Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[mlwdp]

Anybody ever try to get real silver roller buckles for their engineer boots?

[Collin]

Im on a French forum where a lot of people are just getting into unsanforized and raw denim in general and they often ask me how to wash it. Today I've did a quick tutorial on my instagram story to show them. I thought about saving it to Imgur and just put it here if it's of any help to newcomers or else.

 

Click here for the guide (Imgur)

 

Let me know what you think and if you disagree on something, please share your opinion. This guide is made only with my own experiences but everyone certainly does it differently.

[Geeman]

Does it go like this, put jeans in washing machine. Take jeans out. Hang jeans to dry?

[SmokeStackLightning]

I still hand soak, but generally it's more like a warm/hot hand wash when I do it to get maximum shrinkage. 

Washing, I just use a machine on cold with Woolite, inside out. I have just been using Woolite on everything anymore really. Unless I want to shrink something then warm or hot comes into play. 

I don't think the sun hurts indigo when they air dry, as you mentioned in that. If it does I imagine you would need a microscope to see that? I don't worry about indigo loss what so ever though. I can't stand when my jeans look almost black because they are so saturated, so I tend to enjoy indigo loss. Everyone is different of course. 

[Broark]

When are people going to get tired of the “relaxed tapered” cuts? Tired of seeing size 36 in. jeans with ~7 in. leg openings. Looks especially silly with boots. Sorry for the morning rant. 

[beautiful_FrEaK]

We had years of skinny jeans, now there is the transition to the wider cuts and the relaxed taper might just fall in between
Also everyone and his mother is lifting and squatting nowadays so you have to fit those big thighs in some jeans but you still want to see your nice sneakers/boots

I dunno, if not done too extreme it can be a flattering cut on many Western bodies but yeah, it's really ubiquitous.

[cusswords]

Going to Tokyo really opened my eyes to how jeans should fit because literally every single person wearing jeans (selvedge, raw, or not) had them hemmed to the perfect length. I suspect many of these relaxed-tapered cuts are overcompensating for the people who don’t hem their inseam to the proper length. Any size leg opening can look good with the proper inseam length and cuff combination, but all people see is a smaller leg opening that won’t swallow up whatever shoe they are wearing. 

 

[mlwdp]

2 hours ago, Broark said:

When are people going to get tired of the “relaxed tapered” cuts? Tired of seeing size 36 in. jeans with ~7 in. leg openings. Looks especially silly with boots. Sorry for the morning rant. 

It's for the sneaker display on the feet.

[Geeman]

I'm a 31 in most jeans and often wear a tapered cut. A 7 inch hem is perfect for me as a relatively slim  (battling against my mideel aged spread) guy with size 8 feet. 

Agree on the length point, correct inseam length hemmed or  even with a single or at most a double cuff massively effects how the cut of the jean looks as evidenced by many guys on here. 

A wider cut can look as well fitting when worn at the correct length, but for me personally I can't wear a more heritage cut comfortably with out feeling like I've regressed back to my 80/90's raving days alà Happy Mondays style!

[MJF9]

^ no way... you're twistin' my melon man!

[Broark]

I guess my issue is that it just makes the current offerings limited. I can’t really do anything smaller than ~8 in. on the leg opening for a 36. My calves are too big and it just looks awful. So it’s stopping me from even looking at a lot of jeans. Which we all know I don’t need any more of. But still, I’d like more straight legged options I guess. Especially for black jeans. They’re seemingly impossible to find. 

[Quoise1203]

Agreed that calf size is a constraining factor for me on these cuts. Thought I would love the relaxed tapered fits because I need the extra room up top and in the thigh, and it’s so hard to find that fit without a 9”+ leg opening, but imo they went too far in the other direction with the leg opening. I basically need to take my pants off just to pull my socks up!

[JDelage]

There's plenty to keep us busy in the wider leg offering, but it's limited to some brands / fabrics. Hard to find one of the fancier PBJ dble indigo offerings in anything but a tappered fit it seems.

[DoitsuJin]

10 hours ago, cusswords said:

Going to Tokyo really opened my eyes to how jeans should fit because literally every single person wearing jeans (selvedge, raw, or not) had them hemmed to the perfect length. I suspect many of these relaxed-tapered cuts are overcompensating for the people who don’t hem their inseam to the proper length. Any size leg opening can look good with the proper inseam length and cuff combination, but all people see is a smaller leg opening that won’t swallow up whatever shoe they are wearing. 

 

on the flip side, a lot of people wear their jeans very tight as well

[julian-wolf]

7 hours ago, Broark said:

I’d like more straight legged options I guess. Especially for black jeans. They’re seemingly impossible to find. 

This struggle is too real. Haven't been able to find a single pair of well-made black jeans that fits my thighs without either being too big in the waist or way too small around the ankles. Was tempted by the 0605-B that Momotaro did for S&S, but the top block ended up being too straight / boxy…and, even then, they were pretty tapered. Been meaning to try Left Field's Black Maria Greasers, but the only store in my area that carries Left Field only has their blue jeans, and I wouldn't feel great about going to try out the fit with no intention of buying…

Big +1, anyway, for how important leg length is to a fit. Anyone who tells you you can't rock sneakers with a 9"+ leg opening likely just doesn't know how to cuff their jeans.

[Geeman]

Marrkt  is selling several pairs of LVC models NWT at around half price 

[MileHighEvertonian]

16 hours ago, Broark said:

I guess my issue is that it just makes the current offerings limited. I can’t really do anything smaller than ~8 in. on the leg opening for a 36. My calves are too big and it just looks awful. So it’s stopping me from even looking at a lot of jeans. Which we all know I don’t need any more of. But still, I’d like more straight legged options I guess. Especially for black jeans. They’re seemingly impossible to find. 

These cuts aren't appealing or feasible for me either; even with a 36" waist something with a more gentle taper like an Orslow 105 is too small at the knee and below to fit my lower legs comfortably. So, quite a lot of fit trends haven't ever worked: slim straight, skinny, carrot, relaxed tapered. I sometimes get frustrated when U.S. retailers carry brands I want, but follow the fit trends and offer none of the fits I'd buy (e.g., if only SE would carry an SD-101 now that they stock SDA or Blue Owl carry a Momo 0901 to go along with the 17 other Momo variations...). But then I just acknowledge that I'm just not their main customer base; I'll buy select items from them when I can, but I won't feel bad about not supporting them when I turn elsewhere. Since buying direct from Japan has become easier and more reliable (and often significantly cheaper), I simply go elsewhere to get 101s or 0901s.   

[Cold Summer]

IMO tapered fits ought to be more like that Flat Head 3009, which has a pretty gentle taper. On my size (32), it's a little over 12" in the top thigh, and about 7.75" in the hem. A lot of the tapered fits I've seen from other manufacturers fit similarly in the top block but tapered down to about 6.75", which is way too small. Nothing about that looks proportional at all. 

Tapered fits aren't a bad idea, the tapering is just way too dramatic. It shouldn't be smaller than 7.5" at the hem on a size 31-32 pair.

[chambo2008]

I found that a 11inch thigh with 7inch hem is perfect for me 

[mlwdp]

On 2/22/2019 at 6:31 PM, mlwdp said:

Anybody ever try to get real silver roller buckles for their engineer boots?

I'm referring to the silver Studio Wokini Roller Buckles that they did for Black Bear Brand's Wesco Boss boots.

Anybody tried to do the same thing with another silversmith?

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by mlwdp

[Broark]

1 hour ago, Cold Summer said:

Tapered fits aren't a bad idea, the tapering is just way too dramatic. It shouldn't be smaller than 7.5" at the hem on a size 31-32 pair.

That’s where I’m coming from. Taper isn’t bad but it is when it’s too dramatic. 

[d-rew12]

I agree on the black denim front. I ended up buying a pair of LSG black purely because the measurements seemed decent. Not all that fancy but are a great fitting black pair for me. Fabric is boring but I can deal until I find another good fitting black pair. 

I kind of like some of the relaxed taper stuff (although I haven't bought any of that fit), since by the time I get them hemmed to like a 29-30, the leg opening is a normal size haha. A lot of pairs when hemmed have like a 9" leg opening and it damn near swallows my shoe. But when they taper is super extreme and even after hemmed they're under 8" I can't do that.

[VivaMarlon]

17 hours ago, Geeman said:

Marrkt  is selling several pairs of LVC models NWT at around half price 

Bummer, none in my size.  Also, the way they display these jeans very strange.

On the subject of tapered legs, I've really come to dislike them because the more dramatic the taper the worse the bunching around the cuff.  I'm not sure if that bothers anyone but it's something I really don't like.  My preference has become a slim thigh with a straight leg.

Edited February 28, 2019 by VivaMarlon

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

On 2/26/2019 at 7:15 PM, Geeman said:

I'm a 31 in most jeans and often wear a tapered cut. A 7 inch hem is perfect for me as a relatively slim  (battling against my mideel aged spread) guy with size 8 feet. 

Same - pretty much identical mesurements to me, and I've worn similar for many years. 41 now - can't really see myself transitioning to a new look. I likes what I likes!

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

On 2/23/2019 at 5:02 PM, Collin said:

please share your opinion.

Washing machine on the the shortest cycle. You'll never look back. Messed about with all those hand washing rituals years ago - doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

[bod]

And all the 'specialised' denim detergents. Good old non-bio will do.

[mpukas]

this conversation re: leg taper echoes my sentiments from a few pages back - some leg taper is good, but the current trend of relaxed tapered cuts have a taper that's too drastic. A full leg with a hem of anything less than 7.5" looks disproportionate. Also, I think these high-rise trend has become too drastic as well. A 12" rise is at the high-end of what's comfortable and practical. No guys really wear their jeans close to their navel. As much as I like Roy's R01 cut and think it's one of the best cuts ever, anywhere, I'd like it more with a slightly lower rise. 

Denim detergents are nonsense. Jeans are clothes made from fabric, just like any other clothes. The only special care really needed is washing them inside out to avoid crocking at the creases. 

Something else I don't get and think is just a fashion trend - coats over jackets. Being in CO and engaging in outdoor winter activities, I get the need for layering. But I don't get wearing a heaving winter coat over a denim jacket. You're not going to wear that denim jacket indoors and will take it off when you take off your overcoat. As for extra warmth the denim jacket isn't going to do much; if you really need an extra layer for warmth, you'd opt for something truly warm, like a wool sweater/jacket, fleece, insulated puffy, etc. What really bugs me is fashionistas that wear a pre-distressed Type III under a beautiful wool overcoat with nice trousers, maybe a nice vest, in an attempt to be faux-casual. When did coats over jackets become a thing, and why is it even viewed in an acceptable way? I'll admit some guys can pull off the "look", but it's pointless beyond aesthetic. 

[Maynard Friedman]

As a student I used to wear a navy raincoat over a denim jacket in the mid-late 1980s and I’m sure I wasn’t the first so I guess it’s been around for a long time. Often people will dump the top layer at pubs/clubs etc but keep the denim jacket on. There may be more efficient or warmer methods of layering but dependent on the climate where you live, the overcoat/denim jacket combo can be a stylish, effective and - importantly - cheap one if you already own both items of clothing.

[SmokeStackLightning]

4 minutes ago, mpukas said:

this conversation re: leg taper echoes my sentiments from a few pages back - some leg taper is good, but the current trend of relaxed tapered cuts have a taper that's too drastic. A full leg with a hem of anything less than 7.5" looks disproportionate. Also, I think these high-rise trend has become too drastic as well. A 12" rise is at the high-end of what's comfortable and practical. No guys really wear their jeans close to their navel. As much as I like Roy's R01 cut and think it's one of the best cuts ever, anywhere, I'd like it more with a slightly lower rise. 

Denim detergents are nonsense. Jeans are clothes made from fabric, just like any other clothes. The only special care really needed is washing them inside out to avoid crocking at the creases. 

Something else I don't get and think is just a fashion trend - coats over jackets. Being in CO and engaging in outdoor winter activities, I get the need for layering. But I don't get wearing a heaving winter coat over a denim jacket. You're not going to wear that denim jacket indoors and will take it off when you take off your overcoat. As for extra warmth the denim jacket isn't going to do much; if you really need an extra layer for warmth, you'd opt for something truly warm, like a wool sweater/jacket, fleece, insulated puffy, etc. What really bugs me is fashionistas that wear a pre-distressed Type III under a beautiful wool overcoat with nice trousers, maybe a nice vest, in an attempt to be faux-casual. When did coats over jackets become a thing, and why is it even viewed in an acceptable way? I'll admit some guys can pull off the "look", but it's pointless beyond aesthetic. 

I actually have been wearing my Knickerbocker pants and Sugar Cane 1947s at or just slightly below the belly button. Once you get used to it, its actually quite comfortable. I need a minimum of 12.25 ish front rise and 16.5 ish back rise to do this, though.

I never knew the term coat and jacket meant different things either, I just thought they were interchangeable (like tennis shoes to sneakers). 

I can't stand wearing coats, especially while driving so I tend to avoid them unless necessary (hunting, mill related activities outside).

[unders]

I regularly wear a tee, denim jacket and then a leather jacket in the winter, with jeans on the bottom half. 

I get that a jumper would be warmer and fully appreciate I look like a baddie from an 80s movie, but I guess there are worse ways to look (hopefully).