Mister Freedom Denim Mechanic Utility Trousers

[Sloan1874]

Something a little different... Having coveted Mister Freedom's stuff for quite a while, the price being the only real bar to buying anything, when I saw these on sale on the Rakuten website, I decided to take the plunge. Even with import and handling, they came in at half-price, though that's still £125, which is not exactly a steal by any standard.
When they arrived yesterday, the first thing that struck was at how unlike a standard jean they are: the cloth is 9oz and closer to a chambray than denim with grey blue cast to them. They're shrink-to-fit, so I chucked them into a hot soak in the bath for 20 minutes - the dye is rather odd with a slightly purple-red tint to it - before turning them inside out and tossing them into the tumble dryer. I know this is heresy, especially as the MF site advises not doing this, but there was a fair amount of slack - they're marked as a 30" waist, and unwashed they had a good couple of inches to lose to get them down to this - so it extreme measures were needed. As it is, the process got them down to a wearable size without any visible marbling or marked difference to the cloth, so no harm done!
Anyway, from the website, they're based on 50s USAAF trousers issued to mechanics. The originals were olive sateen, but MF have taken a few liberties with the design, not least changing the cloth, having removed the front pleats, shifted the pockets etc, but retained the basic fit.
Very happy with them, something very different to add to the wardrobe. The details are really nice: the cinch straps on the waist; the back pockets made from cloth that's been twisted 90 degrees, giving it a left-hand selvedge look; the ankle-height pocket and front patch pockets, and the overall high-end feel to them.
Worth £220? I'm not sure any pair of jeans are, tbh, but if you see them for £125? I'd grab them with both hands! Anyway, here a few fit pics and details:

 

[Rabbit]

That really is something a little different. Very nice, and well presented.

"50s USAAF mechanics trousers"? Something got lost in translation there, I think. The rise is too low for military trousers of the 50s, I dare say, although I can't prove it. At any rate, Mister Freedom must have mixed up the wartime USAAF with the post-war USAF.
It seems the nod to mechanics trousers is in the front patch pockets. There were indeed military 50s mechanics trousers with pockets just like that.

 

[Sloan1874]

I think with MF, he tends to take inspiration from, rather than is a slavish copy of, period designs.

Here's what he says: "We called in the USAF to the rescue on this one, and freely borrowed from a New Old Stock pair of 1957 -brace yourselves it’s a mouthful- “TROUSERS, UTILITY, COTTON, SAGE GREEN, CLASS 2, HEMMED BOTTOMS, SHADE 509″. Issued to Air Force mechanics in the mid 1950’s those original sage green sateen “grease monkey” britches featured front pleats and side tool pockets, but are mostly immediately recognizable by their long cinch-waist adjusting tabs.

"We have adapted the pattern and features of the vintage military work pants for our ‘Mechanic Utility Trousers’. If we kept the cool side tabs, off went the front pleats and side tool pockets. Instead we re-positioned a single extra pocket along the inseam of the left leg."

 

[herringbonekid]

The rise is too low for military trousers of the 50s, I dare say, although I can't prove it.

all of Mr. Freedom's trousers are lower in the rise than the period they are inspired by... see also the trousers in the Apache collection inspired by 1930s French workwear.
it's very similar to the way RRL will copy authentic details on trousers but always lower the rise; a concession to modern taste.

 

[Fanch]

Looks like you properly beat those dungarees into submission and looks great.

 

[Rabbit]

Oh, I see. "Based on" is the keyword, I should have noticed it. Excuse that slightly dogmatic perspective of mine.

 

[Sloan1874]

I have a pair of BR chinos on the way, theoretically at least, as it seems not all Rakuten dealers are as easy to deal with, and they have the original 1942 fit, so it should be interesting to see how they compare. As it is, I would say that they have a similar rise to Freddies of Pinewood jeans. Definitely a comfortable and flattering fit.

 

[wdw]

Interesting buy, and they look good on you. The price isn't outrageous and at least you have something different from a very expensive maker.

 

[navetsea]

it looks different

 

[Sloan1874]

Not a fan, Navatsea? It was also reassuring have had a successful try-out with Rakuten as well. Apart from the nose-bleed handling fee, it was all plain sailing. Interestingly, I finally found the washing instruction label in the left pocket and it says that it was made by Toyo, who produce the Sugar Cane brand.

 

[handymike]

those are cool!

 

[Sloan1874]

And very comfortable! Something that sometimes gets overlooked in the heavy denim wars. I read one guy who had 32oz Iron Hearts that actually drew blood because the creases were so unyielding! I like a breaking-in challenge as much as the next guy, but when the clothes actively fight back, that's a step too far.

 

[Benj]

Looks great! I've always wondered why more people weren't into other nice clothing on this forum. Seems silly to have 5 leather jackets but no nice shirts, jeans, etc...

Just wondering, what made you put them in the dryer before just washing them on hot? I was everything unsanforized in hot water to get the shrinkage. I've never put anything in the dryer, although it probably doesn't harm the fabric or anything. Just don't like dryers!

 

[Sloan1874]

I know, it's not something I'd normally do. MF recommend just a cold wash to get the minimum amount of shrink, but I had to get a couple of inches off the waist. They did say, though, that a hot wash and a tumble would get this result, but I really didn't want to do that, so I took the middle way - a hot soak in the bath, drip dried and then a quick spin in the tumble drier just to get them down a bit. Worked a treat, but it will not be repeated!

 

[tropicalbob]

How in the world did you navigate the Rakuten waters? Just looking at their pages gives me a sense of vertigo.

 

[Benj]

Rakuten is incredibly easy to navigate, honestly. Just have to get used to it. It's just like ordering from any other online website, you just need to get used to seeing japanese and using translate.

I got ya sloan, just thought it was funny since usually I think that hot wash is less aggressive on the fabric than the dryer.

 

[Sloan1874]

It's not something I'll be repeating any time soon, that's for sure. Though if it'd done any overt damage on a single short tumble, I'd have had to question the quality of the trousers.
At least they behaved in the way MF said they would, unlike Levi's and their horrible 1878 Pantaloons. I ordered the right size to shrink down, but on arrival they were clown-pant massive. Followed the soak/shrink instructions to a tee, but they were still way too big. Never again!

 

[navetsea]

Not a fan, Navatsea? It was also reassuring have had a successful try-out with Rakuten as well. Apart from the nose-bleed handling fee, it was all plain sailing. Interestingly, I finally found the washing instruction label in the left pocket and it says that it was made by Toyo, who produce the Sugar Cane brand.

it looks good on you Sloan, and look the part combined with your bomber jacket . I tried browsing Rakuten once, also interested on some jeans... but then we need 3rd party company as a proxy .... aand I was lost... closed website went to bed.

 

[Sloan1874]

Rakuten is the third party. Basically, it acts as a market place. You place your order through it, then the individual seller contacts you with the P&P, and finally you confirm the order through Rakuten and the item is sent out.

 

[tonypaj]

It's not something I'll be repeating any time soon, that's for sure. Though if it'd done any overt damage on a single short tumble, I'd have had to question the quality of the trousers.
At least they behaved in the way MF said they would, unlike Levi's and their horrible 1878 Pantaloons. I ordered the right size to shrink down, but on arrival they were clown-pant massive. Followed the soak/shrink instructions to a tee, but they were still way too big. Never again!

With LVCs it's more the cut than anything else (well, the denim is a bit thin). I have the same problem, could not shrink them to fit, and I've done this stuff since early 70s. In the end I figured that they look the way they look, even when shrunk. Mine will go to charities, hopefully someone likes them.