I remember standing in a changing room cubicle holding up a pair of mid blue jeans against a plain white t-shirt and white trainers, thinking they looked oddly boring on the hanger, then putting them on and realising that was exactly the point. Nothing else needed to try hard once they were on.
Getting the fit right starts with checking what the denim is actually made of, not just the wash. A cotton with a bit of elastane in it will give you some stretch and recover its shape by the end of the day, while a stiffer, heavier cotton holds its line but needs a proper break in period, usually a few wears before it stops feeling like cardboard at the knee. Try sitting down in the cubicle, not just standing in front of the mirror, because that's where a waistband that gapes at the back reveals itself, and do a full squat if you can bear the look on your face while you do it, since that's when a too tight rise digs in and a too loose one gapes open at the back belt loops. Watch the length too, mid blue denim shows every fade line, so a pair that's been turned up and let down more than once will have a pale crease across the hem that never quite goes away.
For everyday wearing, mid blue sits in that useful middle ground where it doesn't read as formal or as scruffy, so it goes under a blazer for something that needs a bit more polish, or under a jumper with trainers for anything that doesn't. A plain knit, a white shirt, a leather jacket if you have one, all of them look like they were chosen on purpose rather than grabbed in a hurry, which is the real trick of this colour. It also does the job of making a top look more considered than it is, because mid blue doesn't compete with anything.
On shade, a wash with a slightly faded, worn in look is more forgiving day to day than one that's crisp and dark, because it hides the small creasing that happens behind the knee and at the hip without looking tired. A finish with too much shine or too obvious a whisker fade tends to date faster than a straightforward, honest fade.
Would I still want these in a year, or only until the next wash changes the colour.
Tall JeansTall Mid Blue Jeans We Rate
Tall JeansThe Tall Mid Blue Denim Jeans We’re Eyeing Up This Season
Mid Blue Ripped Denim Jeans: Our Top Picks
Slim JeansMid Blue Slim Denim Jeans to Build Outfits Around
Straight Leg JeansMid Blue Straight Leg Jeans That Fit and Flatter
Stretch JeansMid Blue Stretch Denim Jeans: Our Current Favourites
Slim JeansMid Blue Stretch Slim Jeans Actually Worth Buying
Straight Leg JeansMid Blue Stretch Straight Leg Jeans: Our Top Picks
Mid Blue Super Stretch Denim Jeans: The Ones Worth Your MoneyAlso worth a lookStretch JeansThe question I get most about stretch jeans is whether they’ll go baggy by the time you’ve sat…See the collections →
Easy Mid Blue Super Stretch Jeans for Every Day
Our Shortlist of Mid Blue Turn Up Jeans
Wide Leg JeansMid Blue Wide Leg Jeans We Think You’ll Love
Flared JeansMid Blue Flared Jeans That Earn Their Place
Relaxed JeansThe Mid Blue Relaxed Slim Jeans We Keep Going Back To
High Rise JeansMid Blue High Rise Denim Jeans That Have Caught Our Eye
Relaxed JeansFinding the Best Mid Blue Relaxed Straight Leg Jeans
Mid Blue Baggy Jeans That Earn Their Place
High Rise JeansMid Blue High Rise Jeans Worth a Closer LookAlso worth a lookSlim JeansThe thing worth knowing before anything else is that slim doesn't mean tight, and the moment you find…See the collections →
Rigid JeansMid Blue Rigid Denim Jeans That Make Dressing Easy
The Mid Blue Barrel Jeans We’re Eyeing Up This Season
High Rise JeansMid Blue High Rise Slim Jeans on Our Radar
Rigid JeansMid Blue Rigid Jeans Picked by Us
Button Fly JeansMid Blue Button Fly Denim Jeans You’ll Wear Week After Week
High Rise JeansMid Blue High Rise Straight Leg Jeans We Can’t Stop Looking At
Rigid JeansMid Blue Rigid Straight Leg Jeans We Rate
Button Fly JeansThe Mid Blue Button Fly Jeans Your Wardrobe Is Missing
Mid Blue Jeans: Our Top PicksAlso worth a lookStraight Leg JeansI spent a good few years thinking straight leg meant boring leg, the jeans equivalent of oatmeal, and…See the collections →
Button Fly JeansMid Blue Button Fly Slim Jeans: The Edit
Mid Blue Mom Jeans: What We’d Buy Now
Button Fly JeansMid Blue Button Fly Straight Leg Jeans: The Ones Worth Your Money
Organic Cotton JeansMid Blue Organic Cotton Denim Jeans That Fit and Flatter
Cropped JeansOur Go To Mid Blue Cropped Denim Jeans
Organic Cotton JeansMid Blue Organic Cotton Jeans That Work From Desk to Dinner
Cropped JeansMid Blue Cropped Straight Leg Jeans That Go With Everything
Organic Cotton JeansMid Blue Organic Cotton Straight Leg Jeans We’re Adding to Basket
