Self Edge, SF/NY/LA/PDX - updates & info

[kiya]

Mister Freedom Blank T-Shirts - Made in California

 

A couple of months ago we received a small batch of blank white tees from Mister Freedom, they were gone within a week of us receiving them.  We've gotten a restock of those white tees along with two new colors which we think are going to be a future staple at Self Edge. 

 

These tees are made of 100% US grown cotton which has been loomed in the US on tubular knitting machines (no side seams).  The tees are then cut and sewn in California and have a vintage style fit with sleeves fitting a bit shorter than usual and a boxy fit throughout.  These also have a narrow neck-band, like the ones found on tees from the 40's and 50's. 

 

These tees are now available in white, sage green, and navy blue.  The white tees come unwashed and shrink down to size, the sage green and navy blue ones have been rinsed during the dying process and do not shrink much at all.  Mister Freedom nailed the shade of green and blue on the colored ones, they're beautiful and sure to age well over time.

 

All three of these tees are available now at all four Self Edge stores and in our online store.  Check the online store for high-res photos, measurements, and a full spec list.

 

Shop Mister Freedom Online

 

[robbie]

dammit.

[skootb]

i have the green. it's awesome

[Broark]

I'm thinking about getting the green one, looks like what I've been looking for.

Did you take your normal size?  It looks like I could go down to a large and it would fit well.

[skootb]

I'm a medium in other Mister Freedom shirts (and a 40 in the deck coat) and there's no way I could have gone down to a small

[Billthebutchr]

Kiya- I need to taper my Roy Bucks. Would you be able to recommend someone?

[kiya]

Kiya- I need to taper my Roy Bucks. Would you be able to recommend someone?

 

I generally try and shy people away from tapering their jeans for multiple reasons so i don't actually know who does a decent job at it.  I would imagine the best tailor in your town would be able to manage doing it pretty easily.

[Radoc]

Billthebutchr- RAILCAR for taper

[ironheartfan123]

if 40 in flathead shirts what size in the MF shirts?

[tmadd]

if 40 in flathead shirts what size in the MF shirts?

 

Medium.

[aso2004]

Kiya- I need to taper my Roy Bucks. Would you be able to recommend someone?

 

 

Please be reminded that the tailor probably will have your single (outside) seam to go first. That's the one with the selvage...

It will take some persuasion to take it to the double

He can take about 1,5 to 2 inches off before starting on your other seam as not to get the leg crooked and twisted.

If done properly it will take about 3 hours to get more then 2 inches at the bottom off.. 

You are as Kiya implied better off looking for a better fitting model..

[tmadd]

Kiya- I need to taper my Roy Bucks. Would you be able to recommend someone?

 

Whenever people come in asking to have jeans tapered, I always suggest trying to solve the issue by hemming the jeans a little more.  Often people want taper not because the shape is better that way, but because they don't like how the jean looks below the knee.  More often than not, this is because the jean is longer than it needs to be (or is not cuffed short enough), and the stacking is creating the illusion of a much fuller leg shape.  It's really quite startling how much difference can be made just by making sure there is minimal, or even no break.  I'd highly recommend that before tapering.  

[aho]

^Truth!

[itsbenhere]

Kiya, do you have any plans to bring out the rjb denim in a cut that isn't slim?

[Aries]

Just to back up tmadd's assertion which I agree with completely, here's a pic of my SExDB when cuffed. Uncuffed, they look slightly baggy.

 

[kiya]

Kiya, do you have any plans to bring out the rjb denim in a cut that isn't slim?

 

We don't find the 105BSP cut to be slim, its a straight leg cut with a fairly good sized leg opening.

[tmadd]

Kiya, do you have any plans to bring out the rjb denim in a cut that isn't slim?

Casey and I can both rock the 105bsp.  The only trick is catching it in stock in sizes.  Such a cool jean!

 

Edit: Hopefully this reads as a deliberate statement that the 105bsp is in fact not a slim jean at all.

Edited September 20, 2013 by tmadd

[itsbenhere]

Thanks for the prompt replies guys...what better thing to talk about than denim at 1 in the morning? 

 

I totally forgot about the 105.  But is it just me or are the thigh measurements deceptively small? I know that a larger leg opening and no-taper definitely make a jean feel bigger but an 11.2" thigh post-soak on a size 32 seems damn slim.

[shoreman]

Thanks for the prompt replies guys...what better thing to talk about than denim at 1 in the morning? 

 

I totally forgot about the 105.  But is it just me or are the thigh measurements deceptively small? I know that a larger leg opening and no-taper definitely make a jean feel bigger but an 11.2" thigh post-soak on a size 32 seems damn slim.

 

I wouldn't say it's just you; that's exactly how it appears. (Especially given the amount of expected shrink.)

 

Sorry to ask what may have been done too many times before, but eta on FH blank Tees?

Edited September 20, 2013 by TresUnCool

[kiya]

I wouldn't say it's just you; that's exactly how it appears. (Especially given the amount of expected shrink.)

 

Sorry to ask what may have been done too many times before, but eta on FH blank Tees?

 

More blank tees are coming in early November.

[garden gnomes in space]

Thanks for the prompt replies guys...what better thing to talk about than denim at 1 in the morning? 

 

I totally forgot about the 105.  But is it just me or are the thigh measurements deceptively small? I know that a larger leg opening and no-taper definitely make a jean feel bigger but an 11.2" thigh post-soak on a size 32 seems damn slim.

SE measures the thigh 1" from the crotch seam.  I think this is why they always seem to have small recorded thigh measurements.

 

Im kind of curious as to why they measure like this,to be honest, considering most other places that I have done business with do it right at the crotch seam, straight out.    I support SESF because I like them and they are local, but the measurements they have posted (or my inability to decipher the difference in measuring methods, LOL) has basically lost them some sales from me for certain jeans.  At the end of they day, Im the idiot, but still.  

Edited September 20, 2013 by garden gnomes in space

[kiya]

Im kind of curious as to why they measure like this,to be honest, considering most other places that I have done business with do it right at the crotch seam, straight out.  

 

The reason for this is because we're taking the thigh measurement, we feel that taking it at the crotch would be "the measurement from the crotch to the outside of the leg".  We find that 1" below the crotch is closer to the actual measurement of the "thigh" compared to measuring it higher up at the cross-stitch at the crotch.  

Many people measure their own thigh at the halfway point to compare to the jean measurement, that measurement would actually land you closer to about 3" below the crotch.

Edited September 20, 2013 by kiya

[Maynard Friedman]

Although I prefer and use the BiG method, I think there is less room for error by measuring an inch down as there is less surplus material at the back of the thigh for people to mis-measure or interpret differently.

[PeterParker]

While not exactly intuitive, the SE measurements aren't too difficult to understand if you have other jeans for comparison. Typically, from my experience, the measurement 1" below the seam is 0.5" less than the measurement at the seam.

[oomslokop]

Whenever people come in asking to have jeans tapered, I always suggest trying to solve the issue by hemming the jeans a little more.  Often people want taper not because the shape is better that way, but because they don't like how the jean looks below the knee.  More often than not, this is because the jean is longer than it needs to be (or is not cuffed short enough), and the stacking is creating the illusion of a much fuller leg shape.  It's really quite startling how much difference can be made just by making sure there is minimal, or even no break.  I'd highly recommend that before tapering.  

 

backing up aries as well as tmadd (xpost from sc thread):

 

Edited September 21, 2013 by oomslokop

[dcs]

Posted here per Kiya's request!

 

---

 

I posted an initial impressions of my new Stevenson Overall Co La Jollas (727) over at reddit's /r/rawdenim a few days ago.  I figured this thread needs some love, so thought I should x-post it over here.

 

Here's the link on reddit for anyone interested.

 

Please note that the pictures aren't the greatest and I had to screw around with the color/contrast/exposure etc. for fit pics because of poor lighting where I took them. I had limited time to take the pictures before my wife got home and wondered what the fuck I was doing taking pictures of my jeans and writing about them.

Full album.

---
Background

I had taken a couple pairs of jeans to SESF a couple months, one for a hem and the other for a repair. My wife was in the store with me and she was looking at some of the jeans that were hung up and said, “Oh, these are nice!†and pointed to a pair of Stevensons. I figured, “Hell, if my wife is enabling me by saying that a pair looks nice, I should probably exploit her remark and find an excuse to buy a pair,†since I always want more and more denim. At the time, the top jean on my to-buy list was a pair of SG3109, but I decided to take a look at the Stevensons hanging up and I was intrigued by some of the details on the jeans like the curved back pockets and the hourglass belt loops. When I got home, I started to do a bit of research into the brand and the jeans themselves, and I became more and more intrigued.

I started doing some research and came across this faded pair and thought they looked fantastic. A bit more of a vintage-y fade, but the owner mentioned they had been washed several times. I figured that since I don’t wash my jeans that often, I may be able to achieve a bit of a higher contrast fade, but I still thought the overall look/fade of the jean was pretty awesome. I also saw that Kiya had made some comments about the durability of Stevenson jeans. I don’t really beat my jeans up that badly, but durability is always good!

A week or so after I stopped by SESF to drop off my jeans for hemming/repairs, I went back to pick them up. The guy helping me there (Ginno?) was the guy in some of the Stevenson product pictures on the Self Edge website, who has been wearing a pair of Stevensons for the past couple of years. I briefly spoke to him about them and he talked about how much he loved his pair (and he had some pretty sick fades). He was also the same guy that sold me my SG1109s, so I trusted his judgement! By this point, I was thinking that a pair of Stevensons would be my next pair of jeans and I would just get a pair of SG3109s next time! When Self Edge had a 12% off sale for Self Edge PDX opening, I went ahead and ordered a pair.
---

Specs

Info taken from Self Edge - Stevenson Overall Co La Jolla (727) 
 

- 14oz Rope Dyed Unsanforized Japanese Selvedge Denim

- 6.5 Gauge Warp and Weft Threads
- Pure Indigo Dyed
- Single Needle Stitched
- Leather Backed Buttons
- Denim Woven on Vintage Toyoda Looms by Kuroki Co., Ltd. in Okayama
- Original Fabric for Stevenson Overall Company
- UJ Core Stitching (Cotton Thread w/ Poly Core) Produced by Ujiyo Bussan in Okayama
- Hand Sewn Belt Loops
- Slim Tapered Fit
 

Stevenson's La Jolla jean is a slim leg tapered jean with a great fit that works well with most outfit styles. The denim used on this pant is an original fabric developed by Stevenson Overall Company for their line of jeans and woven by Okayama's famed Kuroki denim mill. Even the thread used is developed for their jeans by Okayama's oldest thread producing factory, from the outside it looks and ages like a 100% cotton thread but is strong so that the jean lasts for a longer period of time.

The entire jean is single needle sewn which is nearly unheard of on a jean in this price range, it's truly a work of art to see.

---
Sizing

Using Self Edge's sizing chart and some email advice from Kiya, I went ahead and ordered a size 32. When I received them in the mail, I tried them on and they fit virtually perfectly. I was concerned they would shrink too much during an initial soak, so I dropped into SESF the weekend after I received them for some advice on whether I should size up or try Stevenson's slim cut, the Upland. The two guys there told me to wear them for a couple weeks, and then do a cold soak. I ended up wearing them maybe 3-4 times a week for about 3 weeks. They didn't seem to stretch too much. I went ahead and gave them a cold soak over the past weekend and let them air dry. They were a bit difficult to button, but still fit pretty nicely and have been stretching back to a more comfortable spot in the couple of days I've worn them since.

For reference, here is some information in the other jeans I wear:

- Stevenson Overall Co La Jolla - 32 - cold soaked
- The Strike Gold 1109 - 34 - cold soaked; a bit loose in the waist
- 3sixteen ST-100x - 33 - older production; fit perfectly
- 3sixteen ST-120x - 33 - newer production; tighter in the thighs than I would like
---
Fit

- Front 
- Back 

I really like the fit of these. They are pretty snug in the waist and thighs, but I've only worn them a couple of times since being soaked. They have a more aggressive taper than my SG1109 (which is really more of a slim straight) and my ST-100x. The back pockets have a bit of a wide stance, but it doesn't bother me too much.
---
Fabric

- Closeup 1 
- Closeup 2 
- Selvedge 

The jeans have a nice heft to them being 14oz pre-soak, but obviously not too heavy. They'll be a good year-round weight here in the Bay Area. The fabric is pretty smooth (no slub) but has a decent amount of hair as evidenced in the two closeup pictures.

There is some slight fading you can see in some of the pictures and it appears it will fade with somewhat of a greenish hue. This will be cool to see because my SG1109 and ST-100x are fading more towards what I would describe as being more on the grey side.

The selvedge line is asymmetrical with white on one edge and green line on the other. Asymmetrical selvedge lines aren't that common and I like the contrast of the one that Stevenson is using.
---
Details/Hardware

- Copper star rivets 
- Stevenson Overall Co branded top button

- Laurel leaf bottom buttons 
- Leather backed buttons 
- Hand sewn/folded curved back pockets 
- Hand sewn/folded hourglass belt loops 
- Single needle construction 
- Dense stitch count 
- Paper patch 

I particularly like the hourglass belt loops and curved back pocket on these jeans. I think it's a really unique aesthetic without feeling contrived. I keep my phone in my back pocket and the pocket's curve does make it stick out just a bit since the pocket depth is obviously a bit shorter in the center.

The one thing I'm not a fan of is the patch. It feels too flimsy and while it will still age and develop a patina along side the jeans, I would much rather have a natural leather patch.
---
Final Thoughts

I really like the fit of these jeans and the unique details like the hourglass belt loops and curved back pockets. I'm really interested to see how these break in and develop over time especially considering there isn't a whole lot of information on the brand. I liked the idea of getting a pair of jeans from a brand that was a bit more unique and uncommon compared to the Japanese heavy hitters like Samurai, Momotaro, The Flat Head, Iron Heart, etc.

[grav.itas]

@kiya - What is the lightest weight slim denim that SE carries? 34" waist with a 8" hem at most.

[tmadd]

@kiya - What is the lightest weight slim denim that SE carries? 34" waist with a 8" hem at most.

 

The Stevenson Overall 727 as reviewed 1 post above yours fits the bill and is a super beautiful jean as it is worn and washed.  It's also what Kiya is wearing now.  I love the subtle details on it.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

@dcs

 

so this is your post-cold soak fit?

 

 

Do you plan to machine wash them at one point?

[dcs]

@dcs

 

so this is your post-cold soak fit?

 

 

Do you plan to machine wash them at one point?

 

Yeah, that's post cold soak.

 

I'll only do short cold washes/soaks in the future.  Same thing I've done with my SG1109 which are about 1.5yrs old now.  I was recommended to do a 20min cold soak when new and all subsequent washes/soaks have been 10-20min in cold water for my SGs.

Edited September 22, 2013 by dcs