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My old LVC 1947 555 501's from the 90's worn and repaired multiple times. They were my first pair of LVC denim so trying to keep them repaired and in service.

SOA03XX with custom arcs from @Duke Mantee template! Thank you to @Broark for helping me track down a pair

The Dixie/Southeastern perspective is more complex than the popular caricature of angry rednecks shooting at stuff. There's definitely some truth to the stereotype, but it's more nuanced than you might expect. I'll try my best to give some kind of insight. I'm originally from Houston, TX, very different mid/southwestern culture that probably has more in common with Ohio than Alabama. And where I live in Georgia is right on the border of Dixie culture and Appalachia, which is itself a very distinct culture which nevertheless has some overlap with Dixie. I'm much more at home in Appalachian culture and identify much more strongly with it. Appalachia is characterized by cultural things like bluegrass music and the seemingly-contradictory fiercely independent and self sufficient, yet intricately intertwined community and family life. Appalachia is Scots-Irish, which goes a long way toward explaining this sort of cultural character. Dixie on the other hand is really encapsulated by things like college football mania, where your allegiance to the University of Alabama or Auburn and so on is a sort of tribal identity, and there's this very stratified, almost pseudo-aristocratic social environment imported from England and still ensconced in the cultural unconscious. And the gun-totin' rednecks... are at the bottom of that hierarchy. The (white) people at the bottom can be hostile toward blacks, for instance, because they might feel threatened by the only ones lower on the totem pole than them who might snatch what little honor and pride they have for themselves. And between being on the losing end of the Civil War and bearing the brunt of Reconstruction, the Great Depression, and more, there are generations of grievances and bitterness about things, and a wariness toward outsiders who can come across as carpetbaggers showing up to take what little scraps they proudly cling to as their own. Dixie people, especially those on the poorer and rural end of things, often feel like they're been under attack for over 150 years. And that is why it could be hard to convince Dixie locals to let you pick through their abandoned buildings. As much as I'd love to collect cool vintage loot, I definitely sympathize with where reticent locals are coming from, even if I don't necessarily agree.

The options are the same as they have always been: accepting that most people, the vast, vast, majority, share the exact same base desires as we do — to love and be loved, to live a fulfilling life, to be appreciated for their contributions and achievements, and to accept and learn from their mistakes. These same people, without exception, are going to have painful experiences from their upbringings, to be hurt when trying to be vulnerable, and to learn to react with fear, withdrawal, anger or violence, and in doing so they’ll also cause pain to other people. The choice becomes available when we realize and accept that about others — and just as importantly, about ourselves — and choose to meet people’s pain, struggle and difference with understanding and compassion. The choice to “go NC” (no contact) with somebody is valid when someone, in very rare cases, proves themselves pathologically incapable of meeting you halfway in your process of healing. But in the vast majority of relationships today, people can and deserve much more understanding and commitment than they get, even from close friends, partners and family members. To not offer them that opportunity is a failure to fully respect the complexity of the human condition, in my opinion. And it’s a root cause of the epidemics of loneliness and division I know we are all experiencing at this moment in history.

I’ve been thinking often recently that the highest form of “education” a society can have is shown in its capacity to accept, and live with, differences and contradictions both within and outside of itself. To that end, I see many rich, college-educated liberals in Seattle being stuck in the same backwards state of mine as the proverbial backwater Southerner: distrustful of outsiders, intolerant of difference, to the point it’s become a trend to even cut family members out of your lives who voted differently than you. It’s a problem both sides of the political & socioeconomic spectrum are really struggling with. I finished reading a wonderful book a couple weeks back, The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm. There’s a passage in it where he discusses arranged marriages, often seen as antiquated, backward, even barbaric in the West (and surely there are elements of this when there are huge age discrepancies, etc — that’s beside the point for the moment). But in fact, he argues, a high percentage of those in this arrangement report themselves as quite happy. Why? Because, contrary to the modern social narrative that you’re meant to “fall in” love, which itself presupposes chance more than effort, he says people enter into arranged marriages understanding that they are building a loving relationship together, basically from scratch. That from being more or less strangers, perhaps with nothing in common beyond some shared cultural understanding, they work to find their common humanity, their capacity for care and empathy, and develop a lifetime commitment to one another, which forms the basis for their, not instant, but gradually developing, love. In contrast, the West’s “modern” love ideas are far more transactional. Do you and your spouse feel the same burning, passionate connection after 5 years that you felt as new lovers? Perhaps not, and so one or both partners may just abandon the relationship to search for another, in hopes that this time, that initial feeling of love won’t fade away (it almost always does). That this dynamic has now stretched to include family and community members, and become codified in the act of “cancelling”, “ghosting” or otherwise abandoning people who don’t easily and comfortably conform to your ideas of acceptable, pleasing behavior, is to me one of the most concerning and notable elements of the decline of contemporary society in the West. It’s interesting to consider that behavior such as inviting a stranger in for tea or offering a ride to someone broken down on the side of the road are now seen as risky, perhaps intolerably dangerous, though our grandparents may have thought nothing of either one. In fact, where I am living in rural Mexico, these are still normal, even socially expected, behaviors today. Why we have gone down the path of separateness I think has many factors, economic pressure and social media being some of them, but those are factors all over the world, and some places still stubbornly continue to embrace one another’s differences and embrace contradictions rather than turn away from them. So I don’t think those factors alone tell the whole story. Anyway, sorry for the long ramble, but this conversation about cultural difference & isolation has felt increasingly relevant this past decade and I am always wondering where it comes from and what can be done about it.

Dug these out of the closet recently, the type 3 black denim. Great pair of black jeans

Just a few points of curiosity to note. I’m partly of Appalachian Ohio/Kentucky stock. Didn’t grow up there, but have lived there for a time and visited often and still have family there. I’ve also lived in North Carolina (central NC), and from what I’ve experienced of Texans and Texas I am surprised to see a comparison brought to the Appalachian culture. To my mind there have always been at least three versions of the South (if Appalachian is to be Southern - I’d contend it’s not). @Cold Summer - basically what I’m saying is that I find it novel for a native Houstonian to identify with this! I’d much more expect this part of Texas to breed a sort of simpatico ethos with what I found in central NC - which I would agree is different from the Deep South Alabama/Mississippi etc. Anyways, being a photographer, I (a good while back now) photographed abandoned properties in rural Appalachia - driving down hollers traipsing through old places by my own, sometimes I’m thank my stars I too do not resemble a colander. Though I also primarily was out to meet and speak with people - which is perhaps what ultimately kept me safe. Stranger though I’d be and distrustful of outsider with camera that they were, I think even fifteen years ago things were different, safer. Distrust seems to be quite high now - higher even, for whatever reasons (and I can think of plenty), and it’s a real shame. I do think most people are good people - and that’s probably evidenced in part by the fact that I’m not dead despite repeatedly popping up as a curious stranger in places where it would be least expected - where the shotguns in closets probably outnumbered the people 3 to 1. But it sure is nice to not really have to worry about that so much. Huh, guess I still rambled some.

Simple fit today. Watch cap Thrifted Sweatshirt Mister Freedom Outlaw Cone deadstock Vintage Lucchese Bias Alligator

You must’ve missed my recent cheeseburger contribution to this thread.. Some Americans yes.. but ‘Americans’ as a generalisation, I wouldn’t say so.. We can be equally as judgemental about fellow Europeans, one thing I can say with certainty, stupidity is never confined within borders.

You’re allowed to use reasonable force to defend yourself or your property I only remember one case here in the UK which brought the law into question.. there was a guy called Tony Martin, he lived in a remote and rather dilapidated farm house, he was having issues with folks breaking in and steeling his furniture (theft is always a crime, even if you find someone on the street, it doesn’t make it your property) the police had no record of these crimes but if you’ve ever reported theft to the cops, they do fuck all so there is very little point reporting it.. Some dudes broke into his house, I’m pretty sure their intention was to steal his stuff rather than photograph his decay.. he was waiting in the dark with an illegally held shotgun, opened fire shooting at random in the dark and killed one of them.. it went to court, his supporters believed he had every right to defend his property but we have a ‘reasonable force’ law over here.. ie- a burglar breaks into your house.. is it considered reasonable to (let’s say) hit them in the face with a baseball bat, killing them in the process if they are (to quote South Park) coming right for you.. yes indeed it is, is it considered reasonable to stab them in the back if they’re running out your door with your laptop under their arm.. then no, because you’re not under threat.

Keeping it simple while lazing about the yard. FW sweatshirt, OA01, vans

47s Color is real nice

Antique Cowboy Boots.

oh wow. that's a very wild thing to think about as an American.

I was looking at a new photography book last week (Abandoned by Angus McKay) of properties around the highlands.. Some lovely photos https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8900zp534o

Holy shit, that’s one of the most amazing pairs of jeans I’ve ever seen. Beautiful work and repairs @crownzip!

A lot of that^^ Wende Cragg docu is taken from Klunkers the Billy Savage film from 15yrs previous.. It's focuses less on Wende but it's the same crew / story.. almost word for word You can buy the DVD for £40.. or watch it for nowt here.. https://vk.com/video-64941521_167503531 It's a much deeper dive into the culture

Amazing luck at the Antique Mall while Holiday shopping. 1988-1992 Made in El Paso Lucchese Bias Cut Alligator (and goat?) Cowboy boots. Found in a pile of old saddles and cowboy crap. Some deep creases but no cracks. Brand new soles. Cleaned up nicely with a coat of Venetian and Saphir.

Not sure that this counts as iconic, but my grandfather here circa 1951.

Just waiting on @UkeNo, @JohnM, @fabes, @aho, @bartlebyyphonics, @theguywhoknewthatguy, @volvo240thebest and @Mtvare for their approximate locations...

John Gluckow Companion The rest - vintage

Finally picked up a pair of all black engineer boots after years of looking around, went with the Attractions lot 444. Got these from Japan, they still had size 12 in their most recent restock so figured I'd give them a try. Initial impressions are really good, they are so much easier for me to get on and off compared to my Lofgrens. The leather is pretty thick, will try to wear these daily now that the weather has cooled off.

Here you go... I didn't have a plan on what to wear the vest with... and after wearing it all weekend, I still don't ... my conclusion is just throw it on and wear it with whatever. I've been to the cinema in it, nearly losing a chocolate bar in one of the ten pockets, gone for kebabs in it and lounged on the sofa watching the footy in it. Multi-functional. I'll also refrain from calling it a vest... I think the 'sleeveless outing coat' is, in fact, a more appropriate description given the style, weight and voluminous fit... at least in the size I got, which is my usual Ooe size The denim and shape are still settling down so it hasn't draped yet... I can see it coming in especially useful when out and about on holidays

I think, it was in 19 and 20 that I had taken mostly a hiatus from following the board. So, some discussions are new to me. Plus with the "site:" search in ggl it's quite quick to find.

tuff stuff

I get that, but I always read that as sort of tongue-in-cheek ribbing, which to me at least is all in good fun. They call us uncouth mouth-breathing burger-chompers, we call them cheese-eating surrender monkeys, everybody has a good laugh and goes home at the end of the day. Or something like that. 100%. America is really more like an empire of a centralized government sometimes strongly, sometimes loosely uniting various disparate nations and cultures within its borders. Early in the nation's history this was all a lot less defined, but since the end of the Civil War, for better or worse, the Empire model won out. A united political entity in the borders of what we call the USA has made a lot of us pretty wealthy and comfortable by historical standards, but oftentimes at the expense of factors that can't be so readily quantified, like community and cultural cohesion. Plenty of interesting questions to consider surrounding it all.

I really appreciate the way you put this. I'm not going to go and say that there's nothing wrong with southerners' mindsets, but no one is perfect, and if you look at things with historical perspective you can start to see how things pass through generations and are taken as a fact of life. I think it's unfair sometimes the way some Europeans (not any of you Euros in this thread btw, you all seem lovely) bash Americans as being less civilized and evolved. I'm not even patriotic, but it bothers me when I see people talking about stupid Americans as if Europe is this perfect continent that has no problems of its own. They act like since they don't eat cheeseburgers that they are better than us. There are problems everywhere and to put those problems on the population as a whole is so unfair because of how complex and multifaceted societies are.

Check the Ooe thread as of today from LazyS

I'm sure this has been brought up at some point before, but... anybody ever hand-paint arcs/anything else on their jeans?! I love the painted arcs on my Flat Head 3003xx, and I could see myself wanting to re-paint/touch them up as they wear away. What kind of paint do you use? Any particular techniques? My wife has a Cricut so it seems like it'd be easy to make a stencil/template at home and just paint that, but I wondered if any of y'all have done something like this recently.

Could be that the prong sneaked underneath the thing. Dont know the name of the individuel parts.

TCB / Buaisou / @Duke Mantee / Freewheelers '37 / Adidas

1927 Freewheelers type 1 1937 Freewheelers jeans

Nonnative Phigvel Patagonia Phigvel Redwing

not today but still a fit picture Jelado North Sea Clothing TCB 40's Role Club Underdogs

Quite hard to take ‘action stills’, especially getting the waist to lay flat, but hopefully this gives you an idea.

Current Military Chino

thanks @julian-wolffor helping me finally locate a pair. Can’t wait to get these

Wondering if Nicholson's 501s in One flew over the cuckoo's nest are 47, 55 or 66?

Happy with the shrinkage. They are very stiff at the moment so look a bit weird but I believe they soften up quickly from what I've read here. I washed at 40 low spin but think I should get some more shrinkage in leg next wash. Waist is perfect. These feel like cardboard right now compared to my fullcounts

Also washed before stashed away. SOA03XXD

Looks like Neil is wearing the new ones…

The pics aren't great... but the Amoskeag repro denim surely is 😊... roll on the jacket and the jeans 😉 Pics 1-3 indoors with the light on... 4-6 outdoors in poor light I took a size 44 rather than opt for (or try my sizing luck with) a snugger fit... so it's pretty voluminous, with many pockets (like CSL has opined already) and the storage space of a modest backpack... I like!!

Just ripped the knee. Repairing these every 5 minutes lately.

@MJF9's jacket found a new home