Raw denim looks intimidating before it’s been worn, and most of that reputation is undeserved. Here’s the short version of what actually matters.
Wear it as much as you can before the first wash — ideally 4-6 weeks of regular wear. This is what creates the honeycombs behind the knees and the whiskers at the hips that make each pair genuinely yours.
When you do wash it, turn it inside out, use cold water, and skip the dryer. Line-drying takes longer but keeps the fabric’s hand from going stiff and papery.
After that, wash it as infrequently as you can stand. Denim genuinely does better with air and time between washes than with routine laundering.