Welcome to the Raw Denim Resurgence

I don’t mean to brag, but I have a surprisingly high pain threshold—at least when it comes to fashion. Breaking in some loafers? Bring on the blisters! So I was ready for the nostalgic punishment that only a fresh pair of raw selvedge denim can deliver. For a while, the crisp dark blue jeans were something of a previous era—the all-American, workwear and preppy revival of the #menswear era. Lighter washes and relaxed, worn-in and pre-whiskered jeans eventually took over.

But lately, jeans are getting darker. And guys are ready to revisit the deep-blue raw denim of decades past. Of course, the key is breaking them in. Buy your raw selvedge jeans now, wear the hell out of them, and soon enough you'll have them right where you want them—a little softer, with a customized fit and personalized wear patterns and whiskers. And personally, I was ready to try it again.

When a package from Gustin landed at my door, housing their #75 Okayama Standard straight-leg jean, I prepared myself for the months-long dance of slight discomfort, concerning spills, questionable smells and consistent fade monitoring. Honestly, the sartorial sadist in me welcomed it.

First off, I really liked Gustin's jeans. Maybe it was the pedigree: The denim hails from Okayama prefecture, Japan's denim mecca, and weighs in at a very solid 14.5oz, which starts out raw in a deep blue indigo and wears to the mythical medium blue we all want. Cut and sewn in the United States, Gustin nixes the middlemen and offers their premium jeans at reasonable prices.

Stiff as a board out of the box, they felt like they could stand on their own—and might've, had I let them. So let the break-in begin.