Real Japan Blues 105BSP Jeans

A few months ago I was willing and ready to pull the trigger on some Momotaro 1005SP jeans, but couldn't decide (with 100% certainty) on the size. Moreover, I couldn't find any reputable domestic vendors, and wasn't too keen on the idea of buying them from a random Japanese website. As a result, I put those Momotaros on my wish list and moved on.<br /><br />A few weeks after NOT acquiring the Momotaros (No-motaros?), I "coincidentally" found myself randomly wandering into a brick and mortar <a href="http://www.selfedge.com/" target="_blank">Self Edge</a> store. I wasn't really looking to buy anything in particular, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to try some different jeans on to see if anything fit well. I tried on several different jeans, and decided buy the 105BSP jeans from Real Japan Blues (tagged size 30).<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQBPmd5p6sLoKRbMNnSeIY0rI8yuJUBNfdbwDQttIfOYeHVVWEp6nETk_pq8hMF_a6uh_1ubbvlUSAbynqrGK2rF3rh7FAIRMEE8ls7SOTOuHX3iAOp5C-8gmUEwtfmDuPrZM3u0EFyE/s1600/IMG_5897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQBPmd5p6sLoKRbMNnSeIY0rI8yuJUBNfdbwDQttIfOYeHVVWEp6nETk_pq8hMF_a6uh_1ubbvlUSAbynqrGK2rF3rh7FAIRMEE8ls7SOTOuHX3iAOp5C-8gmUEwtfmDuPrZM3u0EFyE/s320/IMG_5897.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brand New! No Soak, No Wash, No Nothing</td></tr></tbody></table>I like the cut of these jeans because the legs are far from skinny and because the all-important rise measurement is somewhat generous relative to my Roy jeans. The jeans have some cool details, too . . . super important features such as: different colored stitching on the back pockets; a sewn-in red "tag" on the back pocket; an extra deep knife/coin pocket; and doubled denim material along the front pocket openings. The as-new inseam measured 38 inches long! I had Self Edge cut off about five inches and hem them with the goal of having a 30 to 31 inch inseam after shrinking. Self Edge does a great job at hemming jeans, and they even use a vintage Union Special chainstitching machine to do the job right.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWUWnZ5VAroWz7wlu50wpvOkdJn2c7FuiCvWSPwGZuAS2MWko0QvUHu61li_Etj8OOxpqCbtKgufxP2xW6P0SUgRLNoIvPSLe5-WjPCSmFnMIPKRGSJSYEYjYU6XMv5G7sB2s_v9hkuc/s1600/IMG_5899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWUWnZ5VAroWz7wlu50wpvOkdJn2c7FuiCvWSPwGZuAS2MWko0QvUHu61li_Etj8OOxpqCbtKgufxP2xW6P0SUgRLNoIvPSLe5-WjPCSmFnMIPKRGSJSYEYjYU6XMv5G7sB2s_v9hkuc/s200/IMG_5899.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I Like These Arcuates</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GLwrpaW4wtFPz0GovlcjRlGVwRLIgPOK-3KZyHMuFbYrn0fTte2llq79AkKJQFN4z5Y9jLhMMmUgnYqqDszFEK4tOpI7yqfoS78ZP77ZYuH335pr9vUmP1MEqJ-YKVO4LNK_nQjPdTg/s1600/IMG_5898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GLwrpaW4wtFPz0GovlcjRlGVwRLIgPOK-3KZyHMuFbYrn0fTte2llq79AkKJQFN4z5Y9jLhMMmUgnYqqDszFEK4tOpI7yqfoS78ZP77ZYuH335pr9vUmP1MEqJ-YKVO4LNK_nQjPdTg/s200/IMG_5898.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red "Tag"</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEL33iscOO5FxhmAvTDf39HqEf7JRE5s1dWP2LP1h2cE5XwBZKpLFOiABgwbX5yO1_nV7lDTcRcJ9wGZ0miZRE4Xxor7nDwy1yjL2BpXg9s5J9KgmDJT9s-AVpjcfYMkny09nbquSpsmc/s1600/IMG_5901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEL33iscOO5FxhmAvTDf39HqEf7JRE5s1dWP2LP1h2cE5XwBZKpLFOiABgwbX5yO1_nV7lDTcRcJ9wGZ0miZRE4Xxor7nDwy1yjL2BpXg9s5J9KgmDJT9s-AVpjcfYMkny09nbquSpsmc/s200/IMG_5901.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep Coin Pocket<br />Doubled Front Pocket Material</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the initial soak/shrink in the bathtub and hang dry, the 105BSPs were slightly on the stiff and crusty side. My understanding is that the post-soak stiffness is caused by the starch that is used during the manufacturing process. I wore them for the first time on January 1, 2013, and they broke in quickly after several wearings. If I'm honest, they were less than comfortable on the first day due to the stiffness.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWMuM7NVIbCyBCiJLjeb250S3s77z2w8l0fadEsJtyKjvGgi_rqxg-TseQtgRXwlrlgMhNMVtxYqXPeLPcXgpVjW4Pei6orBJKHjDcqEmJNyvJEQHTn8Gm-GSu5RcvCYUH2FVcUgfU3I/s1600/IMG_5905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWMuM7NVIbCyBCiJLjeb250S3s77z2w8l0fadEsJtyKjvGgi_rqxg-TseQtgRXwlrlgMhNMVtxYqXPeLPcXgpVjW4Pei6orBJKHjDcqEmJNyvJEQHTn8Gm-GSu5RcvCYUH2FVcUgfU3I/s200/IMG_5905.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-Soak Magic Pants!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been wearing these jeans at least a couple times per week, and they have become quite comfortable. I haven't washed them yet, and they haven't developed any distinctive fading effects or unique wear patterns yet. The sizing is very good, and Self Edge did a great job with the hemming by estimating and compensating for shrinkage of the inseam - the length is spot on. That said, the rise might be a little short, which means they are not a perfect fit. Oh well, I still have the Momotaros on my wish list.</div>

Real Japan Blues 105BSP Jeans

A few months ago I was willing and ready to pull the trigger on some Momotaro 1005SP jeans, but couldn't decide (with 100% certainty) on...

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3Sixteen+ 721BSP Jeans

Black is the new black. Headbangers have always rocked the black. Punk rockers wear black leather, black All-Stars, and black makeup. Metallica's "commercial breakthrough" album? The black one. (OK, put the Metallica fan club pitchforks down, I know that their black album is considered to be a sellout album, and I personally prefer And Justice for All, Master of Puppets, and Ride the Lightning better, but this post ain't about Metallica's back catalog and, besides, The Unforgiven, Nothing Else Matters, and My Friend of Misery are pretty epic songs from the black album; admit it).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU14jOeSwGauOtBwj-xunYX15MhgyDRxnZDa8fwq97-HYQn54Jjk4m8FFL8kPW4MgdbLmym7eqMS4V0nx7fUuMejr75ygkXzCWaV9cGiDSkLIYpqib8v45p2PLsW1vrzR2Bsm8qJz1mY/s1600/IMG_5521.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU14jOeSwGauOtBwj-xunYX15MhgyDRxnZDa8fwq97-HYQn54Jjk4m8FFL8kPW4MgdbLmym7eqMS4V0nx7fUuMejr75ygkXzCWaV9cGiDSkLIYpqib8v45p2PLsW1vrzR2Bsm8qJz1mY/s200/IMG_5521.01.jpg" width="200" /></a>Back to black: last year I acquired a pair of raw black denim jeans. More specifically, I bought a pair of the 721BSP jeans, made in Japan by the brand 3Sixteen+ (which happens to be based in the United States, go figure). These jeans are made from super heavy material . . . 18 ounce denim to be exact. I believe that 18 ounces refers to the weight of one yard of the raw material, but that fact in and of itself is meaningless unless you know the width of the material. Whatever. So, I'm told that this black denim material is also unsanforized, unsinged, uncalendared, low viscosity sulfur dyed, and low tension slack weaved. I know that "unsanforized" is roughly equivalent to "shrink-to-fit", but I'm too lazy to look up any of those other terms. I do know that the 721BSP jeans were very black when new, and that they have held their color quite well since I purchased them. As Nigel Tufnel (lead guitarist for Spinal Tap) said: "There's something about this that's so black, it's like how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black." Exactly.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQyqk_G8ftd3xJCe10gLUR0qlj8IYCipij1VUEoe5ARBFN9Q9Y35S8c5JVoaEbjR2PfSfQ1MRQ8ITaNeMpu_YibYS_0YZXvJx9zQAqvtqlUZMHORVy8dlQ39hfkiU3qdYhshzjT7MlRg/s1600/IMG_5522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQyqk_G8ftd3xJCe10gLUR0qlj8IYCipij1VUEoe5ARBFN9Q9Y35S8c5JVoaEbjR2PfSfQ1MRQ8ITaNeMpu_YibYS_0YZXvJx9zQAqvtqlUZMHORVy8dlQ39hfkiU3qdYhshzjT7MlRg/s200/IMG_5522.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />These jeans have some interesting details that most people won't notice: gray stitching (see the picture above); six belt loops instead of the traditional five; leather patch without stitching on the vertical edges (which allows a belt to be passed under the patch); black stealth colored donut hardware for the button fly; and red + sparkly gold thread used in the selvedge.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGN4lOvmv7F8vQvSfxrRdd7A7rWLUolC2Monb3n8XWrNWa0JjyIWBG1COpFC7rKYZjzbHPOpClvVVUnOKZbOmTwQA-mrthqmTWL2hjZ_XZFesN8yQF4GU0I1b1GlPMP0nIPsE8QYyt3AA/s1600/IMG_5523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGN4lOvmv7F8vQvSfxrRdd7A7rWLUolC2Monb3n8XWrNWa0JjyIWBG1COpFC7rKYZjzbHPOpClvVVUnOKZbOmTwQA-mrthqmTWL2hjZ_XZFesN8yQF4GU0I1b1GlPMP0nIPsE8QYyt3AA/s200/IMG_5523.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />The selvedge detail is intriguing. Although I don't usually cuff my jeans, I think you are supposed to roll them up to show off the awesome selvedge seams. Note that there is also a little piece of the same selvedge material in the coin pocket material. Nice touch.<br /><br />Anyway, these jeans are very comfortable even though they are made from heavyweight denim. Although marketed as a slim fit, they are roomy enough in the "top block" (a new term I've recently learned) and are not too skinny in the legs. I probably should have gotten a size 30 instead of 31, but oh well.<br /><br />I haven't worn these long enough or in enough extreme conditions to develop any interesting fading patterns or contrasting characteristics. I may follow up with some additional pictures if and when there is something interesting to show.

3Sixteen+ 721BSP Jeans

Black is the new black. Headbangers have always rocked the black. Punk rockers wear black leather, black All-Stars, and black makeup. Metall...

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Denim Jeans: Rant Mode = ON

I'm currently in a state of Japanese denim analysis paralysis. More specifically, I am looking to purchase a new pair of blue jeans because I'm somewhat over my Roy RN04 jeans (relevant post is <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2012/10/raw-denim-jeans.html" target="_blank">here</a>). I still love the workmanship, attention to detail, and overall coolness of the Roy jeans, but have concluded with 94% certainty that the "narrow" fit is not for me. Indeed, I've determined that the inventor of skinny jeans (for men) should be imprisoned. For life. Moreover, the inventor of low rise jeans (for men) should face a firing squad. Although the RN04 jeans are not overly "skinny" or extremely "low rise" <i>per se</i>, they can be uncomfortable and <ahem> constricting at times.<br /><br />My rant continues after the jump: <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.600000381469727px;">[Edit: jumps are silly; removed it]</span><br /><br />Thus, I have a love/hate relationship with my Roy jeans. I am running out of patience and don't know if I'll to continue to wear them, especially when I know that there are many other options available these days. It's a shame because they are finally beginning to show some character and fading (caused by office chair abrasion, walking to the mailbox every other day, and daily car driving activity). If anyone wants to buy a used pair of RN04 jeans (tagged size 31), let me know.<br /><br />Getting back to the analysis paralysis . . . I talked myself into believing that I really need a pair of Momotaro jeans (made in Japan by a Japanese company). They come in different models, fit profiles, and denim types, so it was somewhat easy to find a good candidate. I'm talking about the Momotaro 1005SP "Going to Battle" model. These are supposed to be a somewhat straight leg cut with a medium rise, so they ought to fit me better than the Roy jeans. So, step two in the acquisition process is to find a seller that has my size in stock. This is where the WTFs and LOLs come into play.<br /><br />First, the 1005SP jeans are sanforized one-wash jeans. "Sanforized" supposedly means that the denim has been treated by the process patented by Sanford Cluett (not kidding), such that the denim will not shrink in the wash. "One-wash" means that the jeans or the denim fabric has already been washed, soaked, or rinsed. Momotaro takes this one-wash concept into the realm of ridiculousness by claiming that the 1005SP jeans have been rinsed in the ocean water off the shore of Okayama, Japan (there must be a market for salty, fishy smelling pants). Theoretically, sanforized one-wash jeans should be easier to purchase because one need not worry about any shrink-to-fit adjustments. This theory led to the following extended conversation with myself:<br /><br />"This is great. I'll just find a size 31 online somewhere and make an impulse purchase."<br /><br />"Hmm. I can't find any U.S. based sellers. No worries, I'll just find buy them direct from Japan. See, there are several online vendors based in Japan, and they all have size 31 in stock. They even have exact measurements published so that I can be sure of the sizing."<br /><br />"Wait a minute, Vendor 1 says that size 31 actually measures 33.5 inches in the waist, Vendor 2 says that size 31 measures 31 inches in the waist, and Vendor 3 says that size 31 measures 84 centimeters in the waist (damn Metric system). Another seller notes that the waist may stretch up to one inch after wearing the jeans for awhile. Yet another vendor states that the jeans may shrink a little bit in the washer/dryer because the ocean water in Okayama is really chilly and, therefore, the one-wash treatment doesn't really get all of the shrinkage out of the jeans."<br /><br />At this point, I'm almost certain that I'll just have to pick a size 30, 31, or 32, and roll the dice with the knowledge that I may have to return the jeans all the way back to the Japan. Meh, what a hassle. I probably should just pick up the size 31 as originally planned. Or should I? Maybe I should just scrap the whole idea and buy another fountain pen or another knife instead.<br /><br />I will end this post with some awesome machine translations that I found while browsing the <a href="http://global.rakuten.com/en/" target="_blank">Rakuten website</a>. I found several online sellers of the 1005SP jeans on Rakuten, and they all have very elegant and thoughtful descriptions of the jeans. I'm ready to hit the "BUY" button based on these translated product descriptions alone:<br /><br />"The innocence of the core can enjoy the intense hit of the drop of the light and shade even if I say because I keep it."<br /><br />"Watch pocket with the pink ear; Button fried food; Sheep leather foil push patch."<br /><br />"Arranged Japan Line reflecting the image of a flag flag when Momotaro went to the front of ogre extermination for a right background pocket; taking the field buttocks."<br /><br />"Thus, I can taste an omission brought on long."<br /><br />You know, on second thought, I think I'll just keep my Roy RN04 jeans for awhile. All of this is just too silly.

Denim Jeans: Rant Mode = ON

I'm currently in a state of Japanese denim analysis paralysis. More specifically, I am looking to purchase a new pair of blue jeans beca...

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Raw Denim Jeans

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSw3hf69hBfBNjEr4zW_xDDRIwSHHh9PVr57Ybhpseyc_JEQMK9aPLWHTZW6mffy8t4H4GoL7JQNnJkfs-cp8xRhC-qUDwP8KQdpWEjhMWu6Cyc3DLIJOdEp9EhYTbhqWwcsldR9Tuj0/s1600/IMG_5514.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSw3hf69hBfBNjEr4zW_xDDRIwSHHh9PVr57Ybhpseyc_JEQMK9aPLWHTZW6mffy8t4H4GoL7JQNnJkfs-cp8xRhC-qUDwP8KQdpWEjhMWu6Cyc3DLIJOdEp9EhYTbhqWwcsldR9Tuj0/s200/IMG_5514.01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I was a little reluctant to write this post because I find it difficult to explain why anyone (me in particular) would devote so much time and money on something as ordinary as jeans. Seriously, I have little to no style and really don't care much about fashion trends and clothing other than being cognizant of the fact that I don't want to look like the color blind village idiot. For this reason, I still don't understand how or why I became interested in "premium" raw denim jeans. I do, however, recall the avalanche of thoughts that led me to pick up my first pair of ridiculously awesome jeans (the RN04 jean, by Roy).<br /><br />The path to the RN04 jean started simply enough; I needed new jeans. A simple beginning, but the path had many steps:<br /><br />1. OK, my stable of Levi's 569 Loose Straight jeans is getting old and ratty. I need at least one new pair.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYehOyzxIM066B3mzm9h9RX-8VKCaslNM2E8RBUolAwck8mzBdEaDg1r1vp2e0Ye0zqLMRvLMoIJDG-4hXxmj1kT-XLR8VlxsRUQ3ULDzBt7iApB_kfnxiFqwkMPMm_lm-cpoQNwutx1Q/s1600/IMG_5574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYehOyzxIM066B3mzm9h9RX-8VKCaslNM2E8RBUolAwck8mzBdEaDg1r1vp2e0Ye0zqLMRvLMoIJDG-4hXxmj1kT-XLR8VlxsRUQ3ULDzBt7iApB_kfnxiFqwkMPMm_lm-cpoQNwutx1Q/s200/IMG_5574.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"U Can't Buy This"</td></tr></tbody></table>2. Damn, the cheap department store doesn't carry Levi's 569s anymore (duh, probably because loose pants went out of style in the mid 90s). No worries, I'm sure they are sold on Amazon or the Levi's website. This is interesting: a boatload of user comments on both Amazon and the Levi's website mention that the "new" 569s are cut much differently than the "old" 569s that I have (probably because balloon-cut pants went out of style with MC Hammer). Not a problem; I can adapt and find something modern to buy.<br /><br />3. I'm too old to shop at Tilly's. Besides, skinny jeans + me = fail.<br /><br />4. Huh? An entire <a href="http://www.head-fi.org/t/445976/the-jeans-fi-thread" target="_blank">thread on Head-Fi</a> related to jeans? Whatever, I'll read it during lunch. What the hell are all of these random brands that I've never heard of? Nudie, Samurai, Momotaro, Eternal, Sugar Cane, what? Let me Google that for you. WTF, $350.00 for jeans that are made in Japan? Is that 350 U.S. dollars or Japanese yen? That is so ridiculous yet intriguing at the same time. Must. Do. More. Research.<br /><br />5. Whoa, there is an entire subculture surrounding premium denim jeans, and they use strange terminology like: "raw denim" and "selvedge" and "18 oz unsanforized loomstate" and "18 months, one soak, two washes" . . . this stuff is rich. This <a href="http://www.rawrdenim.com/" target="_blank">Rawr Denim website</a> is interesting, and it looks like the real serious enthusiasts are members of certain online forums such as <a href="http://supertalk.superfuture.com/index.php?/forum/22-superdenim/" target="_blank">Superfuture</a>, which contains more information about denim jeans than anyone can imagine. I guess it's time to lurk and read up on the subject.<br /><br />6. Maybe these crazy denimheads are on to something. I've read some valid justifications and some half-hearted rationalizations for spending $300 to $500 on ONE PAIR OF JEANS. For instance, I'm hearing reasons such as: "dude, these are handmade from the highest quality denim in the world," "this denim is super heavy, it's like leather," "I would gladly pay a premium for old world craftsmanship and attention to detail," "these jeans are woven from unicorn hair," "one pair of these jeans lasts three times longer than a pair of Levi's 569s," "these raw denim jeans are good for the environment because they are not chemically treated during manufacturing and because I never wash them," and "hey man, you wear these jeans and nurture them until they develop distinctive and unique fade patterns, and such that they assume a personality that reflects your lifestyle and philosophy." Wow, this is pretty deep. Definitely too deep for someone who simply wants to replace his Levi's 569 Loose Straight jeans. That said, all of this is extremely interesting.<br /><br />7. So I'm really supposed to wear new jeans for a year without washing them? That is straight up disgusting. Must. Educate. Myself. Now I understand (I think); infrequent washing results in higher contrasting fade patterns, which seem to be desirable among the denimhead population. Still sounds pretty gross, though. I haven't been convinced to spend so much on a pair of jeans when my trusty 569s can be had for the cost of a twelve pack and a bag of chips.<br /><br />8. Oh. Levi's 501s are the original old school raw denim, and they are still widely available on the cheap. I realize that 501s are far from "premium" these days, but perhaps I can buy a pair of new 501s (on sale) as a low cost introduction to this raw denim craze. Done deal. (As an aside, my mom used to buy 501s for me when I was a youngster, and they were dirt cheap. As in $15.00 or less from the Army surplus store). Hmm, shrink-to-fit made sizing a little challenging, but I lucked out and got it right. Hey, these actually fit pretty good and, in comparison, my old 569s now look like "husky" sized jeans on me.<br /><br />9. The "501 Project" has convinced me to seriously consider a pair of premium raw denim jeans. Great. Additional research leads me to believe that Japanese denim is the way to go. Several retail websites carry the popular Japanese brands, but I'm not spending so much money on a ridiculous pair of pants without trying them on. Wonderful. I need to wait until a business or family trip takes me to a reputable brick and mortar store.<br /><br />10. After an extensive amount of online research, I've narrowed down my choices to a few Japanese brands. I really want to check out some jeans by Samurai, Sugar Cane, The Strike Gold, and Real Japan Blues. These Roy jeans look pretty cool, too. Handmade in NorCal by a small company (small = one person, i.e., Roy). Wow, <a href="http://www.roydenim.com/video" target="_blank">these videos</a> are awesome, and they really make me want to support Roy. I'm really liking the DIY ethic associated with Roy jeans. Plus, that sticker on one of Roy's machines leads me to believe that he is down for skateboarding. Bonus points for that, so I'll need to check out Roy jeans, too.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EbDZpfevNlcdh0hfT_Knkn9V9sxIg_kzbiZxw_lCRMoHQejafMcrApZokJOT6fQ8F7D8nKWdYQLj-Td4_4Yb4CuDyHPtSYeHuW-Lpi8iF4bTqduzMMC68H9-v7hZlOht80YhCjAdO6M/s1600/IMG_5515.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EbDZpfevNlcdh0hfT_Knkn9V9sxIg_kzbiZxw_lCRMoHQejafMcrApZokJOT6fQ8F7D8nKWdYQLj-Td4_4Yb4CuDyHPtSYeHuW-Lpi8iF4bTqduzMMC68H9-v7hZlOht80YhCjAdO6M/s200/IMG_5515.02.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roy Jeans (Pocket Bag)</td></tr></tbody></table>11. My life schedule is finally on track, and my travels are bringing me close to a store where I can check out at least some of the jeans on my wish list. They don't carry Samurai jeans, but at least I'm able to see many others and try on a few pairs. Damn, the jeans in this store are thick, heavy, and stiff as hell. Am I really doing this? Are these things really supposed to be comfortable to wear? No turning back now, I'm in. Even though I really want to buy something from Japan, these Roy jeans look super cool and are extremely well-made. The guy at the store is telling me that these particular Roy jeans were just released today, and that they will most likely be sold out in a day or two. Really? Nice salesmanship . . . ring me up for that there pair of RN04 jeans, please.<br /><br />I have intentionally stopped before reaching the twelfth step lol. I don't have any "evolution" pictures of the Roy jeans because they don't have any high contrasting "sick fades" yet. I simply don't wear them hard enough or expose them to enough dirt, grime, or abrasion. I don't work on cars or cut down trees for a living. Instead, I walk to and from my air conditioned car, sit on my ass for eight hours a day, stare at a computer monitor, and use the restroom several times a day. These activities do not promote raw denim fading. That said, my Roy jeans ARE developing a little bit of character and flair (after one initial soak to shrink them, and one wash awhile ago).<br /><br />I should concede that the Roy jeans look somewhat ordinary from ten feet away. Up close, however, one can appreciate the workmanship and attention to detail. For example, the picture at the beginning of this post shows the super thick real leather tag, and the picture next to step 11 shows Roy's chainstitched signature on the pocket bag. I'll conclude with a few additional pictures that show other nifty aspects of the Roy RN04 jeans. These are just some of the details that make these jeans special. (Note that my amateur photography skills really messed up the color and white balance in these pictures; at the time of this writing the true shade remains a deep and dark blue, very close to that shown in the next picture).<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX4goQMnMIs19QtrC9gPpw94_x0xuL0f7q9CX7uFSxnDeth9LzzxCyIq9MawO8OKseIOTHwRTTr8IEKj3vMX_xX3vHJ7GvMNTF8qOSzL8VswcepagRcwkpNv3Ze3CFkGFGNuuBeZF-Ts/s1600/IMG_5518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZX4goQMnMIs19QtrC9gPpw94_x0xuL0f7q9CX7uFSxnDeth9LzzxCyIq9MawO8OKseIOTHwRTTr8IEKj3vMX_xX3vHJ7GvMNTF8qOSzL8VswcepagRcwkpNv3Ze3CFkGFGNuuBeZF-Ts/s320/IMG_5518.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seashell Stitching</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnMJ1I7CqMPanDKKTpDM5ktGwbPWdhtQDtr9cpuwfSZC6bYWzBU2fs6O4nRjLJr72kxBXg7nMdaB2HHkNnNW5EwEFi09zFo38eWsW0DVYpI_JVmvMrHVLFUgO9XxPAOsEJPBofa8lHx4/s1600/IMG_5520.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnMJ1I7CqMPanDKKTpDM5ktGwbPWdhtQDtr9cpuwfSZC6bYWzBU2fs6O4nRjLJr72kxBXg7nMdaB2HHkNnNW5EwEFi09zFo38eWsW0DVYpI_JVmvMrHVLFUgO9XxPAOsEJPBofa8lHx4/s320/IMG_5520.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canvas Lined Back Pockets</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRClU9vZkz8vpJk7lNXYTQDhV3vSDJ01bug-w6NXMCSvOyEUYtNX-IDWKxdVhYvVz3huIx2rufnpEvLYG4s8CS4Ow-l1sVLi8rUVli1uLbhrPOKOEbc-zlPLc0Z3lke-JFh2vIUSBEbo/s1600/IMG_5527.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRClU9vZkz8vpJk7lNXYTQDhV3vSDJ01bug-w6NXMCSvOyEUYtNX-IDWKxdVhYvVz3huIx2rufnpEvLYG4s8CS4Ow-l1sVLi8rUVli1uLbhrPOKOEbc-zlPLc0Z3lke-JFh2vIUSBEbo/s320/IMG_5527.02.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Button Fly (Of Course) Using Burly Hardware</td></tr></tbody></table>

Raw Denim Jeans

I was a little reluctant to write this post because I find it difficult to explain why anyone (me in particular) would devote so much time a...

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