How to Style Distressed Denim

Whether distressed denim is something you hate to love or love to hate, it’s one of those denim trends that seems to always come back. To some, wearing distressed jeans comes across as unsophisticated and dare I say, grungy, however the origins of it are far from being unsophisticated or uncalculated.

 Originating from the cultural punk movement in the 1970s, early punks would tear apart consumer goods as a way to express their anger towards society and the status quo. Twenty years later in the  1990s, North American and British punks continued to wear and popularise distressed denim; backed by ultra-celebs of the era like Iggy Pop and the late Kurt Cobain.

More recently, distressed denim has come back in a BIG way with Gen-Z celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Lili Reinhart & Gigi Hadid being spotted styling distressed denim in their own way.

Distressed denim certainly isn’t new or revolutionary, however it does tend to be one of those trends that people think they ‘can’t pull of’ when in fact, EVERYONE can pull off distressed denim – it all comes down to the styling!

Which is where we come in!

HOW TO STYLE DISTRESSED JEANS

BEGINNERS

If you’re just dipping your toe into the world of distressed denim, we recommend starting small. Our Mykonos Jeans are a great starting point – they’re a relaxed, slim boyfriend jean with a high-rise and minimal distressing – there’s just enough to give you a bit of that laid-back, ripped jean look, while still being tasteful.

These can easily be worn with a t-shirt and trainers or a heel and blazer for an elevated look.

INTERMEDIATE

If you’re a bit more comfortable wearing distressed denim our Soho jeans are perfect balance of slightly-edgy-but-still-put-together. Our Soho jeans have a slightly relaxed fit with a high rise waist and more prominent distressing on the leg.

These jeans pair well with a button down and sandals for a casual day time look or dressed up with a blouse and heels!

EXPERT

For those of you who already wear and love distressed denim, then our Sunday jeans are for you. They’re a super high rise, super wide leg and make a serious statement. 

A great guide for styling bold jeans like the Sunday’s is to keep your upper body styled down; think a black tank or white button down paired with a relatively neutral shoe.

Of course, we love an over-styled and over accessorised outfit, so as always we recommend wearing styling your super-distressed jeans in a way that makes YOU feel good.

We’d love to hear how you style your distressed jeans! What are your go-to pieces to wear with ripped denim?!

Don’t forget to tag us in your #denimtolivein @maviaustalia