This thread will be a place for people showing off progress of raw denim, asking for 'fit' advice and ideally - keeping a nice list of useful websites in the OP.
Brands to check out, by price range:
Sub-$100:
Levi's
Cheap Monday
Uniqlo
$100-200:
APC
Nudie
Naked & Famous
$200++:
Somet
Samurai
Skull
Rag & Bone
Flathead
Imperial
Acne
Earnest Sewn
Levi's Vintage Collection
Dior (Made in Italy)
Dior (Made in Japan)
Iron Heart
Sugar Cane
Real Japan Blues
Not-so-great jeans: (overpriced, low quality denim, prone to rips and tears, most often found with gaudy detailing)
Diesel
True Religion
Abercrombie / Hollister
Lucky Brand
Where to buy:
www.cultizm.com
www.contextclothing.com
www.blueingreensoho.com/ - a personal favorite! check out their shop in NYC!
www.selfedge.com - another great shop! check out their shops in NYC or san francisco!
http://www.shopfarinellis.com/default.aspx - great customer service, make sure you buy their re-usable tote if you plan on shopping there often
www.jean-therapy.com/ - check out their shop in boston!
http://www.superdenim.co.uk/index.asp - UK shop I saw on SUFU, I can't vouch for them
http://www.ssense.com - never shopped here, just stumbled across it
http://blog.leffot.com
Denim care:
If you don't like the idea of high maintenance clothing - don't worry. Wear your jeans as often as you like. If you want more contrast in your fades, wait longer between washes. Wash them with cold water if you want less fading, warmer water will shrink your jeans and fade quicker. Use detergents like Dr Bronners or Woolite.
We'll get to the esoteric stuff in a bit.
Sizing!
Why is this denim so expensive? What makes it special?
Selvage denim (also called selvedge denim) is a type of denim which forms a clean natural edge that does not unravel. It is commonly presented in the unwashed or raw state. Typically, the selvage edges will be located along the out-seam of the pants, making it visible when cuffs are worn. Although selvage denim is not completely synonymous with unwashed denim, the presence of selvage typically implies that the denim used is a higher quality.
The word "selvage" comes from the phrase "self-edge", the natural edge of a roll of fabric. As applied to denim, it means that which is made on old-style shuttle looms. These looms weave fabric with one continuous cross thread (the weft) that is passed back and forth all the way down the length of the bolt. As the weft loops back into the edge of the denim it creates this self-edge or Selvage. Selvage is desirable because the edge cant fray like lower grade denims that have separate wefts which leave an open edge that must be stitched. Shuttle looming is a more time-consuming weaving process that produces denim of a tighter weave resulting in a heavier weight fabric that lasts.
Shuttle looms weave a more narrow piece of fabric, and thus a longer piece of fabric is required to make a pair of jeans (approximately 3 yards). To maximize yield, traditional jean makers use the fabric all the way to the selvage edge. When the cuff is turned up the two selvage edges, where the denim is sewn together, can be seen. The selvage edge is usually stitched with colored thread: green, white, brown, yellow, and red (red is the most common). Fabric mills used these colors to differentiate between fabrics.
Most selvage jeans today are dyed with synthetic indigo, but natural indigo dye is available in smaller niche denim labels such as Evisu. Though they are supposed to have the same chemical makeup, there are more impurities in the natural indigo dye. Loop dying machines feed a rope of cotton yarn through vats of indigo dye and then back out. The dye is allowed to oxidize before the next dip. Multiple dips create a deep dark indigo blue.
In response to increased demand for jeans in the 1950s, American denim manufacturers replaced the old shuttle style looms with modern projectile looms. The new looms produced fabric faster and wider (60-inches or wider), though lighter and less durable. Synthetic dyeing techniques along with post-dye treatments were introduced to control shrink and twist.
There will be no moaning about the costs of these jeans, other than the 'you overpaid, ****.com has those a bit cheaper' or something equally useful. I don't have any mod authority, so you'll have to keep hateful comments to yourself out of the kindness of your heart. If you don't like jeans or clothes, that's all well and fine - there are many other threads in OT that may appeal to your passions.
It has occurred to me that many people will read this text and then post hate in an effort to rile us up. My advice is not to respond to belligerence - we will not convince them of the folly/hypocrisy of their ways. There will be people who will legitimately wonder why jeans cost over $60 and we will be more than happy to explain about 15 oz denim, the look of a 2 year old well worn pair, etc.
Brands to check out, by price range:
Sub-$100:
Levi's
Cheap Monday
Uniqlo
$100-200:
APC
Nudie
Naked & Famous
$200++:
Somet
Samurai
Skull
Rag & Bone
Flathead
Imperial
Acne
Earnest Sewn
Levi's Vintage Collection
Dior (Made in Italy)
Dior (Made in Japan)
Iron Heart
Sugar Cane
Real Japan Blues
Not-so-great jeans: (overpriced, low quality denim, prone to rips and tears, most often found with gaudy detailing)
Diesel
True Religion
Abercrombie / Hollister
Lucky Brand
Where to buy:
www.cultizm.com
www.contextclothing.com
www.blueingreensoho.com/ - a personal favorite! check out their shop in NYC!
www.selfedge.com - another great shop! check out their shops in NYC or san francisco!
http://www.shopfarinellis.com/default.aspx - great customer service, make sure you buy their re-usable tote if you plan on shopping there often
http://www.superdenim.co.uk/index.asp - UK shop I saw on SUFU, I can't vouch for them
http://www.ssense.com - never shopped here, just stumbled across it
http://blog.leffot.com
Denim care:
If you don't like the idea of high maintenance clothing - don't worry. Wear your jeans as often as you like. If you want more contrast in your fades, wait longer between washes. Wash them with cold water if you want less fading, warmer water will shrink your jeans and fade quicker. Use detergents like Dr Bronners or Woolite.
We'll get to the esoteric stuff in a bit.
Sizing!
Why is this denim so expensive? What makes it special?
Selvage denim (also called selvedge denim) is a type of denim which forms a clean natural edge that does not unravel. It is commonly presented in the unwashed or raw state. Typically, the selvage edges will be located along the out-seam of the pants, making it visible when cuffs are worn. Although selvage denim is not completely synonymous with unwashed denim, the presence of selvage typically implies that the denim used is a higher quality.
The word "selvage" comes from the phrase "self-edge", the natural edge of a roll of fabric. As applied to denim, it means that which is made on old-style shuttle looms. These looms weave fabric with one continuous cross thread (the weft) that is passed back and forth all the way down the length of the bolt. As the weft loops back into the edge of the denim it creates this self-edge or Selvage. Selvage is desirable because the edge cant fray like lower grade denims that have separate wefts which leave an open edge that must be stitched. Shuttle looming is a more time-consuming weaving process that produces denim of a tighter weave resulting in a heavier weight fabric that lasts.
Shuttle looms weave a more narrow piece of fabric, and thus a longer piece of fabric is required to make a pair of jeans (approximately 3 yards). To maximize yield, traditional jean makers use the fabric all the way to the selvage edge. When the cuff is turned up the two selvage edges, where the denim is sewn together, can be seen. The selvage edge is usually stitched with colored thread: green, white, brown, yellow, and red (red is the most common). Fabric mills used these colors to differentiate between fabrics.
Most selvage jeans today are dyed with synthetic indigo, but natural indigo dye is available in smaller niche denim labels such as Evisu. Though they are supposed to have the same chemical makeup, there are more impurities in the natural indigo dye. Loop dying machines feed a rope of cotton yarn through vats of indigo dye and then back out. The dye is allowed to oxidize before the next dip. Multiple dips create a deep dark indigo blue.
In response to increased demand for jeans in the 1950s, American denim manufacturers replaced the old shuttle style looms with modern projectile looms. The new looms produced fabric faster and wider (60-inches or wider), though lighter and less durable. Synthetic dyeing techniques along with post-dye treatments were introduced to control shrink and twist.
There will be no moaning about the costs of these jeans, other than the 'you overpaid, ****.com has those a bit cheaper' or something equally useful. I don't have any mod authority, so you'll have to keep hateful comments to yourself out of the kindness of your heart. If you don't like jeans or clothes, that's all well and fine - there are many other threads in OT that may appeal to your passions.
It has occurred to me that many people will read this text and then post hate in an effort to rile us up. My advice is not to respond to belligerence - we will not convince them of the folly/hypocrisy of their ways. There will be people who will legitimately wonder why jeans cost over $60 and we will be more than happy to explain about 15 oz denim, the look of a 2 year old well worn pair, etc.
