Stand out Style

Jeaneology: The Ramones

Dirty Jeans You Don't Have to Get Dirty In?

Dirty jeans are earned. They have to be mowed, waxed,painted in, or worn while sliding to third base while smoking a stack of ribs. Those are the authentic ways, anyway, according to Nic Screws at Esquire. But low and behold, as Screws points out- there's an easier way- the Diesel way. The veteran denim mega-brand introduced its Dirty New Age Denim line — a collection of artificially distressed jeans inspired by "dirty jobs" like those performed by bike messengers, pastry chefs, and action painters. Each pair of jeans goes through several stages of washing and handcrafting to accomplish the look of grubbiness. Through a step Diesel calls 3D Evolution the denim is covered in resin and stressed to loosen the shape. Then grass, mud, and sand are hand-applied to reach the desired level of filth. Other variations include splattered raw paint and threads colored with foam. A couple of years back, they were available at diesel.com and ran from $160 to $380. A real bargain for getting out of yard work.

But the concept of pre-soiled dirty jeans makes us here at ODD wonder... Are we interested in a guy who fakes his filth? 
Sure, we love the subtle look of your jeans after completing a mud wrestling bull ride, but where's the authenticity? Isn't that the idea that we fell in love with in the first place? Either way, faux dirt & true mud slingers alike, can all agree one thing- everybody likes it dirty. 

Denim Buying Made Easy

This one's for the boys!
While scanning the pages of Men's Health, we couldn't help but share the wisdom on what some would consider -Jeans Shopping For Dummies-. Tips from an expert shopper and stylist are sometimes hard to come by, so we'll waste no time with getting to #1

#1. Go to a specialist denim store

   If there's a sales associate there, don't be afraid to ask them questions! Levi's Regional Operations Manager Karl Wederell says, "they know the fabrics, and they know the styles."

#2. Consider what style will fit you best

   THEN GET A SECOND OPINION! Not everyone can pull of skinny jeans...

#3. Think about when you're going to wear them the most

   Are you looking for a dressed up pair for work? Or are you after a slouchy pair for the weekend?

#4. When in doubt, go for Dark Indigo

   Nothing beats a guy in a pair of dark wash jeans. "No one looks bad in a really good-fitting pair of dark denim", Wedrell says. We agree! It's slimming on the gals and adds a touch of class for the guys. It's a subtle way to add a lil somethin somethin without doing the MOST.

#5. Get the HOLE Truth!

   When it comes to worn-in denim, there's a difference between distressed and indecent. "breakages are good, but avoid anything too aggressive",says Justin Ng, merchandise and wholesale manager for Calvin Klein Jeans. “You don’t want any holes that you can fit your hand through.” Keep the look but stop the holes from expanding by asking a tailor to reinforce the areas from the inside with denim patches.

#6. Remember...SIZE MATTERS

   “The most common mistake when buying jeans is to get a pair that fits comfortably in the shop, only to find they’re too loose three days later,” says Wederell. “When you try them on, you want the jeans to be slightly too tight and uncomfortable. As long as you can get the top button done up they should be fine. Over time, the denim relaxes and will stretch.”
The best changing-room tactic to tell if those new jeans fit you right? Ask your girl. If she isn’t around, make sure the jeans sit where you want them without a belt. The belt should be an optional extra – almost an accessory. Basically, if you need a belt or any other tool to hold up your jeans, it’s time to go down a size or two.

#7. To Wash or not wash...That is the Question

(Quite frankly, we don't care what the hell this guy does- as long as we can watch)

• The debate: should you wash your jeans?

• The purist: “I wash my jeans maybe once a year,” says Wederell. “Personally, what I do instead is, on a hot, dry day, I’ll turn them inside out and hang them out on the line to air them out and kill the bacteria.”

• The everyman: Jeans starting to pong? “Wash them inside out with cold water and a liquid detergent – powder never completely washes out of the twill,” advises Wederell. And don’t put them in a dryer – heat will shrink the cotton and tumbling in a metal machine is abrasive to the fabric. 

• The inside tip: Got a dark pair of jeans and want to preserve the colour? The first time you wash them, add a dessert spoonful of salt to the machine. “It sets the indigo dye onto the cotton,” says Wederell.