The best men’s light-wash jeans are an immediate-impact way to show just how ready you are for warmer weather. Because unlike black and raw denim pairs, light wash jeans don’t absorb heat, they reflect it. That means you don’t just look cooler in them—you feel it, too.
The added beauty of jeans that have been faded, whiskered, and sanded to a fine blue hue is that there’s no shortage of ways to style them. You can throw them on with a splashy puffer jacket and hiking boots à la Frank Ocean in the fashion week fit shared ’round the world, or dress ’em up with a slouchy black blazer and chunky derbies when the occasion requires a smidge more decorum. And of course, there’s no shade of jean more appropriate for leaning into some Kurt Cobain-meets-MJ Lenderman slacker energy. Hell, Ralph Lauren himself has shown us how they can even work with a double-breasted jacket and some Salomons—though that’s admittedly an advanced move.
Given how eternal a style it is that we’re discussing, there are thousands of light wash jeans to choose from on the market today. I’ve sifted through at least a couple hundred, and returned with the 14 most worth your consideration at this time. Whether they come with 150 years of history or straight from Japan’s meticulous present-day denim reproducers, I’ve a strong hunch that whichever you choose, you won’t need to buy another pair this decade.
The Best Light Wash Jeans for Men, According to GQ
Looking for Something Specific?
Best Overall: Levi’s 501 ‘93 Straight Leg Selvedge Jeans
It’s hard to think of a more iconic piece of American clothing than the Levi’s 501. In its 150-year history, the blueprint has barely changed—and for good reason. Generations of guys have sworn by the legendary straight-leg silhouette, and I’m not here to direct our generation any other way.
This ‘93 variation stays true to that legacy—yellow stitching, button fly—but has a slightly higher rise than the original, making your legs look longer, and pairing better with shirts and other tailoring. Yes, it costs a little more, but it’s selvedge denim, woven on traditional narrow-width looms, all ensuring a pair that’s built to last—and to wear in beautifully.
Best On A Budget: Gap 90’s Loose Jeans
Gap’s 90’s Fit jeans are proof that some things never go out of style—like a perfectly relaxed, straight-leg jean that looks just as good today as it did when some of us were flipping through CD wallets. Cut with that coveted not-too-baggy, not-too-slim shape, and an all-cotton-no-stretch design, they channel the slacker guy cool of ‘90s denim, but have a silhouette that’s still plenty 2025. Pair them with a hoodie, a white tee, or hell, even a blazer if you’re feeling ambitious—either way, you’ll be joining us in welcoming in the great GAP renaissance.
Cowboy-Approved Pick: Wrangler Cowboy Cut Slim Fit Jean
If you’re looking to go Dwight Yoakam (or these days, Post Malone and Glen Powell) mode on ‘em, Wrangler is the only way to ride. With hay-bale loads of heritage, the brand’s iconic Cowboy Cut jeans are built from sturdy cotton denim that can handle everything from line dancing to wrangling cattle—or at least ordering a whiskey neat with confidence. Put simply, bootcut jeans are back, and these look just as sharp falling over some cowboy boots as they do grazing a pair of low-profile sneakers.
Best Looser Pick: Sunflower Loose Jeans
Copenhagen’s Sunflower, like many Danish brands, seem to just have a preternatural sense of how guys like to dress these days. Take these loose fit jeans for example, relaxed but sturdy and washed to a degree of softness and comfort that normally takes a year to reach. Wear them with a pressed shirt when you’re feeling civilized, and a tank when you’re not.
Best Japanese Denim: Orslow 101 Straight Leg Jeans
For two decades, Orslow has been one of the leaders when it comes to reproducing period-correct American jeans. Unlike others, though, they do it with a sense of humor: Case in point, this 101 “Dad’s fit”, a riff on the popular relaxed style your Grandpa may well be pottering around in right this minute. The cut is just the right amount of relaxed—loose, but not sloppy. Throw them on with a white tee and some solid boots, and you’ve unlocked summer cool.
Best (Sort Of) Distressed Denim: Our Legacy Third Cut Jeans
These jeans may look like they’ve lived more than a few lives, but the distressing is all smoke and mirrors—courtesy of Our Legacy’s cutting-edge digital printing technique. No, a belt sander wasn’t taken to these, instead, the brand uses high-resolution printing to replicate the look of well-worn denim directly onto the fabric, without the actual wear and tear. It’s a clever nod to the art of aging jeans, minus the years of wear and tear. Plus, the loose-fit, straight-leg Third Cut silhouette feels effortlessly cool and right on time for the current wave of relaxed denim.
Best Designer Denim: The Row Morton Straight Leg Jeans
Trust The Row to chase the perfect pair of faded jeans—and absolutely stick the landing. The brand’s ‘Morton’ jeans are cut with a clean, straight-leg silhouette and a mid-rise that strikes a balance between relaxed and refined. But the color is equally impressive — washed to achieve that just-right sun-faded look—like they’ve spent a few summers hanging from a clothesline on the Amalfi Coast. Crafted in Italy from premium light-blue denim, there are no gimmicks here—just a perfectly washed and cut pair of jeans that looks like you’ve had them forever. And come to think of it, you probably will.
Best Denim for the Heads: 3sixteen Classic Straight Stonewashed Jean
New York City’s 3sixteen produces denim for guys who are in it for the long game, making jeans with integrity and a ton of respect for the way the fabric changes over time. And while the brand is known for its dark washed selvedge indigo denim, which creases and fades to stunning effect every time, this stonewashed indigo selvedge gets a jumpstart on that faded look without too much distressing.
