AlientoyWorkmachine

Damnit I caved. Just picked up one of the last '22 jackets I saw in stock - should be delivered in a week or so. I really need to make '24 a no buy year. I have too much dark denim now.

@beautiful_FrEaK do you have a preference?

This is the only denim I ever bought in 2 sizes. My 30s have only been worn a few times (i found they ran slightly large so I put my wear into the 29s). If that happens to be useful for you let me know.

I think this is just not a point of interest for most buyers, probably even most freewheelers buyers (I would hazard a guess this forum isn't a representative sample). I could be wrong. But manufactures could go down a rabbit hole trying to list details about all components. For instance, where is the cotton sourced from that makes up the pocket bags? Or what's the provenance of the metal for the buttons? etc.

People do indeed have bad days. I’ve had more this year than I often do and haven’t been as kind as I’d like to be treated. That could be the case - and I try to not let one encounter form my opinion (but two or three probably will). But the idea that artisans by definition have to be unbearable I find tiresome. A lot of them are but having an idiosyncratic profession is no better reason to be a general jerk. I work in the arts and some, even most people are indeed actually quite kind and wonderful people and others, yes, terrible people. They suck and good work is no excuse. It’s funny of these brands mentioned - I have FC0105 and OA jeans waiting in my closet since winter - before this year I never really had anything waiting. I’m excited to get to them both but with the life my current rotation has - mainly WH, FW, and TCB it looks to be awhile. Right now I am favoring the TCB 20’s for the reasons people like the full count. Lighter weight denim and fuller cut - but still slimmer than the 0105, though I did size up in mine - which I rarely do, because the cinch makes that convenient which I really like. The hype with OA (as far as I can tell) is a combination of just about the most perfect stitching you can find coupled with all the things people like about supporting a two person shop that by nature has very limited production and is really good at marketing themselves on social media.

I’m sure this has been asked before but for those of you who don’t go for high end t shirts what do you like these days? My current batch is wearing thin and while I would be happy to wear like a warehouse t or something I just don’t get excited about that and I don’t feel like spending 50-70 for a t shirt. Is there anything well made, mid weight 100% cotton, well fitting etc that go for like around 30$ a pop that you’re liking? I don’t need loopwheeled or MIJ or anything like that, though I’d still rather buy something made in less crappy working conditions. I have some not-so-old Gustin t’s I am not happy with, they’ve been outlasted by my twice as old plain volcom t-shirts so won’t go that route again.

Some things really don’t need to be repro’d

@UkeNo I need to know more about how you just bumped into a dude with your stolen shirt on. Was it at the same place it disappeared from?

It was a memorable show, even for a more recent fan like myself. I went with a lifelong fan - friend of mine who got me into them - and it seemed to be everything he'd hoped for. Have a great time! I wish they were coming to Detroit.

@HGS I was a latecomer to them but caught them on their last tour, not long after their last album came out while I lived in NC. It was a great show.

Is the denim in the 1922 jacket the same as what's in the 51 jacket/jeans? Their standard denim as I believe?

Ha what a collection. I'm still fence sitting the 1922 jacket. My plan is to do that til it's sold out then I can't get it. But I really like it.

consider yourself blessed and move on with your happy life if you don't know what that means.

Pretty sure, at least in the US, crocs are the crocs of the middle class. Or they're the birks of the hardcore gardeners. Either way - can't argue with greatness, just like the 501.

I've worn Bostons on and off over half my life now. Still usually the grey felt ones - same ones I had in high school. You can get them resoled. They're not cheap in their own right (they are reasonable in the context of goods discussed in this forum). My feet don't feel better in anything else and while they're ubiquitous I still like the minimal look. They are the epitome of the thing I keep going back to, second only to jeans probably. Even when I was skateboarding all of the time and I dressed in a way that reflected it more, I'd ditch the skate shoes for Bostons after most sessions and almost every day I didn't skate. Sometimes I wish they weren't so common but I also understand why.

I have a friend who works logistics in the the auto industry in nearby Detroit. There's a certain segment of Detroiters who look down on "foreign" vehicles. He went on tell me that the GM car he had recently purchased (General Motors is one of the big three auto companies based in Detroit, and an acceptable brand badge amongst the people he was referring to) was assembled in China. It came over on a boat and then trucked from Seattle to Detroit. Meanwhile the Toyotas that don't pass muster are actually assembled in Tennessee. All of the cars, no matter where assembled, are a mishmash of parts from all over the globe, and it was only getting more complicated. His conclusion at the end of it was that it makes no sense because "There is no such thing as Made in America." Implied was that the correlation of provenance with quality was also a fool's errand as he'd chosen to buy a car that was made in China. As for what Made in Japan means - for me I tend mean something along the lines of "woven, designed and assembled in" - but as I stipulated above, the Japanese stuff I mostly gravitate towards really just come from a certain subset of brands that have been filtered to me through various retailers that I tend to associate with something along the lines of reinterpreting certain vintage American products that were considered unremarkable, ubiquitous and generally unpretentious (this really means to me blue jeans, jackets, sweat/t/waffleknit wear/military-esque standard issue) with a level of obsessive detail and with materials that I can't currently find in America - or if I can - at a price point that is better.

Why keep them nameless? I guess I'm old school but it's not some evil deed to issue well deserved and honest spirited criticism. I guess that's what going through a career in arts and journalism does to you, but I wish people would get more critical and that the recipients not see it as a personal attack. It would be useful for the forum. Like, when I say my warehouse jean stitching is comparatively fragile, it doesn't mean I don't like the individuals involved or that I wish the brand ill will. It does mean I probably won't buy them again unless there are direct reports of efforts to increase cotton stitching durability as other brands seem to have little problem doing.

I still think that it’s mostly limited to a few brands doing better raw denim than anywhere else - but it’s not about the quality moreso the whole package. That, and if I want something closer to a vintage “American” garment but new I think they’ll do the better - or maybe just more desirable for me versions (trousers or whatever else). I’ve had a few pretty disappointing mij things as well. For most other stuff I don’t think that way. Esp things like pullovers/sweaters. I do think that - at least here in the US - if you get some MIJ stuff from Japan they are a better value for the quality than something comparable from domestic retailer. I’ve gotten a few knits from Jackman over the past year - straight from Japan - and while not cheap they are fantastic quality esp for the Japanese price.

This is usually how I feel about T shirts and plenty of other things but I would pay even more for the good socks than I do because they really make my life that much better and actually play a huge role in keeping me properly warm where I live. I’ve tried to find comparable ones stateside but no luck so far. I’m in a wool hat and wool socks a full 6 months of the year or more, and it’s not even that cold where I am but I feel better for it - and this time of year I tend not to wear socks at all. The cheap ones don’t cut it usually - I’m either going good socks or no socks most of the time. Not too many items impact physical comfort as much as good socks for me.

I can’t tell a difference between my corrymoor and tender mohair socks. So much so that I wonder if they source William with the socks. So yea, I love my Tender ones too. I just have one pair but they’re interchangeable w the other mohairs.

I have yeah, it's what I got before the corrymoor ones. the darn tough ones were the best I'd found, and for me now they're not even close. I run cold generally and the mohair wicks moisture a lot better (especially after the socks are worn in, in my experience the darn tough ones lose their magic in about a year - haven't hit that point in longer trials with the mohair ones).

They don't hold a candle to Corrymoor Mohair socks IMO. Only prob is they're a little spendy and shipping is super slow from UK - they use royal mail and don't give discounts for multiple pairs. But I'm going on my 5th year of regular rotation of my first pairs. The companion sock is the best thing I've found for basically any weather below 65F - and all throughout the winter - after that I'm often barefoot in my birds or just use regular cotton socks.

I keep telling myself I’m done but no pocket flap and wider shoulders I have to think about it. Those will probably make it the most comfortable fit for my build. I do lack a proper type 1 (that isn’t flannel lined at least). Gah.

I’m going just by impression and not measurements but my 1003xx - which came one wash - seem as if they’ve shrunk close to as much as a true raw pair would have over 4-5 washes. Length but also knees, thighs etc. Waist never a problem but they’ve gone from a pretty true straight to a slim straight basically.

They carry Orslow in my local shop and I just don't love the stuff in person. It looks good but just isn't on the same level IMO as some of the other stuff that (unfortunately) my local shop doesn't carry. A look book in this corner of the clothing world is of less utility too I think, since other things not translated through on figure photos can matter a good bit.