Here are my Good Societys (Lorna17) from New to 10 wears. (click to enlarge images)

My Sling & Stones Rachels (lorna17) from new to 40 ish wears, 1 soak and 1 wash.

Anthonys Nudie Slim Jim (pocket stitching removed) from almost new to 1 year old, 1 wash 1 dry clean.

Anthonys Dior at 1 year and 1 wash, 1 dry clean and plenty of soaks.

Anthonys 5010XX Skulls at 6 months wear.

blm14s Samurai S5000VX about 1 year 3 months but maybe 8 months actual wear.

Hismas Flathead F310 after 10 months and 2 washes.

Dirkdigles Nudie Dry Organic at 8 Months wear, No Wash.

Ndymiaws Nudie Womens TLJ at about 130 wears, no washes.

Plastic_alligators Good Society Skinny Raws at about 40 wears.

Plastic_alligators Pure Blue Japan at around 60 wears.

Blackcandy3s 19cm Diors at 6 months, 2 washes and 1 soak.

Tomatous’s Ande Whalls Jeans at 6 months wear and 1 wash.

So now you have seen how awesome raw denim can look after even just 10 wears, and how they change with each wear.  They are like a blank canvas to start with and how you wear them makes the art.

All images courtesy of Honestforum members.

The denim brand Good Society is releasing a new range on pre-order of colored denim.  There is a pinky red color, lilac and light gray in a skinny cut. I love Good Society because their denim is all organic! The fit on them is great and they look really cute.  I myself own a pair of Dry/Raw denim Good Societys and they are fantastic. I recommend this brand if you havent already tried them, they are not too expensive either. Most denim these days contains a lot of chemicals from the cotton growing process, so its nice that these are organic!  Want to give Good Society a try?  Check out Tobi for a great selection of the brand for men and women.

Good Society is a loosely connected organic movement driving global change. The core value of this movement is the belief that in all things we must love, will, and do good. The Good Society label takes fashion beyond useless, and often-destructive pretense by presenting an affordably priced, forward thinking collection that is fully sustainable – both ecologically and socially. The label centers around its collection of fairly traded 100% organic denim with clean styling and a fit that ensures it will be the pair you wear to look good and feel great.

I included some photos of progress on my raw Good Society jeans.  For more about Raw/Dry denim, check out our guide and forum!

That little jingle that used to play on the cotton commercials , “Cotton, the fabric of our lives”, could totally be changed to, “Denim, the fabric of our lives”! Now I realize that denim is made from cotton. I also realize you can get denim shoes and occasionally denim furniture, but I didn’t realize that you can get Denim Plates!!! Goodness! Denim PLATES?!?! 

From Style.com: Candy Pratt’s denim must haves for the season.

My best friend Kate is huge Dry Denim enthusiast. “Why would I want to buy jeans that are made to look like I already wore them? I just don’t get it,” she says, “What I do, is buy raw denim and, at first, they may be awful, but then I sit in my bathtub wearing them, and soak in them…and then I wear them til they’re practically dry on me…Oh my gosh! It is toruture! But totally worth it…” she squeals… “Then, I wear them constantly, do crazy things like lunges in them, jump around in them, maybe even work out in them, dance around the house in them, and of course, I never wash them…Then they behave. Then it’s not as if it looks like I broke them in…because, I actually did! The best part is when they get all of the creases in them…around the backs of my knees and on my legs…and they are my creases. Man, I wish they were more of a girl thing though…it’s so hard to find great women’s dry jeans.  Love my Levi’s though!”

Brand New Raw Denim After their First Soak in the Tub!

I can remember one week last year when Kate came to visit me. She had the most amazing pair of Levi’s on. When I say amazing, I mean really amazing. They were the kind of jeans that look like you had to lay down to get them on, but really, she didn’t have to do that at all. She just glided right into them. They were straight leg and just slightly high waisted…but nothing too trendy. And as she had mentioned in her previous dissertation on broken in dry denim, they were faded everywhere, just right to her body.  What was the secret? They were dry denim of course.

So What is Dry Denim?

So, maybe many of you already know about Dry Denim, or, as it is sometimes called, “Raw” Denim. Dry Denim is, in fact, developing a cult following these days with huge fan forum’s and websites out there.  Like my best friend, there are many people who agree, that a natural fit and fade to one’s own body, is preferable to a fade that is made to order. There are companies out there that are specifically devoted to Dry Denim and guys and girls alike who refuse to buy anything else.  Finding Dry denim for women, however, I do have to agree is typically more challenging, and much of the women’s dry denim is…well…watered down a bit…but…let’s get down to basics first…

Characterized by its unaffected state, Dry Denim relies on the denim and the wearer themselves to get the material and color to that cozy and, if you will, sometimes destroyed stage that we love so much. Denim is an American Favorite for many reasons. The main basis, I would venture to say, is it’s comfort factor. No matter what style we make a jean (skinny, wide, boot, boyfriend, straight, etc), they still remain pretty comfortable. There is pretty much nothing we can do to make denim uncomfortable (ok, there are times when we wear it too tight and yes, that crosses the line!). But, as a whole, denim’s ability to soften up and adhere to your particular body, creating, at times, an almost cashmere feel, is what has made the industry impenetrable and the look iconic (understatement). The difference between Dry Denim and the majority of our designer denim favorites today is that the makers of dry denim are leaving it completely up to the denim and you to do the softening and wearing….they are taking themselves out of the equation. Way to trust the jeans!

So, although it certainly is not the quickest way to an A+ fit, it seems to be the most authentic these days.

Pictures of Dry Denim

Nudie Dry Denim -Bran New & Unwashed

Levi's 501s after no washing and 1 month of everyday wear

GStar Raw Midge after 7 Months of Wear and no washes yet!

ALD Denim with 1 year of Heavy Wear and NO WASHES!

Mens Styles of Dry Denim

From Left: COH Perfect Selvage Bootcut; Gilded Age Wilson Pant Selvage Raw

From Left: Helmut Lang Raw S2; Nudie Slim Jim Dry Broken Twill

From Left: Kicking Mule Workshop 1950 Classic Raw & 2010 Straight Raw

Womens Styles of Dry Denim

From Left: Earnest Sewn Harlan Cigarette One Rinse; Nudie Slim Kim Organic Dry Ecru

From Left: G-Star Raw 110; Cheap Monday Tight & Cheap Unwashed

From Left: Level 99 Kate Dry; ACNE Hex Dry DC Jeans

Dry Denim- Major Brands

• Nudie
• Levi’s
• Earnest Sewn
• Sling & Stones
• Samurai
• Atelier LaDurance
• APC
• Pure Blue
• Flat Head
• Evisu
• Eternal
• Sugarcane
• Skull
• Warehouse
• Fullcount
• ACNE
• Pace
• Cheap Mondays
• Denimbirds
• Julian Red
• Tsubi
• GStar
• Kicking Mule Workshop
• Gilded Age
• Oni
• Paul Smith
• Naked & Famous
• Dior
• Diesel

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE TECHNICAL DEFINITION OF DRY DENIM?

Dry or Raw denim is denim fabric that is not washed during the production phase, after the color treatment process. Unlike most denim, the makers of Dry or Raw Denim allow this process to happen in a natural aging cycle of the denim fabric itself, instead of speeding it up to creating a “desirable” purchase look.

WHY WOULD I WANT TO BUY DRY DENIM?

Most people who are dry denim enthusiasts feel that these jeans are truly a pair of jeans that are going to be fit and worn to your specific body. Because Dry Denim is not going to have wear to it when you first receive them, the denim will then only be affected by your daily life, by your activities, by your unique set of experiences, making each mark, line and even tear, authentic to not only the brand, but to you.

WHY DO MOST DENIM MAKERS WASH DENIM TO BEGIN WITH THEN?

Washing denim after the dye process creates a few typical appearances such as “softening” “distressing” “creasing” “whiskering” “fading” etc.. Concurrently, washing denim after the dye process can also prevent some certain negative affects such shrinkage, although not usually to an ideal, as we all can attest I’m certain! While dry denim is definitely going to be more exclusive to you than a pair of pre-distressed jeans, they don’t necessarily get that way over night. So, be prepared to wear them, and wear them hard! Most Dry Denim enthusiasts will not wash their jeans for 6 months or even longer…!

I’VE HEARD OF SELVAGE DENIM… WHAT IS THAT? AND WHY IT IS UNCOMMON?

Selvage is from the term “self-edge” and has more to do with the inside roll or “edge” on a pair of jeans than the actual denim itself. However, you’re certainly most likely to find selvage in a pair of dry denim jeans…although they are mutually exclusive. A selvage edge, or roll, is usually done running along the edge of the denim’s outseam. Yet, it is only selvage when the seaming is done in a certain and very meticulous way.

Have you ever noticed that when some jeans are cuffed up, the seaming looks extremely finishes and clean—like the edge was made look visible? As if the seam could never come undone? Well, if you’ve seen that, then you were probably looking at selvage denim. This is an extremely high quality finish from an old school “shuttle loom”. Unfortunately though, not all of today’s denim is made on a shuttle loom—in fact, most is not. Using a shuttle loom to create denim in today’s world is a very costly (not to mention lengthy) process. And, although the finished result is a tighter and superior quality weave, most companies began to use a different method called the “projectile loom” back in the ‘50’s to save material and labor cost. Consequently, not too many selvage options at your local malls….

Here’s some pictures of Selvage…

Selvage Denim from Paul Smith,

Selvage Denim from Sugarcane

Citizens of Humanity Riley Selvage in Digger

OK, ENOUGH OF THE SELVAGE…I GET IT!  ONTO THE OTHER “S”…WHAT IS SANFORIZING ?????

That one’s pretty easy! Think of sanforizing as a dry denim maker’s way to preshrink your denim material without ever effecting the way it will be colored or faded. Pretty great. Not every pair of dry jeans is sanforized though…that’s where soaking comes into play…

YES…YOU DID MENTION SOAKING IN THE BEGINNING. AM I REALLY SUPPOSED TO SIT IN THE BATH IN MY JEANS?

Yes. And no. This is a pretty controversial method. Not everyone recommends it. And, in fact, some people are vehemently against it! Soaking denim while you are wearing the denim (ie in the tub) is usually recommended by jeans that have not been sanforized (remember—that means they haven’t shrunk yet). By doing this, the denim is going to shrink right to your body and yet, it will not shrink past your body. That’s why people recommend actually wearing them while you’re soaking. Use warm water, as this will allow the fabric fibers to really expand…and then…as they dry, contract, creating that shrink and fit that you’re looking for. The soaking process also helps to break jeans in a little more quickly and fade the denim fast. Please, just don’t forget, if your denim is sanforized, your purchase is true-to-size, and this process is not for you! You’ll definitely want to preserve that cut and might make the jeans too small!

If you’re not like my friend Kate and you’re not into running around in wet denim, your best bet is to fill your pants up with heavy wide items that you don’t mind ruining, like some big ol’ textbooks. Some people recommend inside out-ting your denim, others say no…as you may be gathering at this point, the soaking and washing practices have garnered more than a few opinions…Ahhh…sigh…fashion…

I HAVE MY JEANS PERFECT NOW! BUT THEY STINK! HOW DO I WASH THEM?

The standard dry denim wash recommendation is six months. Washing dry denim too soon won’t ruin your denim, however, it will ruin your faded pattern. It will take your jeans from whiskered and destroyed to a bit more evenly colored. This long-time-no-wash-standard is one of the reasons that dry denim is not for everyone.

Lorna’s note – What does count though is how much you wear these jeans, washing is not too important unless you have a brand like Nudie where the colour will fade extremely fast, you just have to make sure that you wear them as much as possible to ensure you are getting those creases and fades you desire. It is best to wait as long as possible before your first wash though as the starchiness to the denim will go away once it’s washed and then it does make it harder for the creases to set in. I own 2 raw jeans myself, Sling & Stones and Good Society and they are very hard to break in but it’s definitely worth it. I also put together a post where you can see other forum members raw denim after it’s been worn and washed. Click here to view it.

Regardless of when you wash however, the method is pretty much the same: Wash Alone, Wash Cold, Wash Inside Out, Wash Using Gentle Non-Bleach detergents, and Last, but not least, whether washing or soaking, make sure you line dry those puppies!

SO…ARE YOU READY TO DIVE INTO DRY…

SHOP NOW!

• ShopBop
• Yoox
• RevolveClothing
• eLuxury

And last but certainly not least…

Also, be sure to check out Dry Denim Community for lots of great tips for hemming and wearing…as well as our user friendly forum to ask of all the questions you need to break in your denim right and bring them to the look you have been hoping for!

The High School Musical gang Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron did a photoshoot for Elle magazine.  Zac is wearing Nudie jeans above and APC jeans below.   Ashley Tisdale is also wearing a Rock & Republic leather jacket below.  I love these photos - they so classic looking! You can see the full selection at Elle.com

Photos courtesy of Elle.com

The fantastic company Sling & Stones have created a new line of raw denim specifically for Kiya at www.selfedge.com, the new line is just for us lucky ladies! Coming this weekend to Selfedge! They are completely re-designed raw denim, they are made from 95% pima cotton and 5% polyurethane, the cuts are designed just like the Good Society range and the gold button is round this time, not square! That should be less painful on our thumbs! Also there will be no inverted yoke on the back.

Highlighted with unique aesthetic qualities such as 24kt gold plated buttons, stylized yokes, and 24kt gold plated embroidery thread; Sling & Stones offers you true luxury, eco-premium denims. Their ambitions of being socially responsible, all Sling & Stones pocket bags and binding fabric use certified fair trade, organic, hand picked Tanguis cotton from Peru.

I’m so pleased about this new line of raw denim, Sling & Stones hot designer should definitely be proud. I love what S&S stands for, fair trade and helping those who need it, you guys are awesome!

To learn more about raw/dry denim, check out HonestForum’s Dry Denim section.

Ex Supermodel Cindy Crawford was spotted in a sleek pair of J Brand skinnies at the Poppy Store Opening on April 15.  I have to say she is looking quite amazing and could sell me a pair of J Brand Jeans any day.  If only we could all age this well!

Pictured below with the ever adorable Reese Witherspoon who also attended the opening.

Editor of the blog, Liane and Director of HonestForum, Dave met up in freezing New York City during Fashion Week and hit up Atrium, a really cool denim shop in Soho. We met one of the sales staff there who wore a pair of raw denim Nudies that he’s had for 5 years and only washed a few times by hand. They looked really cool, makes us want to try a pair! This is definitely a shop to check out if you are ever in Soho!

Dry or Raw Denim is an unwashed denim treated with indigo dyes. Due to the nature of indigo dyes, the color fades and bleeds quickly. For those uninitiated with dry denim, one should try to wear the jeans as often as possible and post-pone washing them for as long as is tolerable (6 months to a year). The end result is a completely personal wash that denim designers constantly strive to reproduce. Take care around as these may bleed on white shoes and tops.

Check out the sale going on over at DenimBarOnline.com They have April 77 Joey Overdrive jeans in 1955 Dry for $75.00 and Denimbirds for $46.25 and lots of other great raw denim sales! Also Aqui is having a sale on its Nudie Super Slim Kims for $110.00 which is a great deal as they’re usually around $154!

In related news, HonestForum just opened up a new section devoted strictly to Dry Denim, so head over there if you want to discuss it some more.

We found this article on MensFlair.com very interesting about raw denim (aka dry denim) and thought we’d pass it on. Have you tried Raw denim yet? It is supposedly better for the environment due to the lack of processing the jeans go through at the manufacturer because there is less waste product made.

One of the biggest trends in jeans at the moment is raw denim, referring to jeans that have not ever been treated or washed with chemicals. While at first they are stiff and almost feel like a corset for your legs, they will over time both expand and conform to your body, becoming unique to your shape.

One of the most important things when buying a pair is that they fit like a glove (a very tight one) from the onset. When you try them on, they should be so tight that it is at first difficult to pull them up. I recently bought a pair of A.P.C raw denim jeans and thought I was going to have a stress-induced stroke just trying to close the top button. The reason for this is that in just a few months, the jeans will expand and gain at very least, an inch in the waist.

When you first wear them, they feel incredibly stiff and movement itself is quite limited. This sensation takes a few months to go away completely as the jeans are broken in, but they become manageable even after the first full day of wearing them. You can speed this process by wearing them around the house and just moving in them. An important caveat, however, is that they may bleed onto light colored shoes or surfaces so you must be wary for the first few days of this.

When you have your jeans, it’s important to not wash them for least six months. During this period, they are still conforming to your body and washing them will severely interrupt this process. If they become unbearably dirty, you can have them dry cleaned or even put them in the freezer to get rid of any odor. On the A.P.C. ‘instruction manual’ that came with the pair I bought, one of the more extreme washing remedies advised, “Let your jeans get dirty for as long as possible, go swimming in the ocean wearing your jeans, rub your jeans with dry sand, and repeat several times. Rinse in fresh (not salt) water and let dry in the sun).” Besides possibly accelerating the deterioration process, I see no real world benefit in engaging in such time consuming and obsessive behavior.

If you are not the kind of person who likes neither the idea of having an instruction manual for your jeans nor having to work at getting them broken in, do not buy raw denim jeans. For those who are willing to work at it, the end result is both gratifying and rewarding. After six months of wear, your jeans will show lines and creases at natural places on your body and will tell a story about you. They will fit you better than any other pair of jeans you have ever owned previously and like life’s battle scares, you’ll be damn proud of the story behind every rip and hole in them.

I recommend A.P.C’s “New Cure” jeans ($140), which have a tapered leg and no unnecessary or pretentious markings or logos.

Editor’s Note: We happen to like unnecessary and pretentious markings and logos now and then! What’s wrong with that?! If you want to try some raw denim, there’s quite a selection at ShopBop.com

Admin Note:  HonestForum now has a brand new section devoted strictly to Dry Denim