Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[Maynard Friedman]

That’s the French for you! 

[ColonelAngus]

When it comes to ‘cultural appropriation’, especially in the fashion sense, it all boils down to intent. 99.9% of the time I don’t care how someone chooses to dress, wear their hair or whatever.
 

Back in the 1990’s everyone I knew had dreads. I never subscribed to that look because I knew there was a cultural/religious reasoning behind it, yet the ones who had them were mostly white hipsters.
 

With that said, my personal disdain for dreads as a fashionable look is pointless. I also don’t think people that have dreads are doing so out of disrespect or to caricature another culture. They do it because they like the look. I also think nowadays everyone is looking for something to be offended by. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by ColonelAngus

[unders]

I’m hopping between threads, but I’m not sure anything here is cultural appropriation (and not suggesting you’ve misunderstood Colonel, I think it’s the Native American jewellery your referencing from t’other thread). That is outright racism. Fucker should have been boycotted. Lots of folk around here won’t buy Full Count and Mikiharu Tsujita did far less harm than that shit. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by unders

[kiya]

On 1/5/2023 at 9:29 AM, Double 0 Soul said:

 

I also found this 4pg excerpt from Sufu I printed off in 17/06/2008 of the Zipangu Treasures thread, from where I bought a Cushman sweat.

 Zipangu Treasures where one of the first proxy services, they used to advertise goods on eBay with the offer of ‘we can source anything from Japan.. alas they were mad expensive..

..remember when kiya actually used to post on the forum 

I still read the forum nearly daily!  I just don't post like I used to...

[Broark]

I know this has been discussed several times before however I can't remember when or where...what brands of sunglasses are y'all wearing?
I have a few pairs of Moscots that I picked up while working at a shop that sold them years ago, but I'm wanting to find something new.
Prefer classic styling over most fashion forward stuff, and preferably a brand not owned by Luxottica.

[Double 0 Soul]

I'd try them on and buy whatever shape suits your face.. i don't think the 'brands' actually make their own sunglasses or lenses so branding matters not, you could get a sweet pair of sunnies which suit your face for very little dosh.. buy branded and there is still no guarantee they will suit your face any better, if you buy 'no brand' vintage you could just have lenses of your choice for half the price of buying swanky sunglasses...

[Broark]

I understand what you're getting at, just trying to get some inspiration and see what's out there.
I worked in a shop for 5 years that sold a large variety of shapes and styles / brands, so luckily I'm somewhat familiar with what suits my face and what doesn't.

When searching online you get the run of the mill suggestions (Persol, Rayban, etc.) and so much of that search traffic is sponsored which is why I mentioned brands not owned by Luxottica. Not trying to flex and spend a bunch of money or anything, but I tend to trust people here more with their taste / style / personal experience.
We get a ton of sunshine here all year round so they're important to me when going about daily activities.

[AlientoyWorkmachine]

i picked up some tender round top sunglasses a couple of years ago and am quite happy with them. they're a little funky but that's how i like things. i think he has a slimmer version now too. 

[Double 0 Soul]

I've been wearing the same RB Caribbean for the last 20+yrs, prior to this i wore allsorts of sunglasses, almost a different pair every year..  from cheap crap i picked up from holiday to the more expensive until i found the Caribbean shape.. it's a little softer than wayfarers, which suited my face and i've stuck with it.. but i do think you need to try them on, especially with acetate if they don't have the ajustable wired cushion thingies which sit on the bridge of the nose.. because how does one judge where they will sit on your face.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Double 0 Soul

[julian-wolf]

Like Alientoy, I’ve gotten a ton of great use out of my Tender shades, and would def. recommend them—but they might be a little more out there than what you’re looking for

I’ve been following a shop called Feaw Handcraft that seems to make a few really nice models; they might be more up your alley

https://instagram.com/feaw_handcraft?

[Double 0 Soul]

So how did you conjour up this Alien Workshop / Toy Machine basterdisation?

[Duke Mantee]

I’ve liked Jacques Marie Mage quality ever since I bought my frames some years back - but they’re expensive so I just get photochromic lenses in my reading specs

I like Cutler & Gross specs too

[AlientoyWorkmachine]

51 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

So how did you conjour up this Alien Workshop / Toy Machine basterdisation?

You mean poetry?

Laziness, looking at a pile of my old broken skateboards and my fondness for the artists behind the two brands. I did have a bit of weak personal connections to the brands at a point too. Basically, nostalgia.

[unders]

I like me some vintage Dunhill sunglasses. Reasonably priced pairs can be found online. Great shapes.  

[andrewrose]

I’ve been looking for new optical glasses as I have a lot of FSA money set to expire in March. Brands I’ve liked: Lesca, Dandy’s, Andy Wolf, Jacques Marie Mage (but $$$). Maui Jim looks nice too, but I wear optical most of the time. When I do contacts and sunglasses, they are a little pricey to risk dropping or damaging whilst adventuring outside.

I bought from ivisionari.com and had a good experience, even with shipping their prices on euro brands are well below what you’d pay over here, and they also take FSA though sunglasses aren’t eligible. 

[Double 0 Soul]

I find aswell that the lightweight (often cheaper) sunglasses stay on your face better.. the heavier, often better quality, more substantial ect.. tend to slide down your face with gravity in the hot sweaty weather and you're forever repositioning them.

[mondo]

These days I wear frames I can get my prescription lenses into (so, thick acetate, the "McQueen" from Archibald – made in Japan, but prices seem to have gone up recently), but back when I wore contact lenses I found the various military styles from American Optical and/or Randolph Engineering (I think the military contract was taken over from AO by RE) did the job well. Just find a lens size and bridge width that works and away you go. The straight arm option is good if you need to use them with earphones or a watch cap. I figure if they're suitable for pilots and astronauts, they're more than I'll ever need, but they're a bit The Right Stuff for some tastes.

[Dr_Heech]

7 hours ago, Double 0 Soul said:

I find aswell that the lightweight (often cheaper) sunglasses stay on your face better.. the heavier, often better quality, more substantial ect.. tend to slide down your face with gravity in the hot sweaty weather and you're forever repositioning them.

^Good point imho. I found this with both my old Wayfarers and Wayfarer 2's (both btw purchased in China town, NYC in 1984 for about 20 quid a pair ) - and as Neal points out, my cheapo sunnies l wear now (which are just freebie safety sunnies via work) - stay on my face better and are more comfortable to wear all day no matter how hot it gets.

And if they break or get lost then it's no big deal  

 

[fre-co]

I wear glasses all day everyday now. My sunglasses also have prescription lenses these days…

 I have always loved the Moscot lemtosh frame and have had several pairs - sunglasses and clear prescription lenses. 

I also have a pair of Hakusan Megane frames from Timeworn clothing. These are really great quality. Beautiful frames, but heavy. 

[Double 0 Soul]

2 hours ago, Dr_Heech said:

^Good point imho. I found this with both my old Wayfarers and Wayfarer 2's (both btw purchased in China town, NYC in 1984 for about 20 quid a pair ) - and as Neal points out, my cheapo sunnies l wear now (which are just freebie safety sunnies via work) - stay on my face better and are more comfortable to wear all day no matter how hot it gets.

And if they break or get lost then it's no big deal  

 

My first pair of RB Caribbean were already vintage when I bought them, MiA by B&L (if I remember rightly)  I never considered weight, It was just the way it was.. maybe the lenses were glass rather than poly? when I lost them I replaced them with the same pair but made in Italy.. if I wouldn’t have bought them from a reputable Italian source (unlike dolmio) I would have assumed they were fake.. light weight mickymouse junk.. anywho, I couldn’t be arsed to send them back to Italy so begrudgingly wore them.. for nearly 20yrs  the weight makes a massive difference, not so much if your just sat around but if your doing stuff.. for instance, the vibration of riding a bike makes heavier glasses (prescription too) slide down your face on a minute by minute basis.. very annoying when you’re constantly repositioning them.

[Talan]

17 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

My first pair of RB Caribbean were already vintage when I bought them, MiA by B&L (if I remember rightly)  I never considered weight, It was just the way it was.. maybe the lenses were glass rather than poly? when I lost them I replaced them with the same pair but made in Italy.. if I wouldn’t have bought them from a reputable Italian source (unlike dolmio) I would have assumed they were fake.. light weight mickymouse junk.. anywho, I couldn’t be arsed to send them back to Italy so begrudgingly wore them.. for nearly 20yrs  the weight makes a massive difference, not so much if your just sat around but if your doing stuff.. for instance, the vibration of riding a bike makes heavier glasses (prescription too) slide down your face on a minute by minute basis.. very annoying when you’re constantly repositioning them.

I have a RB New Wayfarer (smaller frame than original WF and closer to Caribbean, I guess) that I bought 15 or so years ago at a RB shop on Bondi Beach in Sydney. I have no idea if they are original or fake, they weren't cheap. The lenses are glass, this was confirmed by the handyman in the repair shop I went to a few years ago to have a small scratch removed. The handyman wouldn't remove the scratch, but even with the scratch and all the other wear and tear, these are my basic glasses. Built like a tank, have been through countless of the toughest situations, travels, beaches, dust and dirt. Bought different brands since then, but they're all sitting around the house and my old RB sunglasses are the ones to go.

 

[Double 0 Soul]

When I first started wearing reading glasses a few years ago.. I was actually at Boots the chemist keeping my kid entertained while my missus had an eye test.. I’d not had an eye test since school so I thought why not.. turns out I needed reading glasses so I started looking at glasses in Boots.. they had brands like Jaguar.. the car people, who the fuck would wear these? apart from Jaguar owners or possibly golfers (mosdef wankers) I’m sure the folks on the Jaguar production line are not making these in between fitting crank shafts.. 

One of the few pairs I could find without branding was RB Clubman but I wasn’t paying £265 when they also sold basic reading glasses with my prescription for £19.. I took my prescription and emailed it through to an opticians in Bolton, they sold the same RB Clubman's for £75/pair so I bought one in black and one in tortoise shell.. what a fucking rip off glasses are!

..anyhow, the last pair I bought were from a place in Sheffield called Eye-Eye.. they market themselves on ‘non of our glasses carry any branding’ I like this concept, they have one wall where all the glasses are £150, another wall where all glasses are £200 and another wall where all glasses are £300 inc in this price is your eye test and your lenses.. it forces you to try them all on and see what suits your face because I think we can all a bit swayed by associating ‘automatically cool’ with brands whether it actually suits you or not .. Mister Freedom heads, I’m looking at you lot here!

I digress, last pair I bought were these 

.. they’re made by Ross & Brown, whoever they are? .. zero branding.. i can’t remember how much they cost, I just made sure they came within the parameters of my Westfield cover.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Double 0 Soul

[Double 0 Soul]

I'm on a roll today!

There is a place in Sheff called Axis Optical.. one of my friends told me about it, the company he works for supplies all of their staff with prescription safety glasses.. it's on an industrial estate, with multiple workstations where they make/grind/fit the lenses into the frames, he said they get box's of frames from all the different opticians with prescription requirements and it's those guys who actually make your glasses.. which stands to reason because when i've been for eye tests, there is no workshop facility just a clinical optometrist room so places like Boots are simply buying in their frames for (i guess) fk all.. they give you an eye test which you pay £40 for.. they then tell you to call back in 7-10 days time.. in which time they send your glasses to places like Axis who make them and send them back so they're making a 400% mark up as middle-man.. Axis charge next to nothing for their glasses and even some of those are branded...what a rip!.

[Maynard Friedman]

I wear a pair of Gucci sunglasses bought from a little optician in Rome 14 years ago. They are lightweight with very subtle branding and quite big. I imagine  most people who are reading or contributing to this thread would hate them. I love them and as 00 pointed out, the lighter weight makes them very resistant to slippage.

I also have a pair of far more Sufu-friendly Pherrows with black acetate frames. I bought 2 pairs, one for daily use with prescription lenses but haven’t gotten around to taking them to an optician yet.

[Broark]

5 hours ago, fre-co said:

I also have a pair of Hakusan Megane frames from Timeworn clothing. These are really great quality. Beautiful frames, but heavy. 

I'd be interested in seeing photos of these if you have any available!
Probably should've prefaced this question with the fact that I've been gravitating towards the Clubmaster style these days, my current go to pair are the Moscot Yukel's.
The Hakusan Megane frames seem nice, personally don't mind the heavier frames.

[Double 0 Soul]

Shit! I meant Clubmaster.. did I say Clubman? Isn’t that a car? 

7 minutes ago, Broark said:

I'd be interested in seeing photos of these if you have any available

He’s wearing them on the front cover of Smash Hits magazine.. or was it Look-In ? .. I dunno, can’t seem to tell the difference between cars and sunglasses today..

[Talan]

1 hour ago, Broark said:

I'd be interested in seeing photos of these if you have any available!
Probably should've prefaced this question with the fact that I've been gravitating towards the Clubmaster style these days, my current go to pair are the Moscot Yukel's.
The Hakusan Megane frames seem nice, personally don't mind the heavier frames.

Fielmann optics in Germany made me a readers with a free frame that look similar to the Moscot Lemtosh. I paid something like 30 euros for the lenses, though.

[Double 0 Soul]

30€.. pfft! that's not nearly enough, you need to spend at lest 10x that to get glasses worth posting about on this forum..

[Talan]

46 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

30€.. pfft! that's not nearly enough, you need to spend at lest 10x that to get glasses worth posting about on this forum..

30 for lenses, frame was free... 

[Double 0 Soul]