*| | Denim _ School | |*

[hoopervilaa]

rare prescription...sorry those jeans are terrible.

the pockets are bigger than the butt area and has that stupid one flap style that just doesnt look right. Not to mention to show off that its selvage, theyjust had to put that selvage lining there in the pocket. But hey to each their own. (just buy some nudies)

 

[i love af1]

any good staight leg jean brands?

 

[jvhoop22]

For the thread starter,

To quote a question I answered from the selvedge denim topic in the "other brands" forum:

one question, what is selvedge denim?
First off, I should explain what selvedge is. All woven fabric has selvedge. Woven fabric has a length grain and a width grain. The selvedge of a piece of fabric runs along the two edges of the length grain of the fabric. It is usually about 1/8"-1/2" and is just a more tightly woven part of the fabric that prevents it from fraying during production.

Now, true selvedge denim is considered denim fabric that is produced on older looms (such as the original kind that Levi's used). These looms produce a more tightly woven, but not as wide (about 30" or so if I remember correctly) fabric. Then, the physical jean pattern is cut so that the outseam lands on the selvedge (making the seem allowance the selvedge part of the fabric). It is actually harder to get a good fit when creating a pair of selvedge jeans because you cannot create a pattern where there is any curvature on the outseam from near the top of the hip area down. Hope that helps.


Btw, as others have said. Edwin is a great bang for your buck and so is APC. I also really like some of Levi's vintage remakes. Sugarcane is great, but at a much higher price point.

As far as looking for where you want your jeans produced, usually France and Japan have the highest quality.

Another brand I like as far as denim is Nom De Guerre (very sturdy denim, great colors) and there stuff is produced in Japan.


Go HERE if you want to look at some great denim online

 

[klipschorn]

Originally Posted by beezylocks

i got 2 questions on levis.

how much do stfs shrink? if i wear a 34 32
and
do regular 501s only come with button fly?

to get the right size in STFs, you go ONE size bigger on the waist, and TWO-THREE sizes on the SEAM

so yours would turn out, 35 x 34ish. it'll tell you on the TAG on the back pocket when you go check it out in person. just read the instruction onthere, it'll point you to the right direction.

not sure about 'regular 501s' being button fly, but i know the STFs are.

Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU

Originally Posted by Klipschorn

Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU

If i wash my 501's will they shrink???

only if they're the 501 STFs. when i first bought mine, which was a week ago and yesterday, i immediately soaked it w/ hot water. in order for it to shrink already. it'll lose some indigo fade but not notable. i'm on the path of experimenting these jeans, which will take a lifetime and a day.

people shrink them first because you want the 'honey combs' and whiskers to come out right,. from what i read, you don't want wear it for hella long and then shrink it because the honey comb will look out of place, ye dig?

i'm still a rookie though so

Alright thanks, what should i do now that i have worn them? should i soak them in hot water, wash anyway, or not wash them at all? thanks

well, the way i did it was flooding my bathrub about 5inches high of HOT WATER, and then i lay the JEAN in it for about an hour with small weights on it,making it stay under water. take it out, you probably won't notice the difference until you put them on. all you have to do now it air dry it, you'llnotice the difference when you put it on, again, it shrunk. i do have PICTURES of it (compared to one that didn't shrink), i'll post it later tonighthopefully. do not wash, after you soaked it in hot water, just wear it consistantly for a long period, say 6 months (average notable break in period) then wa****.

i've read people used 'starch' spray on their jeans but i haven't really gone into detail why they do it. can anybody shed light on thatpart?

 

[teamcharisma69]

aye sup guys i'm getting some lrgeans with the classic 47 fit, I already bought some big tree and straight fit jeans from lrg but i'm wondering whatdoes classic 47 mean?

 

[nikexcartoon]

i've read people used 'starch' spray on their jeans but i haven't really gone into detail why they do it. can anybody shed light on that part?


Starching is used to make your jeans stiff after they've softened up a bit. It makes producing honeycombs and whiskers faster, but the jeans will ripeasier if they're starched.

I would suggest just doing a cold soak.

 

[soulize dp]

This is a pretty good mini guide for APC's from sufu...

Originally Posted by jeepster

holy @%@$ this thread has gone to sooooo many noobs. no offense guys, but honestly, you've all asked the same questions over and over and over again. and yes, i was once like you, but i decided to just GET THEM, instead of repeating myself over and over again.

OK, here goes:
-APC New Standard: Normally, people like to size down between 1-3 on these. They are a straighter legged cut, wider leg openings, and a very standard profile. While they can be worn baggy or tight, that is to the wearer's discretion. New Standards are selvage denim, and if you refer to any picture of them, they will tell you so. NS now come in indigo and black raw denim, so you can go either way. The sizing on the black is a tad bit different due to the denim by affected by a different dye, but it should not affect the overall sizing. YES, these jeans do stretch, that is why you size down considerably from what your real waist is. Knee bulge will happen if you get them sized down considerably, but will not ruin your jeans. If you soak them, they will shrink some and assume a form closer to their original shape.

-APC New Cure: New Cures are very similar to NS, save for the fact that they are not selvage and have a tapered leg opening. The silhouette is much slimmer and generally tighter. Most people size down only 1-2 (I sized down 2) on these. But, like other APC jeans, they stretch considerably after a couple weeks of wear. APC NC's have been made in indigo and a prewashed grey denim, and there has been no indication that they will be doing black, as of yet. The different between New Cures and Cures is just that, one is a more recent version of the other. The Cure, generally, has been the women's version of the NC, but APC seems to make jeans on a unisex level, so they can go either way.

DO NOT WORRY IF THEY ARE RIDICULOUSLY STIFF WHEN YOU GET THEM, THAT IS THE NATURE OF QUALITY RAW/DRY DENIM. THEY WILL SOFTEN UP IN ~30 WEARS (2 WEEKS IF YOU WEAR THEM EVERY DAY). THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY WILL BE FLIMSY, IT MEANS THEY WILL ADHERE TO YOUR BODY AND BECOME MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE. APC DENIM IS TOUGH AS NAILS AND THE ONLY REAL WAY TO RIP THEM IS TO DO SPLITS OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL THAT IS.

SO, what have we learned children:
-NS: size down between 1-3, if you're unsure, go 2 or 1. These are straight leg, and have a wider leg opening than NC's - selvage
-NC: size down between 1-2, if unsure, just 1. These are a tapered straight leg, and have a slimmer opening below the knee than NS's - non-selvage
-APC inseams are usually as such: waist 25-30: 32-34" inseam/ waist 31-36: 34-36" inseam

-Many are confused why you size down from the tagged size with APC's - this is known as vanity sizing. This entails that the jeans are cut usually a size or two bigger than what they are tagged as, and because APC denim is normally raw, that they will stretch considerably from the tagged size. DO not fear sizing down, it is your friend!
-When soaking your APC's, it is generally best to do a 2 hour soak in hot water. I am prone to add ~2 small gobs of Woolite Dark, and when they are finished, rap them in a towel, pat till excess water is out, hang to dry, wear if you want them to stretch a bit.
-When washing your APC's, just wash them as you would any regular pair of jeans, but DO NOT put them in the dryer if you are afraid they might shrink too much. Cotton will always shrink when exposed to heat for extended periods of time.
-If you jeans do shrink a bit, do not fear, you can always just stretch them by hand. One handy method is when they are out of the dryer, get a clamp hanger, bring them somewhere where you have enough space to hold them out horizontally, make sure the clamps on the hanger are tight, and pull. This will stretch it a bit, but the most effective way to get your denim to stretch back out is to wear them dry. This may take a couple of hours, so consider washing your jeans on a weekend when you have nothing to do.
-Smell Tips: As we all know, raw denim requires us not to wash our jeans for 6 months. Well, some of us sweat more than others (I know I do), so our jeans sometimes become a little riper than we want them too - never fear! Here are a few helpful tips to hold of the stench for a bit.

• Soak your jeans: Don't be afraid to give your jeans a nice soak, just follow the instructions I outlined before and they should be fine. If anything, they fade faster after a nice good soaking, and they smell less. They'll be a bit less starchy a stiff, but thats always a plus.
• Fabric Deodorants: Febreeze, bar soap, etc. Don't worry, their not harmful to your jeans. Febreeze is pretty self explanitory. For a quick fix, grab a bar of soap, some paper towel and do as follows. Rub the soap on the paper towel until theres visibly some soap on the towel. Add a bit of water if you want to make it less cake-y. Apply to smelly areas. Let hang for 10-15 minutes while they air out, and you're good to go. If you have other not-harmful-to-fabric deodorants, I'm sure you can utilize them they way you want.
• Don't be afraid to steam your jeans: Get a clamp hanger, run a hot shower, and bring your jeans in with you. Obviously, try not the get them wet, but sometimes its hard not too, don't worry, it can't hurt. Let the shower steam up, open up the buttons and let the steam get into the jeans as much as possible. This, usually requires a longer shower, so do it on an off day. Let them hang in the shower for a bit after you're done so they can get any exess steam.
• Hang them outside: Grab a clamp hanger, and hang them overnight outside. Pretty simple.
• Freezer Method: Fold up the jeans, put a little baking power on smelly areas, and let them sit overnight or for several hours. Should help to remove smell. Can't say if it will save your freezer from the smell though.
• Just wash the damn things if they smell that bad. It's not the end of the world.
• If you get bugs, then thats kinda gross. You should wash them.
  

Both the NS's and NC's are around $140 at most retailers that stock them. If you are unhappy with them once you receive them, do not worry, you can always resell them. There are plenty of people who would take a brand new pair of APC's w/ tags off your hands for close if not the same price as you paid. Also, do yourself a favor and try and go to a store to try them on, its the only real way to be sure of your purchase.

Enjoy your A.P.C's!

hope that helped everyone. My facts might be a little off, but generally, that is what I've learned from this entire thread.

 

[klipschorn]

Originally Posted by nikeXcartoon

i've read people used 'starch' spray on their jeans but i haven't really gone into detail why they do it. can anybody shed light on that part?

Starching is used to make your jeans stiff after they've softened up a bit. It makes producing honeycombs and whiskers faster, but the jeans will rip easier if they're starched.

I would suggest just doing a cold soak.

thanks for enlightening me

 

[soulize dp]

Has anybody ever tried soaking more than one pair of jeans in the same tub at the same time? Would you have to let it soak longer? Obviously watch for dye...

and for Toronto hemming...go to a professional tailor and they should know what to do. If you want something more denim specific try going to OTR, Holt's,TNT or some place like that and tell em what you want. But in my experience any place is good if you tell them exactly what you want.

 

[dunkaroos]

What style of APC fits closest to 501?

 

[yamakazi18]

well it looks as if this thread is pretty good for general knowledge. i'm not going to create a new guide then, seeing as how it'll almost echo thisthread. however i'll try to answer questions along with all the other knowledgeable denimheads here =]

What style of APC fits closest to 501?


new standards

 

[TheGodFresco]

thanks Klipschorn, but is the shrinking extreme? cause i don't to soak it inhot water, and then when i try to put them on i cant fit in them any more

 

[baby dill]

I've been rocking my APC New Standards for two months now. I've read some people saying they soaked them right when they got them. What advantages doesthis provide. I didn't soak them at all. I've been planning on wearing them for another 4 months (6 months total) and then giving them a wash. Am Ireading it right when people say this is going to mess up the honeycombs/whiskers?

 

[soulize dp]

It might not mess it up, but the extreme result would be the fading effects will be a bit off once the shrinking sets...depends how much wear you've putthem through and how much they shrink form their original size. I've been rocking the New Standards for a few months as well unwashed, I wore one pairunwashed and soaked another and there is very slight difference in honeycombs/whiskers, but the soaked ones fit alot better since APC's do stretch a wholelot after you wear them. Keep in mind that honeycombs/whiskers/fading doesn't really kick in until after at least a good 6 months-1 year, so if you'veonly been wearing them for a few months on and off and there the fading patterns haven't set in yet you probably won't mess them up after soaking themand/or you can recreate them after wearing them after the soak.

If you soak it you'll most likely lose the sheen of new raw denim, but they'll be easier to break in and if you shrink them and then wear them then youcan stretch them to fit your body.

 

[yamakazi18]

Originally Posted by baby dill

I've been rocking my APC New Standards for two months now. I've read some people saying they soaked them right when they got them. What advantages does this provide. I didn't soak them at all. I've been planning on wearing them for another 4 months (6 months total) and then giving them a wash. Am I reading it right when people say this is going to mess up the honeycombs/whiskers?

this shrinks the denim so the cotton warp and weft is tighter. this smaller size and tighter stiffness of jeans overall can contribute to faster fading.contributing factors include having them shrink at the beginning, wear them at the shrunk size, and stretch them out little by little to the original size, asopposed to wearing them at the original size, and stretching them out to the point where a belt is necessary to keep your jeans up (also contributes to lessfriction/less fading). also, if you soak later than sooner, more indigo dye will come off, prematurely giving you less of a fade on your jeans. if you soakimmediately after purchase, less dye will come off since it hasn't yet been rubbed off.

 

[mplsdunk]

i dont plan on soaking mine, i dont want them to shrink. i figure cowboys weren't soaking their jeans so why would i?

 

[yamakazi18]

Originally Posted by soulize dp

It might not mess it up, but the extreme result would be the fading effects will be a bit off once the shrinking sets...depends how much wear you've put them through and how much they shrink form their original size. I've been rocking the New Standards for a few months as well unwashed, I wore one pair unwashed and soaked another and there is very slight difference in honeycombs/whiskers, but the soaked ones fit alot better since APC's do stretch a whole lot after you wear them. Keep in mind that honeycombs/whiskers/fading doesn't really kick in until after at least a good 6 months-1 year, so if you've only been wearing them for a few months on and off and there the fading patterns haven't set in yet you probably won't mess them up after soaking them and/or you can recreate them after wearing them after the soak.

i don't advise at all to soak them after anything more than 10 hours or so of wear. this is because by the time you get around to walking around inthem, friction rubs off the most indigo at the beginning, when your jeans are the stiffest and newest. if you do soak them, a lot of dye will run off, and thecontrast will be a lot less in the final run.

just to clarify - fading doesn't "kick in" at 6-12 months, it's created by the amount of friction (obviously) you exert on them. i have afriend who bikes ~1mile to school everyday, and after 3-4 months there was already significant contrast. APC is one of those brands that don't do very wellin the washer, meaning that it doesn't remove much more dye in addition to what you've already rubbed off due to friction. it's one of the lessercontrast raw denims out there.

 

[mplsdunk]

i think my jeans are gonna fade pretty fast, i work in a warehouse so i am always moving and crouched down and stuff.

 

[craxyaznguy]

^so if i'm reading this correctly, its best with APCs NS that you should wear them for 1-2 hours then soak them, for better long term results?

 

[yamakazi18]

^i'd just soak them once you get them. no need to wear 1-2 hours. just make sure to try them on first to see that they fit (and by fit i mean thatthey're a bit tight on you), then soak them. wear them while WET if you want the best fitting results. otherwise just air dry them.

 

[soulize dp]

Word, of course there is no time for it to "kick in," but the majority of cats that I see buying denim these days don't even wear their denim outproperly...or they don't wear 'em all day everyday, they usually switch up pairs between days. So I'm speaking in a more general sense. To thedenim heads they'll do all they can do break in a pair and rock 'em straight for months doing every activity they do.

Your friend is that case, he wears em and actually gets wear out of them so the amount of stress he puts on the denim would be so much more than what a normalperson would have just walking around, driving, going to school, whatever, so yeah that definitely would accelerate the process.

 

[soulize dp]

BTW to the cats that have a pair of nom de guerre denim, how much did yours stretch out after wear? I'm planning to get another pair, but my grey pair fromthe previous season didn't stretch that much.

 

[craxyaznguy]

like the levi STFs would you want to go up a size in waist and seam for APCs? Or get them your size, shrink them, then wear them to stretch them out?

sorry i'm a newbie to denim, and this post is fantastic, props to everybody

 

[jvhoop22]

soulize dp, neither of my pairs of nom de guerre jeans (dark grey and light grey) have stretched at all really. In fact, next time I buy a pair I may go a sizeup so I don't have to worry about shrinking them when I wash them (even though I only wash in cold water and hang dry).

 

[soulize dp]

Thanks jvhoop22, I'm in the same boat as you, I'm probably gonna keep the same size maybe size up one.

craxyaznguy, I would size DOWN in the APC's, I went 2 sizes down, they stretch out alot. Everyone who has bought a pair at Nomad has sized down 1-3 sizes.