Levi's Vintage Clothing - 519 Bedford Pants

I'm willing to look past the fact that these pants are made in Turkey, as the fit is just so good on these pants and furthermore I'm really into the bedford fabric. Bedford is quite similar to corduroy because of the lengthwise ridges in the fabric, however it doesn't feature the filling yarns that create the wales in corduroy. Bedford is also a very hard wearing fabric that was utilised by the US army for a number of years. 

What makes the fit so good is the narrow hem, relatively high waist and the fact that the thighs are still slightly roomy. Actually it's a very period correct fit of the 60s - a fit that I'm always looking for and unfortunately a fit that is so hard to find. 

I think, they would be some of the best pants for the forthcoming summer.

Beauty & Youth - Harris Tweed Blazer

The coming of fall and winter allows you to wear a lot of layers, good sturdy coats, corduroy and finally your tweed blazers- preferably Harris Tweed blazers.

Lately a lot of companies have been using Harris Tweed fabrics in many ways and often I don't think it really makes sense. But when I saw this "coverall" blazer from Beauty & Youth it totally made sense. This type of fun blazer is something, which is obviously inspired by American leisure wear, but again it's totally Japanese. They have a way of mixing fabrics, colours and textures so effortlessly. It's definitely not for the faint-hearted, but it looks damn good.

Unfortunately it's made in Vietnam, which is a deal breaker for me. But it's still worth mentioning for its inspirational value - just like all products at Hickoree's.

Gung Ho

One thing I learned, when I started getting into menswear and clothing in general, as opposed to more fashion oriented clothing, is that quality doesn't always come with premium  price. Sometimes you do pay for that extra good fabric, some specific details or something being actualy handsewn, but it is possible to obtain well-made products at a surprisingly - or embarrassingly - low price.

This is the case with Earl's Apparel (which I'm pretty sure also covers the brands Gung Ho and Stan Ray), which is made in the US. Their workwear products have long been a mainstay in Japan (where I discovered them a long time ago), but now they are making an entrance in the US in more reputable shops like Hickoree's and Archival Clothing. 

The fit may no be for all, as it looks a bit roomy, however I think the price is something, that appeals to all and personally there is one detail, that I'm just crazy about; and that is the felled outseam. Having thighs like tree trunks myself, I find, that a lot of pants look like they're busting at the seams, especially when sitting down. However that felled outseam prevents just that. Again, a small detail that very few notices, but it makes a hell of a difference to me. You just don't see that many company making pants with that detail and if I could, I would.

The Hill-Side - Guatemalan Hand-Wovens

The Hill-Side guys have a really good feel of fabrics. They use nice, crisp chambrays, which made them quite famous at first, but lately they have been adding some beautiful flower prints, camouflage and lots of different interesting weaves.

Their latest offerings of hand-woven, Guatemalan fabrics are no different. They are amazing. The colours, the weave, the fact that they are fair trade and that they are cut and sewn in the US, makes them perfect. Especially if you are feeling a little dandy or feeling, that a bit of colour might do your daily outfit some good.

Available at Unionmade and Hickorees

Archival Clothing - Webbing Belt

The blog Archival Clothing is a dear favourite of mine and I promise, that they will be featured a lot more here in the times to come. I came to think of them today because I was putting on an old, cherised belt made by J.M Davidson, which is an O-ring belt made of a sort of hard nylon webbing. A bit too flimsy for my taste nowadays.

Archival Clothing has made their version of a classic webbing belt using cotton webbing from the UK, leather from Horween (Chromexcel, of course) in the US and finally solid brass O-rings, that were also sourced in the UK. The belt was assembled in Oregon in the US, where Archival Clothing also reside (except for one of them, who recently left for NY). The belt also features Archival Clothing's signature red bartacking.

If you have ever had anything made of solid brass, you know, that the brass will tarnish and the webbing will feel hard at first, but it will also soften. However it will probably never feel flimsy.

The best part about the belt is probably the price - just around $25,- I would definitely be ordering one, if it wasn't because I have been thinking about making such a belt myself. I just need to get around to doing it. 

One Month of Denim - Day 26

These are the hands of a passionate man

We are getting closer and closer to the end of this marathon. I'm almost out of things, that I want to write about, but I think I'll make it. Then we will take a long break from denim, unless something amazing is uncovered in the deserts of Arizona or something sensational happens.

That sensational thing happening could be coming from the English brand Tender Co. and I would be foolish to not include Tender in a write up on denim - especially on modern denim -, as I see this brand as one of the most innovative.

So what makes Tender more innovative than others or rather should I say, what makes Tender so great? That might seem like a fairly easy question to answer, but there are many things that you need to include in order to answer that question fully.

This list might give some perspective to why Tender is so great. In no particular order of course.

1. William Kroll seems like friendliest man alive. Probably also one of the most passionate and creative.

2. Everything is cut a sewn in England using small factories and artisans - you can take this literally

3. The use of natural dyes like woad dye (I type of indigo dye), logwood and weld

4. The use of full grain leather that has been oak tanned in England by an amazing tannery called JF Baker - (I have used this leather myself and I have to say it is the best belt leather, I have used)

5. The overly excessive use of small, well-thought details - for instance the "snob's thumb pocket"

6. Not necessarily making slim, basic 5 pocket jeans a la the New Standard

7. Custom made (in England) wax cast solid brass buttons

8. Custom made (in England) wax cast belt buckles of very original designs.

9. Tender has a piece of soap in their assortment

10. Small, well curated collection - that grows organically

11. Collaboration with Hickorees Hard Goods in New York - Don't you love this?

12. Loopwheeled t-shirts with print or hand dyed

13. The level of almost full disclosure through the Tender thread on Superfuture. Definitely worth a couple of hours of browsing due to the pictorials posted by William himself

14. Ingenious construction of the garments - bias cut and one-piece cut

15. The introduction of sheepskin mittens in the collection and small runs of denim aprons

16. Beautiful print illustrations done by an old artist named Dorrit Dekk

17. For having a wall clock as a prime feature on the website

18. You can ask him anything in the Superfuture thread, and he will probably provide answers for more than you asked

19. Do you need more reasons? Really?

20. If you need more, watch this film

I wouldn't mind a pair of these, although my taste is probably a bit too conventional (boring) to pull them off on a daily basis.