Jared_Lee

A little Spring heater for ya. '80s electro mix. Space Is the Place. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5I0C20zSxywWO3RGi8DOxn?si=LT1W6ICmTO-HK6XMz1u3hQ

Jeans update - slow and steady. Admittedly not my favorite cut or fabric I own, but keeping on with it. Definitely favorite patch though.

@julian-wolf, can't get any updated fabric shots as they're down at my partner's in Philadelphia, but here's a couple of the pics I posted last year and a couple I didn't.

The Foreman Chino, yeah I have a pair. I love them. The fit is great. The fabric has worn well. I posted some pics back last spring, I think.

I'm selling my Type I size 40 over on the bay. It ought to sell at a reasonable price, if anyone's looking.

Happy to hear you're on the mend @erockisalive.

Loving the updates everyone. My jeans are a month and change behind the general pack due to the sizing SNAFU at the outset. They're a wonderful pair of jeans though and I've been loving the fit, fabric and general wear of the fabric. I took weekend trip out of the city to visit Dan Santoro at American House in Hawley, PA and a weekend stay at a cabin in Narrowsburg, NY. We've been looking at property on the PA side of the Delaware for the last couple years, but since the push out of the city has driven real estate through the roof out that way, we may just be visitors for the foreseeable future. The cabin was on what used to be Luxton Lake (Lucky Lake). It was an artificial lake resulting from the dam erected in the first half of the 20th century. The property owner's association boasted its status as the first ever multi-racial property owner's association in the US. Luxton Lake stood as a popular summer home destination from the 50s through the early 80s for a thriving community of black artists, musicians and athletes from New York City. As these things go, corporate logging interests in the Catskills compromised the dam, running heavy equipment over it ahead of a proper bridge being built and ultimately the dam was destroyed in 1983, draining the lake and devastating the local community. One of the pics here features some graffiti LUXTON LAKE WAS HERE. The 10 Mile River still runs through and offers some gorgeous views. An obligatory pic of the jeans, though not for the sake of documenting progress, just the love of wearing as well as the legs that live under them. Also some cool kitsch from the cabin.

Great to see the updates from Japan. Loving all the pairs here as well!

@Broark it's not too late for another hem. You've got plenty of life left in the jeans to recover what roping you'll lose. Better to have the length just where you want it than worry about the original hem in my experience. I've re-hemmed a few pairs and been happy with the results.

It's 29 and snowing so a rare subway ride for me. Jeans are doing as jeans do.

Yeah, I've ceased amazement at white America's racism @smoothsailor. No less disgusted, just no longer amazed at its expression. And @kenko, I think I get your point. It's maybe a little muddied to me, but yes, there's always value in gratitude for what is worthy. Always also value in aspiration for what could be. And further, value in criticism for what is deserving. I try to keep a mindful balance.

I spent some time visiting my partner in Philadelphia. The museum was closed, but the weather and walking was beautiful. I wish I'd taken some photos of how Brewerytown is gentrifying. You literally have brand new "luxury" renovations directly next door to burned out houses. I think I finally figured out the reason behind that horrific aluminum paneling all over these corporate developments. It appears to cover plywood exterior walls where the brick can't be salvaged. A couple pics of the denim and the inimitable James Baldwin. "(The police) are a very real menace to every black cat alive in this country. And no matter how many people say, 'You're being paranoid when you talk about police brutality' - I know what I'm talking about. I survived those streets and those precinct basements and I know. And I'll tell you this - I know what it was like when I was really helpless, how many beatings I got. And I know what happens now because I'm not really helpless. But I know, too, that if he (police) don't know this is Jimmy Baldwin and not just some other n****r he's gonna blow my head off just like he blows off everybody else's head. It could happen to my mother in the morning, to my sister, to my brother...For me this has always been a violent country - it has never been a democracy."

A little weekend motorcycling as it's been unusually warm for November. Today we rode upstate a bit and really just took the turns that looked interesting. We ended up at the Hudson River in Ossining, NY. Jeans just get better every day.

@SuperJackle No worries, this is the thread where derailed trains are steered. I don't have an opinion on Tod Snyder. I've never worn any. It doesn't really interest me. They are now using the 235 W Broadway store. He was the Men's Creative Director and founded J Crew's Liquor Store alongside Micky back in 2009. I would say he was primarily responsible for J Crew's menswear image that influenced a generation. As for branded goods at Liquor Store, that was Jamie Sabuda (sp?). He brought J Crew together with Mister Freedom, Warehouse, Homespun, etc.

@Double 0 Soul Mine do have the second tag, but Made for J Crew. I got them all when I was working for them and we carried Homespun at Liquor Store.

@Broark If that's what you're looking for, Uniqlo crew neck thermals are good. Mid-weight, bright white, clean fit. My only complaint is sizing. The XS is still too big for me. I wear thermal almost exclusively as underwear so I like the fit to be extra slim to start. That way after a couple times up an over the head, it isn't bagged out and bulky when tucked in. Check those out. They're a good price. They look good enough and they're more substantial than Hanes, etc. @Double 0 Soul That's one of the Homespun I have. It's a bit yellowed in places and definitely headed for a similar fate. Great shirt overall though. I've had it since 2012. It's one of those larger fits that works well because it's super soft and drapes well. Heavier waffle won't do that when it's baggy.

@Broark I have a Studio heavy weight crew neck from about 6 years ago and just received a couple of the current heavy henleys. Unfortunately, the fit is a little off - too wide in the body, likely too short after a wash and tumble. It's the same with both the old crew and the current henleys. But as far as weight and quality, they can't be beat. I also have a variety of Homespun from about 10 years ago. They all fit differently, but all good quality and better fitting than the Studio, just not nearly as thick. What are you looking for? Is waffle necessary? Do you want heavy or just average weight? Crew neck or henley?

@Foxy2 That's the one! Thank you for your condolences. I also received a lovely e-mail from David Williams when he learned of Dimitri's death. A real class act. And yes, I am thankful for the rich, long life that little cat shared with me.

This is a welcomed addition! That's a funny story for sure. The tattoo looks great. Classic '90s Freddy Corbin style. I would love to have one from that era in his career. I love my black and gray from him, no doubt, but that era of Bay area tattoos looks so fucking original and so good! And please feel free to join the conversation any time. These contests live through the periferral lives we all have surrounding the jeans we wear. Without these types of posts, it'd just be jeans on a tractor, jeans in a field, jeans on a wood floor, you get the picture. That stuff is all great too, but this is where the heart is. Thank you!

I would love to see your Freddy tattoo! It's not often people post 25-year-old tattoos from anyone let alone Freddy, really. I love seeing how they've aged.

And thank you, @mandel9000 and @smoothsailor.

@shredwin_206, yeah, hopefully at some point over the next 16 months I can get around to posting some more detail shots of the suit. That's just the top half! Haha. As for who, the torso was done by five different artists over the last 17 years. J Medina did my back Chuco Moreno did my front and left underarm Freddy Corbin and Bert Krak did my sides. Freddy did the black and gray. Bert did the Tex Avery and pinup. It all started with my second ever tattoo from Sebastian Orth at Otherworld Tattoo. He did the color chest piece back in 2003(?). He's really the one that passed down a lot of wisdom and perspective that helped shape how I approached getting tattooed and greatly influenced the final product.

@chicote I had some good guidance early on. From there it has been a lot of commitment, time, pain and money. We'll see if I regret the latter come retirement. Haha.

Finally, the details. Thank you to Ryo and Inoue for managing to get the original contest details into the second pair. I was only expecting the patch, but got the works. This is the two cats brand and my first contest run with TCB found me and my cat Dimitri on the cover of a coffee table book. Sadly, after 18 years, I had to put him down last week. I'll consider this contest run a little memorial to him.

S40s Tux