Distressed clothing - Topic of the day 4/11/24
How do you feel about distressed clothing? Does distressing have to be (or at least, look) natural for it to be good, or is artificial / printed / manufactured distressing also cool in its own way? Similarly, is it different to wear distressed clothing bought new from a brand versus finding it at the thrift or at the vintage market? Is it gross or unhygenic to wear clothing that's been so heavily worn by someone else? Is wearing distressed clothing as a fashion statement inconsiderate of people who wear it out of necessity? Share some of your favorite naturally or designed distressed clothing, and fits featuring them.
43 Replies
Raw hem gang
I went through sort of the same thing with distressing as with logos. Used to wear distressed stuff in the 00s. Then didn't want to have anything to do with it. But now I find it kind of cool again although I don't own or wear a lot of distressed stuff (apart from the aforementioned hems)
It doesn't have to look natural for me to look cool. But I think there's an uncanny valley where something is distressed to look natural but doesn't. That doesn't work for me
factory distressing is cool and based because to get the aesthetic of something that destroyed often times requires compromising the structural integrity of the garment if done through natural wear
distressing is cool
I love clothes that are distressed from actually wearing them, but I can't stand the thought of buying something pre-distressed. I'm sure at some point down the line this will be revealed to be because of one deep-seated insecurity or another
I really like distressed sweaters.
i came across a chore jacket at the nyc polo RL store that not only was heavily pre-distressed but also had false stitching all over the pocket and elbows to make it appear as if it had been worn for years and mended. $250 i believe, and struck me as very very silly
Patches give me neuron activation
the raw denim dork in me appreciates little wear patterns and clothes that tell the story of the wearer
I like clothes that look like they're made out of bits of other clothes but are actually quite expensive.
The "I should really fix that sewing machine" neurons
Its only bad if it looks bad
I personally don’t mind washing on denim and prewashed/preshrunk things, but don’t like rips and wear if it looks too artificial. Ambivalent on pre ripped/“cooked” stuff that looks real
Love me a good vintage garment with wear though
I feel better wearing sunfaded things compared to new, the colors are too bright otherwise. Need to have a rotating spit in the backyard to take care of some of shirts.
Be ready for wave 2 of boomers complaining about how they’re paying more for less material and worse quality because everything will be distressed
I like obviously factory distressed. I don’t like it when they try to make it look like it’s actual wear and tear
I don't care for factory distressed much. It usually comes off as trying too hard. I get that by the time most things are distressed they may be out of style, but also, maybe not -- and if you wear it right, never. Most things that distress well are pretty classic too
This is one of (but not the only reason) I regret getting rid of some of my older clothes frequently
Yeah exactly, if I can tell that's what they tried to do I don't like it. But there's probably pretty good fake wear and tear out there that casey or Digs could probably spot but I would be blissfully unaware of
Which dress? Distress? https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1130936822051119195/1168663015579725874
Distressing is dope i love shit with holes in it
What’s wrong with trying too hard? Isn’t that the point of fashion?
I think that in the past I was skeptical of factory distressed clothes because I considered it too affected. Now...it's a little appealing to have something that's tactically shredded so it retains structural integrity.
nah...
I thought the point was finding deals on eBay.
MFA is never beating the "most corny fucking place on the internet" allegations
"I don't like logos, I don't distressing"
i was gonna say :drakeno: but then remembered the number of items i own or will own that are raw hemmed or holy bc vintage :drakeyes:
Yeah, distressing is hardly the only thing about fashion that can be labeled affected, and a matter of subjective taste.
And hardly the only thing that can be criticized as appropriation from the working class
being on a male fashion advice discord server and worrying about trying too hard is next level
why's that? feeling/looking good/comfortable and talking about it has to = trying too hard?
no, you are the one saying there is such thing as "trying too hard". The rest of us dont use that vocabulary, maybe you mean that you just dont think it looks good?
because if you actually care enough to try, there is no such thing as trying too hard
just missing the mark
there is actually nothing wrong with thinking that distressing does not look good though, if you think that
I think it can look fine, and have plenty, mostly because it's just old. But I think most (not all) manufactured comes across as just that: manufactured, and comes off as awkward
"subscribe to my channel for more insightful fashion tips"
on a scale from 'i wore this for 50 years and now the fabric has worn out' to 'a machine punched holes in it to sell for hundreds of dollars' where does me making cutoffs fit in this spectrum
incidentally idk if it counts but i like looking at needles' 7 cuts stuff, there's some interesting combinations made in part from how each specific fabric swatch wears out
i absolutely love distressed clothing, not looks where everything is truly thrashed, bust just clear evidence of worn and lived in items.
i adore older, hole-y, faded t shirts as they're far softer and more comfortable than new t shirts. it makes a whole lot more sense to me to "overpay" for a beat to shit t shirt than a brand new, luxury tee.
this is one of my favorite sweaters and it's just old and naturally distressed:
i also appreciate (and own) some artificially distressed items, like some of the needles rebuilds or camiel fortgens' stuff that displays exposed seams and what not.
my interest and engagement with fashion and style has waned a lot over the last year or so but the distressed element is probably the last little fashion and style crush i had.
This is the smartest thing you’ve said in the server
Distressing is cool, unless it’s not and then it’s dorky
There’s no real quantifiable way for me to evaluate this, it’s a vibes based thing
Ill take the compliment 😎
I don't have a place in my wardrobe for clothes that are pre-distressed right now because... I don't have much money for clothes and what I do buy, I want to last. By the same measure... I like distressed clothing in a style sense of "make it do or do without." I have a pair of jeans that are starting to get holes from wear and tear (they're old). There is a lot of story to distressed clothes like that, which I like.
i like distressed clothing! i do not like buying pre-distressed clothes, barring very few exceptions. (like hats.) if i’m thrifting it’s different, but buying new, not so much. most of it’s just the fact that even though i know it’s probably properly treated, part of me worries it’ll fall apart if i clean it. i just also happen to like knowing the story behind the distressing personally.
I'm not 100% sure it applies here, but I've been enjoying visibly mending my jeans. I don't really like leaving holes in my clothes but my (shoddy) repair jobs reflects how I've worn and lived in them.
I love distressed clothing. As long as it's still physically wearable, the more wear and tear the better in my opinion. I love how it shows the history of the garment in a very obvious and physical way. One of my favorite jackets is a French chore coat from the 1940s that has decades worth of repairs and fades on it. The different fabrics, threads and stitching techniques on the repairs makes me wonder how many hands it passed through before it got to me, and it feels special that it's now my turn with it. There are some holes that are getting to the point of needing repair, so I'm excited to get to add my mark to the jacket.
I don't mind other people wearing pre distressed stuff but I have no interest in it. Distressing is an aesthetic choice for sure, but I care just as much about the history. Also have to take into consideration the resources used to pre distress a piece in a factory. Factory done patchwork is also a turn off for me, patchwork and repairs should serve to make a garment unique so seeing a rack of Kapital pants that all have the exact same holes and patch placements is boring to me.
Ok well I don't know why I sent 6 of the same picture, here's a regular picture of the jacket 😵💫
that's hot