what GQ has to say about raw denim.

[airfrogusmc]

AAHHH young pups. Patients grasshopper patients!!!!!

[rnrswitch]

i just don't see much of a point in arguing about the cleanliness of not washing your jeans to a board full of people of which about 98% care about the fade of their jeans, with the remaining 2% caring about how tight they are. Great (and by great i mean contrasting) fades come with repeated wear without washing. If you only care about quality and not about fade, go ahead and buy your sugarcanes, and wash them every time you wear them. Hell, maybe they'll look cool. But there's no need to call everyone who doesn't do that dirty. Maybe some people like it...I personally don't.

Bottom line: My choice of language may not always be the best. I tend to have a mouth on me. If you're here because you appreciate quality denim, keep on keepin on...but you won't earn any points by calling people who don't wash their jeans frequently dirty.

For some reason it has been accepted on this forum that a great fade means ultra high contrasty whiskers, etc. but isn't this a subjective statement? I think there are a few who like a more subdued fade.

[airfrogusmc]

Again its a personal thing. I like LVC buckle backs. (pre 37). I like to break my jeans in the way they MIGHT have been broken in in the day. Thats a person choice. Don't rip me cause thats my choice just like I won't rip you if you prefer to wash every other day. But my question is why would you spend the $$$ when if you want that look just get a pair of regualr STFs or Lees and rock & roll. Why would you even consider a pair of red line selvage?

[adsurgo]

so apparently the new denim trend is over reacting when someone says something remotely different from what you think, believe, follow, etc.?

[Jimmy Christ]

The fact is that many cowboys did care how their jeans faded. The obsessive use of starch and ironing to get the crease down the front is proof of that. I knew cowboys in my small little hick town who would purposely dragg themselves behind horses to "break" in their jeans.

Once, again. I have said this many times. Many youths in the 50s and 60s intentionally wore their brand new levis for a long time without washing to keep that dark blue look. This is nothing new for people in certain circles, mainly the rock and roll/rockabilly scenes. I remember I was at my buddies house and his dad is a big motorhead, just loves cars and motorcycles, and he commented on my lvc 47s saying that they looked nice and dark. I let him in on the jeans and that they were replicas. He immediately told me not to wash them for a year so that they wouldn't fade. Hey, what can I say dark denim rocks.

Once again... this is nothing new. GQ only sees the hypebeast portion of this trend and not the history and reason for the trend. If your jeans are as dirty as this dude makes them out to be then you definitely need to get them washed, but I think the idea that your clothes need to be washed after every wear is a rather new idea. About the last 20 years. As Airfrog said washing in the past was typically very infrequent, especially for people who didn't care about their jeans.

Well I stand corrected. It seemed unlikely to me that cowboys would go in for that sort of thing, but I guess this trend has been going for a long time.

Personally I feel that walking around in smelly clothes that are visibly dirty is something best left to tramps and hobos. Not that I won't endevour to leave as much time as possible between washes, but that is because I'm a casual superdenim trend victim.

[Aramyr]

Clothing really doesn't get very dirty from normal wear. Assuming you're showering daily, and don't spill food all over yourself, at least. Cleanliness is taken to pretty obsessive levels these days in terms of what we wear. For me, when it comes to jeans and pants in general, I'm not going to wash them unless they smell or something comes up where only a wash will do. Anyways, go read xcoldricex's post about the anti-bacterial properties of indigo!

[Guest jeffvyain]

I'm all about subdued fades as well, but even a subdued fade will require washing maybe once a month, and that of course, all depends on how hard you wear your jeans. If I were out sweating my ass off doing construction or something, I might wash them once every week or two (or maybe I still wouldn't). I longboard here and there...maybe a couple times a week, and aside from that, I just wear my jeans...to class, to dinner, sitting on my ass in front of a computer. I think the high contrast thing can look cool, but I prefer something a little more in between. I wash according to what my ideal fade would look like, and I expect most people on this board probably do the same. Whether that's once a week or once a year is up to that individual. We all share the same passion here...I honestly don't think telling someone they can fuck off after they call you dirty is much of an overreaction. There's been a lot of bashing on the board lately. I think everyone's getting a little antsy waiting for the Samurais to come. I know I am.

[digital_denim]

I assume this is the starting backlash of the trendiness of raw denim. People start buying into the trend and try to figure out how certain people get the effect, then they realize that some of us don't wash for months and didn't realize this was part of the deal. I say don't try and convince em, just let the bandwagoners jump off, and go back to buying predistressed denim. The faster the better I say.

[Geowu]

To some people it (raw denim) may be a trend, especially because it is not the kind of thing the average buyer likes, but I figure to others (us) it is not like a trend. It could be against the trend and I would still wear it for other reasons. If lots of people need to wash their jeans all the time, let them do it to raw denim, at least it's more interesting to see.

[artificialsky]

I longboard

get out.

[Dick Danger]

Clothing really doesn't get very dirty from normal wear.

What's normal? All of that dirtynesstypestuff came in the course of a normal day at work.

This shirt started life bright blaze orange, a couple of days ago.

[minya]

Haha, so THAT'S why your Warehouse jeans looked so fucking badass.

[Aramyr]

Construction is outside of normal for me, though maybe I should look into it, cause I love the wear I often see from that sort of physical labor. If I were doing really sweaty work, I'd probably end up washing more, though again, for me it comes down to smell/stain avoidance. Many routes to fine looking denim though, so as long is one is happy with how their pairs come out, wash or not as much as you like!

[Dick Danger]

For the record, we're not constructing a thing.

[Stalker McStalkerson]

Michael, don't look at this "months without wear" as a definitive time point. If your jeans are getting too dirty for wear within a week, then by all means wash them. As far as I know, CMF has washed his canes on two-four week intervals and they look great. I'm currently at my parent's ranch helping them with the harvesting, repairing, and plumbing (ugh); and going for months without wash would be a serious a test to my constitution and personal health. Nevertheless, my jeans are coming along nicely. In short, the "six months without wash" benchmark has room for leniency. If holding out for more than a week is excessive by your standards, then give them a wash. Nobody's going to hate on you for having clean jeans.

[Carl]

For the record, we're not constructing a thing.

Forest Service?

[merzbot]

dont ever discuss you thoughts on forum..thats not what they are for is it? if you dont agree with me than fuck off from here right now...yeah alright mate, what a f**king donut really are..carry on you divvy.

p.s to minya, yeah i did try it once with my first ever pair of sugar canes but couldnt carry on, it was driving me mad after about a month just the thought of how dirty they must be, albeit unseen dirt and mostly in my mind i would imagine.....so just washed them on cold wash and never did it with any of my other buys,

...

no bollocks to you mate.

--= wingadsfg

p.s. you and frogmella still shampoo one another's genitals?

[Peter Lawford]

so basically jusy dont was my paper & denim...ever

[horriblyjollyjinx]

why do you need to discuss this? just shut up and do whatever you want.

[Michael Hunt]

why do you need to discuss this? just shut up and do whatever you want.

Errm its a forum for discussion i thought??...But i should of realised only discussion that agrees with the regulars, if you dont your damned. So my new outlook on this subject is, not washing your jeans ever is the complete bollox the guvnor...And i am converted. Not really but getting hated is not a good look either. So its much easier to lie and go along with most of you to gain popularity instead.

[GoodHustle]

Errm its a forum for discussion i thought??...But i should of realised only discussion that agrees with the regulars, if you dont your damned. So my new outlook on this subject is, not washing your jeans ever is the complete bollox the guvnor...And i am converted. Not really but getting hated is not a good look either. So its much easier to lie and go along with most of you to gain popularity instead.

Honestly man, it seems like you are simply replying to a few knee jerk reactions, and are choosing to ignore the many constructive posts that people are making. Most people here actually do mean well and they are simply telling you that they do not strictly adhere to the 6 months - no wash rule. While people here might not wash their jeans every week, they still do take note of the odor / dirtyness of their jeans and wash within a reasonable amount of time or dry clean. It is really up to the individual to gauge the appropriate washing time, and that has been stressed repeatedly in this thread. Also, the only reason you might be getting a lot of hate is because you are calling people dirty, not because you think differently (and yes, there is a difference between calling people names and thinking differently).

[Michael Hunt]

the dirty bit is a joke, just humour, hence the use of silly words like git etc...only uber sensitive people would think otherwise... i know people do it for fashion reasons, but they are actually going 'against the norm' for this aquired look (and no matter what anyone says, it is not an average practise)) , cos if they wasnt they would leave all their clothes unwashed for six months to a year.

[cheapmuthafukr]

they are just jeans.

when they stink, wash.

whats the worst that can happen? falling indigo.

whats the best? you dont stink.

all this fighting over something so insignifigant.

we should have a supergay lovefest where we all meet and wash our jeans together in a pool of springwater and dr bronners, and 3 semi hot girls will cheer us on.

exaulted gods of raw denim... prepare to become one-wash!!

[mcflip]

dudes; please don't feed the trolls.

danke.

[tweeds]

they are just jeans.

when they stink, wash.

whats the worst that can happen? falling indigo.

whats the best? you dont stink.

all this fighting over something so insignifigant.

we should have a supergay lovefest where we all meet and wash our jeans together in a pool of springwater and dr bronners, and 3 semi hot girls will cheer us on.

exaulted gods of raw denim... prepare to become one-wash!!

how many times will i have to reuse this picture?

it goes against my superprinciples ie. never reuse the supergraphics

but i will have to do it

washing is cool, washing will not kill your jeans, if you like your contrast adjust your washing to your level of physical activity.

if you're like cmf who has sex in his jeans every 6 hours you won't need much time to get the jeans broken in and with great contrast. so you can wash every 2 weeks.

if you're like coldrice who does no other activity but jerking off under his med textbooks while seated on his bum you're going to need a bit longer.

in other news, LOSE THAT HYPERSENSITIVITY people.

[Jimmy Christ]

I assume this is the starting backlash of the trendiness of raw denim. People start buying into the trend and try to figure out how certain people get the effect, then they realize that some of us don't wash for months and didn't realize this was part of the deal. I say don't try and convince em, just let the bandwagoners jump off, and go back to buying predistressed denim. The faster the better I say.

What separates you from the 'bandwagoners'? You had to jump on board yourself at some point in the past.

[damnIam]

The main reason I prefer not to wash is because I wear older style LVCs. The originals were from a time before washing machines or when only few had washing machines. So for my LVCs to acquire that authentic look they need to be washed/soaked very sparingly.

Wash on but for me I'll keep waiting and soaking only.

In agreement.

[Guest jeffvyain]

what seperates him is the actual belief in what he's doing. i don't get why people are coming on here saying "oh my god, you don't wash your jeans?" to a board full of people that don't wash their jeans... what's the point?

i've never heard the word "git" in my life, else maybe that'd have made a bit more sense. pardon me for not being up to date with english slang. i have some serious OCD issues with washing my hands/face, etc. so even the word dirty makes me cringe. my jeans hardly ever get to the point of odor. i usually wash as soon as they get too oily for me to the point where if i touch them i feel like i have to wash my hands again. this results in ridiculously dry skin; hence, the need for wash.

[minya]

I think this topic's starting to run in circles.

Do what you want with your jeans: period, end of story.