FeloniousMonk

Nice! We've been having a spell of warm weather here in NYC, so I've started wearing my contest pair again. Hope to put a couple more weeks of wear and another wash on them before the northeast realizes it's winter time and dips below freezing for a couple weeks. Had nearly forgotten how soft these jeans have become, almost a velour hand with the gentle fuzz from repeated washes. Will put up some photos in the next month once they're washed and sent in for repairs (like Broark, I meant to do it weeks ago and never got around).

Pudas seems to be running away with things right now, should be a fun home stretch once it turns to spring and summer again and we're all putting in solid wear!

That's a crowded wall! Is each color a different route? If so, that white route looks nuuuuuuuuuts

I kind of assumed the two-part pocket construction was done for a reason, because Roy seems to have a reason for most things, but damned if I know what it is. If you take a look at the two pieces of the pocket though, the twill lines appear to be running at 90 degrees to one another (i.e. they are from rotated sections of the original fabric). The pocket material is unsanforized like the denim, and shrank along with the rest of the jeans during the initial soak, so maybe that two-piece construction avoids some distortion that might otherwise happen from fabric twisting during the soak if he used a more traditional single-piece pattern for the pocket?

Fit looks great, cungster, glad they'll be comfortable for your leg of the tour. Looking forward to seeing Singapore!

22 hours ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Didn't BiG try this route with special models from Samurai, too?

They've carried some special models for the past few years alongside the regular releases, certainly some of the blackhawk jeans were exclusive to BiG. But yeah, it looks like this is the next step they're taking to stay ahead of the Denimios of the world - either pair up with smaller brands that lack the cheaper distribution channels or go for special releases and collaboration pairs instead of widespread mainline models.

On 1/3/2017 at 11:11 PM, garden gnomes in space said:

does BiG no longer sell Full Count jeans or Samurai Jeans?  They have shirts and accessories but no jeans.  Or is this  a lack of inventory so they just remove any trace of the jeans until they show up?

I was in the store a few days ago and asked specifically about Full Counts. The guy said they would be getting more in, but they were going to stop carrying the standard 13.7oz jeans because those were getting a bit commoditized by Denimio and others. They're going to shift toward carrying collaboration pairs with more exclusivity instead, though I didn't learn any more about the details of the new stuff. Does sound like they'll get to use some non-standard denims though... The new stock should be arriving sometime in February, I think.

Didn't notice that they were out of Samurai, it would surprise me if they didn't even have a few sale pairs knocking around their shelves, but I imagine that's going to be a similar deal.

Yep, sounds like cungster for January and louisbosco for February (hope your friend can pick them up). Thanks again, Holio, for kicking this all off!

Looking forward to some tropical rock climbing to kick off the new year, cungster!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Holio, there was no firm plan on who the jeans should go to next. If anyone in Europe/UK wants to join and take the jeans for February, please raise your hand now because it would save quite a bit on postage and tariffs vs them leaving the continent then coming back.

Otherwise, the minimal postage solution would be to send them out to the Asia/Pac contingent now, followed by only one journey to North America. Louisbosco and cungster: would January / February / March timing work for you two, and would either of you prefer to go first?

And finally, we should probably have a volunteer from the North America contingent in case it's not a good time for Bosco or cungster. Anyone? Bueller?

you should have jumped on the Fullcount X Signet collab Ed did. Jeans were 15oz and a blend of wild and Zimbabwe cotton and had a super deep indigo dye that was purple after the soak.

Augh, those would be a dream. I think that collab was happening right when I joined SuFu, and it may have been too early for me to join in! Maybe a pair in size 30 will come up for sale someday...

Holio, your post from Dec 2 made me go and pick up some Marmite from one of the British groceries in town for the first time in years. Damn had I missed the stuff, we've run through almost a third of the pot so far... The girlfriend is also a fan, so it might be a new staple of the household.

If there was a way to find really sharp cheddar, the proper kind with a sour tinge and bits of crystalized salt, and some onion chutney this would be absolutely perfect. (You can find good cheddar around, but it'll be quite pricey at a specialty cheese shop rather than just picking up a small block of the extra sharp at the nearest Sainsburys for a few pounds)

Thanks for reminding me of this magical tar, now I'll never be short of vitamin B again!

which tender jacket? molleton fabric?

Yep, it's the flat jacket in denim molleton with a logwood overdye. Really beautiful depth of color with the inky black exterior and a nice heft to the fabric - I'm looking forward to seeing how it drapes as the jacket gets worn in. Here's the only site I could find online with the jacket, it wasn't even listed on the S&S website.

A quick shot from the store, taken while also trying on a pair of the OA02XX with the 50-year time machine finish:

The cold has settled in hard in NYC, and it's getting too chilly for the contest jeans most days. We're a long way from that lovely sun of San Francisco... It's good timing though, as some of the seat seams are wearing out and the fabric is threatening to blow out any week now. Just gave my pair a final wash, and will send them out for repairs soon. If we get good morning sun for photos, I'll post something, but progress remains pretty slow. Here's a closeup of the back right pocket, where I really like the wallet fade and the small holes that have already appeared over the wallet corner and where my work bag brushes on the hidden rivet.

I imagine 5+ years ago we'd all be saying Flathead 3001, Samurai 710, Skull 5010 6x6, Eternal 811, maybe even Dior 19cm (maybe 8+ years ago?!)...

Funny you mention that, I really wanted to have a pair from Flat Head on my list, or possibly Eternal. They're doing something special with the extreme saturation of indigo and dense weave, to the point where it's almost a blanket of rich purple after that first soak. It would be a unique, more stark fade compared to the softer vintage style of most of my other choices (and most of the choices in this thread). It's just that they don't offer that classic higher-rise fit with room up top and some taper below. Same with the super slubby companies like Strike Gold or Oni. I love what they're doing on the denim fronts, but fit is paramount if I'm going to be happy pulling on a pair of jeans each day.

Almost all the lists above are heavy on jeans with standard top blocks and higher rises, most of the difference lying in how much taper happens around the knee and below. They're comfortable, super classic fits for most body types. Seems like it might be the fashion nowadays, but really how did we ever decide to wear jeans two sizes too small in the first place?

I dunno, Volvo. It's wintertime... My baseline assumption is that all Scandinavians are hungover unless there are clear signs of current inebriation like trouble walking, terrible food choices, or smiling.

So how are other people thinking about this? I'm assuming that if I have to buy my last five pairs of denim now, it would be the five pairs that I would be happy wearing for the next ten to fifteen years. Almost all of them would be overlap with my current collection, the ones that I never want to be without. That said...

Ooe Yofukuten OA02XX (favorite jeans, without a doubt)

Stevenson 714 (good to have a slimmer cut pair, and these are a strong second favorite)

Samurai 710VX (sized up one, always want to have a heavier pair in the closet for winter)

Ande Whall Caribous would have been on this list a couple months ago.

After that, it gets really tough. I want a pair of black jeans, so maybe get the Samurai 710 with black instead of indigo zero denim? I'm also not entirely sure about heavier pair... My current favorites are probably a pair of Onis in their 22oz kabuki selvedge, and Momotaro's various 18oz jeans would be a serious contender in their natural tapered cut.

Ok, let's try to square this circle:

Ooe Yofukuten OA02XX

Stevenson 714

Samurai 710BK or BKB (checks both heavier and black denim needs)

Full Count 1101 (love their arcs, which neither the Ooes nor the Stevensons have)

Warehouse 800 (not certain - this is the only pair I don't already own, but the denim looks amazing)

I'm bummed I missed you - thanks for stopping in. 

 

Did you try on the Tender jeans in the same denim as that jacket you picked up? They're so good.

Sorry to miss you as well! I gotta be honest, after trying on the Tender jacket and the time machine Ooes, the blinders went on to protect my wallet from any further pain. That Tender jacket is the truth though, and makes me want to revisit the rest of their collection. Some fit pics and details will get posted once I get to put some wear into it this spring.

You guys have built a great store and a really excellent team, it was a pleasure coming by. Looking forward to the upcoming collaborations, too, it looks like you have some great new stuff in the pipeline!

Thanks again for kicking off the tour in style, Holio! Envious of the lingering fall colors, all the trees have just given up the ghost around here in the past couple weeks, so now we're in that awkward dead month waiting for the first snow to make it pretty again.

The jeans are looking good, hope there are no more sacrifices to the indigo gods.

Is too late to join the tour? 

I've got you. Sorry I've been late on replying to the PM, but it was a crazy few days since getting back to work. I'll reach out this weekend.

Very cool! Glad to be a part of this- looking forward to them. Are we all going to do a month of wear or a longer period (1.5-2 mo) ?

Well, loose fit huh. Sign me up then haha. I don't mind either way but I suppose being at the end of the tour helps louisbosco so that's better, right? So, each participant holds on to the pair for how long?

Alright, I'm signing you up then, cungster!

We can target around 1.5 months per person, which should work out to a bit over a year with the current list of participants. There will definitely be a couple pauses along the way as the jeans will likely need some repairs, and I think it's up to everyone's schedule as to whether it makes more sense to wear them for a month or 6 weeks or a bit longer.

Jeans should be arriving at Holio's doorstep shorly, USPS tells me they arrived in London a few days ago and are still en route, but it's not that much further.

A little update from Dolores Park in SF, where I've been on a work trip for the past week.

Went by Standard & Strange to give these jeans a brief homecoming and finally check the shop out. Spencer and Brandon were great, got to geek out about fabrics and do some damage to my bank account. I've got yet another pair of Ooe's now, salted away for a rainy day...

Ande tends to use rather crisp, stiff denims and puts a bit of a fuller seat on his jeans than most. I think that combo makes a new pair of Ande Whalls buckle a bit under the cheeks until they settle and conform after some wear.

i'm in australia!! on the west coast in perth. the most isolated city in the world 

Ah beautiful! Yeah, I looked through a couple of your old posts on the Denime tour and some others, and it seemed like you were in Singapore, then Japan, Perth, Thailand... So I just gave up.

Never been to Perth, but always wanted to check it out. I kind of picture it as high desert, but look forward to having my view corrected by your part of the tour!

This is so tempting. I am debating if I can make this work. Is it still too late to consider if I live in South East Asia?

Not too late at all! They may be a little loose fit, but that's hardly the end of the world. What sort of timing would work for you? In about 1-2 months, or in 7-8 months? If you can wait toward the end of the tour, it sounds like that will help louisbosco finish up his DWC competition.

It makes sense to send the jeans around all of the US and Canada participants in a row, as well as any in Europe in one go, since that cuts down on postage. But the order of sending them from Europe to Asia, Australia, or North America doesn't matter much (unless someone here knows which route might have lower mailing costs).

The interior is where the construction really stands out. That seashell overlock stitch used on the fly panels and at the edges of the front pockets is just gorgeous! His chain-stitched signature in red thread also gets me every time.

The front pockets on this pair are primo. I wish every other jean manufacturer in the world made theirs the same way. The openings don't look especially large or cut very low, yet they are extremely easy to reach into and the pocket feels spacious enough that you could carry a whole litter of kittens without tying up your hands. The material is super heavy-duty as well, it almost feels heavier than the claimed 10 oz (pre-soak). I doubt they will be needing the usual 6-month repairs that all my other pocket bags seem to require.

Not quite sure why the front pockets are made from two panels of material, as you can see the triple-stitching holding the pieces together, but I'm sure there's some good reason.

Another close-up of the other pocket, showing the seashell overlock. Another interesting little detail is the watch pocket stitching, which has the little triangles of over-run stitching at each corner. Does anyone know why that is done on some seams? It caught my eye, and flipping through the other pairs in my closet, it looks like only Boncoura uses the same stitching pattern on their watch pocket.

Fully-lined back pockets, using the same heavy-duty twill as the front pocket bags.

And a shot of the super-fat raised belt loops, which are tucked into the waistband. The top of the back pockets is also very prominently raised, which should produce some interesting fades.

So those are the jeans! It will probably take about a week for them to get to the UK, since for all I know the US Postal Service sends all their economy international packages by clipper ship. Looking forward to seeing the places everyone takes them.

Before sending them off, I took a few detail picture to show some of the things I love about Roy's construction. The first and fourth pictures below have the most accurate color for the denim, which is quite a dark grey-blue with plenty of weft peeking through.

The stitch count is very high along all the seams, incredibly straight and regular. The only other jeans I've seen with similarly high stitch counts throughout are Stevensons. Also, gotta love that patch.

He used cool rivets for this pair that I had not seen before - a dual-pronged copper rivet that punches through a plate on the exterior of the garment and then the prongs fold down completely flush, almost like a three-dimensional staple. The buttons aren't as unique, but match the unassuming aesthetic of the jeans well.

Thanks again to everyone that expressed interest in a world tour, and to anyone else who might be interested, let me know! There's still room. These are a tag size 30, but fit like a 31 standard tapered in most brands.

Just mailed the jeans to Holio Cornholio in the UK. After him, it will either head to louisbosco in Australia or to the North America contingent. If anyone in Europe is interested, might be best to speak up quickly so the pair can stay in that hemisphere a little while longer.

Here is the original interest thread, including details on the fit plus some pictures, as well as links with details on the model and Roy's page about the denim.

Measurements at the start of the journey:

Roy BB1002, tag size 30

Waist: 31-31.5"

Thigh: 12"

Knee: 8.25"

Hem: 7.75"

Inseam: 33.75" (original)

Front rise: 11"

Back rise: 15-15.25"

Current participant list:

Holio Cornholio (UK)

cungster (Singapore)

louisbosco (I dunno, frankly, he seems to be everywhere - EDIT: Perth, apparently)

chicote (west Canada)

wolfofthesea (west Canada)

Hendsch (west US)

guthriegking (west US)

andrewrose (mountain US)

unorthodox (southeast US)

ReverendGlasseye (central US)

Mandel9000 (North of the Wall)

FeloniousMonk (NYC)

Hey, yes. I have exchanged PMs with holio cornholio, and he will be kicking off a tour of the Roys.

I have the jeans at the office with me today and will be heading to the post office this afternoon to mail them out. A thread will follow either tonight or tomorrow with some final details shots and a list of everyone who signed up.

Figured it would be best to start in the UK, see if anyone in Europe or UK wants to join in, then swing through North America, and finally any Asia or Pacific Rim participants.

^^ It's a tag size 30, but the post-soak and one-day-of-wear waist measurement is actually 31 inches. Sure it won't work?