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Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.


cmboland

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Volvo, my friends give me a bit of shit for it but it's all in good fun. I actually hardly Instagram anything denim related but you bet when I do... I also only have like 30-40 Instagram followers so it hasn't really been much of a problem haha 

 

And broark, you have a very good point! Don't really have a counterpoint but I get where you're coming from.

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I don't really post anything jeans related on my public Instagram. Been thinking about starting a separate denim related one actually. Not really interested in having my friends and work related peeps know my denim obsession heh. Some of my coworkers found out about it earlier this year and I didn't really get much shit but I prefer to not publicly broadcast it if I can help it. 

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Also, why do we always see this rolling up the hem of the jeans action shot?

I cuff my jeans and they're set. I don't walk around cuffing and uncuffing my jeans throughout the day.

I was talking to a friend of mine earlier about this. He also has seen this a lot on social media and found it funny.

haha I've wondered about this as well.  makes zero sense to me.  

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If all of a sudden everyone was wearing selvedge jeans, etc, I might be bummed because most people would assume I was riding some trend and didn't think for myself. Personally, here in socal when I see some girl wearing a choker I think to myself "there's no way you're wearing that in 5 years, you only are now because it's 'in'. Why not wear what you like instead of what's popular?"

On the other hand, I would absolutely love to see people like to wear high quality denims for the right reasons - interested in things that last a long time and look better with age, push the limits of luxurious fabrics, etc. Then I'd be able to geek out with more people in person!

 

How can you tell if they're wearing their jeans for 'the right reasons' on the street?

Edited by denihilist
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This is exactly the reason why I'd be bummed if it became extremely commonplace, you couldn't tell.

I just mean in a hypothetical world if you could...

Although seeing some really faded raw denim (like mine) would indicate you really were into it independently of others. You'd need to have worn them most days for a couple years, which someone who is trendhopping wouldnt, or have had and still be wearing the same jeans for over 10 years, which is also really unlikely.

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Yeah, I'm not the collector type but consider myself being "into this" too, and I only have one pair that is starting to look really faded.

 

 

On the topic of "can't stand seeing this" - my pet peeve is how sneakers are presented:

 

3rZ5aLul.jpg

 

^ That example is from today's Cultizm newsletter but you see it all over the place. Everything here looks terrible, from the too small leg opening to how high they're cuffed to how ugly the bunched up denim looks. I know most pictures like that are about showing the sneaker, it still looks terrible. Sometimes you see people actually going about their day looking that way, and it makes me shudder.

 

(Personally I feel that pants that don't touch the top of your shoe / boot are too short or cuffed too high. I know this comes down to personal preference, but that's my opinion. Oh, and I also feel that if your hem doesn't even reach to the sneaker tongue, then the leg opening is too small, you'll only look ridiculous. ;) )

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 I don't think it should matter why other people are "into" denim/anything else people are into. Popularity or people's opinions shouldn't affect you or the reasons you are specifically into something. Not liking things because they are popular is just as bad as liking something just because it is popular in my opinion. 

 

EDIT

 

That being said I understand being sick of seeing something popular and being annoyed that people would assume you have different motives for liking something than you actually have. You just have to be strong and not give a shit  :P

Edited by pudaspriest
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one minor pet peeve of mine regarding IG is when someone makes a point to post pics of brands that are US made and then is seeing wearing a pair of Grant Stone/Made in China/Alden knock offs. I get it, GS is a cheaper alternative to Alden but just barely. I thought the whole point for some of these guys who are into heritage brands was to promote American companies that they like who make stuff here as opposed to being made from the tears of 10 yo children.

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in that case ben sees you wearing different pairs and still knows you're into it

 

 

Probably just need to start giving people tests before they buy their jeans to make sure their hearts are pure.

10chars

 

Fuck you guys  :biggrin:  but you're right...it does start to sound a bit ridiculous.

 

 

 I don't think it should matter why other people are "into" denim/anything else people are into. Popularity or people's opinions shouldn't affect you or the reasons you are specifically into something. Not liking things because they are popular is just as bad as liking something just because it is popular in my opinion. 

 

EDIT

 

That being said I understand being sick of seeing something popular and being annoyed that people would assume you have different motives for liking something than you actually have. You just have to be strong and not give a shit  :P

 

 

Last paragraph is exactly my feelings. No matter what I'd never stop wearing the things I have, love, and love to wear... I just wouldn't want to look like someone whose trying to look hip or trendy.

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I don't really understand the problem you guys have with the posts on IG..

A few years ago the sufu look was more fitting jeans as well. Nowadays Sufu is just about as uniform as the IG posts but you could replace skinny jeans with a heritage cut and RgT with TCB.

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Nowadays Sufu is just about as uniform as the IG posts but you could replace skinny jeans with a heritage cut and RgT with TCB.

Coming back to SuFu after being away for a few years, this seems true to me.

A genuine question: Is it better to be "hip" and popular, or pedantic and weird, when it comes to clothes? I am not sure one is more authentic than the other, it is only choice and perspective, IMO.

I think most people would consider wearing 1940s reproduction clothing to be weird. Same applies to 21 oz jeans. Or not washing your pants every week.

If we start judging others based on choice in clothes or approach towards fashion, or even how they use social media, then I don't think we are being very authentic people by any measure.

Aren't we supposed to be rugged and hard-working men in workwear, with a free and easy attitude?

Edited by mikecch
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Coming back to SuFu after being away for a few years, this seems true to me.

A genuine question: Is it better to be "hip" and popular, or pedantic and weird, when it comes to clothes? I am not sure one is more authentic than the other, it is only choice and perspective, IMO.

I think most people would consider wearing 1940s reproduction clothing to be weird. Same applies to 21 oz jeans. Or not washing your pants every week.

If we start judging others based on choice in clothes or approach towards fashion, or even how they use social media, then I don't think we are being very authentic people by any measure.

Aren't we supposed to be rugged and hard-working men in workwear, with a free and easy attitude?

 

that's it exactly. as tiring as it may be to see guys wearing the same thing we have to remember that it's a 'look' and something a lot of people relate to. It could be a matter of comfort or simply enjoying higher quality clothing that will last longer. we all get fatigued with this look but I think when you're following 100 or more denim enthusiasts on IG it's kinda hard not to experience denim overload. I'd rather see some dude wearing selvedge jeans because he's discovered a better alternative to crappy mall brands than seeing a guy who's trying to be a Gap model and doesn't know sh*t from shynola. I don't think it's particularly useful either when we treat raw denim (or whatever) as some exclusive club. From my experience I rarely see anyone wearing selvedge/raw denim, if at all. We're an incredibly small minority, so even though IG is inundated with raw denim posts we have to remember that these are people from around the globe and not some podunk town in the middle of nowhere.

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This is sort of related to our current discussion; I had mentioned here awhile back that new work status had sort of changed my ability to wear whatever I want. Initially we weren't allowed to wear denim at all but that's since changed, however the look around the office is still pretty dressy. I think being away from flannels and hoodies and tees for awhile really made me realize that I had way too many flannels anyway, and that I basically dressed exactly the look we're describing here, except for the super skinny jeans.

I think regardless of maker, whether it RGT or Flat Head, I'm fatigued by the look altogether and ultimately for me it doesn't matter how "quality" or "authentic" the brand is. People's tastes tend to change over time. So I'm just out here now trying to scoop up quality Oxford shirts and penny loafers.

I was also soliciting advice from some of you awhile back for some solid leads onJapanese brands that focus on a more ivy aesthetic which lead me to workers, beams+, and others which I have yet to cop. Still on the hunt for other brands who might fit western frames better so any suggestions are still welcome.

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All of this seems kind of like picking at straws, brands aside the style of what these Instagram guys wear is 85% the same as what dudes on SuFu wear, the fit's just a little different. Both wear flannel shirts, rugged boots, raw denim, etc. 

 

 

See thats the thing though, even if it is just "flannel shirts, rugged boots, raw denim" (which it is), I feel like there's a HUGE variation in how good that looks, depending on the brand and fits.

 

If you told me I had to wear and be styled the same way you see those guys on IG or just find a new style, I'd probably try to find a new style. It just looks off to me the way they wear their clothes. Conversely, still wearing flannels, boots, raw denim MY WAY, I'm really happy and think I look great and feel like myself. 

 

I think the difference is the same reason I see flannels at macy's and go "meh" while I can get unreasonably excited about a flat head or rjb flannel. They're both just flannels, but one just gets it right and the other doesn't. 

 

And I think it's the same thing with chainstitching vs. top stitching... this hobby is just something that breeds people hypersensitive and meticulous about things, so it isn't surprising to me that we can be critical of things that seem 90% right but just don't quite get it.

 

I realize this sounds pretentious, but just the way I look at things.

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Didn't mean to open a can of worms, but it's good to see we all feel strongly about it one way or another. At the end of the day, it's truly a niche within a niche within a niche, and I personally never even see extreme denim heads, sufu types, or IG posters with frequency, and I live in a big city. So, people will continue to wear whatever they wear and for whatever reasons, and we'll continue to do the same within variations of each other. My only hope is that we continue to push each other to learn and explore more because this "hobby" wouldn't be any more interesting if we all flatlined and stayed the course. 

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Didn't mean to open a can of worms, but it's good to see we all feel strongly about it one way or another. At the end of the day, it's truly a niche within a niche within a niche, and I personally never even see extreme denim heads, sufu types, or IG posters with frequency, and I live in a big city. So, people will continue to wear whatever they wear and for whatever reasons, and we'll continue to do the same within variations of each other. My only hope is that we continue to push each other to learn and explore more because this "hobby" wouldn't be any more interesting if we all flatlined and stayed the course. 

 

I think it's good to talk about stuff like this. Being an obsessive denim enthusiast tends to bring out the nitpicker in us all. I live in a relatively big city as well and hardly ever see anyone wearing the brands we're talking about. But then again, I don't get out much so that has a lot to do with it. If I saw someone wearing a brand I like I might actually be inclined to say something. it's too easy to single out IG users and make criticisms.

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at ucla I've seen 4 noteworthy jawnz: 2 iron heart, 1 stevenson, one SDA. 3 of them seemed to be weirded out that i introduced myself to talk to them about it, forgive me for thinking you'd want to talk about that thing you like enough to spend $300 on and wear every day for a year  :rolleyes:

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^I work at a startup, average age is around 26...Saw someone wearing PBJ's pretty well faded but in general, if anyone is wearing raw denim, they're into more "mainstream" brands (Naked and Famous, Unbranded) and aren't really interested in talking about it. Lately if anything though, I see Levi's Commuter series jeans. 

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I see lots of selvedge around Atlanta these days but it's mostly generic stuff like Unbranded or Gap, when I can tell whatever brand it is. A lot of these people have never heard of the nicer brands, and don't necessarily know anything about good jeans; seems like many just happened to pick up whatever ones they're wearing. I hardly bat an eyelash when I see selvedge these days, though it was totally unknown around here 5-6 years ago. I only know a few familiar with/into the really good stuff.

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