How to Wear Denim Tears According to ASAP Rocky, Fat Joe, Cardi B, and More

Styling Tip: Get your family and friends to commit to the look. 

It’s no surprise that Cardi B and Offset are hardcore fans of Denim Tears. Outside of Offset releasing a collaboration with the brand, Cardi B spit a memorable bar about Denim Tears in her verse for Latto’s “Put It on da Floor Again” that’s been quoted in a countless number of Denim Tears fit pics. “Nigga, cry for what? Bitch, these are Denim Tears,” raps Cardi. Here, the power couple shows that the best way to style the Cotton Wreath Levi’s is to get the entire family in them. Yes, those kid’s looks were custom made and exclusively tailored for the family by Emory. But even if you’re not a celeb, you can still achieve this look by taking matters into your own hands. This softball team in Atlanta made sky blue uniforms inspired by Denim Tears’ Cotton Wreaths that received Emory’s stamp of approval. But please, avoid wearing mismatched hoodies and sweatpants like this cringey group of resellers. 

Styling Tip: Build around your Denim Tears apparel with outside-the-box accessories and complementary graphic T-shirts.  

Kerwin Frost has always been known for his bold fashion taste and risky fashion choices. While most of us aren’t brave enough to dress like an abominable snowman, Frost pulls off great looks while wearing some crazy garments. A perfect example is how he paired a leather Levi’s Cotton Wreath set with a fur hat that looks like it was stolen from Jay Kay of Jamiroquai’s closet. But somehow, this buffalo-horned look just works. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t look like every other head-to-toe Cotton Wreath outfit we’ve constantly seen on our timeline. It’s also nice that Frost broke up the fit with a vintage Rosa Parks T-shirt, which feels in line with the Denim Tears’ larger message. 

Styling Tip: Don’t sleep on white Denim Tears jeans. Instead, embrace them to pull together looks with lighter colors. 

Naturally, most people gravitate toward buying jeans in light blue or dark indigo washes. But sometimes, you’ll need a pair of white denims to get an out of this world fit like Bloody Osiris. Here, Bloody O styled a pair of white Levi’s bearing black Cotton Wreaths with a cream-colored puffer by another Black-owned brand—Hood by Air. This fit is neatly tied together by a pair of white Bottega Veneta Puddle Boots. While a simple fit with these jeans isn’t bad, a look like Bloody’s will turn more heads than just wearing these jeans with a pair of all-white Uptowns and a plain white T-shirt. 

Styling Tip: Don’t be afraid to dress up Denim Tears with heritage luxury brands. 

Although Denim Tears is a relatively young clothing label, it has quickly ascended into the realm of luxury brands, as seen with its recent collaboration with Dior. This pregame outfit worn by the football star Odell Beckham Jr. shows that Denim Tears has also produced elegant pieces that pair well with other luxury labels. The piece Odell’s wearing is a Denim Tears mohair sweater made in collaboration with Saint Michael—a clothing label by the artist Cali Thornhill Dewitt and Readymade founder Yuta Hosokawa. The knit resembles the look of a distorted David Hammons’ African-American flag, which nicely complements a pair of green Louis Vuitton carpenter jeans by Virgil Abloh and an archival LV Keepall made in collaboration with Takashi Murakami. 

Styling Tip: Try wearing Denim Tears jeans that feature different graphics besides the Cotton Wreaths. 

Yes, Denim Tears has released many other Levi’s that don’t feature the brand’s distinct Cotton Wreaths. This pair that Lil Uzi Vert has on is truly one of the brand’s best releases. The jeans are dubbed the “Windrush” 501s and features a British Union Jack flag dressed in the colors of the Jamaican flag. The name and look of the jeans is a reference to Britain’s “Windrush Generation,” a name given to immigrants who arrived in the United Kingdom from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1973. Uzi styled these jeans well, pairing them with a light brown Jeff Hamilton jacket and Louis Vuitton trainers with green accents. The colors of his fit nicely play off each other. So yes, you can pull off Denim Tears jeans that aren’t crutched by its most recognizable logo. 

Styling Tip: These are jeans! Don’t be afraid to cuff them. 

To cuff or not to cuff? The truth is, it depends on what footwear you’re wearing. And Marc Jacobs shows exactly how good a cuffed pair of Cotton Wreaths can look by wearing them with heeled Rick Owens platform boots. By keeping it simple up top, Jacobs brings all the attention below his waist. It’s fitting that Jacobs is a fan of Emory’s work. Years before Emory started Denim Tears, he cut his teeth in the fashion industry by working retail for Marc Jacobs’ eponymous label.  

Styling Tip: Seek out older Denim Tears releases for a more unique look.

While it’s easy to go out and wear the most hyped piece from a trendy clothing label, you might get more props for wearing the brand’s deep cuts. One celebrity who has consistently embraced Denim Tears’ releases beyond Cotton Wreaths is the Brooklyn rapper Joey Badass. In this recent outfit he shared, he flexed a graphic crewneck sweatshirt that is from the brand’s “Tears, Flags, and Caskets” collection released in 2021. The image on Joey’s sweatshirt features an altered image of Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral procession where David Hammons' African-American flag is draped over his casket instead of the American flag. 

Styling Tip: You can never go wrong matching Denim Tears with your sneakers. 

Leave it to Fat Joe to get a custom leather Denim Tears set with blue Cotton Wreaths that perfectly match his Tiffany & Co. x Nike Air Force 1s. While Joe subscribed to a “basic” Denim Tears fit for the BET Awards, he shows that picking the perfect pair of sneakers can really seal the look. But consider this wise advice from the Instagram comedian Rayyy Rayyy if you’re already planning to pair a red Denim Tears sweatsuit with recently released “Cherry” Air Jordan 12s. Don’t burn these matching Denim Tears sneaker combos out by wearing them once or twice a week, every week, for the rest of the year. Restrain yourself and throw it on like once or twice a month. 

Styling Tip: Don’t be afraid to customize a pair of Denim Tears jeans.

If you really want to switch up the look of Cotton Wreath Levi’s, take some notes from the budding Quality Control signee Lakeyah. She recently commissioned Atlanta-based designer M'Kayla Lynne to rework a pair of Denim Tears 501s into a unique three-piece look that consists of a crop top, booty shorts, and a set of arm sleeves. Since Denim Tears doesn’t necessarily make cut and sew womenswear, this is an innovative way to wear the label. Cardi B also did something similar by recently donning a corset that was crafted out of a pair of Offset’s orange Cotton Wreath jeans. If you dare cut up a pair of pricey Denim Tears jeans, just make sure you find a talented tailor that you can really trust.