Howdy. I’m a 26 year old traveling freelance writer/designer/dog wrestler. Chief interests: my family, my cool dog, my other friends, the wild west, good rye whiskey, the Coen Bros and any movie that gives me the feels — which is rare because I’m made of granite (great for fades, though) — the incomparable work of Gaudi, bebop, blues, and reallllly old school punk.
Oh yeah, and food! That’s a biggie. I actually did have the best meal of my life in these. I’d happily be confined to a desert island forever if it meant I had my jeans, of course, and then also: scallops, pineapple, a ribeye every so often with some figs and honey. If you have to eat to survive, you may as well labor over it and let it… as a Simpson would say, “Embiggen” your soul. But enough of that.
“my dad told me about the ethos of Japanese denim when I was young…”
I get around in a lot of my denim. That’s the only way I get around, matter of fact. Most places don’t let you get around without having pants on anymore. You can’t argue with the courts, so you may as well wear great pants. Judicial folks worldwide, if you’re reading this: Get yourself some nice denim for Casual Friday 😉
Here is how they looked when they were still in their infantile stage. They were so young, so impressionable:
I first got into the stuff maybe five years ago. Maybe a bit before that, even. Sometime after I was comfortable swearing in front of distant relatives but not comfortable swearing in front of my mother, and sometime before I went to college. Whenever the hell that was.
“Most things are easier to appreciate after you age. A lot like denim. Or wine.”
However, I’ve been aware for at least ten or fifteen years, though — my dad told me about the ethos of Japanese denim when I was young. But it never clicked until I got older. Most things are easier to appreciate after you age. A lot like denim. Or wine. A well-designed house. A 1952 Fender Telecaster. Cast iron skillets. Zippos.
My trajectory for work or leisure lately has taken me across a lot of the great continental forty-eight. Coast-to-coast in the US, and not to mention up-and-down when I want to stay in the same time zone and feel like I’ve earned the level of tired I am.
I’ve gravitated toward a somewhat more loose fitting pair, but still something with a slight taper. With my Flat Head x RJB’s I found just that. They give you room when you’re walking all day but you can still afford to look dapper and fitted.
“They’ve recently seen… New Orleans, where I had the best meal of my life and where I also tried to convert a gator to raw denim…”
They were very dark at first, which is a hallmark of their denim. Same goes for Eternal’s denim, matter of fact. Looking at them they almost appear black at first. But at the same time, they fade quite fast. They were starchy at first, but then so quickly they’ve evolved with me and somewhat mythically become both soft and crunchy depending on how I quench their thirst.
They’ve recently seen: Denver, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Springfield, IL, Fayeteville, AR, Eldon, IA (where American Gothic was painted – they were right there), STL, and New Orleans, where I had the best meal of my life and where I also tried to convert a gator to raw denim. It didn’t go over poorly, it just wasn’t his thing. He did give me the time of day if nothing else.
“I’ve washed them maybe a once a month if not more. If something’s dirty, wash it.“
Here’s a few shots of things that make me happy I’ve experienced with these on my legs. The best meal of my life, Hopslam, Lagavulin 16, NOLA, bogs, the Rockies, Homer Simpson reading the paper, etc etc:
This pair has been a great example to me of washing, something noteworthy. I soaked them day one, washed them day two as they got dirty from pulling weeds (and I wasn’t afraid to wash them), and I’ve washed them maybe a once a month if not more. If something’s dirty, wash it. You know the ritualistic nature we have of a morning coffee or cold beer at five? There’s a ritualistic — if not therapeutic — nature to washing denim you love.
They’re still fading beautifully and feel as real as ever. Now I just need to take a stab at repairing the hole developing in the left knee and right rear pocket:
This is what they look like now. Yes. They are:
-Beauts
-Wiser from being more heavily-washed
-Dope af
-And have taught me more about life than many strangers on the train, bus or any other form of locomotion.
Safe to say these aren’t goin anywhere. What’s your story? 🙂
Loving Bill’s Flat Head’s? Check out Denimio’s selection of The Flat Head, here. Or, if you want to check out other Japanese denim brands to make your life companion, head over to Denimio.