Stonewash gets a bad reputation because most of it deserves one. The cheap version looks faded in the wrong places, sits awkwardly at the thigh, and ages about as well as a novelty t-shirt. But done properly, a stonewash jean is one of the most useful things in a casual wardrobe. The wash gives the denim a lived-in quality that raw denim takes years to develop on its own, and the right pair carries that off without looking like it was distressed by a machine that had no idea what it was doing. We have been looking specifically for cuts that work with a clean white tee as well as a structured overshirt, washes that lean vintage rather than costume, and fits that sit well without being engineered within an inch of their life. There is a version of this jean that looks considered rather than careless. These are it.