Jeans

[IndigoFanatic]

I'm an Oklahoma native, and from what I've seen real cowboys wear Wranglers, and nothing but. As I understand it this has to do entirely with the tailoring- the hems on the inside of the leg are made in such a way as not to cause rubbing or chafing while the wearer is on horseback. Or maybe they don't HAVE hems on the inside of the leg. Also, the legs of Wranglers are flared, and slightly longer in the back than in the front- "boot-cut" as it's called. I am referring here to the original Wranglers- I'm sure there are many different kinds now.

Actually, Wranglers were made of different material than either Levi's or Lee's which made them stronger in a different way. Without getting into too much detail, Levi's and Lee's were made of right- and left-hand twill denims respectively, which means that they were woven in all the same direction, giving more of a grain to the fabric, which gave it more of a line to tear on (they're still tough as nails, just a little more prone to a bigger tear). Wranglers are made from a broken twill fabric, which means that the denim is woven on looms which will change direction at regular intervals, giving something of a cross-hatch pattern to the denim, looking more like WWWWW rather than ///////. This pattern makes the material less vulnerable to tearing.

 

[IndigoFanatic]

Hey Indigofanatic - I buy nothing but LVC, but if I were to get a pair of those STF/501s I'd add copper rivets to the back pockets and crotch like the old jeans used to have.. I mean what-the-heck, the jeans are cheap and that would make them so much more cooler. Besides it'd make yours unique within the contest, personalize 'em. Tandy has some really nice ones and they're easy to install with the correct punch... just a thought. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/...tionpath=3&processor=content&p_keyword=copper

Doug C

Thanks for the link! I've used some of Tandy's stuff before in some leather working that I've done, so I know it's pretty good. I'd consider putting in a crotch rivet, but I'm not a fan of exposed rivets on the back pockets. It makes me always have to think about what I'm sitting on, and worry about scratching wooden or leather chairs, things like that. Not wanting to sit on anything upholstered in white is enough to worry about!

 

[deluxestyling]

If you're into wearing and washing raw denim with a careful fade you might like to have a look at this... http://repeattofade.blogspot.com/

 

[Fatdutchman]

I've never owned a pair of Levis in my life.

In the '70's and '80's, it was wrangler jeans (not the "cowboy cut"). I even remember the huge red and white label that used to be on the back of wranglers...

They were TIGHT, as was the fashion of the day. Not good for someone who was a fat kid. I hated jeans. They loosened up some in the 80's, and I wore the same jeans throughout the 80's up until recently. Now, I find them so low rise that I just can't wear them anymore.

For me "pants" is interchangeable with "jeans". I actually work for a living (though not much lately...it's really slow), and my britches have to be tough.

All mine have to be high waisted (preferably bellybutton high, which are hard to find, but as long as my belt buckle stays vertical while I'm sitting down, I'm OK). Right now, I'm wearing the Wrangler "31MWZ", which are the slightly more relaxed version of the cowboy cut. I also wear some "C E Schmidt" jeans and work pants (from Tractor Supply Company) which are relatively high waisted, and looser fit. My favorites though, are Buddy's jeans, which are a high-rise cowboy cut (and definitely not loose!), made in USA!!! and made from a blend poly/cotton denim that doesn't fade or shrink badly, and so far is pretty tough.

My general daily appearance is that of someone who just stepped off the set of a '40's western.

 

[Doug C]

IndigoFanatic wrote:

I've been thinking of either those or perhaps the 1927 if I want another Levi's after this year.

AND

I'd consider putting in a crotch rivet, but I'm not a fan of exposed rivets on the back pockets. It makes me always have to think about what I'm sitting on,

Be aware then that the pair of 1927 LVC repros that you're interested in will have them and you may want to reconsider them. I understand and those are the reasons that the rivets were done away with as you probably already know.. I have repro pairs of the 1933 and (1920's) 201 jeans, both with riveted pockets and I've never worried about anything but the paint finish on a car but I'm from a pretty casual household, I'd probably worry too if our home were furnished with wooden antiques and whatnot. I think the sharpness of the rivets are a little over stated, they ain't really pointy and have never left any marks on our leather sofa. I could see them maybe digging into a hard leather and wood horse saddle which I think was the main complaint I guess, but then again they sit sort of high up on your butt (top part of the pockets). Anyway the crotch rivet would be a nice detail in it's own right. Good Luck with the contest!

Doug C

 

[Highlander]

My regular 501s with my Tony Llama boots.

 

[flat-top]

I just got a pair of department store 501's today. Light blue rigid, which were not easy to find. I only wear vintage or expensive Euro/ Japan repros, but these just have a look....sorta like 1950's Sears jeans.

 

[Burnsie]

I would suggest the purchase of a pair of jeans from the Lee Vintage range. Make sure they're made in Japan. This will ensure they're lomed right and dyed right. They make a repro of James Dean's jeans. A truly fantastic pair of jeans. I don't recal the model, but i think they have named it after a year. My pair is fantastic and has held up for 5 years or so.


bk

The "James Dean" ones are the 1952 model. They are indeed fantastic jeans, I liked them so much I also got the 1934 and 1959 Lee Japan repros. Unbelievable quality.

 

[IndigoFanatic]

I just got a pair of department store 501's today. Light blue rigid, which were not easy to find. I only wear vintage or expensive Euro/ Japan repros, but these just have a look....sorta like 1950's Sears jeans.

I've seen those, and they definitely look nice. If I weren't in a money bind right now I'd definitely pick up a pair. I was surprised when I came across them as well, as I've yet to see one of the Verde (green) pairs, and those have been out for quite a while.

 

[Highlander]

My Dad always wore Osh Kosh "Waist Overalls". I had a few pair (still have one or two) and they were great work "dungarees".. but they no longer make them.

I wonder about some of our other favorites.

Several are already gone.

 

[AlanC]

FYI, TJMaxx/Marshall's in some locations have RRL (Double RL) jeans for around $50. RRL is a Ralph Lauren high end western/workwear line. The jeans are USA made of Japanese selvedge denim, and retailed for $200+. Many are raw and stiff. Check your local store(s). You might get lucky.

Also check the sizing, as they tend to run large.

 

[Kt Templar]

Please can someone explain the difference between 'chain stitching' and the regular just turning up the jeans twice and sewing through when altering jeans.

I've been offered chain stitching as opposed to normal stitching and I don't know what that means!

Pics would help .

 

[John in Covina]

Sear's own brand was really good but it's gone now. Cabela's jeans are very much like the good old days. Carhardt makes some hearty wearing jeans too.

 

[deluxestyling]

[/IMG]
To answer your question KT Templar on chain stitching I've taken a picture of each. The picture on the left is what is referred to as "single stitching" and the one on the right is "chain stitching" or "double stitching". It has more to do with dating when the jeans were made than anything else. It's the chain stitching on the back pockets of Levi's that most collectors note and it came in around the mid 1970's onwards but was always on the cuff end so I'd go for that if it's offered.

 

[IndigoFanatic]

There are also practical and asthetic purposes to the chainstitching. One of the advantages is supposed to be that if the threading breaks at any point, the other threads will hold it in place, preventing the hem from unraveling. Additionally, it increases the "roping" effect when the jeans fade, meaning that the faded lines in the hem of the jeans will be more pronounced (though, I suppose this doesn't really matter if you're buying a pair of pre-washed jeans).

 

[Bruce Wayne]

There are also practical and asthetic purposes to the chainstitching. One of the advantages is supposed to be that if the threading breaks at any point, the other threads will hold it in place, preventing the hem from unraveling. Additionally, it increases the "roping" effect when the jeans fade, meaning that the faded lines in the hem of the jeans will be more pronounced (though, I suppose this doesn't really matter if you're buying a pair of pre-washed jeans).

so if i am understanding this correctly, chainstitching is jsut sewing it once, then sewing it a second time over the first?
thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[Kt Templar]

[/IMG]
To answer your question KT Templar on chain stitching I've taken a picture of each. The picture on the left is what is referred to as "single stitching" and the one on the right is "chain stitching" or "double stitching". It has more to do with dating when the jeans were made than anything else. It's the chain stitching on the back pockets of Levi's that most collectors note and it came in around the mid 1970's onwards but was always on the cuff end so I'd go for that if it's offered.

Please forgive my bad eyesight! Any chance of slightly bigger pics, I can't quite work out what it looks like!

 

[IndigoFanatic]

Well, the images aren't showing up for me at all in the above post, but here is one...
Chainstitch:

Whereas a regular stitch is just a single line.

 

[IndigoFanatic]

so if i am understanding this correctly, chainstitching is jsut sewing it once, then sewing it a second time over the first?
thanx!!!
Charlie

Not quite... If you look at the pic in my previous post, you can see that the stitching on the inside of the hem looks like it's woven together, which adds strength and stops it from unwinding if the thread breaks at any point.

 

[Kt Templar]

Ah, I see. Looks like it's something I don't need to loose sleep over then!