It’s hard to think of anything that wouldn’t look great paired with dark wash jeans.
Maybe a tuxedo jacket. Or a clown hat.
But other than that, dark blue jeans are one of the most versatile items you can put in your closet.
You can throw on some dark denim for a business casual outfit, change the
We put together our six favorite pairs of dark jeans that will become your minimalist wardrobe go-to’s.
And here they are! ↓
Best Budget Dark Wash Jeans
Budget dark wash denim #1: Levi’s 531
Levi’s are the original. We’re confident saying they’re not going out of style soon. The 531s are a great standard fit, so they’ll fit most body types.
A slightly slimmer version of the favorite athletic-cut Levi's 541
They have a slight taper below the knee, which is perfect for a more tailored look. Too much fabric pooling at the ankles (or too wide an opening) can make your jeans look sloppy.
We like the dark blue jeans (the Rigid Raw colorway, for example) for everyday wear, but with Levi’s you have a squillion different washes.
Budget dark wash denim #2: Uniqlo
If you want to keep a slimmer profile without slimming your wallet, check out Uniqlo. They have slim, skinny, and regular fit options available that are well worth the price.
Their slim fit is similar to the Levi’s 502 (The Regular Fit would be closer to the Levi’s 541, so bear that in mind). We recommend giving the slim fit a try as the tapered silhouette is usually flattering for most guys.
Skinny jeans are a bit too tight and reduce the overall, everyday wearability of the jeans, so we recommend staying away from them (unless you’re a modest man, of course).
Uniqlo does a great job with their clothes, offering a solid value for the price. They’re a great store to come back to for other minimalist wardrobe basics, too.
Best Mid-Range Options
Mid-range dark jeans #1: Bonobos
Bonobos offers extremely comfortable jeans that have some polyester and elastane built into them for extra stretch.
Bonobos has jeans for any body type, with a variety of different washes and types of denim fabric (stretch, premium selvedge, etc.)
If you don’t want to worry about bending over and blowing out the seat of your pants, a sweet pair of navy blue jeans from Bonobos will do the trick.
They offer a few different fits and a great selection of washes, too. But when you’re building your minimalist wardrobe, we’d stick with a dark wash—it’s much more versatile.
Mid-range dark jeans #2: Unbranded
Unbranded makes excellent selvedge raw denim. Not sure what that means?
I’ll just say this: selvedge raw denim is like the chef’s cut of jeans. While everyone’s out at the dining tables eating their flavorless, yet tender filet mignon jeans, you’re in the back with your bone-in rib-eye raw denim. Ok, this stopped making sense.
"We think overpriced and overhyped jeans are silly. That’s why we decided to focus on the core essentials instead: great fits, solid construction, and top quality selvedge denim."
Let’s just keep it simple: raw selvedge denim will last a long time if you treat it well and it’ll look better and better with time.
Unbranded is the best value for this kind of creme-de-la-denim.
Best Luxe / Investment Worthy Options
Premium dark denim #1: Todd Shelton
Todd Shelton’s Pro Original jeans are perfectly designed.
As close to tailored fit as you can find off the rack with tons of customizable fit options, and only top-notch materials, made entirely in the USA (New Jersey, to be specific).
No extra fabric, as close to tailored fit as you can find off the rack with tons of customizable fit options, and only top-notch materials, made entirely in the USA (New Jersey, to be specific).
Plus, they only offer the one cut. Because it’s the best. That’s minimalism at its finest.
Premium dark denim #2: AG (Adriano Goldschmied)
AG (short for Adriano Goldschmied) is a fantastic L.A. based company that produces great fits with Japanese selvedge denim.
AG is a premium denim company leading the sustainable manufacturing movement. A ton of different fits and incredible denim fabric selection.
The company history is steeped in denim manufacturing, and they’ve created a lineup that shows mastery of the style.
Looking to build a minimal wardrobe?
If you want to build a lean, minimal wardrobe that makes it easy to put together great outfits every day, check out our Minimalist Wardrobe Guide.
If you’re an older gent, you’ll find some good suggestions in this article: Simple Style Advice For How Men Should Dress In Their 40s (And Beyond)
And if you’re younger, maybe in high school or college or just graduated, this article may help: College Wardrobe Essentials: A Capsule Wardrobe For Young Guys On A Budget
