Posts made by Autorotate

That Mac cruiser is awesome!! Never seen that colorway.

Personal experience, 936DEN is closer to the 888. It happens to be my favorite wrangler cut. I own the 13MWZ and find it to be a cut all it’s own. Liberal in the rise, thigh, knee and leg opening.
I usually wear the 936 in the summertime, but replaced them with 888 142.
As mentioned - re: tag size, throw all preconceived notions out the window. Go by measurements only. Ideally compared to a jean you currently own and like to wear.
888 is such a versatile, smart and comfortable cut. I was late to the game on them. Major regrats.

@Tago-Mago yeah man, recently, someone on eBay had brand new 888 33 ducks. They didn’t last an hour. Damnit!

@Snafu I also wanted to mention the miracle of the higher rise. Much more comfortable getting the jeans off my hip bones and closer to my lower gut. No more plumber’s crack. It’s so subtle that you can’t really tell looking at fit checks from other models of IH. But to experience it in person is revelatory.
Re: bagginess. I actually find the 634 to be somewhat baggy with a mid rise. I think it’s owed to lack of taper below the knee. YMMV.

For me, 888 is the best cut around. Forgiving in the top block and thigh. Just the most classic and perfect taper below the knee to not look too skinny. It’s the perfect jeans for substantial boots. Engineers, Cowboy, wellingtons, etc.
First time I tried them on years ago at Self Edge in LA and what turned me off was some wide hip flaring. But what I, and others will report, is that flaring settles over time and with wear and begins to look natural. And it is precisely the extra fabric/room in the hip which makes these super mobile, comfortable and dare I say “airy”.
Embarrassingly, I have stacks of IH denim and the 888 has FINALLY answered my prayers.
In the 888 I have 25, 21 and 14oz. I can confidently get rid of everything else.
Just need some Ducks!
Good luck!

Wow. I thought the Strega was kinda rare. So cool, and of course, someone into IH, has this machine. I’ll hit you up in PM’s.

Anyone here have experience with a lever machine? Specifically the Bezzera Strega. My beloved 13 year old Quick Mill QM67 is down for the count (shorted wiring).
The Strega has great reviews and a comfortable price point. The Profitec 800 and Londinium R24 are candidates too. Thanks!

@shadow-denim
Yeah buddy. Hope they still have a pair for you. Grayson was very helpful. He took measurements for me before he chucked them in the mail. BlackBlue will get future business from me! IH UK/USA is always numero uno, but in lieu of out of stock inventory, BlackBlue came to the rescue.

@yannis Thank you for your reply.

I usually remove the patch for no other reason than to not have to care for it whilst sewn to my pants.

If you are correct, and the fabric is washed before sewn, then I would be best served to soak before wearing, so as to set the constructional stitching, with an eye on longevity and avoiding blow outs.

Normally I cold soak my brand new “one washed” 21oz because they benefit from rinsing remnant starch and finishing agents. Maybe that’s in my head, but I’ve never worn an IH jean right out of the box without a soak.

However…

These feel amazing and I won’t soak if someone can confirm they were washed AFTER construction.

Merry Christmas y’all!
Just got a fresh pair of 888s 21oz. I’m under the impression these were washed before they were released to retailers. Purchased from BlackBlue; they had a hard-to-find 33.
But the leather tag is perfect and does not seem to have been washed/wet at any point.
Is the tag stitched on after the factory wash?
I’ve been around this brand for a long time and I’m surprised I don’t know the answer. Ha!
Please educate me!

I should add… I am keen to get another pair of 888 in 21oz, and when I do I will size them to be perfectly comfortable out of the box. I have no interest is going smaller/tighter and relying on the waist stretching. I want the waist perfect right away. If it stretches, great. I wear a belt. Also I’m looking forward to hiking them up to fully advantage the high rise - which directly equates to better mobility and all day comfort for me.

@bluemantra i think that looks ideal. How does it fit around the waist?
I just last night wore my brand new to me tagged 33 after a hot soak and cold rinse. The last button was very difficult to fasten. I had to lay down and suck my gut in. It was a struggle, but now 24 hours later, the waist and top block have relaxed and I can easily button everything - without any pressure or digging in to my hips.
The 888 is a revelation to me! I am a long time 555 and 666 owner, but never had the MOBILITY I’d prefer due to slimmer thigh/knee dimensions on those particular pants. Increasing tag sizes did not solve the MOBILITY issues I was having. These 888’s look just as modern as my other pants, but the higher rise and generous top block are a god send.
I have no real insight about sizing up or down. The jeans I’m wearing now were perfect everywhere pre-soak (towards the snug side) and I knew things would tighten up after the soak. I lost .5” in the inseam and they obviously snugged up in the waist. If I’m to be honest with myself, I should’ve sized up for a more comfortable pre-soak fit. But I’m glad I didn’t. I am definitely on the border of these being a size too small, but like I said they are definitely mellowing out and will be just fine.
I got a great deal from a forum member on these. They were brand new and hemmed to my ideal length, so I’m super pumped.

@chucklando super awesome transaction. Lightning fast shipping. Thank you for a great deal!!

@Dchill
I was in a high end opto-boutique about 10 years ago just browsing… when I came upon the JMM display, everything else seemed weak, cheap and lazy. The JMM had that classic 50’s-60’s style I had always loved and they felt so substantial and bulletproof. Almost choked at the price!! $550 in 2015!! I went for it and haven’t looked back. I wear them every single day.
Recently, I took my most worn pair to a JMM boutique to be re-polished and “freshened”. The tech said she’d never seen a pair so well worn. I was proud of that… but also, I put myself on notice to maybe have a few pairs to work into the rotation. Beware friend- it’s a slippery slope!!!!

@Dchill
I always liked those exact frames you liked… until I tried them on.

What is so awesome about this brand, beyond the craftsmanship, materials and design… is the selection.

I’m squarely in the Molino, Jeff, Herbie, Dealen camp. I do own a Fellini, but reach for the others more frequently. I also own a Last Frontier Dayton.

These shades are totally worthy of collecting. I now never abuse/lose my glasses. Was always a problem when my previous sunnies felt “disposable”. Haha!

@Dmart glorious brother! Great fit! She’s a beast, eh?

Since we’ve chatted on this thread I’ve taken a bit of a deep dive on Filson. I’m a proud new owner of an EBay BNWT red/black Mackinaw Cruiser. Next level jacket and wish I’d had one years ago. It’s just so simple and fantastic.

@Dmart I think a Small is a good call. It has some length in the back and probably will fit you even better than mine fits me.

@Dmart

@Dmart I own that vest. I love it. I wear it mostly with a hoodie or flannel underneath. Sometimes just a T-shirt and if I just running out the door and it’s handy and not too cold. I have a small and it’s perfect. I am 5’7” 175, 43” chest, top heavy from the gym… I wear mostly Large in IH, but my westerns are now too snug since the gym metamorphosis. Hahaha. It’s a problem I’m happy to have.
I digress… the small is what I’d consider a normal Large to be. Maybe a medium plus.
Also please note, the insulation is soft and but “puffy”. It really is a formidable vest and not figure-hugging.

@Dmart Lucchese is at the top of the heap. They are awesome, expensive and very stylish.
Tecovas are very nice too. I have a pair of square toe ostrich which get a fair amount of use. Very comfy right out of the box.
Check out Outpost Boots in Manhattan Kansas. They carry the most legitimate brands of western boots and have an amazing selection. Sometimes it’s hard to find your size, as a style will be exclusive and done in only a seasonal run. Despite that, Outpost is my go-to shop for boots. They always answer the phone, will help with sizing and will also send you pictures of the EXACT boot you are shopping for… assuming it’s in stock. Good luck, mate!

Little shoutout to my Newman Tan Roughout’s from Anderson Bean. Resoled - when new - by the team at Unsung. I also had the shaft shortened and straightened.
I love these damn things and have been wearing them a ton. The tan goes well with every outfit.