ATWM

@jkbrwnive also had mine for years (stock lenses) and they’re in great shape. The lenses haven’t scratched so they seem robust - optically, I find them quite clear and sharp - no complaints.

Me 20 min ago. I’ve never thought twice about it but if it’s a faux pax it’s one I’m comfortable with all the time. (Feat non visible WMJ!)

Size 35 of the 02 with hidden rivets - this is still in stock. Only catch is the 31 raw inseam, which for me is great. I got a pair here a long time ago that is waiting for some day. https://keylimetokyo.com/en/products/holk-ooe-yofukuten-denim-pants-indigo-blue?variant=47359804113176 I’m blowing up this spot because they’ve had stock here for a long time.

I take the effort heuristic pretty seriously when I recognize AI content in most cases. That is, I skip right over that shit. It could be 100% accurate (it isn’t, usually), but when a real human isn’t taking the time to make it - it’s just not where I want to put my attention. I mostly encounter this in creative mediums, where AI, to me, has produced a gigaton of positively boring digital nonsense. I try to stay open minded and I know there are practical applications but if I were all that practical I probably wouldn’t be on a denim forum either. There are exceptions but the people I see perpetuating the technology and the places I see it coming from in general do no favors for my attempt at open-mindedness.

Could be a leap but I think you’re around my waist size(?). I’d think you’ll be aces. I wear a 31 in my current pair of 01’s - which translates to an 29 normally, and usually I’m better off with a 30 for thigh clearance in most brands. My 01’s are slim up top, but not in a remarkable way. I actually like the cut, I just know it’s not worked for everyone. My old Mister Freedom lot 64s in 29 are tighter everywhere above the knee. My Warehouse DD1003xx (their looser 46 cut) in 29s are similar feeling up top. I did buy my 003’s in a size 32 because I did want more room ultimately, but that was a while ago and they haven’t touched water. I do think S+S models them in a way they wouldn’t be worn, plus that dude is wearing raw sized to fit snugly which you would not do.

I’m gonna pass but S+S still looked to have the smaller sizes. Brief run down 001 - straightish 002 straight with slight taper (60s) 003 - straight (wider hem) top blocks all pretty similar. If you don’t like the top block of one pair for your waist size, time better spent moving on to a different brand most likely, or trying that size up sloppy waist deal.

In most cases I’m a vest holdout. I get the practicality for sure. But, merino base layers do wonders. It’s possible one day I will cave. The one exception for me - three piece suits. I can get into those. Haven’t worn one in years but still.

Yea I was speaking more towards small makers - but, I will be honest, I also know that I don’t have the eye for detail that some you all have. I definitely am more inclined to see a whole thing first and sort of leave it at that if I feel it works. Whether it’s the precision of the construction or historical accuracy, these things never really have captured me all that much. My Ooe’s are wonderful, but, and this despite the narrative about them, I don’t really, not in any meaningful or practical sense anyways, find the stitch work better than on pairs of Freewheelers or even my old Raleighs (who I maintain had some damn good jeansmakers if not patterning and design). I’m sure some would disagree with sound reasoning - I’m just saying it hasn’t been material to me for my purposes. I guess this is why I was never totally taken in by Roy - perfection in stitching for jeans, while admirable, just isn’t in concert with how I think of jeans and why I appreciate them. Weird comparison here but if I think of photography it’s like the difference between viewing a sizable print (at appropriate viewing distance) from a camera that capture an image at 50 mp vs 100 mp. The resolving power of the camera (provided a base level of detail, say 24mp) is almost never what makes the picture successful, and if you had the same picture side by side, the 50mp print is going to register exactly the same to almost everyone. Maybe a few can guess correctly, spot a tiny difference - but the viewing experience of the picture is so much more dependent on other factors. So in this sense - the sense of things that appeal to me at least - the comparison to WMJ (or yes Rebuilt or BOT etc) seems apt enough, even if the makers veer a little differently in their visions.

^ I know I posted awhile back about being bothered by the IG strategy. Since I’ve gotten off IG, of course I am no longer bothered by it. Annoying as I can find the strategy, I really rather view them as a symptom of the new commercial reality for small makers, wherein if you want to expand it is one way to break out to wider audiences, and perhaps the most utilized way. As I mentioned somewhere else recently, this has really been to the detriment of creators in all sorts of mediums writ large, but also to the extreme benefit of a few who would otherwise not have made it in the prior world of brick and mortar retailers with buyers. They’re playing the game well enough. The game may suck, but hard to hate the players. I love that they can do what they do and be appreciated. As for their jeans though, well, I’m generally quite happy enough with my WMJ pair and Simone that I would probably entertain taking that route again, to be honest (though with one worn and 2 untouched Ooe pairs this is a while down the road). It’s not the same thing, and he’s not getting his own denim for his pairs, but Ooe to my experience hasn’t really been appealing because of their fabric. Simone really offers some similar charm in a different way. And of course there are others. I know Ooe makes other designs besides jeans, I can’t speak to those, but there are usually good alternatives out there and if the Ooe spot is blown up, well, okay.

I like having options for my denim jackets (I wear 38s and 40s) but the roomier ones tend to be more versatile, if not always as tidy of a fit. I don’t have any true duplicates though, just different styles in different sizes. Tradeoffs.

I’d agree with that for sure. I went with Allen Edmonds factory seconds a long time ago. Nothing as nice what’s usually discussed here but I always feel like they fit the bill the best in those sorts of situations and am always happy I have them. In hindsight, absolutely money well spent. In terms of quality, sort of like the modern 501 STF of the denim world. Totally serviceable and even good for most people in most purposes. Some of those Motos do indeed look nice - I have a pair of Red Wing postmans that I quite like but I struggle to figure out how to wear them - I think with most jeans they don’t feel quite right, often feels like an awkward clash of vibes - and then they’re a little too hefty to feel like they dress up well. But, and I think I’ve said elsewhere, that in general I don’t think jeans really dress up that well in general - for instance sport jackets and dressy shoes with them, something about that just feels so corporate trying to be not corporate. I never could feel like I pull it off personally at least (unless the sport jacket is denim too, then I try! Haha)

IME it’s best to bite the bullet - everyone needs a good pair of suit suitable shoes anyways, even if they’re only worn once a year. It’s pretty rare that proper dress shoes look good without formalwear and that anything less than that looks good with formal wear. Or rather, it always looks like what it is, which is something that tries to split the difference.

Eh, I wear 30's and this doesn't look quite right to me. Or rather it looks a lot like the super low rise deals from 15 years ago.

Caught by my kid - schlepping all his stuff. Jackman x2, Kapital, WMJ, Nike

^ this is something I don’t like about Cottle. I’ve not gotten anything from them for a few years in large part because the prices are insane but for JPY it’s a good bit different. Still pricey but not that same. I’ve often wondered about proxy but never tried.

This is a fluffy piece of documentary but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Some of the designs he’s come up with over the years really are just so good.

In recent years I tend to be fairly committed to one pair, at least for the the first 6 months or so. Maybe a day a week I’ll wear something else, but lately I haven’t done much of that. I am noticing some wear but nothing crazy. To my mind I would say these started out quickly but then have seemed to slow down, for now. I walk a lot and bike and play with my kid, some light gardening (more soon), that’s about the extent of it.

Where in Michigan were you? This is honestly one of my favorite times along the lake, for this very reason. I’ve been making pictures of it whenever I can the last few years. I couldn’t get there this year and was really gutted about it.

2 months in the 611. These are a little contrasty due to the direct sun, but I wanted to see where the fading was coming in. Also, after a Michigan winter you stand directly in the sun when you can. Coin pocket fade is my favorite so far.

Not looking ready for this full sun out here. Mostly the same..ish. Warehouse, WMJ, Redwings (in the shadows)

I definitely have had that same thought, would be happy to buy again. I really do like these jeans a lot. Would love if he had his own denim, maybe tailored towards his favorite / most popular model. That would put it over the top for me. Candiani makes nice stuff, maybe he could work with them? Who knows. Probably too much of a stretch for an operation of his scale so far?

I’ve probably seen a good amount of this, but yea - I haven’t seen (much) that I really wanted to actually wear. And that’s the thing in the end right? I don’t need repro jeans specifically, but it’s tough finding something that has the same charm and potential. Honestly, perhaps the biggest hurdle is finding cotton thread construction. From a business standpoint, I can see why they don’t do it. Probably a slew of complaints from customers not finding its traits desirable and not worth the durability tradeoff. I think if I didn’t care about that, my options would expand. Not that I need any right now. Maybe I haven’t looked hard enough yet - maybe that will be my goal next year.

Hits close to home. Social very much changed the career I loved (I would argue it ruined a lot of it, though I know others have a different take), and finding ways forward in it has been a really interesting path. There’s a wide world of stuff we have access to now, but a higher percentage of it than ever is just pure shit - whatever it is you’re talking about whether it’s music, clothes, art, etc. There’s arguably also, from an absolute standpoint, more of the good stuff than ever. I don’t want to overlook all the talented people making their thing and doing so with passion. But it so often gets drowned out, and the impetus for creators to be a business also is something that I’ve seen kill far off far too much good talent - but it will just drain you. Some sort of skill in relationship building has always been important for most people, but the landscape is so different now that it’s like you need to be a salesperson/internet marketer first. For me, no thanks. More power to all that can do it and keep their creative vision in tact. There’s a cultural critic named William Deresewiecz who has written well about this, now some years back. To answer your question more specifically, I don’t know why the hell Raleigh can’t figure out how to make a good pair of repros. I’m sure they can, but clearly they’re not interested. Not that I would cough up the $500 or whatever they would end up asking for them. I know they have some skilled people working there - or at least they did. Or maybe Tellason or Mister Freedom can get it done. Whatever LA factory MF uses, they have people who know how to make a good pair of jeans there. I don’t find the quality lacking at all versus Japanese made pairs for the most part. There are potential outlets. Maybe I’m even missing one that has done it. Maybe now that @rodeo bill is stateside he can ponder the potential of such a thing!?

I saw this. I’m really bummed about this, but not surprised really. I think the idea was good, the vertical integration, but the market just wasn’t there - or if it was then yea the operation was too messy. I only ever handled Vidalia denims a few times but to my mind I just didn’t love it, or even like it all that much. I didn’t need it to be White Oak, but I never was able to find anyone making stuff that I liked that also used unsanforized stock. I know I was too picky in some ways, especially as I first got in to good denim by being exposed to white oak and local supply chains. In a lot of ways I really want to get back to that mentality, supporting more local makers/stores etc - but the cost vs availability proposition takes a real adjustment. I still occasionally check in with what’s using Proximity stuff, but nothing has gotten me yet, and it’s so limited. Someone let me know when they see a good American maker sew up some good jeans with unsanforized Proximity stock using all cotton thread in a nice cut. Again, I’m too picky, I know. Thankfully I’ve got about 16 more months (I hope) in my current pair!

OA / WMJ / Shitkickers (blundstones).