Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[mpukas]

On 11/3/2019 at 11:18 PM, julian-wolf said:

The 634's too slim through the thighs and too low-rise; I ended up giving my pair away after a year or so of trying and failing to make it work. Their 1955 cut works okay for me on paper, but when I've tried it on it also just feels sorta constricting. I don't know what it is, but something about the way they pattern their jeans doesn't work for me. Also not big on their construction / detailing, but the overdyes are nice enough that I'd 100% overlook that if I could make the fit work.

Julian - I'm pulling this out of the Buzz thread to not clog it up. You've mentioned this before about the IH-634 and I wanted to ask you more about your opinion. Do you prefer high-rise, fuller cut jeans? The 634 is by no means high rise and full cut, but it's certainly not low rise and slim. The 1955 seems to be LOVED by some folks, but I had a pair in size 34 and they looked like MC Hammer pants on me. Maybe a 32 could've worked for me. I've never said this publicly for fear of back-lash for the IH following, but I think the 1955 is one of the oddest cuts ever - I'm no LVC expert, but I dont' see any resemblance to the 1955 501 at all.. And, what is it about their construction/detailing that doesn't appeal? I get their detailing maybe plain and simple, but I find their construction to be bomber. Just curious to hear more about your opinion. 

[julian-wolf]

I prefer higher rises for sure. I'm often as happy with slim–straight cuts (read: tapered through the thigh with little or no taper below the knee) as I am with full cuts (read: little or no taper throughout), but even when sized up 1" in the waist—something which I really prefer not to do—my 634 were skin-tight through the thighs and significantly constricted my motion. They may not be slim in absolute terms, but they're too slim to be at all viable for me. It's a shame, 'cause aesthetically the cut worked great; it had that whole rock star thing going for it.

Agreed that the 1955 doesn't match up well with a true 1955 (or, rather, with a more common repro-interpretation of one). The measurements seem like they should be okay, but it's almost like they've taken skinny jeans and sized up the measurements to match other slim–straight cuts without fixing the pattern, and the whole thing hangs weird…at least on me.

As far as detailing goes, I don't like their chunky buttons and I don't like their poly-core stitching. I also don't think tucked belt loops work well for heavy fabrics; the lumps in the waistband end up being too significant. Construction-wise, the main thing I take issue with is the low stitch count—when combined with the wide-gauge thread, it gives off a little too much of a True Religion vibe for me. They seem to be well-made overall, but no more so than most of the other Japanese brands discussed here.

[julian-wolf]

For reference, me a couple of years ago in the 634-DD that I ended up giving away to a pal

They look good…but they look like skinny jeans

[mpukas]

Damn, those 634-DD look skinny. They look like the 555. Now I get what you're saying. I have/had a few different versions of 634's in different denims, and they're all different. The XHS that I wore for the 1st DWC were really tight and slim, but others are very different. Thx for the thoughts on detailing. I personally like lower count heavy gauge stitching, but I get that it can evoke the TR vibe. It's on the edge of what I find acceptable and appealing. 

[JDelage]

Every single iteration of a given IH pattern has different measurements from the others. Every. Single. Iteration.

The good thing about that is that everyone should be able to find something that works for them. They're very good at posting measurements & finding a unit that works for you.

@mpukas- Have you tried the 888? I heard good things about them (never tried them myself).

[mpukas]

@JDelage - why, yes, I have the 888  My DWC contest pair is/was the 888-NT (UHR denim), size 34. That denim didn't shrink as much as I expected, and I always thought they were a size too big. I also don't like the high rise.Regardless of rise, I always wear my jeans just below my hip bones, which lead to terrible diaper butt. I have a pair of 888-XHSib size 33 on ice, not sure if I'm gonna wear them or not. LOVE that XHS indigo/black denim. I also have a pair of 633-XHS on ice. As with every version of the 634, the 633 get tweaked slightly, and the waist on the 633-XHS is slightly bigger than I prefer compared to hip and thigh measurements. In general I think the 633 is a better cut for me than the 888 due to the lower rise. 

I haven't been following the IH forum closely in the past few months, but there was a little chatter f/ the fellas about getting H-san to make a new cut, possibly something like a 634 in rise but slightly larger thighs and slightly more taper from the knee down. 

[Thanks_M8]

16 hours ago, julian-wolf said:

For reference, me a couple of years ago in the 634-DD that I ended up giving away to a pal

They look good…but they look like skinny jeans

My 634N fits about the same. Thinking about giving them to my girlfriend, as they fit her waaaaay better.

Didn't help that I gained a few pounds in the last year..

[Geeman]

It's all over lads. .,,

https://www.vice.com/amp/en_uk/article/8xwpek/death-denim-jeans-trends-sales-menswear-2010s-fashion

[Maynard Friedman]

Thank f*#k for that! Now I can stroll around town without looking like every other cnut 

[SuperJackle]

And I can finally cop those peach colored joggers like the author mentions!

[ColonelAngus]

Hmmm. Taylor Stitch henleys cost $68 and are made in Honduras. 3sixteen’s henleys are $62 and MiUSA. How does that work exactly? Think I’ll stick with 3:16

[JDelage]

Taylor Stitch's value proposition is not what it used to be. They started advertising MiUSA clothes, but most of their clothes are made in China nowadays. I have nothing against made in China stuff, but it's not the same value prop.

[ColonelAngus]

7 hours ago, JDelage said:

Taylor Stitch's value proposition is not what it used to be. They started advertising MiUSA clothes, but most of their clothes are made in China nowadays. I have nothing against made in China stuff, but it's not the same value prop.

I think they’re trying to do what Patagonia is doing in terms of sustainability. But, I don’t find it sustainable to source manufacturing in third world countries and then have them shipped to the US. Seems to me their carbon footprint would be even bigger since they’re now manufacturing in several foreign countries instead of one. I might consider their MiUSA stuff but nothing else 

[SuperJackle]

Question for you all:

Awhile back, someone brought up that orslow has a fleece sweater out this season for an obscene price which is quite similar to a much cheaper Patagonia etc. Now I don’t know shit about quality tiers of polyester, but I know that I pay more for nicer shit because it will age well. That or last a long time, and two often don’t intersect. 

Thats not necessarily what I’m trying to wrap my head around right now, though. 

I just noticed that not only orslow, but also sugar cane, and RRL have also come out with a similar vintage style, shaggy, Patagonia type fleece this season.

I see this kind of coincidence fairly often. And yes, I’m aware it might just be “on trend”. But where are these companies or designers drawing their inspirations from, and why do they coincide so often? Why is it that 3sixteen, rogue territory, and whoever else all decide to launch a coach jacket the same season(speaking to a few years ago, when literally everyone was releasing these)?

Are these guys being influenced by high fashion, I.e runway style shit? Trade shows perhaps? Only thing I can think of as to why there is so much consistent overlap lately between brands. 

[Iron Horse]

Seems to be runway trend inspired:

https://www.elle.com/fashion/g28859145/fleece-jacket-fall-trend/

"Alongside PSLs and leggings, a fleece jacket used to be a key part of the Basic Student starter pack. Now, the fashion industry is claiming it as its own. Indie designer Sandy Liang was the first to adopt the look back in 2015 with her Insta-famous outerwear, but the trend is peaking. Philip Lim, Fendi, and other top designers elevated the jacket for the Fall ‘19 runway, literally putting the ‘camp’ in ‘campy.’"

 

https://www.google.com.tw/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/patagonia-north-face-win-urban-hiker-trend-2019-2

"It's not your imagination — fleeces and high-performance jackets are everywhere right now. And according to fashion search platform Lyst, it's because the "urban hiker" style is in vogue. 

Earlier this month, Lyst released its latest ranking of fashion's "hottest brands and products." The North Face and Patagonia came in second and third place, respectively, on the menswear list, beating out Versace, Fendi, and Givenchy. The two items featured were The North Face's Nuptse puffer jacket and Patagonia's Retro-X fleece.

Patagonia and The North Face have experienced explosive success in recent years, as these brands sit at the intersection of outerwear, normcore, and streetwear. The latter two are prominent trends in fashion at the moment."

Edited November 22, 2019 by Iron Horse

[Pedro]

I sold my two original early 90’ish Patagucci fleece to JP buyers several years ago for big cash.

I saw @volvo240thebest was wearing one in one of his cool photoshoots awhile back. I don’t recall the name but his looked high quality.

[Iron Horse]

Those articles mention the dad-sneakers-to-trail-sneakers transition currently underway. I full expect everyone to be wearing this by spring:

[JDelage]

I have had a jacket like that for a few years. It's nice and comfy in fair & crisp weather. The most positive reaction I got from it was from little kids though...  :-)

[Pedro]

Yes it is a good layer for warmth but requires a shell to retain heat.

Now those shoes that Iron Horse posted...they look hideous. Not good for climbing, bouldering, I suppose OK for trail running but mostly just giving good grip on the runway.

[bod]

11 hours ago, Iron Horse said:

I full expect everyone to be wearing this by spring:

I’ve been wearing that look for a while, patagonia retro fleece and Orslow jeans.

The Retro-X fleece posted above is a bit too warm for my taste though with its wind proof layer and mesh liner

[Maynard Friedman]

Even Uniqlo’s in on the fleece biz:

 

[Iron Horse]

I remember Uniqlo trying to push the fleece-as-fashion thing about 4 or 5 years ago. They even had ads in store with Flea wearing fleece IIRC. My girlfriend got me one as a gift, though it’s certainly toned down compared to the Patagonia style. 

I just wear it around the house and to walk the dog at night, not sure I would go out into public proper wearing it though. 

[mpukas]

On 11/19/2019 at 12:53 PM, Geeman said:

It's all over lads. .,,

https://www.vice.com/amp/en_uk/article/8xwpek/death-denim-jeans-trends-sales-menswear-2010s-fashion

I'm calling it now - in 2-3 years this latest Modern Man Movement will have run it's current course, and there'll be another resurgence of interest in heritage workwear by the Modern Man. 

[mpukas]

I never got into fleece tech wear for anything other than what it was originally intended for - a warm, breathable layering piece that doesn't absorb/retain moisture for strenuous outdoor activities in cold weather. I actually prefer merino wool base- and mid-layers as i think they do a better job of keeping me comfortable over a wider range of temps. With synthetics I'm either not warm enough or too hot. Even tho I live in The Land of the Friday Night Fleece and Saturday Night Puffy, I can't bring myself to do it. It is always very interesting to see newer people who have recently moved here from a metropolitan/urban area and how excited they are to wear their fleeces, puffies and yoga pants ALL the time. I guess I'm no different, I just choose different garments to wear all the time  People think I'm weird 'cuz I wear one pair of jeans for 2 years at a time  

[volvo240thebest]

I have 4 different fleeces, two by Realthing (a Chinese brand that actually makes good stuff) and two vintage synchilla ones by Patagonia. I love the look and how they match with denim actually. To not mention they're super comfy. Surely it's not a piece of garment that will look better with wear. The 80s Patagonia ones still look fine now though,

4 hours ago, Iron Horse said:

I just wear it around the house and to walk the dog at night, not sure I would go out into public proper wearing it though. 

haha yeah you feel you're trying hard the urban hiker look? I guess you feel you're trying less hard when wearing that vintage hat you posted in the hats thread

[JDelage]

Some of the Jpz brands (Warehouse?) are also making nice looking fleece... I don't know how they compare to Patagucci...

[Iron Horse]

5 hours ago, volvo240thebest said:

I have 4 different fleeces, two by Realthing (a Chinese brand that actually makes good stuff) and two vintage synchilla ones by Patagonia. I love the look and how they match with denim actually. To not mention they're super comfy. Surely it's not a piece of garment that will look better with wear. The 80s Patagonia ones still look fine now though,

haha yeah you feel you're trying hard the urban hiker look? I guess you feel you're trying less hard when wearing that vintage hat you posted in the hats thread

That hat is an artisanal piece of superlative quality, don’t compare it to ye peasant garments of function over form. 

[Flash]

Anyone know if there has been a reproduction made of these early ww2 lee’s ? 

4A59205D-EA17-4902-B828-29BC59D2A391 by Ryan Darragh, on Flickr

 

980A38B4-9FB6-4496-B5B7-CAF4B0F80500 by Ryan Darragh, on Flickr

 

0DFA03EA-9E10-4184-9777-F7E91940EC8F by Ryan Darragh, on Flickr

 

 

[Maynard Friedman]

I’ve searched in the past Ryan and found a few different variations (ie year) of wartime Lees but none with those specific details, especially the lovely back pocket shape.

[Maynard Friedman]

This pair may be the closest match.