Jeans:

[rowdyhillrambler]

Where are you located? Imogene and Willie in Nashville, TN

[Auk]

On the buy em and beat em end of the spectrum, Dickies denim carpenter pants and for a bit tougher version, their faux carhartt jeans. Could do without the hammer loop (nothing a razor blade won't cure) but love the leg pockets for cell phone and the odd t-handle hex when working on the bike. Heavy material, roomy in the legs, and damn cheap.

[Brandon White]

Where are you located? Imogene and Willie in Nashville, TN

Their stuff looks pretty nice.

Roy in LA also handmakes pairs from start to finish - I'm sure a custom pair could be made. I think Self Edge is his exclusive distributor.

[Brandon White]

Just got a pair of RRL slim rigid. Very nice japanese denim and cut/sewn in the US. Thigh sizing big enough to fit comfortably and they actually have 3 lengths. I'd consider them mid range for a denim head. Maybe upper middle. Certainly above APC, Nudie, and Naked & Famous. I tried a pair of 3Sixteen that were way too large on me, but they were still pretty nice with good details (and were left hand twill). I think the RRLs are a little nicer though.

[christian]

Anybody wearing Levis 513? APC NS are my go to jean, but it would be good to find a cheaper option for working on the bike, motorbike, around the house, etc. I find 514s to be a bit too low rise and to have too little taper, otherwise I'm pretty happy with them. 513s look like they're closer to NS in terms of fit. Think I'm going to get a pair to try.

[chasea]

514s are boot cut, no? 511s are tapered, and 510s are super skinny.

[christian]

No 514 are slim straight - which appears right; they have very slight taper below the knee. 511 are "skinny," and with more taper below the knee but have the same issue as 514s - too low rise. 513s are basically supposed to be 514s with more taper and a higher rise. Or looser 511s with a higher rise. Or perhaps a (much) slimmer 501. I am hoping they're like APC NS. Will go try them on at some point.

[chasea]

No 514 are slim straight - which appears right; they have very slight taper below the knee. 511 are "skinny," and with more taper below the knee but have the same issue as 514s - too low rise. 513s are basically supposed to be 514s with more taper and a higher rise. Or looser 511s with a higher rise. Or perhaps a (much) slimmer 501. I am hoping they're like APC NS. Will go try them on at some point.

Good to know. I'm a 510 guy. Have been for years. No need to try new pairs on. I wear 'em out and replace them every few years. I hope you soon find a number that works for you, so you can get on with L-I-V-I-N.

[Matthew Strongin]

Anybody wearing Levis 513? APC NS are my go to jean, but it would be good to find a cheaper option for working on the bike, motorbike, around the house, etc. I find 514s to be a bit too low rise and to have too little taper, otherwise I'm pretty happy with them. 513s look like they're closer to NS in terms of fit. Think I'm going to get a pair to try.

I just replaced two pairs of 514s that were worn out with a pair of 513s and a pair of 511 Commuter (the bike specific, yeah...I'm a dork). The 513s fit slimmer but are still comfortable. I'm really happy with them and think they might be my new go to model. The denim you choose makes a difference, but I went with the rinsed neppy (IIRC) which were soft right away. The 511 Commuters have a bunch of extra features like some stretch, more durable stitching, reflective lining if you roll them up and some other stuff. They're a little on the slim side, but I'm getting used to them and I find the stretch makes them super comfortable.

[christian]

Awesome. Thanks Matthew.

[WadePatton]

On the buy em and beat em end of the spectrum, Dickies denim carpenter pants and for a bit tougher version, their faux carhartt jeans. Could do without the hammer loop (nothing a razor blade won't cure) but love the leg pockets for cell phone and the odd t-handle hex when working on the bike. Heavy material, roomy in the legs, and damn cheap.

for 20frn each*, i'm about to buy some american-made (dickies and carhartt are mexican at last tag inspection), double fronted, suspender button-equipped raw denim logger jeans.

hard to find, but i just keep diggin'.

I'm actually making shorts out of 'em as Diamond Gusset wears out too quickly to drop 50 a pair on 'em any more. their main benefit-besides the package-stress-relieving gusset is that they have monster "watch" pockets. the Prison Blues watch pocket is a novelty.

but then i live in denim when i'm not wearing stretchy clothes and clicky shoes.

bailey's logger supply if'n you're hardcore-in fact and not for fashion.

*on sale and single-fronts are cheaper-for light days yo.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Wade, i used to run the carhartt raw denim, double knee and got a lot of wear out of them. I think they are made in mexico now, but a local logger was in my shop last week sporting a pair of Prison Blues. They looked just like my old carhartts, but were made in the states. Anyone have any first hand experience with this brand?

[WadePatton]

i'm wearing 'em. the dang "wildass" jeans were sold out of all 32"...loggers be thinner than most americans yo.

Estlund has PB experience too. I get the medium/tall in the shirts and still have to take them up to reduce tent-ness. The jeans are great heavy denim, but lack the wonderful gusset, and have a too small for phone use watch pocket. the hip pockets are a bit miniscule as well.

Sizing on the jeans can be iffy, and that's a pain because they're raw. my 32's are a bit snugger than any other 32 i have. for the money and my intensity-ill be wearing more PB and still going to try the Wildass by Bailey's.

now if i can find someone who'll hem denim...i'm makin' shorts.

I've worn plenty of carhartt, but given a choice i'm buying domestic-in order to help preserve the ability to have a choice.

Prison Blues are made by prisoners in the Oregon Dept of Corrections. It's just like China except-these guys are paid a fair wage, and the wages are often used to pay their restitutional bills. Methinks it gives the guys a productive outlet that they may have never had on the outside. Maybe not a perfect system, but it beats working out and shanking each other all day atwo.

[RickM]

Prison Blues are made by prisoners in the Oregon Dept of Corrections. It's just like China except-these guys are paid a fair wage, and the wages are often used to pay their restitutional bills. Methinks it gives the guys a productive outlet that they may have never had on the outside. Maybe not a perfect system, but it beats working out and shanking each other all day atwo.

I helped set up a program with 2 prisons in the UK where prisoners there assembled mechanical Braille writing machines. The quality of their work was outstanding, their morale was high, and they got paid well. A very rare Win-Win.

[omnigrid]

I just washed my nudies for the first time in 9 months.

[cody.wms]

Super jeans day here at CW HQ. The Imogene + Willie's I ordered in Nashville last week made it to DC (they hemmed and modified the legs for me), and I happened to find a pair of the U.S. made 505 Levi's at the Pentagon City Nordstrom Rack on the way home (they have more in stock, paging BillRick, cough, cough).

I'm set on jeans for a while. I am going to take some detail pics of both while they are still new. Similar to my eye, which isn't surprising, since the I+Ws are based of a 40s 501 pattern.


selvedge! by Cody Wms, on Flickr

[rowdyhillrambler]

Report back on the Imogene and Willies please, Cody.. I know they are expensive, but everyone i talked to said they are made to withstand the test. Hipsters told me they didnt have to wash them for months at a time.. Is that a good thing? I know its hard to get real dirty sitting around a coffe shop or digging through the Grimeys record selection, but i need real world stuff.. I GET DIRTY!! Blue collar dirty, these may be more of a sunday-go-to-meeting type jean.

[Brandon White]

Report back on the Imogene and Willies please, Cody.. I know they are expensive, but everyone i talked to said they are made to withstand the test. Hipsters told me they didnt have to wash them for months at a time.. Is that a good thing? I know its hard to get real dirty sitting around a coffe shop or digging through the Grimeys record selection, but i need real world stuff.. I GET DIRTY!! Blue collar dirty, these may be more of a sunday-go-to-meeting type jean.

Really - the dirtier, the better. Use them, love them, live in them - replace when necessary.

[cody.wms]

Report back on the Imogene and Willies please, Cody.. I know they are expensive, but everyone i talked to said they are made to withstand the test. Hipsters told me they didnt have to wash them for months at a time.. Is that a good thing? I know its hard to get real dirty sitting around a coffe shop or digging through the Grimeys record selection, but i need real world stuff.. I GET DIRTY!! Blue collar dirty, these may be more of a sunday-go-to-meeting type jean.

I like them so far, but I'm not going to get them dirty like you would, since I work at a desk all day. My bro has a couple pairs, and his 1+ year old ones look like new. He's a desk type jockey also. The whole not-washing thing is so you get interesting wear patterns in the denim (the denim will stretch out/conform too), and I+W recommends going 6+ months without washing them when you get them. Most people try to not wash them and throw them in the sun or freezer to get the stink out.

They'll be tougher than most things, but I doubt that if you are looking from a pure wearing standpoint, they'd last 5 times longer than the equivalent Mexico made 501 STFs (around $50 on Amazon) or some of the USA made stuff Wade has posted (about the same price).

That being said, they are pretty awesome. They were a TON of scratch, but worth it to me. The fact that they come from Nashville is a big plus for me (for obvious reasons). Not sure how local you live, but the only thing I'd change, if I lived close by, is that I'd want to wear them for a couple weeks, then take them back for modifications. They'll take in the legs and hem them to your specs on site. I'm glad I bought them instead of some off the shelf stuff from one of the "high-end" stores here.

The other ones I'd look at whenever I go to buy jeans again (in the year 2050) will be Raleigh Denim. Several of their jeans have a green undercast that wears real nicely. I'd want to go get them from their shop in Raleigh, though.

[ElvisMerckx]

Tell me more about those 505s. Do they say Levi's or LEVI'S on the red pocket tag? -- big difference being the capital E.