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Washtime for my natural indigo 1880s. We're just outside of Marseille on holiday, so I washed with laundry soap. Cleanest they've ever been.

Yes. One of the last LVC and, perhaps even sadder, Cone's swan song. Natural indigo grown in Tennessee - think I posted pics from when I visited for the indigo harvest. I've always loved the Nevada and these are one of the nicest implementations. Right at the beginning of this thread are photos of my 1880s using natural indigo Kurabo, which are awful - these are so much better. We've often debated why natural indigo doesn't crock much or isn't that dark - but for these jeans, the indigo seems to wear in brilliantly. The nicest early cut I've ever had. Plus the denim is different, yet still quintessentially Cone. Hard to do it justice in a photo but the denim is very crinkly with lots of micro-contrast, very slubby - but the slubs are small. I think it's essentially the same denim as the 3-pleat I've posted often but with the natural indigo, looks a bit darker, more red, less turquoise.

More impressions, my thoughts will follow

My own personal anecdote is that the first three months of ownership are always the best, said jeans being new and all. The way it finally settles after that initial crispness. Then, three to nine months is usually the least interesting, occasionally uplifted by some electric blue peaking through in direct sunlight, but generally a stale wear period. They don't look new, they don't look worn. A middle ground. After that—nine to twelve months—there's a renewed love since the thighs suddenly start showing a distinct color difference from the lower legs, or the wallet fade is beginning to make way to a hole forming. This usually re-energizes me to wear the pair again more often and then it seems to accelerate to a point where they need repairs, but look their best in between fixes. Until finally, the cost ratio of how many repairs have been made and may need to be done in the future encourages me to find a new pair. This, for me, usually happens between 2.5–3.5 years (maybe even 2-3). I try to keep about 4-5 pairs in constant rotation and not get on the hype train of buying every brand/model and having it sitting in my closet where my tastes (or weight) could change drastically in a few years. A funny thing with denim though, it's the one area in life I don't have a specific brand allegiance. I love trying different brands and often seek new brands. I kinda dig that.

Mepse claims these are based on a vintage pair he owns (?) and becauseI don't own one I can only judge based on other brands I handled. The jeans are smaller than advertized so this was a small surprise and I saw others claiming a lot of shrinkage on this denim, it will be interesting to see how they will fit after a soak. Right now I have a bit space in the waist but the 0.5" more would have been nice Thighs are also off by 0.5" and so is the inseam. All in all inside the accepted variation I think. 36x34 raw Waist: 35" Front rise: 11.75" Back rise: 16.25" Thighs: 13" Knee: 9.8" Leg opening: 8.5" Inseam: 33.375" The construction of the jeans is sound and does look clean. The tab is sewn crooked on purpose. On the left back pocket you see that the stitching at the bottom is not completely straight at the left edge but it looks nice this way. The placket is very long in comparison to the front rise in general which could look goofy. We will see. The back pockets look quite small, I have to test how well they will contain a wallet or so. Rivets and buttons are generic (blank or "World Jeans International") but I think this should be accepted with a small brand that is just about to really start. The red tab is branded but doesn't look like rayon or so...it looks/feels a bit cheap. Back of the top button is stamped with a "6". The chainstitch at the hem looks nice and I think will lead to good roping. The double chainstitch on the waist however looks somehow off. Quite thin threads are used and the SPI looks quite low. This is somehow my biggest disappointment but maybe it won't have any major effect. All other stitching looks good from what I could see. The belt loops are on the thin side, feature a two-tone stitching and are not raised. Belt loops from other brands feel/look better to me. The pocket bag material is a bit flimsy and the pocket bags aren't the biggest. But they are accessible. The denim is really interesting. It should be a 12.5oz denim and it does feel thinner which I really like. The denim is darker and more irregular than what other brands usually use for their 60s models. The denim is from Okayama, Mepse didn't disclose the mill (or he doesn't know or he didn't understand). I really look forward to see it evolving. Which important parts did I miss?

What has my balls got to do with my eyesight?

I really don’t care how quickly or how slow denim fades - too many factors involved to really make sense of it anyway ( @chicote touches on this) As with a lot of this stuff, there’s a certain po-faced approach to the scientific appraisal of train tracks, roping, whiskers and whatnot that makes for good forum debate, but I wonder if it kills the joy of wearing nice clothes just for the fun of, well … erm, wearing nice clothes? I posted a pair of FW jeans a few months back that were very heavily faded, in certain areas, within a few weeks - they were used for work, they got dirty and sweaty and one knee (the one I knelt one while working) is almost worn through. Not the ‘classic’ fades (there is no such thing anyway) and I still wear them with as little thought as any other pair of jeans … and I think that’s my point - I wear what I want on any given day and I’m not bothered about investing too much thought into that process.

These look great. Purely because I just came across these by accident, here's a pic of Curtis's old late 60s 302, in their raw state, for comparison. The only vintage Levi's I've ever documented from the raw state.

That’s my old FW jacket! Dunno why he’s sold for less than he bought it from me

Teaser!

A variation of my own belt for @dirkdongler7 on IG Wickett & Craig bridle, solid brass hardware with turquoise and jasper gemstones, vintage cowboy spots and Japanese coin Not possible to make this again as my supply of cowboy spots is now exhausted

P46-DS Review Overall pant shape is a bit weird for me personally. They fit kinda like tubes on the lower half. Pockets are standard. The flaps are a nice addition that makes stuff feel more secure but sometimes is cumbersome to grab due to material being a bit stiff when new. Vents are great in these pants especially in NYC when temperatures change going in and out the subway. Only issue I have with them is that the back vent flairs a bit due to the tension (?)zip function which makes the shape of the pants not very flattering. Belt system is a pretty mediocre and I find myself using a normal belt instead with the pants while having the integrated one as decoration. Have heard many people say they want to a pickup a pair of P46 as an alternative to the P33-DS however in my opinion the pants are completely different. P33 feels like a streamlined tech trouser while P46 feels like dryskin pajamas. Hope this helped!

The spectrum of variables keeps me interested. I like having a number of different pairs, models / styles / eras, different denims in different states (faded, unfaded), different cuffs and different fits. Naturally for periods I'll be more inclined to some than others. However I do like to be able to pull out a faded pair one day (that I may be 'saving' in that state) and a hardly worn pair the next, for instance. It's currently keeping this denim-hobby-thing fresh for me.

Enough with the creepy stories we headed to the beautiful sea for dives

^ He lives in the Netherlands.

This whole conversation is why I have never really understood the denim contests where you’re allowed to wear whatever denim you choose. In a perfect world, factors like the speed of a given fabric’s wear would be taken into consideration, but in reality I feel like winners in these contests had often made the “strategic” choice of a very fast-wearing fabric that gives them an advantage over someone who might want to wear a pair of SDA or Evisu. It’s also something I appreciate about contests like the Devis, which I recall was a notably slow fader, and paid off in the appreciation people had for the commitment that went into getting those jeans well-broken in.

Otranto and it’s beautiful church where 800 martyrs are conserved. They where beheaded by ottomans in 1480.

Antiques Roadshow punter: “Well I bought these Buckweat shoes from a renowned dealer in South Yorkshire, he assured me they were made in California in the 1920s and they’re part of a set of 3 pairs.” Antiques Roadshow vintage footwear expert: “How much did you pay for them?” Antiques Roadshow punter: ”£600 for all 3 pairs but the seller assured me they’re worth much more due to their rarity value.” Antiques Roadshow vintage footwear expert: “They were made in China circa 2015 and have a value of £12 each.” Cue fake smiles and withheld tears…

So the Antiques Roadshow came to the park near me... For those not in the UK, it's a TV show where the public bring their valued items to be properly valued by antiques experts, with each antique carrying a story Some have bought a gem in a car boot sale for £1 that is valued at £10k - big smiles and tears Others whose 'original antique' is valued at £1 when they thought it might fetch £10k but still insist it would stay in the family for sentimental reasons whatever it was worth, yeah right - big forced smiles and tears Plus some local scally trying to get in camera-shot clad in McCoys, Denime and Buckweat

Sufu’s always been ahead of the curve in terms of metrosexuaity, mutual male support group, your bum DOESNT look big in that, etc. In these times of anxious millennials and Gen-Zers, middle-aged men with no friends (not me, honestly…) and an uncertain future for our world, everyone needs their own Sufu or just to wear nice denim and feel the love.

A long time ago I had a newly divorced guy ask me if his new matching denim jacket and jeans outfit would make women want to have sex with him and I didnt have the heart to tell him that while he may get more attention, the majority of it will be from other men who are into denim.

A 4th belt to @coastal_file on IG J&FJ Baker oak stained oak bark tanned bridle leather with nickel plated steel hardware, white howlite and leopardskin jasper gemstones, and a sterling antique Japanese coin

Another amazing find for Foremost vintage, this pair is identical to the flannel pocket pair in the 501xx book and in the same size and unwashed condition as the pair recently discussed in the Sugar cane thread! Can't believe there's still this stuff like this out there. Edit - after closer inspection it seems these S501XX are the same pair that Sugarcane used as a template for their recent flannel pocket replica.

Lvc 551

Same old, some new. Denim Fishermen's Cap Vintage 1984 Roy Rogers LA Olympics tee* Trusty vest Vintage belt with brass monster buckle and vintage jewels Mister Freedom Outlaw in black denim New to me Vintage Chippewa boots. The leather patina was too good to pass up. *I have been searching for an actual vintage example of this t-shirt for years. It has been poorly copied a few times because it's claim to fame was an appearance in a classic quirky 80s comedy. Since finding this grail I have worn it a few times but despite my friends and acquaintances all being pop culture obsessed weirdos NO ONE has placed it yet! Only a real one will get it. SO...if anyone can name the film, I'll send you a prize. Probably something vintage! @julian-wolf got it almost immediately through DM. Get at me with your address! Close up showing the belt and buckle, the MF frogmouth pockets and the vintage jewels Duke inspired me to add (until I can pull the trigger on one of his belts!) Vintage Chippewas Close up of the vintage Roy Rogers tee. Send me your guesses!

Previous dates that may be useful. ACRONYM FW22 Delivery 1 | Release Date: 10.27.22 ACRONYM FW21 New collection - 10/18(Mon) Looks like October so you got two more months.

The positives! Seriously, that sounds like an excellent, honest appraisal. Thanks b_F

thanks b. a bit too big for me. glws!

Yeah, I’ll always default to supporting a local brick & mortar if doing so offers the opportunity to shop around and try stuff on, but paying the extra surcharge seems silly for a preorder

@AlientoyWorkmachine Barnstormer is great; I’ve proxied from them in the past using buyee and service has been very good with fast shipping to the US. I also preordered the 03’s so hoping my previous experiences with Barnstormer / Buyee hold true this time around.

I also have the T-shirt 1 in dark indigo. It's lovely, but I now think the mid-indigo dye job might be more interesting. I also have one of their bandana, which is interesting, but some they've made for other brands are even nicer: https://www.buaisou-i.com/bandana They have a cool service where they will dye for the customer, on a per weight basis. I would do that if I had the network in Japan to organize this.

@smoothsailor - if shipping to the US, you will be asked for a "ball test certificate" to import glasses. Look it up. You can just download the form and fill it up yourself, but FedEx won't deliver without it. It's mostly an inconvenience because your shipment will wait for 1+ week for that to get resolved while you exchange emails with a fedex rep.

I've had this discussion with a few people over the last year and it seems like people who are huge fans of the THC shirts dont end up liking the Merz 2-thread tshirts which I think makes sense bc they're quite opposite from each other. The THC fabric is on the stiffer side, barely any stretch to them, and the construction esp at the neck is over engineered and on the tighter side whereas the Merz 2 thread fabric is lighter feeling and def stretchier and the neck is wider. I almost exclusively wore THC tshirts for a long time but now I find that while I do appreciate them and wear them still, I dont really gravitate towards them as much these days. I wear my warehouse and merz tshirts way more. I actually didnt like the merz at first when I bought it in 2015/2016 because but then tried it again when they reworked the pattern and fabric to have more predictable shrink and now they're amount my favorite tshirts because they're way more comfortable to me. THC tshirts just feels like wearing super heavy raw jeans...it's really impressive but when it comes down to it, I grab the comfier stuff more....maybe that means soon I'll be wearing only athleisure and yoga pants.

This is a good conversation. I quite like faster fading denim at the moment. As @beautiful_FrEaK pointed out, with slow faders you can end up with dark jeans with white knees, worn out crotches and busted stitching and never get the opportunity to see wear a lighter pair that are fully intact. Mileage may vary for individuals but 2 pairs I’ve worn recently that haven’t been stubborn (although I’m not necessarily calling them fast faders) are SC Okis and LVC 55s (2007 production) and I think I might start washing them more often than once every 1-2 months, which is probably what I currently do (although I don’t monitor the frequency so am just guessing) to lighten them up even more.

^Its true… a few months ago I was out w my partner, we were getting tacos at a late night truck in town, and the guy in line behind me (a tall, somewhat tough-looking man in an undeniably well-curated outfit) compliments my engineer boots. I turn and look at HIS boots and wow, can’t even remember what they were anymore but I don’t think I could hide the impression they made on me. We spoke about the construction of the soles and then about our pants and so on for a few minutes until it was our turn in line to order, and when we got our food and moved on my partner looked very thoughtful, then turned to me and said (paraphrasing), “wow, I’ve never had such an in depth conversation about my clothing before… not even with my sewing teacher… at first I thought he was flirting with you… is that what it’s like on your little forum?”

Pre wash pics of the 1954 dsb There a lot bigger than they look , sized up 1 from my usual 30 for a roomier fit

And the Lot.220A today

Day 1 in the 01s. Gave a hot soak and vigorous hand wash yesterday. Took a chance on the size 31 some months ago since the deal was good and everything but the waist looked to shrink up okay per measurements. Definitely the smallest 31s I’ve worn and definitely a little snug up top but I think these will stretch out okay…and maybe I’ll tack on some time to my running and rowing days….and if I’m in denial I’ll know in a few days. Haven’t spent a day in true raw jeans in a long time, almost forgot how it feels. *Edit to a day later and I have to say, I think these are my favorite pair (at least at the beginning of the journey) that I've had yet. They've stretched out perfectly - they don't even feel snug now, they just feel like they fit - and at least for me, the cut is about as good as I've ever found. Honestly didn't expect to like them as much as I do, but the little things help - they're cleaner wearing and looking than the '20's I've had on most of the summer, and the pocket bags are just a bit deeper and tougher feeling, etc. I think I'm gonna put everything else aside and focus on these for now, which wasn't really my initial plan.

Latest pickup - Amazing what you can find if you are willing to sift through page after page of trash. Late 60s with the symmetrical V tab. Really nice face to it and plenty of life left. Quite nice, but a bit too small. In between 40 and 42. If anybody has any interest in it, feel free to DM me.

Another ‘western’ style for a customer on IG … similar to the one above for John B … but a different silver plate buckle and a black strap with the protective tallow left untouched (as best possible)

OOE are masters of hype and marketing. Their stuff has always looked cool but the scramble and limited release shit is a huge no for me. I hate that stuff with a passion. similar to how ROY did things toward the end. Not to say I wouldn’t buy a pair second hand and beat the piss out of em tho like @scooby

Haha that post really shows off their skill at marketing. Turning "We got this bolt of denim that wasn't what we ordered and that we actually found disappointing" into "unique war era denim perfect just right for this one model." Don't get me wrong, the pair I have hanging in my closet is impeccably made and one I look forward to wearing.

Good result I think, hot wash and hot dry. Actually glad I didn't get these hemmed. I'll get some better fit pics whenever it's not a billion degrees outside.

Hi Dr, Sure, here's a photo taken this spring with a heavy wool sweater underneath.

I'm a sucker for Lee denim, so here's my 1960's Lee 191-LB blanket lined jacket. The Talon chain pocket zip is a cool detail I've always liked from these 60's era jackets. My sister re-enforced the sleeve ends and repaired a couple small holes with 60's era denim patches.