two men, waist down wearing jeans

How to Create the “Dirty Denim” Look

/Updated /5 Comments/in /by Mary Hunt

Are your teens hounding you for the hot look known as “dirty denim?” Okay, so you like it too. I won’t hold that against you. But I might change my mind if I find out what you or your kids spent for a pair of dirty denim jeans ($810) when the ones that look neat and clean are much less expensive.

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I’m not a complete fashion fuddy-duddy. I like to stay current as much as the next person. And I suppose I am warming up to the dirty denim look. But I simply cannot bring myself to pay more for it. You don’t have to, either.

If you’re not familiar with dirty denim let me explain. Dirty denim jeans are smudged, and the fabric is faded in all the places you would expect wrinkles. It is also distressed so it looks well-worn. It is a comfy look, and the denim feels quite soft. But there’s more. Dirty denim has an orangish/gold tinge. It really does look dirty.

So let’s say your teen daughter has a perfectly good pair of jeans she loves, but as the latest fashion goes, they just look too “clean.” It’s easy to create the dirty denim look on jeans and other denim items. You can do this by over-dyeing jeans, skirts, and jackets. All you need is a Rit Dye (available in supermarkets, discount department stores, and online) and these instructions:

Round up these materials:

1. Turn the washing machine on and let it fill with hot water. You want the water very hot 140° F. You may need to turn your water heater to “hot” a few hours in advance to achieve this very hot temperature. Warn all family members because water this hot can scald youngsters and elderly people in just a few seconds.

2. Add the Tan Rit Dye Powder to the water.

3. Submerge the jeans and/or other items in the mixture and soak for 10 minutes. Close the lid of the washer to maintain the hot temperature.

4. Rinse items, wash, and rinse again. You do not need to add detergent.

5. Dry in the usual manner.

6. Repeat steps 1-5, this time with the  Tangerine Rit Dye Liquid to give the denim an added ‘dirty’ look. (Optional).

7. After dyeing, clean the washing machine by running it through a complete wash cycle with detergent and 1 to 2 cups of bleach.

There you go—dirty denim for a fraction of the price.

Photo credit: thejeansblog.com

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5 replies
  2. Prof Della Scuola says:

    I have to admit that I actually like the dirty denim look, and I like that my teen children like it too. But we do it the old fashioned way and just let them get dirty on their own and then avoid the washing machine.

    Reply
  3. Greta Johnson says:

    I agree that I am thankful to be beyond those parenting years. Yes, what IS it that to be in ‘fashion,’ one needs to look unkept/messy/dirty? Ugh! Society is certainly de-valuing the finer qualities. 🙁

    Reply
  4. Patricia Trewin says:

    I’m of the baby boomer generation, and I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing this type of stuff! Those jeans that are pictured look like they’re ready to be given to the thrift store! I have a suggestion-what about visiting thrift stores for those jeans?

    Reply

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