A Season of Distress: Baggy, Ripped Jeans
Words, photos and photo illustration by David LamFrom rock musicians to ballet dancers, distressed denim has been a go-to style in season one.
Baggy, ripped jeans have been a go-to style for several subjects in season one, from rock musicians to ballet dancers. But what makes this look so compelling?
For Mary Jo Swank, lead singer of the alternative rock band Walk on Mars, what she wears, plays a significant role in how she feels while performing. "Fashion really helps me ground myself when I'm on stage," she shares. "The most important thing in music is expression, and fashion has a lot to do with that."
Swank wears what she feels captures who she is that day. “If I'm sad, I'll wear dark clothes. If I am happy I’ll wear the vibrant colors,” she says. “If I'm angry, I will wear ripped jeans and platform boots. It's just so fun. It's one of the best parts about performing.”
But distressed jeans are not just for rockers. After moving to New York from Hiroshima, Japan, ballet dancer Minami Ando discovered a new side of herself and began experimenting with her wardrobe. When a friend suggested she try baggy, ripped denim, it quickly became one of her favorite looks. “When I get into one style, [I] tend to repeat and repeat. So now I'm into baggy pants,” says Ando.
When he is not performing for his TikTok followers, comedy influencer Kieran Cullen can be seen wearing bold looks (like green jeans with oversized tears) on the streets of New York. He says, “I really like walking down the street and knowing that I'm wearing something that I want to wear and no one else can convince me otherwise.”
Cullen's unique aesthetic often involves mixing and matching different pieces, regardless of their intended gender or style. "I would describe my style as kind of a weird, edgy mix," he says. “Fashion is a form of communication for me, definitely.”
While the trend has come and gone through the decades since it originated with the punk rock movement in the 1970s, some stylists suggest that baggy, ripped jeans may be on their way out again in 2023. Stay tuned to see if distressed denim endures in the upcoming seasons of this series.
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