There are few garments out there which could be truly classified under icon status, but dark-wash jeans are certainly one. Before the various iterations of denim we know today, the first pairs arrived on the scene courtesy of Levi Strauss in the late 1800s—and surprise, surprise—they were dark blue. What’s now considered a remarkably polished colour today, had its humble beginnings as an extremely utilitarian pair of trousers. They have a long history, and though they’ve shifted from work pants to fashion symbol over the centuries, dark-wash jeans have never lost their appeal.
I have white jeans, light blue washes and black rinses in my wardrobe—but I’ve come to realise that actually, it’s my dark-wash, indigo pair that looks the most elegant. Dark-wash denim outfits rank highly on my list of looks that take minimum effort but provide maximum style points. Indigo jeans‘ saturated colour and deep tone make them feel infinitely sophisticated in and of themselves. Whether they’re rendered in a loose, wide-leg cut, a trendy barrel or balloon silhouette or a classic straight-leg, nowadays they’re emblematic of sophisticated style. They have an edge over black jeans because of their polish and pair almost too easily with an endless number of tops, jackets and shoes.
