Scrape it, shred it, fade it. With current trends, your casual denim better be ripped, or at least distressed.
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No matter which celeb you’re looking at - whether it’s Kanye, the newly married Justin Bieber, or even any EDM DJ - that ripped-across-the-knee look has turned into a standard, preferably with a shirttail tee, moto jacket, and high-end sneakers.
And, while not everyone can afford a pair from Balmain or Yves Saint Laurent, you can still look like you forked over that cash with our tips on the best ripped jeans for men.
Understanding Distressed Denim
First things first, distressed denim covers a wide spectrum in the present, from sanded or faded to full-on rips and embellishments.
Distressed Jeans for Guys
On the low end, a distressed pair of jeans usually doesn’t feature full-on rips - although it gets pretty close. Rather, you will come across lighter patches along the front and back and some whiskering for a broken-in look. At most, some wearing away at the surface, so that the white threads are exposed.
Generally, the appearance is of a pair that’s been lived in for a number of years - perhaps the cuffs are threadbare, a small hole has started to form, or you accidentally spilled bleach on them while doing your wash.
Anyone who’s had such a pair for a decade knows that, once the comfort level goes up, so does the denim’s general ratty-ness. That’s what you’re aiming for here, albeit on a more tasteful level.
Best Distressed Jeans: Levi's Mens 510 Skinny-fit Jean
It's hard to go wrong with Levi's and this skinny (but not too tight) pair of jeans has light whiskering and color variations on the knees to give it that relaxed, worn-in, favorite pair of jeans feeling.
Ripped Denim for Men
As the next step up, there’s ripped and destructed. Although labels treat them as one in the same, our ripped jeans are essentially that: A few slashes, maybe blown-out knees, but nothing more. At its core, it’s taking your typical slim or skinny jeans and cutting them up in a few places.
Best Ripped Jeans For Men: LONGBIDA Men's Ripped Destroyed Slim Tapered Leg Jeans
With ripped jeans, you're aiming for some semblance of natural wear and tear but something beyond color variations. These have a slim fit with whisking as well as exposed threads giving the jeans a well-lived in feeling.
Destructed
Destructed, rather, blends rips and distressing, covering nearly the full spectrum. You’ll notice some fading, raw edges, and exposed threads, see spots worn nearly all the way through, and a few rips near the knees or along the upper thighs.
Shredded
As a third level, there’s shredded denim, occasionally called Eurotrash denim. DSquared2 exemplifies the aesthetic, but in a nutshell, you’ll see more rips, they cover more of the surface, and embellishments like paint splattering, bleach, studs, and embroidery give it an over-the-top character. It kind of gets into Jersey Shore/Ed Hardy territory, so tread carefully.
Best Shredded Jeans: DSquared2 Light Cloudy Washed Tidy Biker Jeans
DSquared2 is the gold standard for shredded jeans, typically with a skin-tight fit and highly decorative denim - think paint, bleach, embroidery in addition to holes and distressing. Keep the rest of your clothing simple to avoid overload.
Styling Distressed Denim
Like with wide-legged jeans, distressed jeans walk the line between an edgy statement piece and sloppy. What’s the difference between them? Simply put, it all comes down to fit, color, and add-ons.
Where can I wear ripped and distressed jeans?
Big picture, any denim ripped or distressed falls strictly within the casual category. And, unlike dark denim, it’s not ambiguous for the office.
Unless you’re in the most informal environment, you’ll save these for the weekends or for clubbing on a Friday night.
How should ripped jeans fit?
With the fit, slim to skinny is always the way to go. That way, it doesn’t look like you took a pair of jeans and attempted to scale a barbed-wire fence (but seriously failed to do so).
With the denim sitting closer to your skin, the rips and distressing seem almost intentionally placed, as if to break up the monotony.
What colors of denim should I pick?
Speaking of monotony, or at least a monochrome colorway, you can always have too much of a good thing. So, to let those rips stand out and make more of an impact, keep the denim’s shade neutral.
Anything light to dark indigo seems fairly standard, while black, gray, and even white let the distressing and rips emerge.
However, colors - even sky blue or royal - go over the top, and divert the eye in multiple directions. In short, you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be looking at.
How do I wear embellished jeans without being over the top?
And, finally, embellishments shouldn’t entirely feel random; these aren’t the high school jeans you drew all over and cut up.
Instead, rips are ideally placed at the knees or front upper thigh, and embroidery, studs, or fading around the top and sides and near the hem. Or, with fully blown-out knees, keep everything else to a minimum; otherwise, your jeans turn into the very definition of extra.
What to Wear with Distressed Denim
So, with these points in mind, what options do you have for wearing distressed denim? Here are four wardrobe pairings to get you started.
1990s Grunge
As a good starting spot, think of it from a retro angle: Not such much 80s hairband music, but more 90s Grunge.
Anything with a bit of space in them pairs well with a graphic tee, flannel or simply a plaid shirt, lace-up boots or high-tops, and a leather jacket if it’s cold out.
Essentially, it’s casual rockstar chic, without having to put in a ton of effort.
Sriracha Awesome Sauce T-Shirt
Wrangler Authentics Plaid Fleece Shirt
Dr. Martens 1460 Originals Lace-Up Boot
Modern Streetwear
As a modern-day baseline, distressed denim’s a cornerstone of streetwear. While nearly anything goes, still be mindful of colors and graphics - you don’t want to push the envelope too much.
Think about contrasts - for instance, ripped skinny denim with an oversized hoodie - or layering with a longer-length tee and a cropped moto jacket that hits at the hips.
Especially pay attention to these rules when you’re trying out a pair of shredded jeans or even distressed moto denim. In both of these instances, everything else you wear should play a secondary role.
Hanes Men's Full-Zip Eco-Smart Sweat Hoodie
GUESS Men's Faux Leather Hooded Moto Jacket
Classic Americana
Also on the casual end, but with a more Americana vibe, consider double denim. Yet, to avoid a matchy-matchy cowboy look, you’ve got two choices.
One, go for an assortment of washes and colors: For instance, a lighter chambray shirt with ripped black denim, or even dark-wash jeans with a white denim jacket.
Or, match the jacket and the jeans, but break it up with a contrasting tee or button-down in between.
Wrangler Western Style Unlined Denim Jacket
Carhartt Lightweight Chambray Button Front
Ripped Denim for a Night Out
As a final option, if you’re heading out, consider up-styling distressed denim. What seems contradictory adds variety to your typical tee-and-jeans-based ensembles.
In this case, swap out the tee for a button-down - shirttails out - and layer it with a blazer or solid-color bomber jacket.
Footwear-wise, aim for that casual-dressy spot typically occupied by Chelsea boots, lace-ups, and even oxfords.
COOFANDY Men's Casual Suit Blazer
Thursday Boot Company Duke Chelsea Boot
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Ivan Yaskey is a Philly-born menswear fashion blogger and copywriter. When not writing about men's style he's also an EDM and synthpop enthusiast.