In 2025, the ripped, destroyed, and destructed denim trend is expected to be stronger than ever. Ripped, frayed, and patchwork details are dominating, giving jeans a raw, DIY feel. To style, wear with statement tees or simple knitwear for an edgy yet casual outfit
Ripped jeans have been with us for many decades in a variety of iterations; they don’t look to be going anywhere anytime soon. “Distressed jeans could be making a comeback in 2025 as we saw on the spring/summer runways, including Ralph Lauren,” says fashion expert and stylist Naina Singla. She adds, “This time around, the look feels more effortless and intentional rather than overly ripped and casual.” If you’ve never gone with a pair of denim that has rips, tears, whiskering, or even a frayed edge, it’s easier than you might think to incorporate it into your wardrobe.
Gone are the deeply distressed skinny jeans of the ’00s, replaced by looser styles that have more strategic rips and tears that make them easier to wear. If you’re hoping to try the trend out for yourself or just need to know how to style them, read on.
The History of Ripped Denim
Ripped jeans weren’t originally focused on style, according to fashion historian Einav Rabinovitch-Fox. “Jeans were for a long time associated with the working class and with poverty. Since it’s a sturdy fabric, it was often worn as workwear in mines and farming and even worn as prison uniforms. So, ripped jeans were often worn by poor people who couldn’t afford to buy new ones.”By the ’60s and ’70s, though, ripped jeans became a more artful look, embraced by the hippie and counterculture movements (Rabinovitch-Fox cites James Dean and Marlon Brando as two film icons who sported the style). “Ripped jeans became another statement of rebellion, mostly by the punk movement but also in the US as a rebellion against capitalism and consumer culture,” she adds. By the ’80s, designer jeans had jumped on the trend, including Calvin Klein (like the distressed shorts in their 1992 sportswear collection, pictured above), Vivienne Westwood, Diesel, and other luxury brands.
“Jeans themselves became ‘fashion,’ and their rebellious association got commercialized and turned into a luxury item,” explains Rabinovitch-Fox. “Ripped jeans were now marketed as ‘distressed jeans.’ In that same decade, she says musicians began adopting the look, using more extreme rips and tears to indicate an edgy style,” she says. “Like any other fashion statement that started as part of a political statement, ripped jeans were co-opted into fashion and became a trend.”
In the early 2000s, ripped jeans were usually ultra-low rise and heavily distressed, often worn with big belts and crop tops. But their 21st-century evolution has been a positive one, according to Singla. “In the 2010s, skinny jeans remained dominant, and ripped styles became more polished, with strategically placed knee slits and frayed hems. By the 2020s, the rise of relaxed and wide-leg denim shifted the look once again, with distressing becoming more subtle and intentional.” In its modern iteration, Singla calls that look “more refined and wearable” than in decades past.
The Modern Ripped Jean Trend
The modern frayed jean is a more thoughtful stylistic choice, explains Rabinovitch-Fox. “It actually takes a lot of work to create distressed jeans or natural rips, as denim is a pretty sturdy fabric, and you need a lot of stonewashes and other treatments to make it soft.”
Thus, distressing techniques have become more refined, explains Stitch Fix stylist Anne Seghi. “Ripped jeans have evolved with stretch denim and reinforced distressing, making them more comfortable and durable while maintaining their edgy look. Brands now pay closer attention to the placement of the tears, ensuring they’re stylish without compromising wearability.”
Singla regularly reminds her clients that today’s ripped jeans are highly different from the versions we have worn in past decades. “Clients ask me if they can still wear their ripped or distressed jeans, and most of the time, they’re referring to skinny or low-rise styles from the 2000s,” she explains. “My advice is always the same: if you love distressed denim, keep wearing it, but try updating your wardrobe with fresh silhouettes. Wide leg, straight, or relaxed slouchy jeans feel much more current.”
How to Wear Ripped Jeans
Ripped jeans can add an extra dimension to your look, bringing a slightly messy and vintage feel to the look. Pair them with more tailored pieces, such as jackets or sleek footwear, Singla explains. “A great way to wear the trend without looking sloppy is to pair wide leg, relaxed distressed denim with something more polished, like a cropped structured blazer and pointy toe mules. The mix of casual and elevated pieces creates the perfect balance, keeping the outfit modern and put together without feeling overdone.” You can also keep the whole outfit casual with slouchy knits and sneakers, really leaning into the low-key and oversized elements of the style, says Seghi. “I love pairing distressed denim with a chambray top for a denim-on-denim look, embracing a Western-inspired vibe in line with one of Stitch Fix’s top trends for 2025: Ranch Revival.”
This might sound obvious, but you’ll want to keep in mind the context in which you’re wearing your ripped jeans. “Ripped jeans are super versatile, but they might not fly at formal events or in corporate settings with strict dress codes,” says Seghi. “If you’re aiming for a polished look, opt for dark wash denim with subtle distressing, or limit the rips completely and stick to a raw hem for a more refined take.” Adds Singla, “Distressed jeans are best worn in casual or creative settings where a relaxed look is appropriate. They’re great for weekends, brunch, casual outings, or even a night out when styled with more polished pieces.” You can even select the wash strategically: light with bigger rips for casual daytime outfits, dark with more subtle distressing for nighttime, explains Seghi.
You’ll also want to think about what your jeans mean to you and how to properly honor the materiality. “In the past, people invested a long time [distressing their jeans] or just wore them until they got soft and ripped…A ‘naturally’ ripped jean was a badge of honor; it meant that your jeans went a long way with you; every tear had a story behind it, a memory, so people cherished their old, used, soft, ripped jeans. Now, you can buy the same thing in the store, but without all the memories and experiences that go with it, so it loses some of the magic,” says Rabinovitch-Fox.
To infuse your denim with meaning, you could buy thrifted pieces (like the pair in the above photo), which are authentically more worn-in. You can also invest in quality pieces and wash them gently, which will help the jeans retain their shape without making the rips and tears bigger. Just be extra-gentle with them, and they’ll last you a long time.
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