'distressed' jeans...

[dr greg]

Screenprinter's skills not needed

What about the shirts with all the printed scribble over them, you got those over there in the USA too? What a joke!

You mean "Billabong Man"? jesus that look is pathetic, it just says: "I let my wife buy my clothes" what is really interesting though is the different levels of it, there's the Crazy Clark's/Target version in black and brown on grey, but if you play the odd resort or flashy seaside pub like we do, exactly the same designs are there in GOLD AND SILVER on khaki, I mean...spare me.
A friend of mine had his own screenprinting business doing some of the few items of women's clothing still ASSEMBLED in this country, and he told me he could find out which colour and design would predominate in the stores in 2 year's time, because it was all planned that far ahead...

 

[flat-top]

One of my favorite pairs of jeans is a Lee repro. They were part of a limited run copied from a pair of jeans found on the floor of a 100 year old barn. Stains, crude "period" repairs, creases, etc.
So in this case, "distressed" is good!

 

[tonyb]

Speaking of repairs ...
Doesn't anyone patch his (or her) jeans anymore? Have they become so inexpensive that fixing them is hardly worth the effort? Or are we moderns so lacking in traditional domestic skills (and equipment) that we couldn't make effective repairs even if we wanted to?
I recall wearing jeans that had patches on their patches, fer cryin' out loud! And these days they like to wear 'em with rips and tears from the get go.
Excuse me for shaking my head and rolling my eyes, but I'm beginning to understand how my grandfather felt.

 

[Alan Eardley]

There was a 'fashionista' lady on UK Radio 5 a few weeks ago who said that people over 40 shouldn't wear jeans - especially men. I found that amusing, as a little historical research would show that the original target market for 'waist overalls' (the term 'jean' was not ubiquitious until later) is exactly that group. They were American workwear for hard-bitten farmers, cowboys and share croppers. Many of whom wore them well into old age if the photos are anything to go by.

The idea of non-manual workers wearing jeans would probably have seemed ridiculous before 'dude ranching' became popular in the late 1930s. What guys like Shorty Neil and Jim Shoulders would make of that lady's views I have no idea.

Jeans as fashion items for soft teenagers? Neh.

Alan

 

[Edward]

Personally, i'm always pretty pleased when the fashion set insist jeans are gonig out - I wear them quite a lot myself, and I'd much rather not be part of a fashion trend. I can pay all the lip service you want to "I just buy my thing, and I don't care if it's in or not", but there is a deep seated part of my soul that takes it as a matter of extreme personal offence if my preferred style happens to be "trendy." [huh] Noone will ever get me out of jeans.... that said, there are some things I would never wear due to age... I point blank refuse to even consider being seen in a pair of shorts outside of the swimming pool. I wore shorts for a total of seven days between the age of sixteen and 21, and I bitterly regret every single one of them. I consider myself the "wrong side of 25" for leather trousers. This past year I've finally hung up the drainpipes - that's not an age thing, though - I'm just too damn fat for them now, especially since all the indie kids started wearing them again, and they're all 18 and like rakes.

Smithy, I absolutely agree with you on the "dirty denim" look - it's hideous. I would never dream of wearing a pair of jeans without waashing for as lnog as it would take to get to that state - [vomit]the idea that you'd be stuck with that look and never be able to wash it out....[/vomit] As for the distressed look, again I would never dream of wearing a pair of jeans as badly worn out as the typical "pre-distressed" pair, let alone pay for them in that state to begin with! Vile. If I did get a hole in a pair that were otherwise wearable, I would of course patch them. As far back as I can remember, even as a small child when the ripped look was very in, I always hated it. Since I grew up and stopped crawling round the floor lol I don't tend to get holes in the knees - more commonly, it's the crotch area I wear out first, where the thighs rub. Unfortunately that's very hard to patch without it chafing!

The pre distressed look has been everywhere here for a couple of years. I'ts not hard to find jeans that aren't, but there's a terrible lot of other stuff it is. Casual trousers, for instance. Last year I wanted a few pairs for work wear, and I ended up having to buy some that were too long for me and turn them up as it was the only way to get a hem that wasn't frayed. The pocket edging still have a little fraying, but not so bad. The frayed ankles looked dreadful. They even do it on shoes. I really don't get it.

 

[Haversack]

I was amused when the slashed pants look appeared. Who would have thought that a look first made famous by a bunch of ditch-spawned, nails mercenaries would reappear 500 years later?

"Hai Landsknecht! Leben ist nicht aber Krieg und Schreck."

Haversack.

 

[olive bleu]

It's really tough as a parent of 2 adolescent boys and they are asking for these jeans because all their friends are wearing them.I try to be hip, I really do.But, i just can't go there.In fact more than one pair of pants that have developed holes have "mysteriously" disappeared,never to be seen again.I just keep preaching the message that there is nothing "nerdy" about leaving the house with your clothing intact.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

That settles it. I will now sell all of my old, worn out crummy looking jeans on ebay.
Y'all are invited to my mansion in Californy. Update:
Everybody send me your old, tattered jeans!

 

[The Wingnut]

Dirty jeans embarrass me, faded jeans annoy me, and jeans with holes get round filed.

...and on that note, I need 3 new pair of Wranglers. I've worn my current set out.

When I was young and rough and tumble, playing sports and skidding around on grass, dirt and other knee-shredding surfaces, rips, tears, loose threads, gaping holes and stains were a badge of honor.

I'm an adult. My clothes are supposed to be in good repair, clean and presentable, regardless of being working class, white collar, or any other social strata.

I've looked at the 'fashion' jeans that are being offered on most store shelves now, and the material seems as if it would disintegrate with any hard use. The denim, if it can be called that, is paper thin.

 

[BellyTank]

Distressed denim is actually "distressed"- it will wear out in short order.
The old stonewash treatment and the more modern chemical and enzyme treatments will guarantee a short life. For the jeans, that is.

The vintage repros wear for years and years.
I have so many, I need to sell some.

B
T

 

[KL15]

Rant of the week: I really can't put into words what I think of someone who would actually buy these and think they're cool. My jeans eventually become this 'distressed' looking, but it usually takes a couple of years...not right off the shelf.

From an ad in today's Sunday paper:

[/IMG]

Back in the rocker days I used to wear those. We were sort of old fashioned about it, we would buy Levi's and shred them ourselves with a razor blade. Then throw them in the wash so they would unravel. I know I know, what in the world was I thinking.:eusa_doh:

 

[Lady Day]

But the look is so fake it LOOKS like someone bought it lol


LD

 

[The Wingnut]

Who blows out their jeans in the upper thigh? The right knee is usually the first spot to go, then the back pockets around the wallet.

 

[Alan Eardley]

You can't have too many pairs of jeans, surely?

Surely a gentleman needs at least one pair from each decade since each make was introduced. That's about 13 pairs of Levi's, say 9 pairs of Lee, 8 of Wranglers, plus assorted 'Boss of the Road' and 'Can't Bust 'em'. Oh and then there are the interesting '60s non-American jeans such as Lybro and Falmer. And the high-end Japanese items like Edwin and Denime should be represented. He will surely need a few spare pairs to wear when the others are in the wash.

Then, of course, as a gentleman always favours a suit over separates, he will need a jacket (and possibly denim shirt and vest) to go with the jeans. I make that at least 40 pairs to be reasonably well stocked. Looked at in this way, I still have some say to go.

Alan

 

[daddy-o]

No you cant have enough jeans but try explaining that to your wife......up until recently I would never buy a pair of distressed LVC´s or Lee´s. I would only buy rigid ,dry denim but I was really careful not to trash them or even wash them ( try explaining that to most people...) So when a pair of LVC´s 1933 "explosion" came up cheap on ebay I bought them and hey, they actually look good and vintage. And I dont have to worry about trashing them coz they are already trashed. I still ain´t a big fan of distressed denim but they somehow serve their purpose for me now.