The good news is that if you hated boyfriend jeans,
they're dying a slow death. The bad news is that if you loved the
slouchy, relaxed, forgiving look of boyfriend jeans, you're not going
to be too happy about the shredded, skinny, light-wash jeans that are
all the rage this season–slim legs are a must to wear this style,
because if your jeans are too tight, your skin will ooze out of the
tears like toothpaste through a tube. Also, it should be noted, some of
the styles I'm about to show you are acid wash. Yes, acid wash. The man
we have to thank for this perplexing–yet intriguing–trend is
Balmain's Christophe Decarnin, the current darling of the French
fashion magazines and those who read them religiously. I'm sure Pierre
Balmain, whose aesthetic was entirely prim-and-proper feminine, is
turning over in his grave, but Decarnin has completely revitalized the
house, and women around the world are paying top dollar for his
slightly sleazy, luxe '80s rocker look. It's by no means easy to wear,
but it's sexy and, if you ask me, a step way above the scary
little-girl looks that have been prevalent the past few seasons.

$$$ (pictured left to right)
If you're going to spend this much on denim, it's best to go straight to the source. These motocross jeans
by Balmain are the pair that inspired me to write this entire post, not
so much for their cool factor, but for their price: $2165 to be exact.
But before you could say, "Who's going to spend $2165 on jeans?" they
sold out. In a recession. Hot? You bet.

If you find white skinny jeans a bit scary (I, for one, do), then this destroyed skinny
pair, also from Balmain, should seem a bit more doable. The destruction
is more understated as well, with one major hole at the knee. Of
course, for nearly $2,000, one would hope that Decarnin distressed them
himself, but, sadly, I don't think that's the case.

At $1825, these Balmain destroyed jeans
seem like a veritable bargain. That might explain why they're almost
sold out. They're also acid-washed, but before you freak out, it's a
kinder, gentler acid wash than what we wore in the 80s. I hated acid
wash the first time around, and yet I somehow find these appealing.
Just be sure to keep whatever you're wearing on top pretty simple–i.e.
no paint-splatter tees or whatever you wore in the '80s.

$$ (pictured left to right)
If $2,000 jeans kind of freak you out, the good news is that you can easily get the look for a tenth of the price. These Citizens of Humanity Avedon skinny jeans,
for example, are a pretty good approximation of the first pair, from
the skinny fit to the shredding along the legs. Of course, white skinny
jeans are not a look that everyone can pull off.

These Current/Elliott skinny jeans
have a similar look, but with a slightly darker finish that's more like
super-faded denim, instead of pure white. The abrasions are also a bit
more subtle, so you won't have to worry as much about the
aforementioned toothpaste effect.

If you liked the third look above–and are intrigued rather than repulsed by acid wash–then these J Brand acid wash ripped jeans
may be for you. I am a big proponent of J Brand jeans–I think they fit
really well, and I like that they're not all decked out with logos and
stitching. Which is key when you're wearing a ripped, acid-washed pair
of jeans.

$ (pictured left to right)
The wash is a bit on the dark side, but with these Levi's skinny jeans,
you pretty much know what you're getting, which is a good fit and
nearly indestructible quality (seriously, Levi's last years and years
and years). The less extreme wash also means they'll survive long past
the acid-wash trend is over.

These Harlow skinny jeans from Delia*s (not to be confused with Earnest Sewn's Harlan
jeans) are, again, not quite as light as the Balmain jeans, but the cut
is a bit more realistic and the wash is more flattering. In other
words, you'll achieve a similar effect without looking like a fashion
victim.

But, if it's Balmain you're after, these skinny jeans
from Forever 21 were the closest thing I could find. I'm not too keen
on the cropped length, but the wash and shredding are close, and the
studded trim at the pockets adds an appropriate Balmain-ish
rock-and-roll effect. For $25, really, you can't do any better than
this.

From our friends at Cheryl Shops