How'd you get started in the denim/fashion game?

[whodini]

I was talking to Jet last night and in the course of our conversation we began discussing how it was that we became interested in dry jeans or street fashion in general. I'm also curious to see how it is that people came to stumble upon style forvm but will make a separate thread in "General" seeing as how it's a much broader topic and the traddies don't tread down this side of the forum much.

To start, I've be interested in clothing since I was a kid but never really cared how it all came together until college. I was searching around for RL polos and came across RRL jeans. Had no idea what selvage was but loved how they were completely dark and free of any markings/labels/etc. Thus began my credit card's slow descent into hell.

 

[Maharlika]

I've loved denim/clothes since I was a teen-ager in school Denim was verboten because I attended a private school for boys and had to wear school uniform. I think I became a rebel and used clothes to express my individuality. A lot of my influence I think came from my parents, as they are both well-dressed. My dad is a total peacock. lol!

 

[whodini]

You bring up an interesting point. I, too, attended private schools with mandatory uniforms or dresscodes. Jeans were considered a privilege. Perhaps that's why I haven't worn anything else in years.

 

[LabelKing]

I've always loved clothing; however, I don't have a denim fetish.

I attended an elementary school that also had a uniform policy. I remember I decided I didn't like being dictated to and went to school in my own clothes until being suspended to compel me to wear their designated things--I used to get suspended a lot in school.

 

[Oltmann]

One of my spurned lovers prayed to Aphrodite to punish me for turning her away. Since there were no ponds available, I got stuck staring at this forum.

 

[Stazy]

I've only been interested in raw/dry denim in the last 6 months or so, but I've fallen hard since then. I have become a devout reader of all denim related topics here...

Clothing has always been of great interest to me. Only now do I feel like I'm starting to develop a real sense of style though. I have this forum to thank, as well as some books I've started to read.

 

[Max]

I just want to look good. As for jeans, I always thought pre-faded looks stupid.

 

[cheapmutha]

hmm....

ive always been very particular about clothes, but never to the level i am now. i think it started with my last girlfriend and going to thrift stores with her and seeing the crazy outfits she would put together. i started looking for timeless vintage stuff, and of course levis was on the top of that list. i was looking at some on ebay one day and caome across some that said "selvage"

did a search and found superfuture. in that, i found a community of people who were as obsessive about the little details of things as i am.

its all been downhill from there.

 

[mikesduc]

I think I have OCD. Japanese denim in particular is a good fit for me in that regards. No pun intended.

 

[evilgeniusdan]

One day I looked into the mirror and saw myself. That's when I knew I had to do something...

 

[LA Guy]

I've always been into fashion, ever since I was desperate to pick up some Polo gear in Grade 5 or so in HK, and my aunt laughed and said that I had so much to learn to really know stuff about fashion.
As for the raw denim stuff, that happened shortly after I moved to LA, in late 1998 or so. I got involved with some garment trade people, and introduced to APC, which was referred to as "a brand that French djs like." I always like them to look 1)pitch dark and 2)slouchier (always into the more fitted top, slouchier pants too), though, so it was the Anglaise cut for me.

 

[hermes]

i've always been a clothes horse but my like of denim started with a pair of helmut lang raw denim in his classic cut that i bought in january 2000 - as someone said above, it was the fascination on how good the dark non-distressed denim looked - i knew nothing about raw denim at the time and just took a gamble on them

i still have that first pair of hl, seven years old this month and i've still never washed them .....

 

[Tarmac]

its not no game

just kidding

 

[Bandwagonesque]

You either play the game, or the game plays you.

 

[Get Smart]

I've always been into subcultures that were based on a distinct look (skinhead, mod, punk etc) and despite the uniformity of it all, it definitely was what opened my eyes to 'fashion/style' in general that still influences what I buy and wear today, 20+ years later.

as for denim, I didnt appreciate good denim/selvage until I started hanging out in the rockabilly scene more. Selvage denim has always been a big part of the 'traditional rockabilly' scene and I remember someone at a store explaining the glory of japanese denim to me many years ago and looking at her like "wtf are you talking about", then next thing you know I'm trying to hunt down 90s repro LVC like it was the holy grail.