The Flat Head

[shoreman]

 "most people just don't feel comfortable with loose straight jeans" 

 

If the waist is ok--meaning, I'm not forced to cinch it with my belt--I'd have no issue with a "loose, straight" fit. After all, my age group grew up wearing oversized Levi's skate gear. 

[Cold Summer]

I tend to agree with you guys about the fits, fit is the biggest struggle for me with Flat Head's jeans.  (I'm 6'3" and about 160 lbs.)  I just wish there were more makers who make slim cuts that weren't low rise (all of my jeans sit below my hip, to varying degrees), with a slim leg that has a gradual taper and not one that strangles my lower thigh.  With a few exceptions (Samurai S710, Fullcount 1108XX, the 3Sixteen SL/ST-100X) most makers don't scale their slim cuts to fit right on taller people, just increasing the inseam isn't enough because tall people need a longer rise and more room in the lower thigh.  The 1001 is the only FH cut that really works well for me, though it would be nice if the front rise was longer.

 

I've never had the wedgie thing happen to me but I don't have a big bottom so the rear end on my jeans is always fairly relaxed.  It seems like that effect happens when the top thigh and hip are too loose.

[reallypeacedoff]

If the waist is ok--meaning, I'm not forced to cinch it with my belt--I'd have no issue with a "loose, straight" fit. After all, my age group grew up wearing oversized Levi's skate gear. 

 

I have no issue with loose, straight cuts either. I mean, I had the Eternal 811s for a while (they were definitely the loosest of all my jeans but are slim for Eternal) and loved them. What I don't like is ill fitting jeans and for me, that comes down to major butt sag, hip flare and worst, bunching of the waist when wearing a belt. I aim for all my fits that I don't need to wear a belt when casually wearing my jeans.

 

I've never had the wedgie thing happen to me but I don't have a big bottom so the rear end on my jeans is always fairly relaxed.  It seems like that effect happens when the top thigh and hip are too loose.

 

I feel like most wedgies come from the back rise that is too big for the body type. That usually means excess fabric with regards to thighs as well.

 

It seems a lot of people buy a jean with a rise of say 10" and wear that for instance  4" below their navel but when they buy a jean with a 12" rise, they wear the jean 2" below their navel. I always wear my jean at the exact same spot and let the rise do its thing. Thus why I stay away from >10.5" rises. IMO, the further the crotch seam sits near your knees, the more chance for blow outs too .

Edited June 26, 2014 by reallypeacedoff

[tmadd]

 

It seems a lot of people buy a jean with a rise of say 10" and wear that for instance  4" below their navel but when they buy a jean with a 12" rise, they wear the jean 2" below their navel. I always wear my jean at the exact same spot and let the rise do its thing. Thus why I stay away from >10.5" rises. IMO, the further the crotch seam sits near your knees, the more chance for blow outs too .

 

By choosing to wear your jeans this way, you are completely fighting against the intent and function of higher rises.  Cuts presuppose that the wearer will pull the jean up until it doesn't go up anymore.  If you're wearing a jean with a 12 inch rise at the same place as one with a 10 inch rise, that explains a lot about why it doesn't work for you, and why you have excess thigh fabric.  Not saying you should change a thing…I'm just as stringent in what I'll wear but I want 12" plus rises.  Just pointing out that the logic of a higher rise has to do with the shape it allows the top block to have.

[reallypeacedoff]

By choosing to wear your jeans this way, you are completely fighting against the intent and function of higher rises.  Cuts presuppose that the wearer will pull the jean up until it doesn't go up anymore.  If you're wearing a jean with a 12 inch rise at the same place as one with a 10 inch rise, that explains a lot about why it doesn't work for you, and why you have excess thigh fabric.  Not saying you should change a thing…I'm just as stringent in what I'll wear but I want 12" plus rises.  Just pointing out that the logic of a higher rise has to do with the shape it allows the top block to have.

 

I get what you are saying except I want to wear my jeans at the same spot. I would not feel comfortable wearing one jean to my belly button one day and then a different pair at my lower hips another day. We all do things differently I guess. 

 

I was pointing out the "excess fabric" as far as fuller cuts, not my jean collection. I mean, I have SExI08BK (33), SExI14 (34), SE05BSP (34), Roy OG SE-Duck (32), 301S (32) and SG2109 (33), so you can see I don't stray far in measurements as all fit very similar. We all buy our jeans using different measurements as our primary concern. I'm mostly concerned with waist and leg opening. After that, it goes thighs and rise. All need to work in the end. I have never had to return or sell a pair of jeans because they don't fit so I guess for me and my body type, I have it down to a science. This science probably doesn't work for some. 

 

I like this conversation though, good insight.

[cusswords]

I'm interested in picking up some Flat Heads for my first pair of unsanforized jeans and am looking for some sizing advice. I've been considering getting the 3009 once the Self Edge website restocks them and now that Rivet and Hide is having a sale the 100 also looks pretty good, though I would like a smaller hem than the 1001. My actual waist measures 35.5". Would it be comfortable to go with a 36" in the 3009 or should I play it safe with a 38"? 

[tmadd]

I get what you are saying except I want to wear my jeans at the same spot. I would not feel comfortable wearing one jean to my belly button one day and then a different pair at my lower hips another day. We all do things differently I guess. 

 

I was pointing out the "excess fabric" as far as fuller cuts, not my jean collection. I mean, I have SExI08BK (33), SExI14 (34), SE05BSP (34), Roy OG SE-Duck (32), 301S (32) and SG2109 (33), so you can see I don't stray far in measurements as all fit very similar. We all buy our jeans using different measurements as our primary concern. I'm mostly concerned with waist and leg opening. After that, it goes thighs and rise. All need to work in the end. I have never had to return or sell a pair of jeans because they don't fit so I guess for me and my body type, I have it down to a science. This science probably doesn't work for some. 

 

I like this conversation though, good insight.

 

A good one indeed.  Wanting to wear your jeans at the same spot, regardless of rise, is a great, maybe even the best, reason to limit yourself to a narrow range of rises.  I generally am, or at least try to be, more of a one jean at a time kinda guy, so even if it's only a week or a month at time, a transition from different rises will only be disruptive on the first day of the switch.  

 

I think the excess fabric/perpetual wedgie is a more complicated issue than just fuller cuts.  Jeans that are too big in both the waist and seat, and are belted up, lower rise jeans that are tight in the thighs, but not the seat and waist, and jeans with a ton of back rise proportional to front rise, can all have this problem.  It also definitely has to do with rise shape, which is a whole thing that I don't really fully understand, so I can't say a bunch about it.

 

My fit priorities are different:  Top Block, Inseam, leg shape.  I find that if you get the top block dialed in, and hem it to the right length for the style of fit/amount of cuffing you intend on, you really open up what you can wear.  Straight leg, or gradually tapered jeans that are worn with a cuff (or even better, a small double cuff) and 0 break will develop a trimmer more tapered look than they have when they are brand new and rigid, and this drastically opens up what cuts might work for a given person.  This is also the reason that people often see someone wearing a cut like the 3009, and think it looks like what they want, and then they hate the fit when they try it on.  Straight leg jeans don't look like they end up looking shape wise when they are new, rigid, and too long, and for this reason, a lot of people that I think would really like the final result end up opting out in favor of something with more taper because it looks better in-store.  If you like some break, straight legs will mostly look sloppy and fuller than they are, which is it's own thing, but not what most people are into.  

[ironheartfan123]

i got my FH wabash several years ago and while i love the shirt itself, i still haven't figured out how to wear it well or what to wear with it.  ideas?

[Quoise1203]

^Jeans

[tmadd]

It's pretty versatile, although I would say that the number one most important thing about it being versatile is having some wear on it.  When it's new, it looks like you're wearing freshly issued vintage work clothes.  Once it starts to crease and show some color variation, it looks good with everything.  Way's I've used it:  as a standalone shirt buttoned up over a t-shirt or with nothing under it, as an overshirt to another collared shirt worn unbuttoned almost like a light jacket, unbuttoned over a t-shirt.  It looks great in all these scenarios with jeans, but probably even better with khaki colored or olive colored chinos or work pants.

[Kwaker]

Is the wedgie effect more common with certain cuts --  i.e. 55, 66, etc --  or is this also relative to body type & brand? Can this potential issue be identified when first trying on the unsoaked denim or does this occur after a soak + regular wear?

 

The wedgie issue will be evident upon trying on the jeans and will not disappear post-soak and with regular wear ... don't count on up-sizing or down-sizing either to address the problem ... all of this, from personal experience.

It's got to do with one's backside and the shape of the back-rise seam that is common with all repro cuts.  

The good news is that if you have no issues with the Levi's cuts, then you're likely never to encounter the dreaded wedgie!  The same good news if you have a non-prominent backside as echoed by Cold Summer.

[B-Sandy]

Took a quick fit pic of my new 3002s this morning. Went TTS with a size 36. Only a few days of wear so they still have some stretch left.

 

 

[reallypeacedoff]

Got my SE05BSP repaired at SELA. Really good job. The BSP had a fair few things to be done like hand pocket, and numerous inseam restitching and preventative crotch reinforcement. 

 

SE05BSP

Edited June 28, 2014 by reallypeacedoff

[Mich]

Looking for some sizing advice on Flat Head t-shirts, i see a lot of variety in measurements listed online so it confuses me.

I wear a 42 in FH western and work shirts, and am normally a medium in most tees.

 

i like tees to be fitted but not overly tight, think this is a good fit f.e. http://rivetandhide.com/index.php/brands/the-flat-head/tfh-overtime-heavyweight-t-shirt.html#inch

Edited June 30, 2014 by Mich

[Danny @ Rivet & Hide]

Looking for some sizing advice on Flat Head t-shirts, i see a lot of variety in measurements listed online so it confuses me.

I wear a 42 in FH western and work shirts, and am normally a medium in most tees.

 

i like tees to be fitted but not overly tight, think this is a good fit f.e. http://rivetandhide.com/index.php/brands/the-flat-head/tfh-overtime-heavyweight-t-shirt.html#inch

 

Sounds like you're an easy 42 in the THC tees

[Mich]

Thanks for your advice Danny.

[Max Power]

For what it's worth - I would have advised 42 as well, though I wear 44 in FH Shirts, M in most other brand's Tees.

[chewie]

I wear 40 in fh shirts and 42 in fh tshirts

Edited July 1, 2014 by chewie

[kiya]

Sounds like you're an easy 42 in the THC tees

 

I agree with this.. I'm a 40 in all Flat Head and RJB buttoned shirts, snap buttoned westerns, and t-shirts and also a 40 in all their tees.

The odd thing is that i'm a Large in their tees which are labeled as S/M/L.

[Broark]

Finally got a Flat Head flannel, it's pretty awesome.

Even though this is the Spring weight one sans the brushed inside it still is fairly hefty.

[Cold Summer]

Looks great!

 

By the way, I have a FH shirt and two tees for sale in my sig, if anyone's interested.

[BAerts]

Finally got a Flat Head flannel, it's pretty awesome.

Even though this is the Spring weight one sans the brushed inside it still is fairly hefty.

Hell yeah, love this shirt. It's my favorite for flying because it takes the place of a hoodie, but you don't have to remove it at security. Perfect weight for layering.

[youngofthesoonest]

 

told myself to practice self control but just had to get this shirt when it came in. 

Edited July 2, 2014 by youngofthesoonest

[kiya]

Just got these from Flat Head... Japanese cowhide straps, anti-bacterial/anti-scent footbed, Vibram sole.

 

[Cold Summer]

At last, the Greatest Sandals Of All Time have arrived.

[youngofthesoonest]

i finally understand what "flamas" means 

[Cold Summer]

Little update on my Flat Head 1001s.  Eight months of real wear time, these just had their fourth machine wash.

 

 

 

[Sugar Mountain]

Damn, those are nice. You've really hit the right balance between TFH contrast and a nice overall fade that brings out the character of the denim. I've been considering the TFH type II jacket in the 16oz denim recently... How ''heavy'' does this fabric feel? I feel it may be too much for my climate.

[Cold Summer]

When I got my 1001s they felt heavier and noticeably more abrasive than the 14.5 oz denim.  However, at this stage, they've gotten really soft and don't feel any hotter than the lighter-weight denim. 

[Graytrain]

Damn, those are nice. You've really hit the right balance between TFH contrast and a nice overall fade that brings out the character of the denim. I've been considering the TFH type II jacket in the 16oz denim recently... How ''heavy'' does this fabric feel? I feel it may be too much for my climate.

 

I just picked one up a couple of months ago. Its gorgeous. I still wear it in the evenings here in Seattle if its less than 70 F out. The denim is quite breathable. 

Edited July 4, 2014 by Graytrain