Denim 101 for Men's Clothing

[haganah]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I have too.

You were the big spoon in the tub I'm assuming?

 

[Baron]

Originally Posted by Using Technology

Can I respost this? I think it got lost in the chaintstitching debate...

My question: I'm reading to make the leap from APCs to a nicer pair of jeans. Or at least I'm ready to spend a fair amount on one great pair to have in my rotation. I would like a somewhat slimmish fit but not skinny fit. My waist, however, is fairly big compared to my legs, so often when I get a normal or slim fit they don't actually look all that slim. One reason I liked APCs is that I could size down and stretch them a bunch giving me a bigger waist but not baggy legs.

My other problem with APCs is that the stretchiness factor, while great for my waist, tends to casue the knee and thighs to get bigger that I'd prefer (when I wear them dry after wash to get the waist right).

* My ideal waist is about 18" or a tad bigger across.
* raw (selvage preferable but not essential)
* I'm fairly tall and like to stack a bit so an inseam of over 35" would be best (maybe 36 or 37 ideal).
* I like the moderate tapering from the knee that APC NS do

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would something like Dior's work? (I know they are considered a skinny person jean, but at bigger sizes do they fit more normally?) Jeans that caught my eye from pic threads on here: PBJ, Flat Head, 5EP, Dior...

Thanks!

Maybe you should consider Ande Whall Grifters. I also have skinny legs relative to my torso and those fit me perfectly and they also have long inseams available. Otherwise I'd look at Japanese repros as suggested by Who.

 

[Using Technology]

Originally Posted by whodini

^^^

Your question is a rather complicated and detailed one. Your required inseam forces you to look at Dior or Japanese repro brands (think BlueinGreen). If you're going Dior, you might want the 21cm instead of the 19cm as the latter might be a bit too skinny for you. Dior fits well but I've never been able to justify spending that much on denim that is just slightly above average.

Hmm... well those are probably what I'd be looking at anyway for my next step. So any recommendations for Japanese jeans that would fit like sized down APC NS's but with maybe a bit less stretching in the knees and thighs?

 

[Using Technology]

Originally Posted by Baron

Maybe you should consider Ande Whall Grifters. I also have skinny legs relative to my torso and those fit me perfectly and they also have long inseams available. Otherwise I'd look at Japanese repros as suggested by Who.

Yeah I was thinking about those. How did the sizing work for you?

 

[whodini]

Originally Posted by Using Technology

Hmm... well those are probably what I'd be looking at anyway for my next step. So any recommendations for Japanese jeans that would fit like sized down APC NS's but with maybe a bit less stretching in the knees and thighs?
Go to Blue in Green's website and do a little research. There are only a handful of brands with several different models and all of them have very detailed measurements that you can compare to your APC NC's. Otherwise, Grifters are a great choice like Baron said. Size is VERY true as stated on the website and they do not stretch out much.

 

[Baron]

Originally Posted by Using Technology

Yeah I was thinking about those. How did the sizing work for you?

True to size. From the website, it looks like they have new versions with a choice between sanfordized and shrink to fit and they seem to fit differently from one another.

 

[emptym]

People seem to recommend hang drying jeans after a soak. I normally hang dry stuff anyway, but if I wanted to shrink jeans, what effect would drying them have? In general?

I'm guessing it'd shrink them more than a hot soak even. True? Any idea how much? About?

I'm wondering in general, but I mainly have that pair of rb15s in mind that I posted earlier.

 

[whacked]

^ People prefer hang drying to machine drying for 2 reasons: (1) to prevent shrinkage as you said, and (2) to avoid weird/"unnatural" creases (as opposed to "authentic" fades) due to agitation created by the dryer.

Since you have no use for (1), if not actually want to to shrink the jeans, and Rag & Bone denim generally retains color very well, might as well just go ahead and give machine drying a try.

My jeans shrink a fair bit more in the dryer than when just hang dry.

 

[mmkn]

Originally Posted by whacked

Since you have no use for (1), if not actually want to to shrink the jeans, and Rag & Bone denim generally retains color very well, might as well just go ahead and give machine drying a try.
My jeans shrink a fair bit more in the dryer than when just hang dry.

I agree. Normally I turn my jeans inside out to wash in cold, line dry, then press. Some that are fancy schmanzy I take to my local CO2 dry cleaners.

Please refrain from throwing tomatoes but I've learned the hard way (having a few Giorgio Armani Hemp/Cotton Limited Editions become Thom Brownish floods) that inevitably someone is going to inadvertently wash and dry my jeans. So for new denim I turn them inside out, wash in hot with Dark Woolite just once, dry the heck out of the jeans, and immediately press once dry.

Then I never worry about hem shrinkage again. This has stood the test of time, and the one time wash and dry doesn't seem to affect the jeans much at all.

- M

 

[polar-lemon]

Question.

I'm trying to decide if a straight leg or a slightly tapered look would suit me best. When trying on raw, unbroken in jeans, it looks like straight leg works (8" or so leg opening) best; the tapered fits I tried (7.5" leg opening) bunch up around my shoes, and look especially awkward with chelsea boots. However, the only .5 inch of difference made me question my assessment, especially since I read that straight legs, with wear, often appear to be bootcuts, as tapered legs similarly appear to be straight. In normal MC applications (which bluchers/boots), do most people wear a straight or slightly tapered leg?

 

[emptym]

Originally Posted by whacked

...

Originally Posted by mmkn

...
Thanks much guys.

 

[LeatherSOUL]

I gotta say, I just got a pair of Somets from BiG and I am very impressed. I like the feel and the fit is great. Highly recommended.

 

[dfagdfsh]

Originally Posted by polar-lemon

Question.

I'm trying to decide if a straight leg or a slightly tapered look would suit me best. When trying on raw, unbroken in jeans, it looks like straight leg works (8" or so leg opening) best; the tapered fits I tried (7.5" leg opening) bunch up around my shoes, and look especially awkward with chelsea boots. However, the only .5 inch of difference made me question my assessment, especially since I read that straight legs, with wear, often appear to be bootcuts, as tapered legs similarly appear to be straight. In normal MC applications (which bluchers/boots), do most people wear a straight or slightly tapered leg?

on most jeans 8" leg opening is tapered. what is your waist size?

 

[A Harris]

^^I'm surprised Somet hasn't been mentioned more in this thread. They seem like the ideal MC jeans to me.

 

[dfagdfsh]

huh? somets are very low rise