‘I think it’s time for a pair of new jeans…’ is the ultimate parent joke which has been being made by older people about younger people who are wearing frayed, ripped at the knees or cut off jeans since the dawn of time.
Well, mum, I’ll have you know that these are actually new jeans and you probably don’t know this but they’re actually bang on trend. I’m wearing them because I’m hip. These jeans are so close to the cutting edge of fashion that they’ve been shredded by it. They’re so sharp that they’d probably cut you if you touched them.
Rips at the knees, in fact, are pretty last season. Raw hems are ‘the thing’ right now, especially if they sit an inch or so above your ankle. Indeed cult brand du jour Vetements (French for clothes, so postmodern, right) and their ragged jeans seem to be everywhere. These particular specimens are actually made from two pairs of vintage jeans which are stitched together and left with a frayed hem which is higher at the front of the ankle than it is at the back. Also, by the way, these new but actually old jeans cost £790.
How can you get the frayed look as seen on the catwalk of other coveted brands like Marques Almeida without the price tag? Well, happily, wherever high fashion goes its little sister, the high street, is always following a few steps behind. We took a little trip down Oxford Street to find all the best distressed denim on offer:
1. Zara
This denim playsuit is baggy and super comfy. It could be worn over a bikini on holiday or dressed up with heels to take you from dinner to the club. The edges are artfully and subtly frayed.
Denim playsuit, £29.99
2. New Look
If it ain't broke...don't fix it. Just fray it a bit. A frayed take on the classic denim midi skirt, there's nothing not to like here.
Denim midi skirt £17.24
3. Topshop
A tunic dress that, again, could be dressed up or down. Brilliantly baggy, would look great with a tshirt underneath or worn alone. The fraying on this one is exemplary.
Bleach denim dress, £39.00
4. Topshop
Extra shout out for Topshop here, I know, but their frayed denim game is very strong rn. A denim jacket to trump all jackets.
White long line denim jacket £60
5. River Island
River Island has taken distressed denim to the max with these guys - the hem on this pair of jeans is completely frayed, there's about 3 inches of detailed distressed denim here. They actually look pretty great on which I wasn't expecting.
Frayed hem jeans, £42.00
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.