Vintage Denim?

[Paul T]

Just remembered the last pair of vintage I owned, 502 0117. Here they are next to my current 47. But they remind me of how hard it was to actually get an old pair that didn't have that bland or washed-out look like forgive me,johnmc's pair. A few years ago I would have been overjoyed to find a pair with some indigo left, but wearing a pair from scratch is the way to go for me.

[cheapmuthafukr]

btw aho you're in the wrong thread. Vintage = 25+ years old

those are real vintage jeans.. not repros.

[johnmc]

Johnsons was more of a leather goods shop, selling quality retro motorbike jackets, belts and DM/Shelleys' boots. There was also one next to one of the Classics shops in the kings rd. (I think it went: Johnsons, Classics (clothing), Rancho Deluxe, Classics (denim). Also in the kings road, there was The Garage which was huge - there's a photo of it in Paul T's book.

There was nothing like Johnsons at the time, but i dont remember them selling jeans.

Your right, Afflecks Palace was a good place, especially the place in the basement.

There was a wicked place in Brighton, called Uncle Sams'. Their main warehouse was in Evesham, near Cheltenham. You could spend hours going through musty rails of denim, and the Guy who owned it was solid. He always looked out for bits for me. You could spend all day in there!

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The shop you're thinking of was The Emperor Of Wyoming which was originally there in the early 70's (American Classics started off in a corner of the shop selling Schott leather jackets), the owner became one of sthe biggest importers of american vintage clothing supplying both American Classics and Rancho Deluxe as well as many other stores and market stalls. He briefly reopened a shop there at the height of the vintage denim boom.

[Dr_Heech]

The shop you're thinking of was The Emperor Of Wyoming .

No, the shop I was thinking of was called JOHNSONS. Circa '85, If you go towards the dog-leg on the Kings's rd from Sloane square, looking at the row of shops from L to R(from the zebra crossing) was Johnsons, American Classics, Rancho deluxe and then The second Classics shop.

[Paul T]

By the way, has anyone heard rumours that American Classics is closing?

I know they have had their troubles, but on Sunday I saw a dude wearing a Stetson driving cap who told me he got it "IN a closing down sale in a really cool shop selling workwear in Covent Garden." I described American Classics, he said that sounded right....

[andewhall]

Old town Hull! Cool, I had a dirty big pint of Hobgoblin in the oldest pub there last year. Also went to Camden, but didn't have time to look through any shops

ah.... for me it was mostly a cool old store in Hull Old Town, next to Andrew Marvell's old grammar school. I still reckon I got my first job on publishing when the editor who interviewed me looked at my cuffs, with redline, and I noticed he was wearing the same (how gay is that?).

Now I think about it, I still do remember the excitement of looking through huge bales of jeans, after they'd cut through the bindings, and looking for my size. I remember gettting real nice pairs and being puzzled by the leg twist, I thought it was some factory fault.

[Paul T]

Was that the Land of Green Ginger? I shall have to go back, in the old days it was perilous to go in those places if you looked like "a fookin' styoodent".

Did venture in this place down the road, though, very fine:

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?p=2101917#post2101917

[johnmc]

By the way, has anyone heard rumours that American Classics is closing?

I know they have had their troubles, but on Sunday I saw a dude wearing a Stetson driving cap who told me he got it "IN a closing down sale in a really cool shop selling workwear in Covent Garden." I described American Classics, he said that sounded right....

showed no sign of closing last week - I didn't go in, I was in Interstate, I'll maybe check it out tomorrow.

Dr: Emperor of Wyoming was next to Johnsons and only sold real vintage denim - was only a small shop and not there for long

[Dr_Heech]

showed no sign of closing last week - I didn't go in, I was in Interstate, I'll maybe check it out tomorrow.

Dr: Emperor of Wyoming was next to Johnsons and only sold real vintage denim - was only a small shop and not there for long

Apologies, my mistake. I dont remember that name. It's years since I went to the capital. The last time I only visited Interstate/Classics in Endell st. + Kensington Market was a big hole where the building once stood, and the interesting part of camden market had burned down. Is there anywhere (regardless of ridiculous prices) where one can buy decent sized 50's/60's 501's? There must be one definitive shop?

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[johnmc]

I've got a place to check out in the east end, saw a buckleback jacket from there today (£950!!), theres a new place in Earlham St that has jackets - saw a silver button jacket and an old Payday jacket in the window but it was closed, don't know if they have jeans.

[Dr_Heech]

I've got a place to check out in the east end, saw a buckleback jacket from there today (£950!!), theres a new place in Earlham St that has jackets - saw a silver button jacket and an old Payday jacket in the window but it was closed, don't know if they have jeans.

Thanks

Is there anything left worth checking out in Camden, or the King's rd do you know?

Greenwich market used to be good too...

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[johnmc]

Kings Rd is dead since Classics closed, last time I was in Camden I couldn't find anything interesting, haven't been to Greenwich for so long I don't know. There''s places in the east end I should check out - they're all a bit out of the way and I don't know the area that well....

I'm gonna be in Covent Garden today, dunno if I'll make it over east...

[Dr_Heech]

Kings Rd is dead since Classics closed, last time I was in Camden I couldn't find anything interesting, haven't been to Greenwich for so long I don't know. There''s places in the east end I should check out - they're all a bit out of the way and I don't know the area that well....

I'm gonna be in Covent Garden today, dunno if I'll make it over east...

No Classics in the King's rd !....Jeez, it has been a while.

Have they re-built The Arches area up in Camden, do you know?

I still know someone with a stall in the Electric ballroom in camden,

He used to have a wicked shop 2nd floor in the Kenny market, round the corner from the other Johnsons, although I cant remember the exact name (Retro or Vintage ???) that did ALL denim. He also had a stall in the Garage and at Portabello rd.

This is why we buy vintage repros now, as Paul pointed out - it's because you can own 'em from new.

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[johnmc]

Didn't recognise the arches last time I went, I remember the guy from Kenny market - does he still sell denim? I thought it was all punky stuff in there.

I've got nothing against repros, I just see them as something totally different, there are dozens of brands now all boasting of premium selvage denim.

[Dr_Heech]

Didn't recognise the arches last time I went, I remember the guy from Kenny market - does he still sell denim? I thought it was all punky stuff in there.

I've got nothing against repros, I just see them as something totally different, there are dozens of brands now all boasting of premium selvage denim.

You're right in that that they are different (authenticity being an issue), and the only affordable alternative to buying a real NOS pair, especially in a 32-35 waist/34-38 leg. IMO you just cant beat a pair of new 55's, especially if they're from the old SF factory.

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[johnmc]

I'm still a bit prejudiced against Levis because of all the bullshit in the 80's but I know they've got a pretty dedicated crew working on LVC now.

You'll be pleased to hear it's business as usual at American Classics in Covent garden. The vintage shop in Earlham St is called Vintage Showroom, no interesting jeans, one 507xx and a few 60's big e jackets - quite a decent vintage store, the most interesting thing for me was the old denim chore jackets - payday, hercules, lee etc...

[cash]

Did a little wintertime canyoneering in Southern Utah this weekend. On the way home I stepped into a dumpy thrift store in an old mining town and on the rack were two pairs of big E 505s -- $3USD. This one fit, sort of (shorter than my typical steez, but for a tight, mod look, it's just right), so it came home with me. The other pair, with a good amount of indigo left, stayed behind -- no need to be greedy. The amount of leg twist in a Sanforized jean is unbelievable.

[almostnice]

"no need to be greedy"- thats the biggest understatement ive come across here! thats a one in a ifetime find!

anyway,unbelieveable find,congrats-please post more detailed pics!

[cash]

^ My wife said the same thing. They are 505s, so it wasn't like I was leaving a $500 pair of jeans on the rack. They have a super short inseam and some holes, so really they were only a $30-$50 jean. Let some poor desertneck kid with nothing going for him find 'em.

[johnmc]

nothing wrong with 505s - at least not 'til the orange tabs, some detailed pics'd be nice!

[cash]

Here are some detail shots:

[cash]

(Slight color adjustment has been made to reflect true color in the top block)

[almostnice]

please do me a favour and go back to this shop and buy me the other pair!will you?

[cash]

^No dice, brother. I stand by my decision to leave them for the next guy. I have no desire to take all the magic out of the world. They are on a dusty rack in a dumpy thrift shop in the middle of the desert.

[language hurts]

For anyone in new york What goes around comes around on west broadway has a huge collection of vintage levis.

[johnmc]

You're spoilt for choice in the states, I understand LA also has a few good spots for vintage denim. London doesn't seem to have anywhere these days.

[cheapmuthafukr]

just picked up these vintage wranglers today... they are post blue bell, but made from LHT denim, so im gonna guess they are from the 60s. old horizontal rope writing tag... "prentice" zip... they seem to be raw. really short inseam (tagged 32x29 but are hemmed shorter. hemmed alot shorter than id have done it, but i kinda like it for some reason. only paid 6.95 for em too.

[wahwho11]

^cuff em and use them as summer jorts

[cheapmuthafukr]

some detail pics

[Paul T]

Terrific.

I'm into highwater jeans, recently, great for the summer.