in just about every respect, but still manages to fit price tag under a hundred bones.
Tellason
Gap Selvedge Slim Jeans
Consistently one of the best values as far as selvedge denim goes, Gap’s line of selvedge jeans uses 13.75 ounce Kaihara Mills denim that fades to a unique brownish tint. You can often find these on sale for an even better deal, too.
Gap
Japan Blue Jeans Circle Tapered Fit Selvedge
Japan Blue Jeans standardandstrange.com
$180.00
If you’re looking for a pair of made-in-Japan jeans, Japan Blue Jeans offers some of the best value. These midweight jeans are a modern fit that’s relaxed up top with a taper below the knee and feature denimhead-approved details like a natural leather patch, a tinted weft and long-staple African cotton.
Standard & Strange
A.P.C. Petit Standard Jeans
A.P.C. eastdane.com
$210.00
French label A.P.C. boldly proclaimed its jeans the new standard in five pocket dungarees. That’s certainly contested, but it’s no-nonsense minimalist styling undoubtedly drew in droves of new raw denim enthusiasts into the fold.
East Dane
Freenote Cloth Portola Classic Taper
Freenote Cloth freenotecloth.com
$250.00
Don’t forget about black jeans, too. They can fade with the best of the indigo counterparts and these jeans from SoCal-based Freenote Cloth are made with 14.25-ounce Yoshiwa Mills selvedge denim that’ll yield beautiful charcoal tones.
Freenote Cloth
Glenn’s Denim GD111 Slim Straight
Glenn’s Denim brooklyn-tailors.com
$295.00
Glenn Libur’s namesake jeans have the backing of an industry veteran with decades of denim-making experience coupled with Savile Row-level training. The GD111 features custom-milled 13 ounce American selvedge denim constructed with single-needle tailoring and a meticulous attention-to-detail.
Glenn’s Denim
Iron Heart 18oz Vintage Selvedge Denim
Iron Heart ironheartamerica.com
$345.00
Well-known for its behemoth blue jeans, Iron Heart’s jeans are the go-to if you’re looking to get into something even less comfortable. These jeans are beefy at 18 ounces and have all the trappings of a top-shelf pair of Japanese jeans.
Iron Heart
