Acid wash has spent a long time being the thing men either wore ironically or avoided completely, and neither approach really did it justice. The good news is that the right pair has nothing ironic about it. Worn well, acid wash jeans bring a faded, worked in texture to a casual outfit that plain blue or black denim simply cannot replicate. The mistake most men make is going too distressed or too baggy, landing somewhere between fancy dress and an accidental throwback. What we’ve been looking for are pairs where the wash is controlled, the fit is modern, and the overall effect reads as intentional rather than nostalgic. These work best with a clean white tee, a solid crewneck, or even a simple overshirt in a muted tone. Nothing competing with the denim. Let the jean do what it does. We’ve pulled together the pairs worth actually buying, and the difference in quality between these and the cheap alternatives is immediately obvious.