harls

Thank you @tchengaa. I obtained them through an online friend.

Admittedly not today, but fairly recent:TCB messenger bag
TCB Seamen jacket
Buzz Rickson's sweat
Uniqlo button-down
AtLast&Co Lot 161
Alden 403

Nice - Dawson stuff is top notch and they'll be perfect in the warmer weather. I'd be keen to see fit pics when they arrive.

I don't own a pair but I took a good look at them when I attended their workshop open day last year and I'd probably have bought some if I didn't already have the TCB equivalent. The legs are each constructed using one piece of fabric (no outerseams) and the fabric is very nice.

I was unboxing my Indy's earlier and it occurred to me how mediocre the stock laces are. I proceeded to put the first boot on and lo and behold, the lace snapped. Any recommendations on replacements? I'll probably buy the Alden waxed laces from Frans Boone but I'm open to suggestions. I have two pairs so I'll buy replacements for both.

The fabric is fairly plain with a bit of hairiness but very sturdy - I'd say Ed's photos are a good representation of how it looks. The rise on my w36 pair was around 14.25-14.5" which didn't seem to change much after a soak, though they shrunk a *lot* in the waist and length. As a big thigh/butt guy who almost exclusively wears 14"+ rises, they work great for me, but I appreciate that this kind of cut isn't for everyone. As for construction, they're absolutely solid and are built as well as any other well-regarded Japanese brand in my opinion. I can grab some measurements and more photos later if anyone is interested.

I bought a 42 which is my normal size. My 50s jacket is a 44 and is perfectly snug as opposed to the Seaman which was crazy wide before I washed it. Just goes to show the difference in cuts. Still, I'd rather it was on the looser side as I think it suits being worn that way. I'll try and get some fit pics this weekend.

I was lucky enough to source a pair of the lot 161 and they're by far the best pair of jeans I've owned. I wish there were more brands out there making jeans with a proper high waist. I've visited the Vintage Showroom a few times - it's usually a fairly limited selection but what they have is very nice. One of my favourite details is the pocket bag featuring an anvil like the top fly button:

Took receipt of my Seamen jacket yesterday. It fit a bit larger than I anticipated and I debated exchanging it for a smaller size, but in the end I decided to throw it in a hot wash and it came out just about perfect. I would have liked another inch or so off the length but it's not a deal breaker and I'll still be wearing it a lot this spring.

Here's an idea of how the jacket looks against the seamen pants with 5/6 washes. My iPhone really doesn't do this fabric justice:

Super cheap natural belt ordered on Etsy. Around 4-5 months effective wear.

Custom TCB 50s jacket
TCB newspaper bag
LVC Homerun shirt
AtLast&Co chambray pants
Alden 403

I would recommend going TTS for the Seaman pants as they are very generous in cut and will stretch around the waist. I can't imagine they would shrink enough on a hot wash to justify going a size up. It's worth checking the measurements here as they were nearly 100% accurate in my experience, however mine definitely did not shrink 1.5 inches after the first wash:

http://tuckshopsundrysupplies.com/index.php?route=product/product&manufacturer_id=28&product_id=77

It's worth emailing the London store as well, they're very helpful and respond quickly in my experience. They'll happily order items from Japan upon request providing it's available.

Here's a few iPhone shots of the newspaper bag in case anyone is interested. My apologies for the lighting as my flat is terrible for taking photos.

Front:

Strap with multi-coloured stitching:

Chain stitch run-offs and orange bartacking:

Gold snap buttons and TCB label:

Yeah, I had a basic understanding, thanks. I've had no problems ordering from sites like Denimio but that's because they mark it at 1000 yen. I've just checked the letter again and the breakdown is £7.66 customs duty, £62.83 VAT and £13.50 clearance fee (that would be Parcelforce's own fee).

The 50s jacket is with custom measurements and I ordered a newspaper bag too so that bumped up the price a bit but nowhere near that amount. I once got charged £13 for a £50 parcel from the states so perhaps I just have really bad luck.

Yup, pretty devastating. From what I could interpret based on his last email, he was going to email me to discuss it once the shipment was ready, however it's already here! It was definitely a shorter turnaround that I anticipated, so that's a positive, but it's not going to be cool enough to wear it for at least another month.

Just received a letter detailing a nice £84 customs fee for my 50s jacket. Looks like that part of the correspondence was lost in translation, now I'm praying it fits!

Not the best photo (ignore the bag) but these are my 403s with the Dawson Denim DD04s. They're 11" wide at the hem:

I'm in the minority but I think Indys look great with wider cuts. 

 

No issues at all - Ryan's work is clean & strong. To date the best made (constructed) jeans i've owned have been made by WHR & Ande Whall. I have a pair of Fullcounts which have been worn maybe 30 times and they've got stitching popping out all over the place - they may have 'cred' and a place in Japanese denim's history but the construction is f**king shoddy at best.

If I remember correctly, this is an intentional effect - I'm pretty sure that FCs are constructed in such a way that the stitching is supposed to disintegrate. Don't ask me why.

The custom measurements are an extra 10,000 yen.

Just sent payment off to Inoue-san for my custom 50s jacket. I'm having a size 44 made with measurements as follows (one wash):
 

Thanks all, it looks like a 44 will be best for me. I'll continue mulling it over.

I've been in talks with Inoue-san regarding having a custom 50s jacket made with a shorter body and sleeves. I should be sending payment over in the next couple of weeks.

Also, regarding the Ranchman, was the general consensus to size up once? I've been considering picking one up and the group buy thread was a bit hard to follow.