4 min read

I COME FROM the denim era where streetwear juggernauts like FUBU and Rocawear reigned supreme, along with mall favorites like Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister. I was in my preteens rocking all these clothing brands and you couldn’t tell me their baggy-stacking-at-the-shoe jeans weren’t the flyest on the market. Since I began working as a fashion editor, I’ve practically worn every pair of jeans in the denim universe. Slim, relaxed , stretch, washed, distressed—you name it, I’ve probably tried it. I’ve even tried my hand at denim-making in Japan, the mecca of old-school, high-quality denim, where I produced my own pair of selvedge jeans . Denim is one of those rare items in a guy’s wardrobe that never goes out of style.

And after years of being in the menswear space, I’ve gotten familiar with the nuances that distinguish one kind of denim from the next. Two worth knowing are regular denim and raw denim.…