WWII Khaki Trousers - Originals and Reproductions

[cheaterome]

Where do you live?

Thrift stores, Estate sales ,Vintage shops,yard sales ,military shops, militaria shows , gun shows , army navy surplus, and the end all be all if you can get in , your friendly lol neighborhood rag house.
Older collectors in your area who might have collected during the golden years of buying and selling ... the Late 80's.
Keep checking day in day out ...if you have the time.

Jerome

 

[MrBern]

Thanks again, MrBern. Any info you can add, please feel free!

My pleasure. Its very gratifying to see how happy you are.

There should be more trading & selling at the QueenMary.

The khakis were picked up in a NJ militaria show.
I think the big beltloops are the only offhand indicator that its a postwar pattern. Maybe the buttoned backpockets. And even then, you might find private purchase wartime khakis that are similar.
A good example that the `50s hold plenty of GoldenEra quality.

Really, its the quality, weight & sheen of the textile that screams 'not made like this anymore'.

 

[MrBern]

I know this may or may not be feasible for some but the thrift stores and vintage shops are the best bet.
This isn't the late 80's or early 90's and your are not going to fill the car with trash bags of vintage WW2 khaki's but...
There are a lot of people scouring the vintage shops all probably looking for something different.
I found a pair WW2 issue with the zinc buttons MINT in a 38x36 for a friend in Chicago for $20 and the seller knew what they were.
It helps if you are under a 34 waist, I pretty much can find them anytime.
The korean war era ones are the most common.

The nice thing about wearing originals is there is no debate over which is most correct or better made or where they are made , they just...... ARE.


Jerome

Couldnt agree more on every point.

 

[Doug C]

Griffer - I'm not sure about those, but I think it's generally correct to say that Wing's aren't known for their attention to authentic details, that's not to say that what they make isn't good quality but the details aren't always to the "T". So I'd imagine those are the same. I could be wrong though.

Daddy-o, did you ever get your replacement Buzz Ricksons? I'm trying to figure where to order mine from. I would have used Milwauki but now I'm not so sure (about the sizing and customer service). Maybe Hinoya, but it's hard to convert all the info from their website.

Doug C

 

[max the cat]

Bills

I dont think there is any difference in fit or construction on the Bills button fly(authentic) vs regular M1
I scored a pair of Bills signature w/10 oz, more than the usual 8.5

nice high rise much like flat front trousers appear in 40;s photos at least--could be worn w/suspenders - these are on the roomy side and I have them in my regular waist size-(still higher than it should be)

max

 

[MrBern]

Could you please tell me how much oz the fabric of vintage khakis usually is?


Regards,
Henrik

The spec tag on this pair reads 8.2 oz
But I'm told that wartime khakis were 9oz.

I think starch adds to the mystique.

 

[daddy-o]

Buzz khakis

Griffer - I'm not sure about those, but I think it's generally correct to say that Wing's aren't known for their attention to authentic details, that's not to say that what they make isn't good quality but the details aren't always to the "T". So I'd imagine those are the same. I could be wrong though.

Daddy-o, did you ever get your replacement Buzz Ricksons? I'm trying to figure where to order mine from. I would have used Milwauki but now I'm not so sure (about the sizing and customer service). Maybe Hinoya, but it's hard to convert all the info from their website.

Doug C

Just about to order the 32 waist which is really a 31 waist. Like I wrote previously, I am getting them postage free and comission free and I still havent sold the first pair but I am so impressed by the quality and I really want to own a pair. Will post again when I get the new pair.

 

[Doug C]

Are the Rickson Chinos supposed to shrink down in a wash and dry ? And by how much ? ..trying to work out the sizing thing before ordering.

Doug C

 

[daddy-o]

Are the Rickson Chinos supposed to shrink down in a wash and dry ? And by how much ? ..trying to work out the sizing thing before ordering.

Doug C

According to Mario from Milwaukee and the mil-mil site they will shrink about half an inch in the waist.

 

[The real Henry]

9 oz !!??

And I thought Magnoli's 11-12 oz cotton fabric was way too thin for vintage standards![huh]

 

[jml90]

I love my Bill's khakis maybe not just like the ones from WWII but, I don't think they're marketed that way either. And most wouldn't know that they weren't anyway.

 

[Fletch]

Bill's sizing

How are Bill's labeled versus their true size?
Are they true-to-measure or vanity fit (add 2" to flatter the customer)?
Should a 37" waist buy size 36, 37, or 38?

 

[MrBern]

Well they are hot weather pants....
And its aboutthe quality of the cloth.

 

[reetpleat]

I agree. Vintage fit and old broken in heavy cotton khaki are unbeatable.

I still have three pairs size 32/32 in the classified. I don't know the age, (zipper) but they seem pretty much the same as older ones that have passed through my hands.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Original khakis are the MOST comfortable pants in the world- roomy in the seat and thigh, full through the leg, nice high waist. I have one in a more golden tan, similar to your first picture, and another in the lighter beige color like in the pictures of you wearing them. Both of mine hit the top of the shoe perfectly with no break.
The only problem is that there tends to be wear on both of them on the crease down the front. When I first got mine, they were heavily starched, so that probably caused it. I don't really mind, as most people won't notice and it fits in with my age group's trashy trend. I don't starch them, and the fabric is like butter, not like the plastic-y teflon coated khakis they try to pass off today.

EDIT: I just noticed that the seam on the side is different with mine. One pair has a on seam pocket, like yours Scotrace, but the other's starts off center at the top and continues down, creating a sort of slash pocket. Any idea of when they changed the design?

 

[Doug C]

The Buzz Rickson Chinos are only a few more dollars than the Bill's Khakis though, and they look alot better IMHO. This is based only on the pair of Bill's I examined a few weeks ago at Nordstroms..I wasn't at all impressed by them. BR does claim to be an accurate repro too.

Doug C

 

[Feraud]

How about a Buzz and Bill's photo comparison to judge the two?

I do not recall seeing pictures of the Buzz khakis.

 

[Doug C]

Here's a link to Buzz Rickson's 1942 model khaki (ignore the way the model is wearing them) they also have a 1945 model.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/m43036/

Doug C

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Ignore the way the model is wearing them.

But I can't. I can't!

.

 

[MrBern]

thats just sooo perfect....

(now _this_ should be redacted!)