Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[edmond]

Yeah man i understand but not ishmael

[dudewuttheheck]

Why? John's a really nice guy and he makes good stuff. If you hangout with someone and also like their stuff it makes sense to want to defend them online

agreed. John makes some awesome stuff and was super cool when I talked to him online. I would defend him too given my excellent experience with him and his products.

[setterman]

Denimbro was started when sufu was going through some technical issues (which was the start of sufu's participation decline), and Mark decided he had enough and would start his own group. Sufu was also a bit less friendlier place than it is now, so that probably played a role too.

As for the brands currently being discussed on sufu, it's not like all the threads for other brands just disappeared. They're still there if anyone has enough interest in them to talk about them. don't fault guys that still find something about selvedge denim interesting enough to come here to discuss it, because incase you haven't noticed, the glory days are over. Most people have moved on to something else and what you're left with is a smaller group of guys that probably like denim for the same reasons the people in Japan making it do.

[edmond]

im not saying hes a bad guys or what im sure hes a great guy and a great businessman with all passion and everything.

 

but im just saying this ishmael  guy.. anyways. watever.

[Cold Summer]

Part of why I don't like Denimbro is because of the elitist sort of attitude, but it's also because I don't care for the whole 1870s railroad worker/ranch hand look. I feel like it's endemic of this whole weird struggle for authenticity through workwear when the guys who actually wore workwear 50-100 years ago would laugh at the idea of wealthy people spending tons of money to dress up like an impoverished blue collar worker. The whole idea behind it is just funny to me.

 

I know the style isn't exclusively the coal miner look, and there are also guys who have more of a biker/vintage military style. That kind of thing makes more sense to me. I definitely enjoying looking to older styles for inspiration and incorporating heritage elements, for lack of a better term, into my own, but it still seems weird to me.

 

When I first started reading Sufu in 2010-2011 it was a very hostile and unfriendly environment, it's changed dramatically for the better since then. The downside though is that it's also not as active.

[setterman]

I've always preferred denim in the mid-weight range. The months I spent in the heavyweight Flat Heads last year really reminded me about why I'm not crazy over heavyweight denim.

 

It seems that a lot of the forum is moving towards the looser-fitting repro brands... these companies make nice stuff but don't interest me at all. If SuFu turns into Denimbro (a forum I've always found to be completely insufferable) then I have less and less to contribute. Especially since I'm going the opposite direction toward a more contemporary style. I'd be much more likely to wear something from Nudie than TCB or whatever.

 

 

I agree... the repro stuff doesn't interest me at all either!

 

 

I find it funny that certain brands are pigeon holed as "repro".  All the major Japanese brands borrow heavily from the past, and all offer cuts ranging from skinny/slim to wide.

 

IMO, the current sufu denim aesthetic, at least among active posters, seems to be post WWII and casual, leaning more toward a 60s fit and feel.  Regular is the term I'd use to describe it, not repro.  My Warehouse 1001 is getting the lion's share of wear right now, but I've got my LVC 551ZXX on today.  Neither of them shout what they are, and are a classic shape that could have been worn at any time the past 50+ years, and not been out of place.  And most likely the same thing could be said about the next 50 years going forward.  

 

Unfortunately, a regular, classic fit doesn't lead to a helluva lot to talk about.     

[Iron Horse]

We need an interesting trend to jump on and then look back in five years and wonder what we were thinking.

Bell bottoms?

[mondo]

time for me to bust out my old Nudie "super used" wash Flare Glenns

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

Part of why I don't like Denimbro is because of the elitist sort of attitude, but it's also because I don't care for the whole 1870s railroad worker/ranch hand look. I feel like it's endemic of this whole weird struggle for authenticity through workwear when the guys who actually wore workwear 50-100 years ago would laugh at the idea of wealthy people spending tons of money to dress up like an impoverished blue collar worker. The whole idea behind it is just funny to me.

 

Totally agree. It's bordering on spending your weekends doing battle reenactments. It seems to be losing popularity a bit, but it is still rife in London with the slightly older gent. It seems like you hit your late 30s and either invest in lycra and a racing bike, or selvedge denim and a motorbike.

[Flash]

Really don't get all the criticism on denimbro ... I really like the forum and the members in general , it's just an older crowd that knows what they like and won't get excited about every limited special edition release ( probably one of the reasons why I like it )

Edited August 2, 2016 by Flash

[itsbenhere]

I find it funny that certain brands are pigeon holed as "repro".  All the major Japanese brands borrow heavily from the past, and all offer cuts ranging from skinny/slim to wide.

 

 

If a brand's jeans are fade in a very subtle manner, I admit I may pigeonhole it as repro. But you can't deny that's an accurate term for, let's say Warehouse, who analyzed the old denim on a Levi's banner and sought to reproduce it to the t? What is repro if not that?

 

Maybe I'm just delusional, but to me brands like OOE and Warehouse give me repro vibes compared to say Flat head, Strike Gold, Oni, etc... Not saying one is inherently better, but that it's different niches within the quality denim niche

[Maynard Friedman]

Really don't get all the criticism on denimbro ... I really like the forum and the members in general , it's just an older crowd that knows what they like and won't get excited about every limited special edition release ( probably one of the reasons why I like it )

Agree Flash, unless it's a release from Mister Freedom, Freewheelers or Roy!

[Flash]

well there are those ... personally I'm not all that attached to them but they have a large following on DB

[itsbenhere]

Agree Flash, unless it's a release from Mister Freedom, Freewheelers or Roy!

 

 

lol

[setterman]

If a brand's jeans are fade in a very subtle manner, I admit I may pigeonhole it as repro. But you can't deny that's an accurate term for, let's say Warehouse, who analyzed the old denim on a Levi's banner and sought to reproduce it to the t? What is repro if not that?

 

Maybe I'm just delusional, but to me brands like OOE and Warehouse give me repro vibes compared to say Flat head, Strike Gold, Oni, etc... Not saying one is inherently better, but that it's different niches within the quality denim niche

 

I consider LVC to be a repro brand (though not a great one!) because everything in the line up attempts to copy a specific vintage jean.  When I look at WH's core line, half of it (800, 900, 1002) has historical elements to them, but for all intents and purposes they're modern cuts.  And even models like the 1000, 1001, and 1003 break from the vintage jeans that inspired them.  You're correct they delve further in to denim history to create their product than the brands you mention, but IMO they'er out to produce a classic blue jean rather that copy a pair of Levis from 1953. 

Edited August 2, 2016 by setterman

[ironheartfan123]

brands like OOE and Warehouse give me repro vibes compared to say Flat head, Strike Gold, Oni, etc...

 

And Flat Head is a repro brand compared to Mister Freedom

[nycsurfer530]

For me the draw to vintage inspired denim is the comfort above all. For me nothing beats a true 50s cut (I.e. TCB 50s; the 0105 FC is a slimmed 50s). I've tried slimmer fitting jeans and I just don't see a reason to wear slim fit jeans. Besides to comfort of loose vintage inspired cuts I am a huge fan of the little things like marbling or the crinkling along the yoke and back pockets and the beautiful indigo blue from frequent washing. I really am not a fan of hi def creases from never washing your jeans.

I know a lot of people don't buy this but you can also wear a lot with wider hems. With a smaller shoe like Vans authentics or Alden's in the Aberdeen last you just cuff a little higher and then with Alden Barrie or true balance lasts or red wings you can lower the cuff.

[d-rew12]

I know a lot of people don't buy this but you can also wear a lot with wider hems. With a smaller shoe like Vans authentics or Alden's in the Aberdeen last you just cuff a little higher and then with Alden Barrie or true balance lasts or red wings you can lower the cuff.

Yeah I disagree haha. With Vans authentics, I honestly think you need tapered or  jeans with a small-ish leg opening. Or long legs. Us folk who wear bigger sizes and have short legs (I'm 5'10 with the legs of a 5'5 person and a sz 36) can't pull it off imo. Wide hems with vans looks terrible. But it's all relative. Skinnier dudes in straighter cuts look great!

[SuperJackle]

I think vans might be okay with larger hems, but dressier styles like Alden beg for a more tailored silhouette throughout the whole jean and especially the hem.

[itsbenhere]

I agree with surfer that if you cuff it will look good.. My lo is 9" and I think it looks good with vans, and any other shoe for that matter.

I think we're just used to seeing skinny Japanese guys wearing short pants with Alden so we think that's the look, when it works with looser pants too as long as you cuff it right

[mlwdp]

I don't think I've ever liked a pair more than the Buzz Rickson 1950s jeans I'm currently wearing. I'd be pretty surprised if I didn't end up buying another pair once these are more heavily worn.

I went back to Rogue Territory because they fit better on me than made in Japan denim. Japanese denim is too big or too tight sometimes.

[mlwdp]

I thought some of the Cone Mills enthusiasts here would like to know what Greensboro is doing right now regarding history preservation.

[Geeman]

3 days of wearing my new PBJs and 3 days of getting food stains on them...oh the sadface 

 

 

That sounds like a cool tee...do you have a pic?

A little late but the special edition tshirt with all the TFH sub brands on..

[itsbenhere]

Hey that's cool, I think they took that "Made with our Minds" phrase from a collab they did with self edge

[Megatron1505]

On the whole "loose cut jeans" thing, my most worn pair recently has been a pair of Zace USA that I picked up, which are a definite loose cut made from 16oz Cone denim. I used to worry that wearing loose fit jeans would make me look like Detective Herc from The Wire, but with age comes the loss of ego and I find that I actually really enjoy the cut and the comfort. 

 

Previous to this I was wearing a pair of slim Iron Heart (555 cut), my own design slim jeans from Sauce Zhan and my DWC contest 23oz Busters. I still really like the Busters and wear them 5 days a week at work, but they aren't super slim. So far as the others go I do think that I'm done with slim cuts, mainly due to advancing age and comfort.

[edmond]

your too late in the game mega.

[goodrain]

Herc was actually pretty fit, lol.

[ironheartfan123]

he cleans up in illustrated form

 

[setterman]

Participating in the DWC I've been a bit precious about keeping track of how many days I've worn my contest pair, and how many times I've washed them. What have I learned from that? IMO, if guys aren't keeping track, they overestimate how many days they've actually worn a pair of jeans. In reality, "worn six months" is more like 100 to 120 days.  And if the jeans are made of denim on the lighter side (under 16oz), they have an honest life expectancy of roughly 700 days of wear. To have reached that point they've already been repaired multiple times and places, and have probably gotten to the point where any further repairs aren't worth it or even possible (my DWC pair are at 332 days of wear, and I can't imagine them being anything other than a patched, darned, threadbare mess by day 660).  I bring that up because I've seen it multiple times on various online denim "magazines" and social media where a pair of jeans are listed anywhere from four to ten years.  They might be that old, but no way they've been worn that much!  

[kiya]

Participating in the DWC I've been a bit precious about keeping track of how many days I've worn my contest pair, and how many times I've washed them. What have I learned from that? IMO, if guys aren't keeping track, they overestimate how many days they've actually worn a pair of jeans. In reality, "worn six months" is more like 100 to 120 days.  And if the jeans are made of denim on the lighter side (under 16oz), they have an honest life expectancy of roughly 700 days of wear. To have reached that point they've already been repaired multiple times and places, and have probably gotten to the point where any further repairs aren't worth it or even possible (my DWC pair are at 332 days of wear, and I can't imagine them being anything other than a patched, darned, threadbare mess by day 660).  I bring that up because I've seen it multiple times on various online denim "magazines" and social media where a pair of jeans are listed anywhere from four to ten years.  They might be that old, but no way they've been worn that much!  

 

 

It really depends on so many things... how they fit on the wearer, the denim weight, if it's sanforized, how often they're washed, how they're washed, the type of stitching on the jean, how abrasive the denim is when raw, what the wearer is doing in them, etc..

 

I have a pair of 14oz jeans i've worn every day for 3 years and 1 month, every single day, they're literally the only jeans i've worn during that period.  They're at a point now where they need to be repaired every 6 weeks, which is more annoying than anything.. and that's the only reason they're gonna get retired soon.