AlientoyWorkmachine

AFAIK they had some significant QC issues in the early days. My trench boots I posted some time ago are still the best boots I’ve owned, no complaints. But I’m a sneakers or birks dude most days so I’m not the best ref on that. I’m a homer for chicago stuff tho so oak street using horween basically sold itself to me. 

1 hour ago, Graytrain said:

Ah I am sensing some of the drama around this. Sounds like the year long waiting list I had access to a couple years back (that I thought was crazy enough) would have been the path of least resistance. Lol

The jeans seem cool and all but I couldn't ever patronize someone who was that publicly a dickhead. I don't care how good it is. I'm sure I've bought clothes from people who are jerks before, and maybe some people who seem jerks online are not in real life, but all I have to go on is what is out there and with CSF it's a mess all of his own making - and worse than being miserly it seems he is actually vindictive about it which is even worse. Too many other good pants out there. I'd wear them if I'd ever bought it before he outed himself as such though. No use in tossing what's already made if it works. 

I prefer cotton but only by a bit and only moreso in the last few years, and I won't let it make or break a decision if I can't find a comparable cotton thread option for whatever it is I'm after - and some makers I like just don't use it, which bothers me a bit more than it used to but still not enough to swear off them. I never found faded jeans from contemporary brands to look bad because of their poly threads - different, yes, but I'm on record here before specifying I don't have much special preference for repro. I like it, but I also like other stuff. I like cotton because it holds natural dyes (I own a lot of Tender Co. stuff) and because in general I'm just not a fan of plastic anything in most cases wherever avoidable. That said, I'd agree that cotton isn't all equal - I probably won't buy WH jeans again because as much as I like them, my pair is too young to need reinforcing every month or more, which is where their at. My Tender's in particular seem to hold up the best in the areas where it counts because of the triple stitching. The thread still breaks but in some of the areas it doesn't much matter. 

4 hours ago, X_dsufu said:

New here. having several pairs of warehouse denim however recently (~2 years) found the sizing a bit different as before. Used to be a no brainer size 31 in any warehouse, but shockingly found S1001xx-25, S1000xx DSB should be 29 on me (after buying pairs...what a shame), with Inazuma fest models to be 30.

So pretty curious how denim heads here find your own size throughout the haze of those size charts, shrink rates, and the "bounced back waists".

Thanks in advance. Any input will be appreciated.

I've just got one pair, but my DD1003xx (which came one washed) are almost the most generous size 29 waist I own, with the exception of the obviously vanity sized indigofera jeans I have. My WH have shrunk some through the leg with multiple washes (waist always goes back to where it was, even w a belt), but with japanese brands I'm usually a slightly loose 30.  

43 minutes ago, ColonelAngus said:

Clearly a case of someone with more money than sense. I know all of us will easily spend $200-300+ on jeans or flannel but I would argue that these items are worn and abused by all of us. 

I wouldn't, actually - at least not all, probably not even most. There are very few here who seem to only have what they need and who take jeans through their whole life. Nothing wrong with this necessarily, but one look at people's collections and the fact that many are not involved in physically grueling work most of the time is pretty clear. There's a spectrum for all of these things (a collection of new japanese denim doesn't seem as intense) but many more new/mid life jeans here than fully trashed or ones with little life left - myself included here, much as I'd like to I do not live up to that standard.

17 hours ago, Hopethisoneisnttaken said:

’m pretty sure that the person that bought that pair will treat it more as a piece of art rather than a piece of clothing. 

Probably true - and then to attempt to answer @shredwin_206's question (disclosure - I am not and never have been much interested in the vintage market, but I am familiar with the art market - as a maker, not much a buyer, at least of "valuable" pieces) - bragging rights is the most likely scenario - sometimes that overlaps with just really loving something and wanting to own it out of passion. People get off on that (forgetting we're all just borrowing, really). Most valuable art in private acquisition sits in warehouses or other barely visible places - if we're lucky it's lended to public institutions. But generally its hoarded. Not sure (but possible) about the vintage market, but there are a lot of great reasons to own expensive art from a tax liability perspective. With pieces hitting 5 figures or more in value, that may come into play as well. 

I've got the DD1003xx (1946) - I wish it were a bit roomier - throughout the whole leg tbh. It's more of a straight but I'd hesitate to call it wide. The hem doesn't even scrape 8." Despite coming one wash it's shrunk a noticeable amount in the first few washes too. Still might be the best option though.

Been a minute. Lovely outside now.
Same stuff - Companion/Warehouse/Red Wing

That is commitment! 

Taking the time to reinforce a few seams so here are my DD 1003xx after a few washes. Probably 8-9 mos wear at this point. I like the jeans overall but just don’t love how fast seams are blowing and the flimsy/short pocket bags as well. I really need to learn darning bc the crotch fabric is gonna go next. These will be washed frequently now. Tied w Tender for my favorite cut. 

Those look pretty nice and have great looking measurements (for my size - also usually 29) - curious how you like them. I've never really considered them because of the cuts I've seen, as you've said. 

Those look great - hank dyed is when the yarn is dyed all the way through. It’s a more expensive process. It doesn’t yield the same type of fades because rope dyed indigo basically chips off the surface of the thread. Not to say they won’t develop some character but it will be different. 

Sufu is enough. I like it because it’s essentially stuck in 2007, when the internet wasn’t a total consumerist ad driven wasteland. All of my other interests had good forums then that mostly died because everyone just migrated to QVC. I mean Instagram. Yea, there are ads here, even a few threads that function entirely as ads (does anyone actually read those?) - and yea, spending time here can make one want to buy shit, but one can only wear so many jeans. I have not seen one attempted denim driven social media personality that didn’t make me cringe. They’re all just product reviewers.
 

I really feel sorry for anyone who didn’t come into this genuinely and is trying it on as an influencer angle. This is a weird interest and there are thousands of better hats to try on in that regard. 

Oh, they do work well - I’ve had them for a few months. They probably won’t be worth photos for a long while but they’ll probably get more time after summer is over. 

5 hours ago, Hopethisoneisnttaken said:

@AlientoyWorkmachine Yes I encountered the same problem when looking for black jeans in the past. I ended up going with Viapiana,  Although it was prior to tcb black jeans. Do you think that their 50s black jeans are narrower than indigoferas?

Either way, I'm probably too late here but if a wider cut is what you're looking for Black Sign have a great option to look into. Thier black vocalion waist overalls.

Indigofera has a black jean in all of their cuts. I emailed w Ryo at TCB and he made pretty clear to me the cuts weren’t gonna work for me - adding that real vintage jeans are slimmer than most repros and that they stick to the real thing - which is for the best I guess.

I’m a little particular with my cuts - but not that much. The main thing is for me - I’m a 29 or 30 usually - the thighs often get too small (this was the prob w TCB). I’m not a bodybuilder or anything but apparently the thighs I need are a little generous for a lot of cuts that size. Usually need about 11.75 to feel comfortable. And I hate sizing up and having a waist that’s obviously too lose. Funny enough the smallest indigofera (i could only find a 29, which is about an inch larger than my warehouse 29’s) so, it is still a little looser in the waist than I’d like, but the cut overall was the best wider one I’d found. 

They’re gonna sell out regardless, right? You could just upload the inventory - whatever they get - and put them on the site like any other brand - without an announcement - or an announcement after a week if they weren’t gone already (they would be, someone else would buy a pair then make the announcement). Esp if you’re really about your customers owning “fewer, better things.” It’s tough, I get that it’s a business. But word would get out soon enough, the many of us who still kinda actually sorta want more, better things would snap them up.

But anyways, it’s kind of a sidebar. Just the natural result of what happens when you’re really good at making something and people find out, but inherently limited in production capacity (part of why ppl want them!). The wonderful thing is there are still so many other good options. 

On 8/26/2022 at 7:34 AM, shredwin_206 said:

Who is making some cool black denim? 
I know of the Freewheelers 601 in black and sugar cane. But I’ve been itching for a some black jeans. 

I went with indigofera after what was for me a pretty length search - and I am happy with it - they were one of the few I could find with a more generous cut. 

TCB’s fits didn’t look to work - they’re both pretty slim and same with SC - their black jean is slim unless you get the one from self edge, which is still fairly slim just less so. Dawson would have prob been my 2nd choice. I’m not familiar w Freewheelers options. 

If you’re looking for more of a slim jean then there a ton of options as most brands seem to think black jeans should inherently be that way. 

I was wavering on trying for a pair, had been interested in them for like 2 years now, but had to be on the road while they went online, so that made the decision to skip for me. That and the perfectly good pairs I currently have. Seem like great jeans but that level of hype is just sort of off putting and tiring tbh. I really hated sneaker head culture and when denim goes that way it’s just…well, it’s pretty antithetical to the spirit of denim imo. But I hope everyone posts some good pics of these eventually. 

7 hours ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Yeah I used to think so but in recent years i don't care

Another question: while we see the return of looser jeans in the fashion world, will the Bootcut make a comeback as well? Or did it already?

I hope not, but it doesn't matter so much. Happy belated, also. 

Re selvedge cuffs, I just think - ah, you're happy paying $200 less for jeans. Must be nice. I've also seen enough trash selvedge and great projectile denim now that it barely correlates in my mind. Though I still do like it! 

2 hours ago, julian-wolf said:

@AlientoyWorkmachine I go back and forth on that. For years, I hiked in trail runners, which are great for many reasons. Overall, though, I find that I prefer reliable ankle support—partially because rolling my ankle once on a long trek was more than enough, and partially because I find that I take in more of my surroundings rather than just looking at the ground (incidentally, the same primary reason that I prefer hiking with poles)—which brings the conversation to boots.

I’m sure that, if my goal was laying down as many miles as possible, some lightweight modern composite boot would be the right choice; there’s no comparison there. When weight isn’t a primary concern, though, I feel that leather hits the best middle-ground between water resistance and breathability. I like being able to walk through a few inches of water without getting wet, but I can’t stand how sweaty my feet get in GoreTex. Up ‘til this point, at least, I think I can reasonably justify my decisions in a way that would appeal to someone less interested in fancy clothes and boots.

Even within the category of leather hikers, though, there are plenty of reasonably cemented options that are much more modern, lighter weight, and likely somewhat more water resistant. My preference for this sort of old-style boot over those is purely aesthetic. I’m out in the backcountry to have the best time I can, after all, and a big part of having a good time, for me, is enjoying everything about my surroundings—not just the trees and the creeks and the mountains, but my boots & my clothes & my other gear as well. I’m convinced that I get more enjoyment out of a long hike wearing cool gear than I would wearing modern tech, and that’s worth a lot to me. Again, if I was interested in longer-term through hikes where every ounce really mattered, I’m sure my thoughts on that would change—but, when it comes down to it, that sort of thing really doesn’t appeal to me in the first place. Besides, I’m usually not the slowest person in my group anyway, so I might as well live it up a bit.

Yea, my ankles are trashed after years of trail running and skateboarding injuries so I need that support, though I too prefer to hike in trail shoes (actually, my favorites have been minimalist trail shoes with a rock plate). Despite my preference I'll go for the boots more often than not....which isn't happening a lot right now anyways. 

I get your reasoning though. For me, the stacked heel is the one thing I have trouble getting around (though not an issue on a lot of leather hikers it seems), even for long urban strolls, they generally make my feet feel pretty rough after a few miles even. I've still got a few decent(ish) pairs of boots, but they hardly get wear anymore mostly for this reason. My pair is getting old though, finally, so I was considering at least looking for some leather options for next time, depending on the sole/insole designs. 

@julian-wolf I'm just curious about your choice of tools so to speak - what's it most motivated by?

Do you find these old school leather boots (I'm referring to both pairs, above - I know only one is specifically a hiker) better than what say, Solomon or Keen or Vasque or (whatever, choose your maker) are making? I have a pair of Solomon hikers and while I don't love how they look and they don't develop a nice patina they've been way better for me over the long run from a pure use standpoint. You're definitely putting in more use at a time than I am these days - but mine have seen a lot of use over time. 

Might be on the slim side comparatively, but they're a great fit regardless. This is definitely still within the realm of a timeless cut. 

What do people here like for chinos/trousers? Looking for a navy pair. Repro details or fading potential not necessary, but something that would look good through a lot of wear would be good. Seems most brands just do khaki/olive.  

31 minutes ago, lyraman said:

I was wondering about people’s experiences with Denimio- they have good prices, but more than once they have messed up an order. They’ve sent unhemmed jeans (they charge a lot for chainstiching ) and wrong items. Now their customer service seems to have gone downhill.

I haven't purchased from them because their marketing makes me barf but also because when I did try to get sizing into from them they couldn't get their information straight (this was some time ago). I think you get what you pay for. Too many other good, established shops shipping directly from JP now to mess with them IMO. 

4 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

Amusing and disturbing in equal measure that points based outfit guidance is a serious thing - especially from someone like John Mayer. Anyone who dresses to be remembered to compensate for their talent being so forgettable is for the watching …

 

 

He's a ...what's the word y'all use...wanker? and I do not like the songs he writes but his guitar talent is pretty indisputable. 

I don't do points but I have some ... out there pieces - and when I wear them I have a similar philosophy - one crazy thing the rest needs to be pretty chill, otherwise, well for me it's just not me. I don't like outlandish as a whole but I do like some different designs, so you need to balance. Unless you want to be outlandish I guess. Not sure it's fair to say that louder pieces are to be remembered - I just find them fun, personally. Far as his wardrobe - the little I've seen is better than the music he writes. But nowhere close to as good as his instrumental skill. 

I'd be surprised if people here don't have some sort of internal compass on when they're overdoing it with...well whatever they're certain thing is.