pmx-berlin
New in Town
- Messages
- 49
- Location
- Berlin, Germany
This is what that looks like. These started out unwashed dark black (no fades) in 2010. Now they're greyish with a hint of yellow undertone.I guess "good" black jeans that will fade grey is sulfur dyed on the warp and either have natural weft or reactive dyed weft if its black x black.
I have yet to buy quality black denim, im not sure i like black and white fades salt and pepper look of it. Indigo color also make slightly dirty yellowing in the denim looks bearable to a point. Slightly yellowing dirt in the faded part of black jeans i imagine would look dirtier and unappealing.
looks better than what I imagined maybe also because your fade is softer and also cleaner, my mental image was a picture of dusty zebraThis is what that looks like. These started out unwashed dark black (no fades) in 2010. Now they're greyish with a hint of yellow undertone. View attachment 335491 View attachment 335492
I didn't realize they didn't fit "regular" width engineer boots, my Mr. Lou easily fit under the cuff. That sucksI’ve primarily worn straight leg Gustins for nearly 10 years, with a few Naked and Famous and Ciano Farmer thrown in. Good jeans, but the 8” cuff is just a bit small for Wesco engineers.
The four month wait sucks, but I will have some perfect custom black Ciano Farmers by Fall.
I still want to try IH, but when I dive into that pool (after a few beers) I’d like to start with their heavy indigo denim.
It's not even about the clothing itself being fake i think, it's about trying to project an image of yourself that is fake.
At least that's how i would feel wearing industrially pre distressed clothing, i would feel like i was posing/ wearing fancy dress.
(Once again, not judging anyone who likes distressed clothing.)
Those of you who wear cords with your leather, can I ask what some of the favorites are?
looks better than what I imagined maybe also because your fade is softer and also cleaner, my mental image was a picture of dusty zebra
still I wonder with what shoes a faded black jeans you would pair with? faded grey or beat up dirty and faded camel suede boots?
calling people out here for being fake is, as Captain Willard says in Apocalypse Now, like giving out speeding tickets at the Indy 500....
Those of you who wear cords with your leather, can I ask what some of the favorites are?
I wear Bronson US Army 1942 Model Chino Trousers. I have two. Nice thick heavy weave and very well made. Not 100% accurate to actual vintage but I prefer the slightly modern cut anyway. Its much too hot to wear this get up right now but in the winter I like wearing a combo of L.L. Bean cotton canvas shirts with a natural off-white Bronson tube T-shirt and Chinos with my Eastman Star Sportswear or Goodwear J.A. Dubow. Sorry for any wrinkles... didn't want to bother with ironing or steaming for this impromptu photoshoot
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Those G-star jeans are interesting; look to me like they're replicating the look of some purpose-made, leather motorcycle trews, though in regular cotton denim (of whatever weight) they obviously don't have the same purpose.
Those G-star jeans are interesting; look to me like they're replicating the look of some purpose-made, leather motorcycle trews, though in regular cotton denim (of whatever weight) they obviously don't have the same purpose. I find it intriguing that this is such a relatively recent fashion trend (I only first saw it a couple of years ago), given that fashion jackets that take styling cues from the motorcycle clothing world have been around for such a long time. Seems odd in a way that this didn't happen much sooner.
Back when I had black denim like this in my teens, I just kept wearing them with black boots and belts. Course, 'brown' clothing had such a negative image for me at that long ago point, it wasn't until my early 20s that I really would have thought of owning brown shoes again. I got into the shoes in a big way before my interest in clothes really took off beyond the occasional suit or fairly standard 'jeans and t-shirt' wear. Later on, when I discovered machine dye, black jeans that got close to looking grey would have a swift run in the machine with that every couple of years. Been a long time since I last had black jeans, though I can feel a pair coming on this last year or two. I think the reason I stopped wearing them was partly I wanted an earlier look (now I wear a lot of fifties-vibe stuff as well the black jeans are great for the rockabilly thing), and partly I'd often used black jeans for a sort of slightly smarter going out / office vibe than blue denim. The place for that in my wardrobe just disappeared when I started wearing 'actual trousers' a lot more.
This is the endless debate about clothing and adopting a particular style, especially something like vintage. Just last week an ad for SJCs latest suits popped up on Facebook, and somebody had posted "Where would you even wear this?" I responded with "Well, where would you wear clothes?" The substance of the following discussion across two or three posts was to the other poster, a fancy suit was something you'd only wear if you were visiting Buckingham Palace or lived in Downton Abbey. Personally I find that a bit lacking in imagination, but then not everyone likes to wear a suit or feels comfortable in one. What I found interesting about it, though, was the difference in viewpoints between "when would that ever be something you'd need to wear?" and myself, given I fall in the camp of "when you're not on the clock or otherwise required to comply with a dress code, wear what you like". I know I'm fortunate that my office has zero dress code, plus in a academia nobody questions what you wear to the same extent, so I have the freedom to wear a tie and/or a suit every day. I just find it interesting how readily people ascribe limitations to a look. I have no doubt, that said, I do the same: there are plenty of places I'd not regard jeans as ideal for me, though they're perfectly acceptable nowadays.
Anyhow, I'm digressing. The point, I think, is that look is all subjective, but as has been discussed here on TFL in the past, the concept of "authenticity" seems to be both something a lot of people seek in their look, and yet also quite subjective. (I often also draw the comparison with 'relic'ed' guitars). I don't much see the point in buying pre-distressed anything myself -and yet I'm also equally bemused when people reject the notion of pre-distressed as inauthentic, and yet actively seek something someone else has worn in/out to the required level of distress, or go looking for a leather or a textile that is designed to wear much faster than normal to get to the required stage much earlier - surely just as artificial or inauthentic as buying new pre-distressed?
Course it's all in the eye of the beholder. In truth, I've never cared for the distressed look; if my jeans would look like that "just had their first wash" vibe forever, I'd be perfectly happy with that. I find fades less than ideal, but tolerable in blue denim, but wouldn't want them at all in black. I'm oddly enough the same with brown leather: there's a level of wear and fade and such on brown leather I like that I'd detest in black and want the latter redyed.
Ultimately, I think clothing on some level once you get beyond the merely practical (warmth, modesty, not getting arrested) will always have an element of 'costume'. I mean, all of us round here dress for ourselves and to our own tastes, generally most people here are fairly confident that way. But even so, what we choose to wear (given that we're all lucky enough to be able to afford such a choice) undeniably makes a statement about who we are. There's a lot of room there for someone to interpret that element of conscious choice as "fake" - which we'd all reject, of course, but that's what I mean about it being subjective to a degree. I can well see someone who see a suit as something only to be worn for weddings and funerals viewing me as being a fake and a poseur if I wear a suit when I don't have to because I chose to wear it. A young friend dresses entirely and daily in Regency period wear. (He makes all his own clothes, and now runs a very successful business as a bespoke period clothing maker for others.) A lot of people will look on that as costume, or even accuse him of being attention seeking. In reality, though, he just very genuinely loves those clothes, doesn't care for contemporary styles, and is fortunate enough to be in the privileged position where he can dress that way daily. Fake? I keep coming back to it being subjective.
I should clarify, none of this is intended to be defensive or to dismiss your observation, just my own musings on it as I think it is an interesting thought.
I have bought most of mine over the years from country-wear suppliers who do them in traditional cuts - I'm fussy about having a waistband on my actual waistline, can't get comfortable with modern rise trousers. Darcy do a nice pair of cords; Aero's offerings are superb. I'll be buying a few pairs of the Aero just as soon as I slim down to meet the upper end of their size range. I have a couple of nice pairs from Roderick Charles on Jermyn Street in my wardrobe.
About ten years ago I bought a very nice pair of cords (not quite as nice as the Aeros, but still nice, just lighter) from Alexanders of London https://www.alexandersoflondon.com/. Paid the extra for M2M, and measured up a pair of 40s-cut jeans that fit me well. Cracking pair of trousers.
For those of you who like a bit of a vintage vibe with a lower-waist, Charles TYrwhitt's trousers, including their cords (and moleskin, and cotton chinos), are a good option. Look for the Classic fit. I found those had a great look with a lot of stuff I wear, but in the end the waistbands are just 2" too low for me, and I couldn't get used to that, plus for comfort for me the zip really needed to be just a couple of inches longer proportionate to the rise. If they did a model that addressed that, I'd be seriously bulk-buying from them. As it is, I moved on to Dickies 874s for a cheap, casual trouser. Not as nice in the material, but the higher waistband and longer zip win out.
Nice option. Remind me of the PIR Cargos Overlord model, which I had two or three pairs of. Alas, they seem to have disappeared in the last few years, the website is gone. I had a pair of repop US Chinos like this from WPG (through Soldier of Fortune in the UK). Good stuff, solid, wear well. At some point I'm going to pick up a few more of these (as well as WPGs' Service Dress equivalent for the fishtail back and wearing with braces), and a few bottles of machine-dye...
isn't big waled looks more cords and more pants grade corduroy, fine waled ones look like velour / velvet just not as shiny. dark bottle green cords or moleskin would be very cool combo with black or brown leather jacket.
now I really like fatigue pants design with leather jacket, its front patch pockets with slant opening looks nice and extra comfy without pocket bags inside is a huge plus, it really look and feel like pajama pants and I've been wearing mine 25/8 since I bought it, the only downside is their rear pocket flaps, I wish they don't have flaps or at least rounded flap that don't get folded randomly on its corner edges as we sit or lean against something