Let's Talk About Denim

[fxh]

Police issued a photo fit of a casual but reasonably well-dressed escapee.

 

[Great White Snark]

One day you’re gonna realise these jackets are too short on you.

 

[Dropbear]

Police issued a photo fit of a casual but reasonably well-dressed escapee.

That’s funny, since my wife absolutely fucking hated my stripy t-shirts. While I feel like a 1980s rock star on a yacht, she says I look like I escaped from a prison road gang (a lot of prisons here still wear stripes and haven’t moved to orange).

One day you’re gonna realise these jackets are too short on you.

Pretty classic ‘rule of thirds’ silhouette, which only fell out of favour a decade or two (whenever skinny low-rise jeans appeared) ago.

 

[Dropbear]

Riders of the Storm, in a Canadian Tux

 

[Dropbear]

 

[Dropbear]

You know the bootcut revival is in full force when Toys McCoy start doing high end repros:

 

[Dropbear]

Back to the 101J, as the weather warms up a touch

 

[fxh]

Back to the 101J, as the weather warms up a touch

View attachment 51268

What are those jeans?

 

[Dropbear]

What are those jeans?

Indogofera Kain. Straight leg but not baggy and a super high waist, much like the Lee jeans of the 50s - 70s.

 

[Dropbear]

Help me over-think a purchase here:

I usually buy size 33” to 33.5” waist jeans so they fit just a little snug in the waist and eventually stretch to 34” (assuming pre-washed) - which is my actual waist. If I buy a pair at 34” there won’t be any tension in the fabric when I wear them, so they shouldn’t stretch any bigger right?

 

[Thruth]

Help me over-think a purchase here:

I usually buy size 33” to 33.5” waist jeans so they fit just a little snug in the waist and eventually stretch to 34” (assuming pre-washed) - which is my actual waist. If I buy a pair at 34” there won’t be any tension in the fabric when I wear them, so they shouldn’t stretch any bigger right?

unless you only stand in them, you will get some stretch. But, some denim is hard to stretch. My Momotaros have absolutely no give.

 

[Dropbear]

unless you only stand in them, you will get some stretch. But, some denim is hard to stretch. My Momotaros have absolutely no give.

Yeh, that’s what I’m afraid of. Plus the measurements for the same jeans vary so widely between shops I wonder about accuracy when they are already looking to be on the cusp of too wide.

 

[fxh]

Help me over-think a purchase here:

I usually buy size 33” to 33.5” waist jeans so they fit just a little snug in the waist and eventually stretch to 34” (assuming pre-washed) - which is my actual waist. If I buy a pair at 34” there won’t be any tension in the fabric when I wear them, so they shouldn’t stretch any bigger right?

First measurements on websites are notoriously inaccurate. And jeans sales people care a bit less than others.

All jeans (cotton) will stretch when wet - especially with hot water. Conversely they will shrink if washed hot and chucked in a dryer on high temp. Clothesline drying shrinks less.

How do I know - I've porked up (and down) a bit a few times as I got older.

I've got a gadget something like this - works well - I have used Clamps from the tools shed - reversed in the past . Also works well.

Also for emergencies.

 

[Dropbear]

It was the last pair available in the US, so I ended up ordering the Freenote Modestos I was eyeing. Super high waist and a fairly wide fit, without looking too extreme.

These are replacing the Bronson 1950s jeans I got a couple of years ago. Hopefully the last denim I buy for a while now, since I’m on four pairs: ecru, loose, straight and a fourth that are fresh, dark without fades and casual Friday office appropriate (Sugarcane, Freenote, Indigofera and Orslow). Well, five since the Bronsons are now relegated to yard work and painting).

The fit is close to perfect prior to wearing, I’m hoping to get just a little shrink or at least no waist stretch with wear.

Any good denim retailer will include videos or pics of how they measure along with their size charts (there are at least four slightly different techniques for getting waist measurements).I love Franklin & Poe, but their measurements often vary a little from everyone else’s. But they are always happy to pull out every pair in stock in my size to give individual measurements so I can pick the best ones. Same with Iron Shop Provisions - never bought something from them, but damn they go the extra mile sending pics of them measuring jeans for you in the shop on request.