Suggestions for first dry denim

[RBales]

Hi all, been lurking around this forum since early this year, and decided it was time for me to stop drooling over all the nice jeans posted and buy some. I'm not really new to premium denim, but I'm looking to get my first pair of dry jeans.

I'm specifically looking at the APC straight jeans, which i take it are the same as the rescues? I've read the APC sizing thread I don't even know how many times but I'm still not sure what size to order. I want them to be fitted but definetly not tight by any means. I wear a 32 in every jean I own (a 32 fits me perfectly in the R&R Henley cut and all PDC and SFAMK bootcuts). Should I order the straight jeans in a size 30?

Are the APC's even a good dry jean to start out with? I live in Madison, WI so I've been debating heading down to Context (about 15 minutes from my parent's house) to check out some Nudie's, too, but I'm not entirely sure how much to size down for those either. Which would you guys recommend?

 

[Spencer Young]

I wear a 32 in mostly all of my jeans. I was afraid of getting too much of a nuthugging jean when I took the plunge on some APCs, so I got a 31 (Rescue). I wish I'd sized down to a 30, as they stretch out a bit - I now have to use a belt and it bunches up a bit. I ordered both the 30 and 31, but returned the 30 (poor choice, in retrospect).

I think they're a very good starter dry jean. Less expensive than Nudies and tough as steel. If you end up loving APCs, then maybe try Nudies later.

 

[Saucemaster]

The Rescues are great, but my experience--and I hate to add more confusion here, but this is APC; it can't really be avoided--is that the Rescues are actually tagged about three sizes too small.

I agree with the standard assesment on the New Standards, which is "size down 2", but my personal experience with the Rescues has been "size down 3". So while the size 30 probably won't be too bad, you may very well want to consider a 29. If there's any way you can order both and just return the one that doesn't fit, that's ideal.

I think APC and Nudie both make jeans that will be great "starters" for dry denim. The big difference is mostly price and aesthetics. As for trying on those Nudies, I say go for it. You might find that there's a certain fit you love; at the very least, it gives us all another benchmark to compare (a lot of us, for example, own both APCs and Nudies, so we can probably translate that sizing fairly well).

 

[dizzhizz]

I normally wear a 33 but for the APC rescues I got them in a 31. I tried the 30 as well but couldn't even close two buttons.

The waist did stretch out and I require a belt. Still happy with the sizing though as they look slim but not tight.

 

[RBales]

Thanks guys, I went and tried on some straight svens today (since I'm looking for a straighleg) and I loved the fit of the 32's, so now I'm really stuck.

Would you guys recommend sizing down to a 31 on the nudies or would a 32 be best? They have a great price on these at Oi Polloi so if I got them I'd be getting them there. You guys have any experience at that place? Do they just automatically convert the british prices into dollars or is there something I have to do?

Thanks again for all the advice

 

[DGP]

I can say I've been to Context, I think that the guys that run that place are great, and for the size of their store, they have a lot of stuff. For dry Nudies, I'd say buy the smallest size you can button all the way up the first time you put them on. They will also special order stuff if their supplier has it in stock.

 

[DGP]

Originally Posted by Saucemaster

I hate to add more confusion here, but this is APC


There is a reasonI drive a Swedish car instead of a French one

. Oh yea, and I'm a Nudie guy, not an APC guy

.

 

[sbbbjm]

before you get a Straight Sven keep in mind that the streaky selvage doesn't develop as much contrast as the japanese selvage they use in the Ralfs. if you wait i think the F/W 06 Sven collection will include the japanese selvage version (i think they are bringing it back, it's listed on the new site).

i like the nudie japanese selvage, because it has a richer more true blue color. i think you can get alot better color depth, and are bit richer in hues. for some reason the nudies felt a lot thicker to me than my APC's (could just be more starch). the APC's are also great but i think they are slightly purple tinted which means the denim is a little darker. i also think the japanese selvage nudies have a tiny bit of streakiness (no where near the 'flame' selvage though) that makes for a nice looking texture once they have been washed.

in terms of fit -- get the snuggest pair you can get without having to suck in your stomach. in my experiences with selvage . . . yes they will stretch out a lot, but once you wash them they shrink back up in the waist to normal size if not more. you'll have to wear a belt but its not a big deal. i know i'm going against the grain on this but its worked for me on the Ralf pair that i have. i had a pair of APC English cut a while back and i bought them way small like everyone says and they stretched but after the wash it sucked cuz they got tight and didn't stretch as much.

another thing about the fit of nudies i've noticed is that they are cut very,l very straight in the hips. just a little FYI. i mean you can see it when they are just laying out that they are cut straight so if you have junk in the trunk nudies might suck for you.

ALSO, dont forget about the length! -- another mistake i made with the APC's and my pair of Ralfs. make sure when you buy them that they are at least 1.5 too long for you, 2 wouldn't hurt. whatever you do don't buy them if they are the perfect length for you in their unwashed state! -- there are conflicting stories, but after doing a cold water wash on my APC's they still shrunk up about an inch to short.

both are wonderful starter jeans that will produce great fades!

 

[sbbbjm]

how much do they go for on oi polloi -- i was never able to figure out the conversion quite right.

you can get dry svens (not dry selvage svens) on kitchener.ch for ~$136. they are made of the great old flare glenn material. that stuff fades awesomely even though its not selvage!

 

[RBales]

Originally Posted by sbbbjm

how much do they go for on oi polloi -- i was never able to figure out the conversion quite right.

you can get dry svens (not dry selvage svens) on kitchener.ch for ~$136. they are made of the great old flare glenn material. that stuff fades awesomely even though its not selvage!

they're 95 pounds which I guess is about $200? At Context they're $260 so $200 seems like a pretty good deal. Is it worth the extra money to get the streaky selvedge over the dry non-selvedge pair at kitchener? Or is it worth it to get the svens at all with the japanese selvedge coming out in the fall collection?

dammit I want to get a dry pair soon so that I can start breaking them in before I go back to college in the fall!

 

[sbbbjm]

OH, if you go to revolveclothing.com they also have the selvage svens and ralfs. if you're a first time customer you can get a 30% discount on them, making them $184. just make sure you do you order over the phone! their customer service is really nice.

 

[RBales]

have any of you guys ordered from Oi Polloi?

I'm about to order the dry selvedge svens from there because they're only coming out to about $175 which is almost $100 cheaper then Context. Even though I'd love to buy local, that's a lot of money to save. Is Oi Polloi a legit place? They won't rip me off or anything? And the shipping is relatively speedy?

 

[jean_connoisseur23]

1. apc new standard- this is probably the best starting jean for dry denim. affordable price for an excellent pair. fits like high-end denim, slightly tapered and slim fitting this a great choice as your first dry denim

2. sugarcane 1947- this is the second best choice for your starter jean. has a fit similar to 501, straight-cut, low-rise and button-fly. a great levi's repro and a great buy at $175

 

[RBales]

thanks guys, i went ahead and ordered the straight svens in dry selvedge (i guess they call it the flame selvedge) from oi polloi in a 32x32. I can't wait for them to get here

and where can you get those sugarcanes online? I'd like to see some pictures of them?

 

[denimdestroyedmylife]

Canes.