Can washes of denim be dated? - YouLookFab Forum

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Can washes of denim be dated?

catgirl

Veteran

We are having this debate on AJ's thread, and I thought I'd throw it out there. I have discovered that I have certain semi-unconscious associations with certain washes (men's jeans, 80s, etc.).

Obvious things like green acid wash aside, can just shades of blue or fade patterns be dated? If so, how in your mind? I'm not great at describing the differences - it's more a case of "I know it when I see it". Are certain washes classic to the point of being wearable all the time, no matter what the trend?

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from AJ

Anonymous

I really take it on a case by case basis. To me,it is hard to find dated washes now, unless you are thrift shopping or buying denim targeted for an older audience. As far as the second premise, nothing is really timeless in the fashion world to me, unless you are talking Channel, so no, I really don't think a wash is truly timeless.

MsMary

Veteran

I think washes of denim, like anything else, change over time and are therefore susceptible to being dated.

Anonymous

Yes! What comes to mind are about half of the washes shown in these men's Levi's. That real uniform, medium blue and variations thereof, particularly "dark stonewash" and "stonewash."

http://www.kohls.com/product/p.....ns-men.jsp

AJ

Veteran

Maybe it's just the Levi's brand?

Does this wash from Gap make you react the same way?
http://www.gap.com/browse/prod.....=351529002

Sarah A

Veteran

I think the wash/cut combination is particularly important in the dated zone. Anne did show some great examples. Uniform light stonewashes and lightning acid looks seems to come to mind. A particular brown undercast with a lot of fleck in the weave usually says dated to me too, unless worn for ranch work where i think it can work with a pearl snap western shirt.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Like Anne, I think of that midtone, uniform blue as mom-jean ish. However, I really find it is a combination of cut and wash.

I just bought these the other day (yes, I caved to a pair of ankle length, and in a light wash): http://www.anthropologie.com/a.....513416.jsp. I see a lot of light washes I don't love, and I didnt want distressed and holey, but these appealed to me. I hope they don't trigger "dated" thoughts.

Anonymous

The ones that jump out to me are the "dirty" wash, and acid washed. Both of those look dated to my eye. Everything else can be ok, depends on the cut of the jean also.

Anonymous

AJ - I like the wash on the ones you linked to. I think there's enough gradiation and variation to make them look like they have a history, you know?

Anonymous

Janet - I think the Pilcro ones you bought are fine, too. Again, there's variation in the wash, worn spots, etc.

An aside - how do you like the Pilcro brand? Maybe it's been around awhile, but I've only noticed this brand on Anthro online this season and it seems reasonably priced.

DeclawedJaguar

Veteran

Anne, Pilcro is an Anthro house brand. They've been around a while. I find their quality very good, and the price point a little lower than other Anthro alternatives. Hope this helps.

ETA: I personally strongly dislike that medium blue wash of jeans on myself. Mostly because it triggers memories of unflattering jeans I had to wear as a teen due to lack of choice. So to me it seems dated and mom-ish, although clearly it is more about me than about the wash itself.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Anne, I haven't worn the Pilcro jeans yet since it's been cold and nasty here, and I'm waiting for a bit more springlike weather to break them out. But I liked them on me more than I expected to. They have just a bit of stretch, and they're soft to the touch, which I like. We'll see how they wear and wash!

Thistle

Veteran

Yes, I think a wash can be dated. anyone else remember the "acid" washed jeans of the 80s?

There are certain colors I associate with men's jeans, mom jeans, and the 80s and 90s. Might just be me.

catgirl

Veteran

That mid-blue (think high waist pleated Lee jeans from the late 80/s/early 90s) and the stonewash faded colors that Anne linked to are what seem dated and/or guy-like to me. I don't have a problem with DH wearing them, but I find them meh/mom-jeans on women. There's also a certain light blue in women's jeans that I see at the thrift stores all the time, often in elastic waist or Wal-mart brand.

AJ, hope you are not mad at me now! Have you tried the Gap SBFs?

cciele

Veteran

Yup, I have the same associations you guys do regarding the midblue, stonewash, and acid wash jeans.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I recently shelved no less than 5 pair of jeans due to "mom" jean style. I had been holding on to them for years for no apparent reason (they fit terribly and didn't flatter at ALL). They ranged from dark wash to medium wash but all seemed very "evenly" dyed. And too high waisted. And just oddly shaped. Several were Levis brand bought from a dept. store. And at the time I thought they were OK. Yikes! Those Levis linked above are a great example of what I call an "even " wash - at least to my eye. And DH would wear those. I wouldn't unless they were gardening jeans.

I like a faded, distressed, "vintage" look right now - or a darker wash with some distressing and whiskering. I have some total dark wash but they seem to "read" as just dark pants, not so much as jeans. I don't reach for them much right now.

Nicole in OC

In my opinion, jean washes can certainly look dated but it's hard to describe. I just know it when I see it. It's probably the same as most others, the light medium stone wash that I associate with old (and sometimes old man)... and of course acid wash..

rae

(website)

Veteran

What MaryK said, 100%. I saw the same as you in AJ's thread - that very uniform blue wash didn't seem very "today."

Echo

Veteran

I have really dated assosications with that mid-tone, too-vibrant blue. It isn't faded so much as simply unnatural. I have never like the dirty-wash jeans where they look yellowish or brownish, as I think they just look unwashed and nasty. 80's acid wash can be worn in a kind of tongue-in-cheek sort of way, as long as it is intentional and not costumey.

People have mentioned cut and colour, but I think fabric plays a big part in this, too. There are those jeans that have almost vertical slubs or fade lines that scream dated, and jeans that have too little cotton content take on a non-denim-like dark colour in dark washes. Half the time it is the fabric that dates the jeans to me more than the colour.

Anonymous

I am dying to get home and check on those AJ jeans again. I swear, I can see distressing at the thigh, from both Ipad and iphone.

Una, out of curiosity, did the jeans I was wearing when we met gave you the same impression? You can be frank that's not going to make me stop wearing them, I swear.

catgirl

Veteran

Zap, no. (And you know I'll always be honest with you!). But your jeans were also a very different fit (weren't you wearing them with those hot boots?) - no one would ever mistake them for thrifted "old man" jeans! This is where I think fit and fabric intersect...

Anonymous

Ah ok cause I swear, those are very close to AJs. Yep, I had the cognac booties, in summer nevertheless.

Jjsloane

Veteran

For me the dating can come from the fit, the wash and the heft of the fabric. On the men's Levi's Anne linked to II think it's uniformity of the fading and the fact that they are still so stiff that makes them seem less modern (that and they look like Dad jeans). The softness of the premium denims and the Gaps linked to makes them seem authentically faded (like the old Levi's that you had to wash and wear 1,000 times to get them that way) that is most pleasing to the eye.

AJ

Veteran

I'm giggling over this denim debate that my k/r post started. I had hesitations about the jeans in the dressing room; that's why I requested feedback.

The fabric is also the stiffer type, not the modern soft, drapey kind.

K can shop gave me a great analysis of those jeans:
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ouchy-jean

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!