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How jeans conquered the world (2012)

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Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#21

Post by nightski »

huac wrote: post #16
baus wrote: post #8

Japan is at the pinnacle of denim these days (although the US is catching up again). If you want to go off the deep end, take a look at SF based Self Edge [ http://www.selfedge.com ] or NY based Blue in Green [ https://blueingreensoho.com/ ]

Blue Owl in Seattle is good too. These denim stores are mostly focused on raw denim, which is generally a much higher quality garment than available normally.

The quality difference would have to be substantial. I bring in a very high income for my area, and the thought of spending $300-$400 on a single pair of jeans is pretty out there.

An $80 pair of jeans, which will often be on sale for $40-$50 will last me for 2-3 years and are of average quality.

It seems to me like one would have to justify these jeans on the fashion/novelty aspect, and not quality/value as it just isn't there imho.

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#22

Post by blhack »

syphilis2 wrote: post #10

It's surprisingly difficult to find a pair of jeans that I really like, and I've taken to altering my own to make up for the shortcomings. Nearly all have reduced the number of belt loops to 5, so I always add 2 more in the back on either side. I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap h…

Have you seen: http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/

I've been meaning to order from them for a while, and have heard really good things about them.

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#23

Post by baus »

nightski wrote: post #21
huac wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Blue Owl in Seattle is good too. These denim stores are mostly focused on raw denim, which is generally a much higher quality garment than available normally.

The quality difference would have to be substantial. I bring in a very high income for my area, and the thought of spending $300-$400 on a single pair of jeans is pretty out there. An $80 pair of jeans, which will often be on sale for $40-$50 will last me for 2-3 years and are of average quality. It seems to me like one would have to justify these jeans on the fashion/novelty aspect, and not quality/value as it just…

If you take a pair of unwashed 501s and compare them to a pair of unwashed Iron Heart denim, you will see that the quality difference is substantial. Whether that matters is something you have to decide for yourself

Since I wear denim almost everyday, the quality difference and the attention to detail matters to me. It reminds me that attention to detail matters in my own work

I don't understand why engineers tend to care so little about the quality of their clothes

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#24

Post by anigbrowl »

I stopped wearing them 2 years ago and don't miss them at all. Of course I still have some and will put them on sometimes when its practical, but modern denim just doesn't seem to be as hard wearing as it used to be, and I'm also sick of the weight and poor fit.

I was especially annoyed a few years ago to find my favorite brand had slightly shortened the zipper, thus eliminating the whole benefit of being able to pee standing up because it was difficult to get my hand inside the smaller opening and uncomfortable to have it pinching me while I use the toilet. I'm sure the small savings on shorter zippers add up in the corporate accounts, but why would you make it more difficult for half the population to do something they need to do multiple times a day? They do the same sort of things with women's jeans by making the pockets too small to fit anything into (not to mention all the problems of getting a good fit since women's body shapes seem to vary more than men's).

Economically jeans are an interesting example of commodity fetishism systematically making the product worse, as the emphasis shifts to fashionable display over comfort and functionality, and eventually the latter begins to be sacrificed in pursuit of the former. The oddest example I've seen of this was a UK startup that proposed to give people free jeans for 6 months or a year so that they'd wear them in and then ship them back for sale at a high price to fashionistas who wanted an authentically distressed look rather than one inflicted with a power tool at the jean factory. In other words, people will pay money to look poorer than they actually are.

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#25

Post by anigbrowl »

syphilis2 wrote: post #10

It's surprisingly difficult to find a pair of jeans that I really like, and I've taken to altering my own to make up for the shortcomings. Nearly all have reduced the number of belt loops to 5, so I always add 2 more in the back on either side. I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap h…

I'm totally with you on these and don't consider them nitpicky at all, people should expect comfort and good fit. But:

I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap hotel". Also unfixable.

seems an unfortunately worded critique given your username :)

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#26

Post by subterfudge44 »

syphilis2 wrote: post #10

It's surprisingly difficult to find a pair of jeans that I really like, and I've taken to altering my own to make up for the shortcomings. Nearly all have reduced the number of belt loops to 5, so I always add 2 more in the back on either side. I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap h…

What surprised me in USA was the poor quality of jeans. If you go to low end places like Target or Wallmart you will find less variety and bad fitting and no attention is paid to the cloth quality either. The stores like Levis etc. have only the latest fashion and everything else would be in a corner. If you know what you want then it is really hard to go to Levis and buy a jeans.

For example I like double seam on side, ideally shining buttons on the pockets and classic blue color.

I always buy jeans in India. Places like Shopper Stop seem to have insane variety of jeans and all styles are available throughout the year.

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#27

Post by anigbrowl »

coldtea wrote: post #14
digi_owl wrote: post #12

Ans as any such symbol, marketing departments soon learned how to de-fang and package them for easy consumption.

Not that there were any big fangs to begin with. This isn't a culture, like punk or whatever, it is just a garment.

I disagree, jeans had significant cultural significance. As well as being associated with The West and the gold rush in particular, jeans were a strong signifier of working-class origins for a good while, and I bet if I were to show you a bunch of different jean logos you'd easily distinguish between those that are sold for fashion and those that are 'work wear'.

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#28

Post by [deleted] »

baus wrote: post #23
nightski wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The quality difference would have to be substantial. I bring in a very high income for my area, and the thought of spending $300-$400 on a single pair of jeans is pretty out there. An $80 pair of jeans, which will often be on sale for $40-$50 will last me for 2-3 years and are of average quality. It seems to me like one would have to justify these jeans on the fashion/novelty aspect, and not quality/value as it just…

If you take a pair of unwashed 501s and compare them to a pair of unwashed Iron Heart denim, you will see that the quality difference is substantial. Whether that matters is something you have to decide for yourself Since I wear denim almost everyday, the quality difference and the attention to detail matters to me. It reminds me that attention to detail matters in my own work I don't understand why engineers tend to…

[deleted]

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#29

Post by anigbrowl »

santaclaus wrote: post #19
Analemma_ wrote: post #2

A far as male pants/trousers go, your choices are basically jeans, corduroys, or khakis (chinos). Corduroys are uncomfortably warm, IME, and of the remaining two jeans are a clear winner for convenience: they don't need to be ironed (chinos look terrible as soon as they get even slightly wrinkled, jeans do not), and they better conceal small spills and stains. Not much more to it than that, for me.

I used to have a coworker who would weather leather pants to the office. YMMV.

Possibly me :)

Re: How jeans conquered the world (2012)

#30

Post by Kalium »

blhack wrote: post #22
syphilis2 wrote: post #10

It's surprisingly difficult to find a pair of jeans that I really like, and I've taken to altering my own to make up for the shortcomings. Nearly all have reduced the number of belt loops to 5, so I always add 2 more in the back on either side. I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap h…

Have you seen: http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/ I've been meaning to order from them for a while, and have heard really good things about them.

I would suggest a modicum of caution. That price point is impressively competitive with Levi's while promising extensive customization. That's a potential warning sign.

You might be better served looking at http://companiondenim.com/

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