Denim 101 for Men's Clothing

+1 on your knee fades. you hemmed though, right? so no stacking

Originally Posted by Teger

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+1 on your knee fades. you hemmed though, right? so no stacking

Mafoo don't stack.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Mafoo don't stack.

You should take some shots of the jeans lying on the ground and post them in the SW&D denim thread. The gradient of the fading is very natural and it has good symmetry (denim ~* geek *~).

^ That pic makes me rethink my pissy NS attitude. In retrospect, I may have sized too far down making it a little too obvious where my nickname came from.

Loving my N&F Weird Guys. Great cut and colour

lefty

Originally Posted by Teger

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Yes, Iron Hearts are good, but I don't personally know much about then, the denim is very heavy (which can definitely be disconcerting to someone who has worn nothing but 11 oz Levis) and they' are very expensive.

Don't they retail around $300-400 range I believe? Maybe less. Yes they're very heavy but I heard that because of the weave (or another factor in the denim process) that they breathe pretty well fo their weight.

Originally Posted by Teger

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Wouldn't the most iGent jean be some sort of '47 501 repro? It's a timeless cut that people tirelessly try to reproduce with the most expensive possible fabrics and dyes, yet to the average person it looks almost indistinguishable from a $30 jean.

I would argue that the average person's opinion is unimportant on SF as they wouldn't be able to distinguish Allen Edmonds from Bostonions.

Originally Posted by Tarmac

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Honestly, I don't believe iGents wear jeans. It would be like an iGent wearing sneakers. He just doesn't do it.

As far as Iron Hearts being the ultimate old-man jean, I don't think so. The fact that old men wear jeans once a week means whatever they get, they aren't going to fade much.

Regarding the heaviness of 634s, they are very soft and don't feel stiff or weighty. It's like a heavyweight sweatpant, almost. If you didn't know they were 21oz you would probably guess they are something like 16-17 on feel alone.

I just remember browsing the denim fades thread on SuFu and seeing a pair of Iron Hearts that were pretty much worn straight for I believe maybe 9 months and the fading was minimal, probably the same or less than Nudies/APCs in the first few weeks. I have considered the idea of purchasing Iron Hearts as literally a jean that will last forever and through almost anything (basically I have considered IH for travelling purposes).

At with such minimal wear, especially on the MC forum, I imagine that they would keep the undistressed look for years.

^^^ It's true that by the time my Gap jeans look like this, they are full of holes in all the wrong places. Lefty'd rename himself Chilly in my jeans.

how much do I need to size down in RRL jeans? Im a true 33, just measured with a tape measure.

Originally Posted by randallr

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how much do I need to size down in RRL jeans? Im a true 33, just measured with a tape measure.

Which fit? For Slim Boots, I'd size down one or go TTS. Same for slim fits. For Straight legs I'd size down 1-2.

I'm actually a jean noob so I have no idea. I don't want them too tight, but I hate baggy. Would that be straight leg?

Yes, or a straight leg with a slight taper. Almost any of the RRL fits would work for you, depending on how you size them, although I think the Slim Boot might be the best. Can you try them on?

Would a Macy's or a Sak's have them in stock? I am willing to buy them online if someone could point me to a good site with a good return policy.

No, although you can find them at some Barneys (and CoOps), some Ralph Lauren stores and at RRL stand alone stores. We stock them, but I'm not sure what we have left. You can email [email protected] or call (703) 647-9856. Where do you live? I think Blake's in Portland stocks them too.

Originally Posted by randallr

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I'm actually a jean noob so I have no idea. I don't want them too tight, but I hate baggy. Would that be straight leg?

I go true to size on my RRLs. Check my WAYWTs to see if you like how that looks.

I suppose I'm more MC than SW&D but I wear jeans most days and have owned a LOT of them in the past few years - most everything high end that is available in a 38 waist. My recommendations (pay closer attention if you are big dude like me) all of which are mid-rise, straight leg:

Trim fit - Earnest Sewn 'Fulton'. The cut on these is unparalled. They are very flattering and look good with all manner of jackets. The denim is the weak point but if you buy a raw or one-wash version the quality is decent. These are also easily aquired at a significant discount.

Regular fit - Ironheart 634S. Expensive but worth every penny, these are probably the best clothing investment I've ever made. Don't let the 21oz thing scare you off, they are very comfortable at any temperature. I wear these 3x as much as all my other jeans combined.

Relaxed fit - Flat Head 3005. These are great because they have a modern fit in the top block and unlike most of the '47 repros they are relaxed but not too loose at the thigh and knee. Denim quality is awesome, with a super-soft and comfortable feel once they have been washed or soaked. They look and fit like sailor pants when they are new/raw but shrink to just the right dimensions afer the first hot soak or wash. They are the right jeans for fuller cut jackets and/or layering. They also have a big enough leg opening to balance chunkier boots.



Other notables:

RRL classic fit - very flattering cut, though the denim quality is not as good as their old Japanese-made jeans IMO.

5EP straight down - Denim quality and trims are unparalled. They fit a little slimmer on me than the ES Fulton and have a sort of vintage/rockabilly cut going on IMO. People that like 501's will probably love these.

Spurr Raw Classic - Nice denim and overall quality. They are a very relaxed fit though, at least they are in a size 38, with a higher rise than the other jeans on this list. These are a good option if you want something that fits looser than the Flat Head 3005.


I haven't tried KMW or Crate because they don't make them in a size 38. Been meaning to buy some Samurai S5000BK but haven't yet. I tried on a few pair of Jean Shop and thought they were nice but nothing really stood out about them for me.


MOST IMPORTANT - It is infinitely easier to buy jeans in person. If you get a chance to visit a shop like Self Edge, Blue in Green, Farinelli's etc. then try everything on and walk out with the pair that really fits you, even if they run $250-$300. It is a lot cheaper and easier that way. I definitely choked a bit on the price point the first time I bought a pair of Iron Heart, but they are probably the clothing purchase I least regret.