Vintage Sweatshirts

[Mr Black]

What sizes are they? Could be interested. Will drop you a pm with my email address for pics.

[zackl111]

anyone have experience with the Yellow Rat sweatshirts that SE sells?

[aedressler]

Simple is cool, but sometimes a print can complete the sweat. Gotta stay 100% cotton, though. That's one crop the US protects from imports. Sure you can assemble you goods in China, but you gotta pay a stiff tariff if you're gonna retail it in the US. That's why us yanks are up to our ears in cotton/poly blend sweats. The following are 100% cotton sweats produced for the Japanese market. Only Champion lists their product as made in China. The Champion Rochester line is the most affordable vint repro available. Others may, or may not be made in China, but I've seen first hand 'Made in China' labels switched out after reaching the shores of The Land of the Rising Sun.

Harley uses a loopwheeled body with the freedom sleeve construction

Champion cuts corners by using seams on the side of their shirts, but the price gives you a killer fit with 4" banding and set-in sleeve construction

cheswick by sugar cane designers are some real 'heads.' the 60's body with shorter banding still has the loop-wheeled body and some crazy cool period patches. The r. crumb "keep on truckin" had me sold in an instant. but as english is not their first language, they are bound to miss an 's' here or there....see spelling on 'home'

The yellow eagle sweat is also a loop-wheeled double vv with 4" banding.

Red, white and blue Pelham Ducks is another cheswick by sugar cane

The Norton designers may have produced a sweatshirt that is louder than their bikes:) Love all the action on this one!

Pherrow's gets it right with a cool De Paul flocking in blue on their loop-wheeled sweat with 4" banding.

,

[aedressler]

Finally, had to give props to mws (mid century, wild hot rod, surf beat). We may never remember that acronym, but i think your shirts are unforgettable.

go los angeles bulldogs!!! er, wait. who? who cares?! i wanna join the team just to get the sweatshirt. football style construction.

you don't need to ride in the sun all day to fade out your back and arm prints, mws does it for you. friggin brilliant!!! champion reverse weave body construction using a lighter cotton weight.

[Mr Black]

Some lovely stuff there.

[Lendo]

Wasn't sure, any know if these two moon crewnecks are loopwheeled?

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/ot-emens/item/mea99-92021/

[SLAB]

according to the translation of the detailed info, they should be loopwheeled

ive had my eye on one of these as well; very affordable and looks like decent quality

[aedressler]

pretty stoked about this freedom sleeve find. this is a keeper, but i'll let go of some other vintage sweats at the end of the month.

[carlanton]

I bought a black Buzz Rickson sweat the other day! Super impressed by the softness and the construction. Does it shrink at all? I ended up with a large, which is slightly too big for me, but the medium was too tight across the shoulders, so I'm hoping it will at least tighten up a little bit after a wash.

[min2max]

i also got my first BR sweat not long ago, and although i love the tube construction, i was a little put off by the front V-placket that seems sown onto the sweatshirt and not cut out & sown like i've seen on other repros... knowing BR's reputation, i doubt they'd screw this up so do any vintage sweat experts know if this is how it was done back in the day? (btw you have to look inside out the sweat to notice this)

[Foxy2]

With modern knits and rib at the neck opening you don't need to have functional inserts - the neck opening will stretch enough to go over the head and has enou elasticity to get back (and stay) in shape.

For sure, this is not truly authentic, but I doubt that most people would be happy with "authentic" fabrics and construction - the sweater would stretch and not get bet into shape, only after washing and even then only somehow. Within the shortest of time the top would be wider than long - exactly like the vintage pieces that can be seen on auctions...

(in most countries customers would return such sweaters and ask for their money back these days.)

Edited August 11, 2012 by Foxy2

[min2max]

not sure i follow your logic.. we are talking about vintage repro sweatshirts not modern day ones ?! BR is loopwheel tube constructed, the fit should not alter with wash.. i have to admit i'm quite surprised the V-placket is "fake" .. considering how places like history preservation rave on about the construction & authenticity of BR sweats (http://historypreser...php?uniqnum=547) btw i'm not sure the authentic v-plackets really have to do with the boxy shape of vintage sweats either..

[S-Town]

Lots of the Japanese brands have actual V-gusset inserts, so I'm also surprised to hear BR uses fake ones....

[Foxy2]

I think the dilemma is that these sweaters can not be truly authentic as the ribs used are "modern" and that said companies are trying to offer a commercially acceptable good.

A true replica of a pre-1950's sweaters would have to sport a bigger neck opening or the v-gusset without any elastic fibers contained in the ribs.

I have few other sweaters coming in and will let you know how the different brands are handling this delicate aspect.

[min2max]

Lots of the Japanese brands have actual V-gusset inserts, so I'm also surprised to hear BR uses fake ones....

i'm very disappointed to be honest, even cheap EU made (non-loopwheel) sweatshirts with this style have the v-gusset inserts (lvc, our legacy..) i wonder if BR changed this detail with the new cut & fit?

I think the dilemma is that these sweaters can not be truly authentic as the ribs used are "modern" and that said companies are trying to offer a commercially acceptable good.

A true replica of a pre-1950's sweaters would have to sport a bigger neck opening or the v-gusset without any elastic fibers contained in the ribs.

but companies like BR are known for painstakingly recreating vintage fabrics, like their ma-1 flight jackets use nylon that is specially weaved for the same texture and weight as original 50/60's jackets. they don't usually use any modern techniques/fabrics, and i don't get what you mean by "trying to offer a commercially acceptable good" ?! btw wasn't the v-gusset insert a functional detail, allowing sweat from your neck/chest to be evacuated quicker?

[Foxy2]

here we have a "real" gusset - IHSW-06:

in the washing machine right now - let's see how much it shrinks.

[cool_hand]

I purchased a Champion (made in USA) sweatshirt from American Classics in 1989 - was expensive at the time. Was very heavy weight with a contrast gussets down the sides - ribbed at the the cuffs and neck and colour was navy blue with a small Champion logo (I think in red and white). I wore it for many years until it fell to bits. Does anyone do a repo of it?

[aedressler]

To Cool Hand,

Your hooded CHAMPION sounds like it was a model called the "REVERSE WEAVE." They are still available in the States. They are a bit spendy when you buy them new, but if you have spare time I think you can find one at a Thrift Store with some 'character'. Post some pics of what you find...

[cool_hand]

Hi, it wasn't hooded. Can you still get them new?

this is what it looked like:

Edited September 8, 2012 by cool_hand

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

^

I'm always on the hunt for these sweats. The sizing is always really weird though. I have one that is pretty much identical to that - think it's a M but it's huge. Also has a few small bleach marks on it. Can't bring myself to bin it though.

Good article on Champion here...

http://garywarnett.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/the-big-c/

Would LOVE one of those Hunkydory repros.

[Maynard Friedman]

Nice to see a fellow Hammer around these parts!

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

Nice to see a fellow Hammer around these parts!

IRONS! A claret Champion reverse weave would be amazing.

Travelled to the game at Carrow Road on Saturday - sartorial standards are definitely slipping amongst the West Ham faithful.

[Maynard Friedman]

Much preferable to a 'vintage' oversized Macron polycotton number!

I haven't been to a game for a couple of years now, since I had to give up my s/t due to family/time commitments. I never found the crowd particularly stylish at the time - I blame it on the Danny Dyer influence!

Slightly off topic, but I used to have a pair of cream leather Jack Purcells with claret & blue trim, which are sadly gone now, but I'm still on the search for another pair.

[Maynard Friedman]

I purchased a Champion (made in USA) sweatshirt from American Classics in 1989 - was expensive at the time. Was very heavy weight with a contrast gussets down the sides - ribbed at the the cuffs and neck and colour was navy blue with a small Champion logo (I think in red and white). I wore it for many years until it fell to bits. Does anyone do a repo of it?

Funnily enough I bought a heavyweight Champion hooded sweatshirt from Interstate in 1990 that I'm pretty sure was a made in USA reverse weave. I never really wore it and it's still sitting in a cupboard above my wardrobe.

I never thought of it as 'vintage' but I may put it up for sale now...

[Mr Black]

I had a lovely one that I picked up in NY round a similar time that became my 'loaf around the house comfort go-to'. Was really heavyweight. Sadly it got destroyed over the years from a combination of rock burns, food stains and general mis-treatment

[Maynard Friedman]

Rock burns? From a crack pipe?

[Mr Black]

I don't think crack existed in those days? Well- not in Ealing anyway

[Maynard Friedman]

What about those Ealing comedies? Surely they were all about 'the craic'?

[alvah407]

In regards to the Champion sweater, have they ever been made in the USA? I use to rock these religiously in the winters of Jersey. I've never had luck finding the same quality in NYC shops today, seems like the QC dropped off since then or I just have a nostalgic feeling for them.

On another note If you guys ever watched the movie "Paid in Full", towards the end while at the ball court Cam the rapper, his character wears what appears to be a Champion in navy/black . That's a proper fit, I'm looking for. Since no screen cap was avail. Google: Paid in Full 2002 @ 1:25:45. Either way this is the fit I'm looking for, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Maynard Friedman]

Yes, my red Champion hoodie is a Made in USA Reverse Weave warmup, according to the label - 90% cotton and 10% acrylic. It has the same colour gussets down the side.

It's a size L and if my memory serves me correctly, it shrank the first time I washed it, much to my surprise, as it was quite expensive. Consequently it was too small for my liking so rarely worn again.

I need to check how much these things go for.