One Of The Most Divisive Millennial Fashion Trends Is Coming Back At The Perfect Time

With both '90s and 2000s styles making a comeback, Millennials have the chance to revisit many of the looks they grew up with. That means strappy sandals, bare midriffs, and plenty of body glitter. But there's one trend making a comeback that's proving to be particularly divisive: ripped denim. Distressed, and even shredded, jeans were a staple of Y2K fashion. They added a cool, rugged vibe that contrasted with feminine going-out tops and polished textures of the era.

But this style has always had its critics. Even during its booming Y2K popularity, people complained that it felt nonsensical to pay for garments that came already damaged. "Ripped up Levi 501s used to signify that you had gotten years of use from them and that they had reached their maximum comfort level," wrote one Reddit user. "Now a ripped up pair of [jeans] just signifies that you are willing to pay twice as much for half the material." On top of that, torn clothing can run the risk of looking sloppy. "The knee rips are the worst!!" wrote one Reddit user. "Especially when they get bigger and bigger with every wear."

However, these days, fashion is burnt out after years of Quiet Money and Old Money aesthetics have had us chasing an unattainable ideal. The relaxed look of distressed jeans feels like a welcome antidote after so much emphasis on looking sophisticated and polished. "I'm bored with neutrals and minimalism," wrote one Reddit user.

While distressed denim gets a bad reputation for looking overly casual, it all comes down to how you style it. If you throw on a pair of ripped jeans with an oversized hoodie or an old T-shirt, then the ensemble can read as unconsidered and even disheveled. That's part of the reason this once-popular denim trend was considered totally outdated for years. However, you can counteract the relaxed look of ripped denim by pairing it with pieces that counteract that slouchy feel. The goal isn't to look like you stumbled out of a time machine from the year 2000, so much as it is about introducing a lived-in sense of texture to your trendy minimalist styles.

A going-out top in a slinky, luxurious fabric or a polished waistcoat can create a compelling visual tension with the edgy toughness of distressed jeans, which means you can still get plenty of use out of your "Quiet Luxury" tops. Alternatively, you can reach for items that will inject some structure into your outfit — in opposition to the slouch of your denim — like a square handbag or sculptural top. You can also let wrong shoe theory elevate your outfit to new heights by pairing these jeans with a pair of elegant heels.