Outdated Archetypes, a Pair of Jeans I’ve Never Worn, and Why Fit Comes First
Raw denim has been my life for the better part of two decades. And yet, on any given day, you could walk past me on the street and have absolutely no idea what I do for a living.
I have a uniform. The foundation is a pair of regular straight jeans, mid-rise. A quality t-shirt, slightly boxy fit, usually white—lately, often the one from my own brand. And then on top, a plaid flannel. So far, pretty standard raw denim guy.
Then you look at my feet. Sneakers. Not Iron Rangers anymore, not engineer boots, not even a clean leather trainer. Slip-ons or running-inspired silhouettes. Sometimes, actual running shoes. And when it’s too long since my last haircut, I’ll also be wearing a (raw denim) baseball cap or my Heimat beanie.
That might read as style confusion. I’d say it’s what happens when you know your own denim style well enough that you don’t need to follow the rules anymore.
That’s what the style guide from the “New to Raw Denim” series is about: helping you find your direction before you start building a wardrobe—so that when you eventually ignore the rules, you’re doing it knowingly.
In This Issue of the DH Weekly
It starts with a pair of jeans I’ve never worn—and why that has everything to do with finding your denim style before you buy. This issue covers the style guide from my New to Raw Denim series.
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10 Denim Styles (Archetypes Revisited)
I first mapped out denim style archetypes a decade ago in Blue Blooded. Types of person, not just directions. It made sense at the time.
Going back to that work for the new style guide, I kept some, dropped some, and rethought the entire framing. The person-based labels felt too fixed. Nobody is The Cowboy or The Rebel. But plenty of people lean that way, mix a bit of both, and build a wardrobe around it without ever putting a name on it.
Some of these styles are genuinely denim-first—Cowboy, Rebel, Hippie. Pull the jeans out, and the look falls apart. Others, like Military or Streetwear, are more complicated: denim belongs there, but it’s not the anchor.
Maybe you always reach for a loose, straight cut and you’ve been pairing it with flannels and work boots without thinking twice—that’s not random, that’s what I’ve defined as Workwear style in the guide.
Or maybe you wear slim straight jeans, a white tee, and a leather jacket every time—that’s Rebel, and maybe you are too. Or you’re the guy in the relaxed fit, the big Oxford shirt, the 90s trainers—Dad Style, and you’re in good company.
Most people already have a denim style of their own. The guide just names it. Which of these is yours? That’s what the guide is for.
Why Fit Comes First
Years ago, I was gifted a pair of Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1915 jeans—produced in 2010, as best I can tell. Made in the USA from Cone Mills selvedge. No belt loops, suspender buttons, a cinch-back, a cut so high-rise and wide in the leg that it belongs to a different era entirely.
Objectively, they’re very special jeans. The kind you don’t just go out and buy. But I’ve barely worn them.
As I was digging through my stack of jeans looking for those LVCs writing this Weekly, I found another pair that proves the point just as well: a pair of Wrangler Bluebell 11MW, also gifted to me. Never worn outside the house. Not once.
The cowboy aesthetic has crept into my peripheral vision lately—Yellowstone, Instagram, people like Albert Muzquiz wearing it with total confidence. Maybe it’s time I wear them, but I digress.
The point is that both pairs have been sitting there more or less unworn for years. Not because they were the wrong size, or even the wrong fit. But because they didn’t fit my style at all.
That’s what fit actually does. It’s not just about how jeans sit on your body. It’s about where they point the whole outfit. Know that first, then find your archetype.
The Full Series Is Already Live
The guide that this Weekly is all about is part of the New to Raw Denim series. If you know your denim style, the next guide shows you what to actually build around it. Or start at the hub and go from there.
I’d also like to know what you think of this format. These guides are something I want to work well for people coming to Denimhunters for the first time, and if you’ve been reading the Weekly for a while, you’re exactly the person I want to hear from.
The post Denim Style Guide: Find Your Lane Before You Start Buying appeared first on Denimhunters.
DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site