Pearls Of (Denim) Wisdom - OR - This Much I Know (about denim).
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For me, an initial snug fit is crucial. I used to be a size 38 and then lost some weight and started buying size 36s. There was a pair of IH cargos in a size 34 that I rolled the dice on and initially they were almost too snug to wear, but after getting through some painful days, they ended up working out very well.I then did the same thing with some 21oz 463s. Size 34s were almost too snug to button. After 10+ wears they were almost perfect. I’m now doing the same thing with some 25oz XHS 634s.
I find the initial snug fit to all for stretch from everyday wear while still maintaining a flattering fit. If they are too comfortable fit wise upon initial wear, they can stretch too much and give an overly baggy fit. I hate having to hot watch a pair of jeans after every wear because they are too loose.
Anyways, just my humble opinion...great thread idea R!
Agreed… My first pair of IH was a 666s-18 I bought it in a shop. Without any expirience with "real" denim I was adviced to go for tag 36. The fit around the waist was comfortable, around the thigh it was a snug. The waist stretched the thigh not that much and it ended up with a pair with what I wasn't very happy. As I was impressed by the way this pair was made I didn't surrender... Some emails with Paula later I orderd a 634s-21 tag 34 directly from Gosport, snug around the waist, comfortable at the thighs. I didn't have the 634 on my rader because I thought the fit would be too oldfashioned but am thinking now that this is the best fitting pair of jeans for my measurements and really love it. I tried many other but this pair will allways be my first choice...
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Just soak them at an appropriate temperature for the shrinkage you want, let them dry, and wear them.
This x 10. My experience has been that soaking before wearing prolongs the life of your jeans. I have a pair that has never touched water and there's already a hole in the back of the knee and on both cuffs, and this is within 8 months of casual wear. Holes will eventually form whether you soak or not but i've noticed that my soaked jeans do not suffer wear and tear as fast.
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I especially agree about sanforisation. STF can be exciting but it complicates an already tricky job.
I don't own unsanforized denim because I fear the unpredictibility. Although, the 777 UHR's are very nice and may persuade me.
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I don't want to get all preachy and holier-than-thou here but we absolutely want our customers to love what they buy and come back for more. If we do not think an item will suit, we tell them. A sale of something that does not work is a hollow victory…...It's one of the main reasons we do not incent our staff based on their individual sales, any incentive plan we put in place is based on long term sales volume/profitability....
Let me just say I have always appreciated the customer service I get from IH. I honestly feel that the IHUK staff is the most patient, helpful, and friendly of any I have encountered. The experience I have had over the years is why I always buy new items directly from IHUK. I have never felt pressured to make a purchase and as G said, I have always felt IHUK’s main concern is that I love what I buy and for the last 3+ years I have been coming back for more…it’s become a bit of a problem
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I don't own unsanforized denim because I fear the unpredictibility. Although, the 777 UHR's are very nice and may persuade me.
Totally understand. My conclusion in the end was that the UHR is so good that it is worth investing in and overcoming the fear. With the collected experience and knowledge of the IH crew and this forum you won’t go wrong if you do your research. Also see my original post. If in doubt wear the crap out of them and make them yours. More about that in a post coming soon.
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I don't own unsanforized denim because I fear the unpredictibility. Although, the 777 UHR's are very nice and may persuade me.
Totally understand. My conclusion in the end was that the UHR is so good that it is worth investing in and overcoming the fear. With the collected experience and knowledge of the IH crew and this forum you won’t go wrong if you do your research. Also see my original post. If in doubt wear the crap out of them and make them yours. More about that in a post coming soon.
Jep, raw denim is not that complicated… you just need a seller who know's a little about the stuff he sells, follow the advice regarding shrinkage. That's it. Had very good experiences with buying raw denim from IHUK, Statement-Store and of course Danny (RnH).
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^+1. I copped a pair of UHR off the market place in the 666 cut. The cut wasn't for me (I'm a 634 and 463 guy), but my god the denim was out of this world…
https://www.ironheart.co.uk/extinct/ih-634-uhr.html
@Giles pleeeeeeeaaaaase we need a rerun
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I’ve always found finding the correct inseam length to be very difficult. I think because I was a sneakerhead when I started buying IH I got used to longer inseams to let the denim drape over my Adidas. Now that I mostly wear Engineers I need a much shorter length. I like different inseam lengths on different cuts too.
Interesting–I tend to appreciate length more with boots because the boots (particularly engineers and cowboys) push the hem up the leg and form great stacks, and with sneakers that same length may drag on the floor and destroy the hem, especially at the back. My jeans always tend to be a bit long though, long enough to cuff if I liked cuffing. I also tend to wear a given pair of jeans with any style of footwear aside from formal or sandal (I don't have "boot" or "sneaker" jeans, especially since I've moved on from 634), so my mileage varies.
That reminds me of another thing I've noticed: particularly with new stiff jeans, don't freak out if the knees poke out from upward pressure along the shin from the cuffs resting on your shoes. It may look weird to you, but as the fabric softens and slackens, the effect will diminish.
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That reminds me of another thing I've noticed: particularly with new stiff jeans, don't freak out if the knees poke out from upward pressure along the shin from the cuffs resting on your shoes. It may look weird to you, but as the fabric softens and slackens, the effect will diminish.
^ Denim pearl of wisdom right there.
Regarding the boot/hemming the issue was specific to the 888 cut with me. The stacking caused the jeans to bunch in all sorts of weird places, all the way up to the top block. Now that they drop a little more naturally that issue has gone. That was my point though, that sometimes a re-hem can alter the silhouette of the entire jean.
My 666’s stack with boots in a different way and I do as you say and have them longer.
My hypothesis (and I realise I spend waaaaay to much time thinking about this) is that there are different hem lengths that work with different cuts and different footwear. And then there’s personal preference if course….
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I especially agree about sanforisation. STF can be exciting but it complicates an already tricky job.
I don't own unsanforized denim because I fear the unpredictibility. Although, the 777 UHR's are very nice and may persuade me.
You really need to get an unsanforized pair man….
It was an "ah-ha" moment for me. They break in %100 faster, and normally drape better and the comfort is much nicer. It's not even comparable to most sanforized.
I'm not an IH fan boy like I once was, but their 21oz is comparable to unsanforized in break in and wear though.
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