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The best men’s light wash jeans are more than just an easy way to make everything you wear look a little more artful: during the early days of spring, they should also protect your gams from the worst of what Mother Nature has in store. We’ve been on something of a denim kick here at GQ Recommends—not too long ago, we broke down the equation to live by when you have zero clue what to wear (blue jeans + black boots = big fit), and before that, we hailed the long-awaited return of raw denim, the very #menswear-y fabric that’s coming back in a bolder, brasher way in 2024.
The Best Men’s Light Wash Jeans, According to GQ
So right now, it only seems fair to spotlight yet another grip of top-notch dungarees—and they just might be our favorite of the bunch. The beauty of jeans that have been faded, whiskered, and sanded to a fine blue hue is twofold. For one, they’re jeans (obviously) so there’s no shortage of ways to style them. You can throw them on with a splashy puffer jacket and hiking boots à la Frank Ocean in the fashion week fit shared ’round the world, or dress ’em up with a slouchy black blazer and chunky derbies when the occasion requires a smidge more decorum. But the second factor is crucial, especially right now. Light wash jeans might look daintier than their dark indigo counterparts, but they’re still made out of denim, the beefy, brawny material prized for its unbeatable durability and hard-wearing nature.
So if you’ve been searching high and low for the appropriate pair of pants to conjure a little of spring’s easy-livin’ high (without, y’know, exposing your legs to frostbite), look no further. We went deep on the raddest men’s light wash jeans available at this very second—from can’t-miss straight-fit joints to wild-style versions positively Davidsonian in proportion—that’ll have you feeling like you’re lounging in a field of daisies the next time the windchill makes you curse your zip code.
The Best Light Wash Jeans Overall
There’s a reason why every stylish guy you know (and plenty of stylish guys you wish you did) swear by the 501—after all these years, it still sets the standard. Introduced in 1873 by Levi Strauss himself, the legendary straight-leg silhouette washes beautifully over time and features the brand’s trademark yellow stitch and a button-fly closure—an easy way to make denim feel almost artisanal (and allow for easy on/off access when you need it most). Add to that the generous pocket space and you’re left with a pair of jeans that’ll last you long after you’re sick of putting ‘em through the laundry cycle.
The Best Cowboy-Approved Light Wash Jeans
Wrangler is another denim brand with a legacy that speaks for itself, and it’s been churning out chart-topping jeans since the 1940s. Its iconic slim-cut riff, made from sturdy cotton designed to hold its own at the rodeo (or the rodeo-themed night at the club), are a silhouette real cowboys, this generation’s cool kids, and Post Malone can all agree on—which means they sync up just as nicely with burly leather boots as they do a crisp pair of loafers.
The Best Designer Light Wash Jeans
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of everything Our Legacy. Over two decades, the biggest little fashion brand in the world has churned out hit after hit, from its best-selling Camion boots to its slinky sweaters and funky camp shirts. Its signature third cut jeans are no different, thanks to a trippy trompe l’oeil effect that gives these flooded flares an almost iridescent finish. You can’t go wrong by rocking ‘em with Camions, but they’ll look just as slick with stacked muless or woven sandals.
The Best Mall-Blessed Light Wash Jeans
Madewell’s menswear comeback is still going strong. With Gap-veteran Link Linder at the helm (and GQ’s former deputy fashion director Jon Tietz with the assist), the red-hot brand continues to deliver upgraded wardrobe staples at a prices style novices can afford to get behind. The 1991 loose straight jean is exactly what its name suggests—a roomy riff on a classic silhouette that looks especially killer in catalog-era light blue.
The Best Pleated Light Wash Jeans
Noah founder Brendon Babenzien knows a thing or two about crafting preppy-coded menswear that’s anything but stiff. (In the last two years, he’s helped J.Crew turn a new leaf by doing the same.) His baggy jeans exemplify what the brand does best, with their single-front pleats and a relaxed, straight cut begging to be paired with a ratty polo. If you’re looking for jeans that are simultaneously durable and elegant, look no further.
The Best Very Japanese Light Wash Jeans
Out of the Japanese brands influenced by—or outright reproducing—period-correct work jackets and 1950s-era dungarees, Orslow is one of the most straightforward and accessible,” writes GQ’s Gerald Ortiz. The brand’s 105 jeans, inspired by the slightly oversized silhouettes that reigned supreme in the ‘90s, are made from hefty selvedge denim that’s been dyed a wavy sky blue. Tuck in a slubby T-shirt and slip on your trustiest white kicks for a foolproof warm-weather fit.
The Best Very New York Light Wash Jeans
The primary factor behind Todd Snyder’s meteoric rise in menswear? The designer’s nearly encyclopedic knowledge of the genre (you can thank him for reversing J.Crew’s fortunes the late 2000s). Each season, Snyder’s denim is a standout, but the relaxed selvedge style the brand introduced a few years back is a new highlight. It boasts a retro-tinged shank button fly, and a gently-structured stovepipe leg, which means you can wear ‘em uncuffed with sturdy derbies or artfully rolled over nappy suede boots.
Plus Six More Light Wash Jeans We Love
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