Tips From GQ
Sir Sway: I realize there is absence in the denim heads posts so I will do my best to fix that. This March the people at GQ really stressed on the denim being worn. They gave some really good tips I thought I should share with y'all.
"Black jeans should be dark and brooding. That means the stitching should be as black as the denim."
"Keep your back pockets plain" - Hence why these jeans look stupid!
"For white jeans, find out if any of the companies you like make the fit you like in white" - with white jeans the most important thing is if they fit well in the thighs. Its hard to find shirts that look good with saggy white jeans.
"Designers are now making lightweight denim that's as breezy as a pair of seersucker slacks, Unhygienic swampiness goin' on in your erogenous zone is a no no" - This is the company ACNE, they make one of the lightest weight raw denim.
"Let'em rip (ON THERE OWN), sew'em up, Repeat" - If the jeans are a perfect fit, then patches and holes just add personality.
"Gray jeans are already following white jeans' path, becoming a new staple for men" (I didn't know white jeans were a staple either) "The most important choice you have is about the shade you go for: The darker the gray, the more familiar the jeans feel and the easier they are to pull off. But just as with a gray suit, the right light looks killer, especially in the summer"
What Grinds my Gears
Sir Sway: This video is a perfect yet sad representation of most Canadians. These two reporters manage to completely disregard the idea of raw denim and butcher the fact that there is scientific proof behind the questioning in cleanliness (which is why I think most people don't like the idea). I think this is a big reason why Canadians aren't known for fashion. A good percentage of people make it known that change in anything, whether it's denim wearing or not, is bad. This however, is the opposite that one should be thinking when buying clothing and creating a unique style.
Sorry I couldn't embed the video, but CBC's site doesn't provide that feature.
Annoying reporters grinding my gears.
Washing Raw Denim
Sir Sway: If there has ever been someone that told you to not wash your raw denim, they are wrong, Period. That is a huge misconception. Like all clothing, your raw denim does need to be cleaned. There are a few things to do that will help clean your denim without loosing any or too much color or fade.
1) Freezer Trick – worst for cleaning; lightest on your jeans
- Put denim in a plastic bag then put it in a meat freezer (a freezer with a really low temperature). The plastic bag is there so your jeans don’t stick to the freezer or any foods. Fold your jeans nicely, I’ve never had a problem but incase they crease easily its just a precaution.
- This trick basically gets rid of most of the bacteria that causes odors and because freezers are generally pretty dry, the dry air will help disintegrate small oily stains like soy sauce.
- I normally leave it in the freezer for a night or two, depending on how frequently you do it.
A side note: never use Tide To Go. My friend learnt the hard way and now there is a bleach spot around his crotch because the product had expired.
2) Bucket Trick – best for cleaning; hardest on your jeans
- Soak the denim in a bucket with water and a tiny bit of detergent and hand wash. The water must be extremely cold and the less water you use the less ink will leak (if you like chemistry think of solutions. I.E. they have reached the max solute able to dissolve in a certain amount of solvent).
- Then after putting it in the detergent the way to scrub it is with another cloth, nothing that can take off the color like dish cleaners. Keep them in the detergent for no more then 3 minutes so scrub lightly but fast. Then get another small bucket full of cold water (when I say cold I mean freezing) and dip your jeans into it so all the detergent drains from the denim.. This is so your jeans don’t get sticky.
- The best thing to do once finished is to put a towel down, put your jeans on, and start doing squats. This makes the denim form to your body and gets the creases you want. If you want to cheat a little, get some fine sandpaper and rub the creases when you’re sitting. This will basically help with fades but only do it gently because it can look fake.
- Then after doing your squats keep your pants on and dab them down with a towel and go for a 30-minute walk (on the walk you wanna put something in your jeans to imitate your cellphone and wallet so it gets the wallet and phone fades.. I used a block of wood). Of course wear shitty shoes and shirts because it will bleed a little more. That is literally the best thing you can do to clean your jeans.
- Also keep in mind all denim is different but those two techniques are good for n&fs, nuddies, apcs, iron hearts, and 3sixteens.
A side note: There is a trick about using grape juice but most people will fuck that up because the grape juice has to be sugar free and cannot be 100% real juice and you only use like a cup. The grape juice basically helps in keeping the color but I wouldn’t suggest trying it because I have only done it twice and the first pair got crusty. And if you have lighter stitching then you must not do this!
3) The Medium Between the Two – okay for cleaning; not to harsh on your jeans
- Get in a bathtub with your jeans and do not use any soap or anything and scrub with your hands.
- The water of course needs to be extremely cold.
- Then follow the same idea with the squats and walking for 30 minutes.
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| N&Fs after 2 bathtub washes and many freezers |
