Random fashion thoughts - Part II (A New Hope)

[robinsongreen68]

has margiela stopped making the rounder-toe side zip? all i see now is the 'cuban' model with more heel and pointier toe.

 

[dieworkwear]



has margiela stopped making the rounder-toe side zip? all i see now is the 'cuban' model with more heel and pointier toe.

I just bought these, which have a slightly square-ish toe. More than any of my other Margiela zips. Elevated heel, but non-Cuban. Boot comes up a little higher on the calf.

 

[Benesyed]



I just bought these, which have a slightly square-ish toe. More than any of my other Margiela zips. Elevated heel, but non-Cuban. Boot comes up a little higher on the calf.

How's the leather?

 

[bows1]

I need a pair of chunky brown boots, similar to Visvim boots, but not as pricey. Want to wear some more blue's this spring but the only brown boots I have are some sleek jodphurs.

 

[dieworkwear]



How's the leather?

Pretty good. Hard to get suede wrong.

I also have these, but the leather is a bit more wrinkly. I like it more than my regular black MMM side zips though (the ones with the thinner soles). Leather on those feel thinner and more plastic-y.

 

[dieworkwear]

Nicely's Motos look a bit better, but for anyone interested, I just stumbled across these. Ships from the US, on sale, and looks like they'll take returns.

http://www.2120.us/shop/loafer-1

 

[dlbt]

Wow these loafers are what I have been looking for, minimal and beautiful. Have you tried them before to know how well they fit and how long it takes to break in?

 

[dlbt]

Generally any genuine leather shoes will be creased once you start wearing it (at the leather part), it's definitely normal

 

[VitaTimH]

Wrote a review of my Soloist parachute pants if anyone is interested.

Spoiler: Full text

#6. Ribboned Parachute Pants
TAKAHIROMIYASHITA TheSoloist.

The military has always been a fascination for the fashion-minded, with both designers and consumers drawing a great deal of inspiration from military style. Over the years, many items with wartime origins have become normalized into civilian style to such a degree that many are unaware of their roots: ties, peacoats, and even plain white t-shirt were all initially worn by soldiers. At the same time, other types of garments have retained their original identity: bomber jackets, fishtail parkas, and the like are common choices for those seeking a more clearly army-inspired aesthetic.

One such item that has held enduring popularity in fashion has been the parachute pant. Originally inspired by British military uniforms, the parachute pant was developed by the US Army to fit the needs of paratroopers during World War II. Every detail was functional: pockets were zipped to keep contents secure; hems were tight to prevent treading and to make marches easier; straps compressed the pockets to reduce the likelihood of them bursting during the initial shock of parachute deployment. These immediately recognizable details have proved popular, and since its incorporation into civilian style the parachute pant has been adapted by all sorts of designers.

In a curious instance of convergent evolution, parachute pants share many parallels with bondage pants, which were tight trousers adorned with a wide variety of zippers and straps. Both were popular amongst youth subcultures: rappers and breakdancers gravitated towards parachute pants, while bondage pants were favored by punks. Introduced by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, the zips and straps of bondage pants were meant to resemble BDSM and fetish wear, while the tight cut was an “anti-fashion” choice meant to push back against the mainstream bell bottoms of the time. One notable early designer that designed pants combining details of both was Helmut Lang, who in the late 90’s and early 00’s released many military-style jackets and pants that featured thinner, longer bondage straps.

Miyashita is no stranger to either type of pants, having designed many iterations of both flight and bondage pants for Number (N)ine. Recently, I was able to obtain a pair of the Ribboned Parachute Pants from the first collection of the Soloist, which is what I’ll be focusing on today.

---

Overview

I introduced Symphony #0001 in my previous post #04. Layered Easy Jacket. When comparing the Layered Easy Jacket to these pants, many similarities can be identified. The same Talon zippers with cotton pulls are used, with the ribbon directly stitched to the fabric in the same way. Both feature a paneled construction, though the jacket features a more intricate layered construction while the pants simply emphasize the seams.

The parachute pants are also much more overt in its military influence, with the fabric being a darker gray, and with the pulls being a military green rather than gray. However, while not being as pastoral as the Layered Easy Jacket, these pants are much less aggressive than the average parachute pants design due to the soft jersey fabric and the more delicate construction.

Symphony #0001 was released outside of the regular fashion schedule, with pieces being light enough for warm weather, yet loose-fitting enough to be heavily layered on colder days. However, I find these pants much less flexible. The fabric is warm and heavy, but the zippers and vent holes at the hem let heat escape and allow cold air to enter. Additionally, it’s harder to layer pants (Miyashita did release long “fishnet” socks, but those are hardly warm either), and as such, these pants are more limited for Spring and Fall weather.

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Construction

Similar to the Pajama Pants found in several other seasons, the Ribboned Parachute Pants are constructed of a soft jersey fabric, feature an offset drawstring closure, and are cut with loose thighs and a narrow hem. In terms of silhouette, the Ribboned Parachute Pants are quite similar to what one would expect from traditional parachute pants.

In contrast to the tactical material found on most flight pants, the fabric here is a blend of 90% wool, 6% nylon, and 4% linen. While rougher than the material used in the Layered Easy Jacket, it is still very soft and comfortable to wear. The front features two slanted waist pockets and two larger cargo pockets on the thighs.

Again, another classic parachute pants detail is replicated here in the reinforced crotch. Apparently, this detail was added to prevent the seams in the crotch from suddenly tearing during the paratrooper’s most crucial moment. Also of note are the reinforced stitching on the belt loops.

The wrapped straps are probably the most iconic and unique detail of parachute pants. Here, cotton ribbons are used instead of the traditional nylon, providing a more delicate appearance. Instead of buckles, an array of small snap buttons are hand-sewn to the ribbon. They wrap around twice and button under the kneecap.

---

Details

Zipper ribbons are typically concealed; here, they are brought to the forefront. Like the Layered Easy Jacket, the pockets are accessible via both the zip and the pocket flap.

Interesting construction detail — the ribbons are threaded through a **** in the pants, and then stitched down to the fabric underneath. Note the flat seams, commonly found on athletic garments.

Given the delicate construction and the age of the pants, fraying is unfortunately quite common.Hem detail. The reinforced vent holes are one of Miyashita’s longest-standing design details, and can be found on garments as early as in Number (N)ine 01AW ‘Redisun.’ (Jun Takahashi of Undercover is also a fan.)

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Closing Thoughts

Lately the pants I’ve been buying have exclusively been wide-cut, so these being form-fitting was a nice shift. I have to admit that I would prefer if there was a little more room in the calves (Miyashita tends to cut pants extremely narrow under the knee), but this is hardly a dealbreaker given how much I enjoy the other details of the pants.

Because I heavily emphasize layering in my personal style, things get a bit boring for me in the warmer months when even a single long sleeve is too hot. In the absence of layering, the intricate detailing of the pants helps keep things interesting.

 

[dieworkwear]



Wow these loafers are what I have been looking for, minimal and beautiful. Have you tried them before to know how well they fit and how long it takes to break in?

Assuming you mean the loafers I posted, no clue. I just found the brand today.

FWIW, I assume the shoes are made by these guys.

https://www.unmarked.mx/

 

[bosatlbwi]



I need a pair of chunky brown boots, similar to Visvim boots, but not as pricey. Want to wear some more blue's this spring but the only brown boots I have are some sleek jodphurs.

viberg?

 

[cyc wid it]

Might do black or charcoal suede Chelseas or side zips next.

From when I was reorganizing some stuff. That's missing quite a bit too nothing close to say Vox or :foo: or the guy in CM with the encyclopedic black oxford collection (super helpful btw).

 

[Ragechester]

What are the tan boots to the right of the Visvim?

 

[cyc wid it]

Margiela campus boots or something.

 

[dieworkwear]

Most daunting shoe collection I've ever seen was Jun's, an old school Japanese blogger who used to do a site called Cobbler's Web (he actually started again).

This is just the bespoke part of his collection. No idea if this is all of them either. But about 65 pairs of shoes here, and all bespoke -- some exotics included. He also has a lot of ready-to-wear.

Some of the bespoke is from the 1980s. Guy has been into clothes a long time.