Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[Broark]

58 minutes ago, ATWM said:

I think the leader sets the tone and a lot of people feel an implicit license to act a dickhead with the examples we get from up top - no matter what one’s policy preferences. 

This has become increasingly obvious in the second term. I’m not sure there are many golf fans here, but if you saw/read any coverage of the Ryder Cup in Long Island last weekend you’d be embarrassed to be an American. Yes there are plenty of dickheads that play golf (always have been and always will be), but the way the American fans were going after the European team was ridiculous and outright shameful.
There’s no sense of public shame anymore and I think part of that is due to the above but also just the prevalence of the social media in general these days. When you become desensitized to seeing over the top things recorded and shared you stop thinking that there’s anything wrong with it. And quite frankly I’m glad the Europeans kicked our asses because of the way those fans acted.

 

54 minutes ago, Dr_Heech said:

@Broark can't believe the Katy highway has 26 lanes!

You guys always have a place to crash here in the Cotswolds if ever you need a break 😁

Fortunately we’re not in Houston often but somehow it’s even worse than driving in Austin. Same goes for Dallas or any other large Texas city, you hear about people flashing guns in road rage incidents regularly. That’s why I’m trying to stay more level headed on the road, you never know…
Honestly a break in the Cotswolds sounds refreshing!

[Dr_Heech]

17 minutes ago, Broark said:

 I’m not sure there are many golf fans here, but if you saw/read any coverage of the Ryder Cup in Long Island last weekend you’d be embarrassed to be an American. Yes there are plenty of dickheads that play golf (always have been and always will be), but the way the American fans were going after the European team was ridiculous and outright shameful.

Not a fan, but have worked at the same golf club for 19 years at the end of October. Never played and never been  interested, to me golfers are mere obstacles/distractions that l have to avoid whilst carrying out my landscaping related tasks on a daily basis. Yes there's alot of dickheads but also some decent folk. I watched some of the ryder cup for the first time ever and have to agree with you on the unsportsmanlike way of behaviour from American fans. Don't think I'll watch it again though. 

[Maynard Friedman]

It’s not just golf, it’s happening at all the genteel sports nowadays.

 

[Double 0 Soul]

Didn’t one of the American fans throw a cup which hit the wife of one of the British golfers on the head? 

The shooting near my work is some ongoing turf war between Upperthorpe and Pitsmoor.. it’s been going on for years with lots of tit for tat killings, last night there was shots fired at Pitsmoor in retaliation.

I’m going to baseball bat some sex workers for GTA Sheff-Angeles larp.. 

 

 

 

[Broark]

1 hour ago, Dr_Heech said:

 watched some of the ryder cup for the first time ever and have to agree with you on the unsportsmanlike way of behaviour from American fans. Don't think I'll watch it again though. 

From what I've read this Ryder Cup had the worst Sunday ratings in 25 years. What's sad is the history behind the tournament was meant to show sportsmanship and cooperation between allies post WWI, and this most recent showing just proved what poor sports we are.

 

34 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

Didn’t one of the American fans throw a cup which hit the wife of one of the British golfers on the head? 

Yes that did happen to an Irish golfer, or at least a cup got thrown and it was close to hitting Rory's wife. Classy. 

[Maynard Friedman]

Is anyone familiar with Tilly Norwood

[Double 0 Soul]

No but I read an article by David Gandy last week, complaining that all the sexy models were being replaced with cheaper sexy AI generated models for future campaigns. 

[Broark]

2 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Is anyone familiar with Tilly Norwood

Sometimes this is a reality I wish I didn't live in.

[Maynard Friedman]

13 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

No but I read an article by David Gandy last week, complaining that all the sexy models were being replaced with cheaper sexy AI generated models for future campaigns. 

Gandy’s still upset about being portrayed by Ben Kingsley years ago but had to admit he was a Sexy Beast

[Cold Summer]

I live right at the border of countryside and suburbia, at the outer edge of the metro Atlanta area, and the people here are really nice for the most part. I have overwhelmingly positive interactions with folks in my area, regardless of their race, social context, etc. All the usual urban amenities are 10-15 minutes away from me, but the area feels cozy and down to earth. It has the typical American issue of being too spread out/impossible to do anything without a car, but other than that, not bad.

More than anything else, I think it's a combination of social media and other online environments that are deliberately engineered to stoke people's anger to maintain engagement, and a general crummy situation in general for a lot of people's life prospects - everything is getting more expensive all the time, home ownership is increasingly out of reach, the economy and jobs are all fake and seemingly exist just to enrich private equity and other financial overlords, and so on. This seems inevitably to lead to a polarizing environment where complex issues are reduced to soundbites and people congregate to one extreme or the other in reaction. I don't think there's any easy solution to this, though getting off social media and turning off the news would make a world of difference in the short term.

It all feels like the symptoms of a fundamentally sick society/way of doing things (not just in the US, but most of the world, at this point) that's way past the point of fixing things by voting for somebody else. But my socio-political opinions don't really fit into any of the proscribed boxes, so of course I'd say something like that.

[ATWM]

13 minutes ago, Cold Summer said:

I live right at the border of countryside and suburbia, at the outer edge of the metro Atlanta area, and the people here are really nice for the most part. I have overwhelmingly positive interactions with folks in my area, regardless of their race, social context, etc. All the usual urban amenities are 10-15 minutes away from me, but the area feels cozy and down to earth. It has the typical American issue of being too spread out/impossible to do anything without a car, but other than that, not bad.

More than anything else, I think it's a combination of social media and other online environments that are deliberately engineered to stoke people's anger to maintain engagement, and a general crummy situation in general for a lot of people's life prospects - everything is getting more expensive all the time, home ownership is increasingly out of reach, the economy and jobs are all fake and seemingly exist just to enrich private equity and other financial overlords, and so on. This seems inevitably to lead to a polarizing environment where complex issues are reduced to soundbites and people congregate to one extreme or the other in reaction. I don't think there's any easy solution to this, though getting off social media and turning off the news would make a world of difference in the short term.

It all feels like the symptoms of a fundamentally sick society/way of doing things (not just in the US, but most of the world, at this point) that's way past the point of fixing things by voting for somebody else. But my socio-political opinions don't really fit into any of the proscribed boxes, so of course I'd say something like that.

I don't think you're wrong. Actually, in my own circles which I could crudely sum up as largely traditional conservative upbringing in a more or less outwardly Christian influenced suburb where I still have many friends and family, followed by a personal turn leftward and mostly inhabiting pretty staunchly left spheres of academia, arts and journalism worlds I would say the dominant sentiment among most of them is that they feel abandoned by the traditional options. Still know a few true believers on the left, even fewer on the right, but they seem to be part of a shrinking minority in both spheres.

A book I've recently picked up that speaks to all of this in more or less related ways is Against the Machine by Paul Kingsnorth - @Cold Summer I believe you're familiar with the writer.  I'm reserving thoughts on this book for now, but I've always found his perspective incisive enough to at least entertain where he goes. 

[Maynard Friedman]

Interesting @ATWM, I read an interview the other day with Paul Kingsnorth talking about that book. I liked the sound of it and have added it to my reading list, although I have 3 things ahead of it in the queue at the moment.

[Hopethisoneisnttaken]

27 minutes ago, Cold Summer said:

though getting off social media and turning off the news would make a world of difference

This here is how I managed to regain my sanity after 2023. 
 

I generally agree with you, as this is all happening here as well. Not just in the US, as you said. 
it feels like there’s no real place for opinions, and it’s just the narrative that matters. You can’t have opinion X if you don’t support side X etc etc. As if well being and good quality of living somehow correlates to politics. 

[TripicalMidbooster]

Hmm, I followed a little bit of a similar path in regards to my history as a denimhead, I liked how my rigid stretch levi's 511s from urban outfitters faded, and then I learned about minimal stuff like APC and Dior and old Helmut Lang, and then more funky JPN brands like SDA and PBJ and Iron Heart, and now really enjoy the repro scene.... The funny thing is, thinking about all the different pairs of raws I've had, I still like them all! Right now the level of craft and intention in the making of repros feels the most exciting and "cutting edge" in the idea of fashion history, but I still can appreciate that my other pairs still have their time and place. A truly thrashed and filthy pair of APCs is still very cool to me, but I also get that style demands a different kind of lifestyle than vintage levi's do. Maybe I can enjoy the full spectrum since every time I bought a pair I felt I had done my research enough to know I was choosing the best option for its category... unlike Gustin, Oni, N&F, etc. which feel more unfocused

Edited October 2, 2025 by TripicalMidbooster

[Double 0 Soul]

While i've been searching for Whitesville sizing infos.. i noticed in eBays 'you may also like' suggestions a Wonder Looper t-shirt, i broogled it having not heard of the brand and they're affiliated with N&F so you know there will be some kind of bullshit USP involved and i wasn't disappointed.. they make a £200+ plain white tee

Obvs.. it's not just going to be any old plain white tee.. it's ridiculously heavy weight which should appeal to the IH / Eight-G fan base but it also begs the questions.. 1) if it's hot enough for a t-shirt why would you want it to be so thick? and 2) why not buy a short sleeve sweatshirt?  

As someone who's old enough to remember when t-shirts prices in the 90s went above £20 for the first time.. i've just used an online inflation calculator and those same tees should now be running £40-50

They call it a 'lifetime piece' .. bet i could trash it in a couple of weeks 

Edited October 3, 2025 by Double 0 Soul

[Maynard Friedman]

Have you looked at United Athle Neal? I know only their top end tees are made in Japan but they look promising for the £££.

[Double 0 Soul]

Turns out the dude who was shot in his car by gangsters with machine guns was actually a "devoted father, loving son and kind family orientated man"

It's amazing how easy it is to jump to the wrong conclusions..

[smoothsailor]

4 hours ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Have you looked at United Athle Neal? I know only their top end tees are made in Japan but they look promising for the £££.

I think I bought a few by them from blacksmith store.

good shirts, sleeves are a bit long

[Broark]

I've got a good bit of experience with fancy tees, Wonderlooper is an interesting one. Nearly $300 USD for a white tee is pretty nuts though.
Never tried any of their stuff or handled it in person, but I think it's worth noting that while they use circular knit fabrics (I don't see any direct mention of loopwheeled fabric, unless they're purposely avoiding the term) they ditch one of the benefits of it by electing to have side seams. I'm sure it's a patterning thing, and honestly it's something I've stopped being as gung-ho about as I used to be. I do think some of the Foxfibre stuff looks cool, but that has more to do with the cotton used, etc.

But regardless of brand I agree with you 00 on the heavyweight tee thing, especially one that is that heavy.
At a certain point why not just get a short sleeve sweat, and if it's really hot then one that heavy will likely be kind of stuffy.
I have a couple from Merz that use their 11 oz. jersey and when it's hot (as in middle of summer Texas hot) I tend to not wear them.
I can't imagine how uncomfortable that would be if I were wearing something that's 17.5 oz.

[Double 0 Soul]

30 minutes ago, Broark said:

I've got a good bit of experience with fancy tees, Wonderlooper is an interesting one. Nearly $300 USD for a white tee is pretty nuts though.
Never tried any of their stuff or handled it in person, but I think it's worth noting that while they use circular knit fabrics (I don't see any direct mention of loopwheeled fabric, unless they're purposely avoiding the term) they ditch one of the benefits of it by electing to have side seams. 

I think ‘Tsuri-ami’ is a looowheel machine so it’ll be a loopwheel tube which they cut for patterning, especially for the larger sizes.

Edited October 3, 2025 by Double 0 Soul

[mlwdp]

23 hours ago, Hopethisoneisnttaken said:

This here is how I managed to regain my sanity after 2023. 
 

I generally agree with you, as this is all happening here as well. Not just in the US, as you said. 
it feels like there’s no real place for opinions, and it’s just the narrative that matters. You can’t have opinion X if you don’t support side X etc etc. As if well being and good quality of living somehow correlates to politics. 

I live in Virginia, which pretty much controls everything that happens in the US, for good or bad.  I have a love/hate relationship with this state.  Aside from politics and the military, you would think there would be a few denim stores here based on income.  Unfortunately, there isn’t.

[Broark]

14 minutes ago, Double 0 Soul said:

I think ‘Tsuri-ami’ is a looowheel machine so it’ll be a loopwheel tube which they cut for patterning, especially for the larger sizes.

Right I get that, I just find it interesting when brands choose to pattern with seams on all sizes when one of the original "benefits" was that the fabric didn't have side seams.
I'm sure this is to create a better fitting shirt for more customers and probably ends up in less waste in production. And most people probably won't mind.

[Cold Summer]

23 hours ago, ATWM said:

A book I've recently picked up that speaks to all of this in more or less related ways is Against the Machine by Paul Kingsnorth - @Cold Summer I believe you're familiar with the writer.  I'm reserving thoughts on this book for now, but I've always found his perspective incisive enough to at least entertain where he goes. 

Yep! I'm reading it as well, I've been following him and his writing for the last few years, I'm a big fan. Also really like Wendell Berry, who is of a similar perspective on a lot of things, and saw many of our present issues coming decades in advance. Part of me wishes I could go all-in and just be a farmer or something like that, but at this stage of life (and with my particular set of skills), it's not too feasible, but surely there are ways I can make improvements in my personal life and how my family does things/be the change I'd like to see, and all that.

I've tried lots of the fancy T-shirts and don't like them. I live in a warm climate so when it's T-shirt weather, I need tees that are actually comfortable. If you don't live in a really ideal pleasant climate like the Bay Area or something, ultra beefy tees don't make a lot of sense. My absolute favorite tees I've ever worn are from (sadly defunct) shop Lone Flag, their store brand tees cost $35 and were made in the US, I have a bunch of these I got back in 2016-18 that are still going strong. They're my most worn tees, but super soft and fairly light, and all these years later have no pilling. Maybe just a tiny hole here or there. Wish I could get more of these exact same tees.

[Double 0 Soul]

@LazyS

[Double 0 Soul]

Kid just sent me this great history video..

 

Edited October 4, 2025 by Double 0 Soul

[PartTimeBarista]

Just ordered my first Tender piece, very excited to receive it! BlackBlue had a deal I couldn't pass up. Still a few colors / sizes of the 468 Flipped Collar Shirt Airbag Cambric available for $144!

[julian-wolf]

^ I picked up a spare undyed one of those a couple of months ago when it first went with plans to dye it myself later this season. Really sweet deal on a very cool shirt; it’s crazy to me that they still have any stock at all left after this long

[indigoeagle]

Stumbled upon this Denimbro Quarterly (or what's left of it). A nice blast from the past.
Great distillation of the fit pics there.
https://www.denimbro.com/denimbro-quarterly_topic4245.html

 

[Double 0 Soul]

Wow! .. look how young we all are, all of our knee high kids are now 6' tall teenagers

[CSL]

It says 2019 but the photos are from a ways further back, yes?