What To Wear With Every Shade Of Denim

Denim: so easy to put on, and yet, so easy to get wrong. Unlike corduroy and velvet, which appear difficult (and indeed are), denim seems simple enough on the surface, but can be perilous to a man’s sartorial reputation. Take poor Justin Timberlake, for example, who still hasn’t lived down that double denim disaster some 15 years later.

When donning the most staple of workwear fabrics, the stakes are high, and each colour and wash requires an entirely different tack. With that in mind, here’s what to wear with the five most common shades to make sure you stay on the right side of history.

Dark Wash Denim

Unlike the other washes, what constitutes as ‘dark denim’ is up for discussion. For clarity, here we’re talking raw indigo and charcoal shades – essentially anything more or less uniform in colour that isn’t black.

As a rule of thumb, the darker the denim (and the less detailing), the better pieces lend themselves to being dressed up for more formal occasions. Yet despite this versatility, there are still a few things to consider.

How To Wear

Due to its relative stiffness, raw denim (which has been left unwashed after manufacturing) isn’t usually found in skinny fits. However, a slightly wider, slim- or straight-leg is no bad thing and will ensure that any early 2000s dodgy denim vibes are stopped in their tracks.

Whether combined with off-duty staples such as a sweatshirt or a blazer for a solid smart-casual mix, you’ll need to consider the balance of your overall outfit. Stiff denim tends to sit away from the body, so make sure that anything that you’re wearing up top and on your feet isn’t too form-fitting (read: no muscle-fit shirts).

While that’s off the menu, pretty much everything else is firmly on, be it colours (neutrals and primary tones work equally as well here), textures or other shades of denim.