New to Superdenim?

[Jay-]

Hey ppl of Superfuture,

I'm Jay - just found this forum a couple days ago - and I'm very impressed but a little lost/overwhelmed. I know a little about fashion, but it seems I know very little about denim. I used to think jeans were jeans until about a few months ago when I *heard* about raw denim and Japanese denim. I use to be a complete denim junkie, but that was when I was in highschool, sporting the thug style - I use to have 10 pairs of the funkiest Enyce jeans - but than I grew up and got a job, so that style went forever out the window (I'm white, and it's hard to pull it off in the office ). So I didn't wanna make a thread like every other noob in the world and start asking random questions, so I was wondering if any of you SF's could PM me and gimme the lo down on denim, and the basics of raw/Japanese denim and what's out there, or gimme a link to some good reads. I know these's a sticky with links to a bunch of threads, but they are a little confusing to just brows through and learn the basics.

The one question I have to start with though, is how much money do you think it would cost to start a nice denim collection?

-Jay

[denimdestroyedmylife]

hey dude. look at the stickied denim encylopedia. that should give you a good foundation. then search the forum using keywords + posted by "ringring"

welcome again!

[Yet Fung]

I think having a noob thread is a wicked idea, should be stickied. Welcome Jay$, it all depends on what you consider a decent amount of denim. There's a lot of guys here with dozens of pairs. I have 6 pairs of decent quality and they range from $150 to $400 CAD.

[beatle]

Get ur first pair...that's pretty much all there is to say - the collection comes with time and wisdom...

[Jay-]

I have a somewhat decent "collection". 2 pairs of Armani Jeans, 1 pair of Sevens, 1 pair of Diesel Zathans, but that's not enough...nowhere near.

Yeah a noob thread would be great, something that just described the basics, so any new person who comes across this forum can just open the thread, and learn all the basics.

DDML, yeah I checked it out, but it's a little confusing. Espcially since I don't even really know what the deal is with raw denim and Japanese denim, and most of the brands everyone talks about I have honestly never even heard of.

[Akura]

If you consider seven and diesel good quality denim then you're about to get ROCKED!

[denimdestroyedmylife]

measure your favorite pair of jeans

then sell them all

and invest in a pair of APCs and/or a pair of raw japanese selvage denim

[Charlie Delta]

Take more than a couple of days to read the encyclopedia, and read all! of it (yes, all! And I know it's alot) If you're willing to invest that time you'll know alot more about denim once you're finished and have even more questions and more things you'll want to know more about, but atleast you'll know the basics!

It's fun!

[tweeds]

i'm going to let this thread sit awhile...see if it shows promise as a "new to superdenim" thread.

however i'm with Cotton Duck - you gotta read the stuff in the list because it's that hardcore.

[giantsdrink]

If you consider seven and diesel good quality denim then you're about to get ROCKED!

These jeans are good quality, just not the same level of good quality as the craft denim spoken about here.

Jay, If money isn't an option and you're into building a collection, hold onto those pieces and use them as a "jumping off point". Show how your collection evolves from mass premium to true premium...

And like Chicken said, read the whole encyclopaedia. Also spend some time sifting through a lot of the older threads too.

[tony_hige]

Hey, I just read your other post about jean fits - I would recommend any of the Japanese brands for the same reason I don't recommend them to a lot of people: they tend to run roomy in the legs. But with Full Count, 45rpm, etc, you'll be getting the best denim out there. My personal philosophy is that I'm not a collector - I'm just looking for the one perfect pair and sometimes you just accumulate jeans on the way there.

[Jay-]

i'm going to let this thread sit awhile...see if it shows promise as a "new to superdenim" thread.

however i'm with Cotton Duck - you gotta read the stuff in the list because it's that hardcore.

Maybe after I learn all there is to learn, I can make another thread with a detailed "basics" description from the point of view of what a noob would want to know (since I am that noob right now, and I wish there was a thread like that).

[Roulette]

Sell your jeans that you have and invest in some nicer denim.

[BrokenGlass]

welcome jay. I'm still n00b to all of this stuff too, only started browsing this forum a month or 2 before I joined and I think I gained the majority of what I do know from just reading and reading and reading...everything go back pages, check the encyclopedia etc.

I bought a pair of rag&bone rb11's as my first pair of raw denim without even knowing what I was getting into at all. Lucky I came across this bored about a week into owning them and learned alot about them that help me realize it was a good $260 spent. I've since had them for a little over 6 months and now, becasuse I couldn't talk myself out of it, own a pair of samurais (contest sammy's [you'll see that thread I'm sure])

I remember the first month I was so lost because everyone talks about denim and there are abbreviations and terms... I just learned the meaning of slubby and still learning everyday.

So as a fellow n00b, best advice, find a nice pair of raws that fit well, size down and wear the fuck out of them and read and post here everyday.

[sneakeraddict]

personally, i would advise selling all those old jeans (but not on Supermarket, because no one will want them) then use that money to buy something you can actually TRY on before you actually buy them.

So if you're in the US, you're only option is likely to be LVC, unless you're lucky enough to have access to BlueGreen or Self Edge in Cali, or Context (Wisconsin?)

Personally, I would ignore anyone who says "these fit me great. They will fit you great too". Too many people join SF and jump completely overboard ordering expensive brands and fits from Japan they havent got a clue on how they will fit and they are used to only ever wearing GAP etc ---- guess what, most of them don't fit how they imagined when they arrive, and people lose a lot of money. (Take a look at all the casualties in Supermarket)

Famously, there was one guy I have noticed here who keeps asking everyone's advice on "what should be my next pair of Japanese jeans, and will they look on me?". He orders that brand, they arrive from Japan two weeks later, and next day you see them on Supermarket section because he didnt like the fit, and he has to cut his price (and lose money) because he soaked or shortened, tapered etc etc. I think that happened at least three times.

About sizing down for 'everthing'. Hmmmm. I am unsure about this personally.

SF is on the extreme of the fashion spectrum which (currently) believes the slim fit is the best fit. What they would consider 'normal fit', most people would consider skinny/slim fit. So be careful there.

Above all: my advice for newbies --- Buy what YOU like, not the brand or fit of the moment.

SF is only for inspiration: Not dictation!!

[honghonglulu]

Finding your personal favorite raw selvedge jeans can be a great adventure, if you're particular and want to find something you'd like to work on over time. If you're planning on seriously personalizing your jeans (as opposed to buying washed) touching is very important. You want to feel the jeans to see what you can handle as well as what looks good to you. Extra "slubby" jeans can be rough, but are gaining popularity because of their rich texture and the resulting "whiskers", "honeycombs" and overall wear marks.

I agree with all the posters who suggest reading more SF, if you want to know what you're getting. But if you want to jump right in, be sure of your measurements and what type fit pants suit you best. The beauty of raw denim is that you are what makes it special. Also, ask about the shrinkage and stretch whenever possible. Much heartache will be avoided.

One note about washing: many denim enthusiasts insist on not washing your jeans, in order to preserve the indigo color and create defined wear marks. Personally, I find stink unattractive on a man. If you're homeless or you have no access to water, that's another story. If I were to plan on pre-barf binge-drinking I would leave the selvedge somewhere safe and fragrant. a fun thread on the topic: http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=15692

[coleslawyum]

You might want to read up on the history of American work wear, and denim. There's good stuff on vintage repros out there. You could also look up traditional Japanese hand dyeing techniques. You'll see why people say your jeans are wack.

[Superstar]

To anyone who's new to SF the best advice I could possible give is, or at least if you want to learn about denim:

1) Get to know the basics of denim (wash, wear, "denim expressions" fx. hige, atari, whiskers etc.). Personally I find it tough going through the endless threads on the fabrication threads about OE and ringspun, chainstiching etc., but it gives you a lot of "basic" knowledge.

2) Follow the forum on a daily basis in order to learn new things.

3) Be excited, denim is a very fascinated thing with a lot of new aspects to be discovered.

And last but almost most important and this i what I have learned by reading the entire encyclopedia, there is not a way to wear jeans perfect. It depends on how you want your jeans to be. One thing is important in terms of wear:

WEAR THE FUCK OUT OF THEM !

Welcome to SF, enjoy !

[seraphim]

I'm confused, I thought this was why we had the encyclopedia?

'read before you post' seems pretty straight forward to me.

[Superstar]

I'm confused, I thought this was why we had the encyclopedia?

'read before you post' seems pretty straight forward to me.

Not everybody is used to writing on forums such as this, so it doesnt seem straight forward to everybody.

[dancancer]

http://rawselvedge.com/

sums it right up!

[Dick Danger]

or even Seattle's Best, coz their vanilla latte kicks the crap outta the bucks latte, odd since they're now the same company

btw raw is irrelevant

[mike501xx]

I am also new to SF and I am really glad I found it. I have been a 501 stf officianado, or atleast I thought so, for a long time but didn't know all the nuances about denim and shrink to fit jeans that are discussed here. I have taken a lot of the advice that has been offered in this thread and have been soaking up as information as I can to catch up. After Levis screwed up 501s the last few years I began searching for some other brands. About a year ago I bought a pair of APC standard and then a pair of APC new standard. I have washed the standard a few times but the new standard haven't been worn or washed yet. Last week I got my first pair of Nudies in the mail from Resolve. So I am on my way. Next I want a pair of Samurai. I wish I had known about the contest. I hope I can be in the next one. And I am going to ask for some help buying a pair from Japan if I cant get a pair in the USA from BIG or someplace else. So bear with me. I will be a good and active poster. Thanks for listening, Mike.

[giantsdrink]

http://rawselvedge.com/

sums it right up!

What happened to this site? It doesn't seem to have been updated in a while... did the guy quit working on it after SF was mean to him?

[coleslawyum]

Maybe his feelings were hurt. But he still didn't fix the mistakes on his site.

[awwsheeet]

ive been working on the SEO of the site.

its just taking time. working on the promotions too. well see how it pans out..im only one person and your only a small portion of the critics at the time being

[Dick Danger]

How many more people do you need to tell you the starbucks reference is idiotic? Not that I have anything against coffee, or even starbucks. Once you figure out that you'll never get a good cup of coffee from starbucks you'll be ok.

You're welcome.

haha

[Jay-]

lol at least make the reference to Tim Hortons (only Canadian ppl will know what this is)

[Dick Danger]

a doughnut is a doughnut

[Jay-]

lol what's your point?