Rule of Thumb on Fades/Washes

Torn, weathered, acid wash, sand blasted, white washed & countless other washes exist when it comes to the once basic jean.  Jeans are a staple to just about everyone's wardrobe.  Jeans are the perfect remedy for when you need to run out of the house to run errands, meet up with friends or family or simply lounging around.  However universal the jean used to be, the rule is, jeans are not that simple anymore.

Remember the days when jeans were jeans and matched with 99% of the tops in your closet?  This all suddenly changed within the last decade and now I find myself saying, "These jeans do not match."  For those of you who still believe jeans are a simple universal fix then you are going to benefit most from this post.

The general rule of thumb is, the darker the jean the more formal the jean.  Now, one thing I need to mention is that I do not consider a black 'jean', jeans.  The black 'jean' in my mind is a pant.  Ok, back to jeans.  You would not want to show up to Jean Friday at work in a pair of white or acid washed jeans.

Light jeans should only be worn during casual occasions.  The light jean is exactly what the jean used to be.  The everyday, universal fix to a wardrobe dilemma.

Medium fade jeans should be used for more than just running errands, but less than a work commitment or a more formal social event.

The darker fades are great for work.  With a dark jean you can throw on a nice Oxford style shirt along with a blazer.  However, if you have a dark wash but holes or tears, your best bet is to make that pair a casual set.  The weathered look is appropriate if you are still in high school and even college.  I would use extreme caution when wearing jeans that look like you have been pushed down the side of a rock quarry.

I hope these tip has helped clarify the cluttered world of jeans.