They're jeans, don't be afraid to wash them when they're dirty... but cheap mondays are good to start out with. There are also some Levi's that are raw.

Another favorite are Good Society jeans, as seen here: Tobi - Good Society Straight Leg Jeans in Raw - Denim, Straight Leg

Cheap Mondays often fit very slim, so I can't fit into any, but keep that in mind.

^^While I agree that "JEANS ARE JEANS"
There is truly no point in buying raw denim if you do not plan to treat them the way they are intended to be treated...right??

But OP I think if you wear them hard you should see something good within 3 months no problem. I am not sure how well Cheap monday fades, Anna (anuish) has a pair she has been wearing. She may be good to ask about how they come along over time. SUFU is wealth of information about raw denim, any brand, so you should check it out. They are like you said "Cheap" so they wont break the bank and will let you get the feel for wearing raw. Then if you like them you can invest in a good pair.

As for fit, I purchased a pair for my 14 year old son and he is usually a 30x32 in Diesel and he couldnt even get a size 31 on in cheap monday and he wears his jeans supppper tight, so they do fit very very slim.

ITA. The denim is unwashed and it has to be treated in a different way.


Cheap Mondays are indeed a great inexpensive starter pair! The selvage ones you posted OP are the way to go.

I was too weary of the whole idea of not having to wash them for a long period of time. You really are only suppose to wash them when they are really dirty or stink. It can be 12 months, 6 months, 3 months after wear that you will need to wash them. It all depends how long you wear them. If they get a bit dirty, soak them instead. Water won't hurt your denim- just lose indigo. If they smell, fabreeze is your best friend. This is a guideline for all raws, not just Mondays.


Sizing...They do fit really slim. I am TTS in size 25 in most brands so I stayed my regular size. I say size up if you are looking for a loose fit. I suggest going here
Cheap Monday products - page 1 of 13 - CALI
They have great sizing section!

And... Hey Mel!

Bottom line: Jeans are Jeans.

There's no International Dry Denim Gestapo that's going to lock you up and mercilessly beat you if you even think about washing your drys. Seriously, do you think the original dry jeans weren't washed? of course they were, those dudes just had much more rugged lives than we do and they didn't have all the funky chemicals in the soaps we do.

I consider dry denim to be more personal than my predistressed stuff, to have some soul; to tell a story. When i look at each "finished" pair, i'll be able to see the jeans as a link to the events of my life when i was wearing them. That's what i like about the concept.

As for the washings part, there are plenty of examples of people getting great contrast and fades by wearing their raws and washing them every couple of weeks. I've seen a pair of Ironhearts that were worn for 20 months while building a house and washed twice a month and they turned out really nice, with good contrast and whiskering that looked like a vine-charcoal sketch on watercolor paper.

eh, i'm still at work so i cant keep up the poetry. so basically if you want cheap raws and don't want to worry about how they get treated or if they "accidentaly" get washed, just go to sears and buy some 501 STFs; they're like $35 and are a deal at twice the price.

^^I love Denim History 101 lessons. I too have seen amazing fade on heavy selvage jeans that where worn HARD. What you are saying above is that you have seen great fade on jeans that someone built a house in and washed. So of course he is going to have very worn areas, he was after all building a house, which is no small feet. But the majority of people wearing raw denim are not building houses and having to wash every couple weeks. They are going to school or work and not causing the denim to stretch as much or crease up as quickly or "stink". So breaking in a pair of 21oz Iron Hearts would be a major undertaking for the average Joe. I am sure the guy who posted those pics of the 21oz is far from your average Joe. He obviously was dedicated to his jeans and knew that they would hold up well while working and look amazing in the end.

Like I said above and AGREED "Jeans are Jeans". But why go through the hassle of wearing a super stiff ass pair of jeans if you are just going to wash them??? Either you dig raw and put in the effort or you dont an end up with a pair of faded out raws that look like any standard pair of dark levis in the store. It makes no difference to me what people do with their jeans.
I was just stating my opinion.

My point to the OP was that if he wants to try it out cheaply then that is awesome. We all started somewhere. He said that he would give three months which like I said is plenty of time for most cheaper raw jeans.
All in all "Jeans are Jeans" but with raw denim you can get a customized look, fit to your own style and body by putting in a little effort, and in the end that is what raw denim is all about.

Lmaozedong I wish you the best in your raw denim adventure!!! Post pics of your progress when they break in, It is always nice to see any pair that is "worn"


And Hellooooo Anna......

^ very well said. I think anyone who is willing to drop $250-$300 on a pair of raw denim plans to take care of them properly. Washing them weekly would completely defeat the purpose.

You can still get good results washing frequently. It isn't like washing makes the denim all of a sudden stop losing indigo. Of course if you want higher contrast fades faster, then you should wait.

Sadly, the way their site is laid out you don't find out that the size you want is out of stock until you're just about to put it in your cart--so it turns out they don't have it. How about these? Blue Blood Form in Resin Rinse - The Denim Bar Anyone want to suggest some other cheap raw for me to try?

I was also looking at these: UNIQLO SELVAGE SKINNY JEANS NUDIE APC TOPMAN H&M 31 - eBay (item 220190988127 end time Jan-18-08 09:11:13 PST)
Any comments on the fit etc?

What size are you?

oh, i wasn't trying to argue with you, just stating my opinion. the beauty of raw denim is that the truly represent the individual wearing them - no matter how they choose to do so. so if you work a desk job and drive to work, your jeans will show it. the same as if you're a ranch hand and drive a horse to work. what's even cooler is that they don't lie about your time in them. sure, you can sand and rub and pinch them all day, but you and your jeans will know the difference. of course, so will most other denimheads.


the ironhearts i'm talking about are hangin on the wall at selfedge*, btw, if anyone wants to see them.


*man, i just realized most of my last dozen posts mention selfedge. i'm not trying to spam for them or anything, but it is a pretty damn cool place. and really there are very few shops specializing in raw denims in the us.

I'm a 31 in most diesels..

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but I'm actually looking for a starter pair of the same exact pair of jeans: Cheap Monday Outside Selvage in Dry - The Denim Bar and I haven't found another thread. My true waist size is 28 and I was wondering should I size up or down on these jeans. They only offer a 26x32 and 29x34 on the website. Also are they Sanforized? Please advise? Thanks.

gawd.......