/ Fade Friday /

Fade Friday – Naked & Famous Sumi Selvedge (10+ Years, Unknown Washes & Soaks)

For over 10 years, serial Fade Friday star Julian has been trying to destroy his Naked & Famous Weird Guy Sumi Selvedge jeans, but they just won’t give in. Worn daily whilst writing graffiti in Chicago, these jeans don’t just look the part; they have the story to back them up. And although multiple repairs have been needed to keep them wearable, they’ve pushed past the pain to get to where they are today.

Some of these fade lines are so intense that it’s like they have been eternally sandblasted, and the sumi-ink incorporated into this denim has led to a gray cast forming through the dye loss. Sumi is a pretty powerful dye — it’s used for ink, after all — so these features signal a well-worn pair.

Like most good fades, though, the bright white lines are the most hypnotizing, like the knees and seat. And though the sketchy crotch situation and blown-out right back pocket possess the right amount of roughness, it’s the left upper thigh surgeries that stick out as an artifact of the past, worth remembering. See you in 10 Julian.

/ New Releases /

2nd Magazine Launches 2nd Edition of Its Paperboy-Inspired Salesman Bag

If you need a new sling pack to carry around all your fun trinkets and doodads, let this be your sign. 2nd Magazine just released a second edition of their Newsboy Bag, and it’s not like most other bags out there.

For one, the Newsboy features a great old-school print of a dog on its way to deliver you the mail. And two, it’s been made in collaboration with Lightning Clutch, so you know the quality is off the hook. Constructed from a character-rich washed canvas, this salesman bag features an adjustable shoulder strap plus snap button closures ensuring your loot is secure, and your shoulders are unconstricted.

Finished with an exterior pocket for when time is of the essence, it might not come with a paper route, but you’ll get over it.

Available for $150 from Clutch Cafe.

Be King of the Rodeo in Left Field NYC’s Western Flannel Shirt

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Jean collecting can be addictive, but the variation offered by plaid flannels makes them even more lethal. Just when you thought your flannel rotation had it all,Left Field NYCgallops in with its Japanese Western Flannel Shirt. Inspired by iconic Western wear from the likes of Levi’s and Wrangler, Left Field’s rendition balances homage with wholesale improvements, all underpinned by soft Japanese-milled flannel with gorgeous autumnal tones.

In addition to a smorgasbord of tones from deep brown to navy, beige to gold, Left Field’s custom Japanese flannel features a stepped diamond/eye motif that you’d often see on Navajo weaving and rugs from South America & the Middle East. These, along with the brown Trochus pearl snap buttons, make up one hell of a flannel shirt before you clock that it’s a Western with pointed yokes on both the front and back. Are you in love yet, cowboy?

Last but not least, you have a perfectly executed, vintage-inspired neck label. It’s a small detail on paper, but folks like us geek out over this stuff, and it honestly sews everything together with aplomb. The only thing it’s missing is a warning that the shirt may cause excessive hat tipping. There are worse problems to have, though.

Available at Left Field NYC for $230.

Brave Star Opens Pre-Orders For 13 oz. Deadstock Cone Mills ‘Witness’ Series

Pre-order a piece of history with Brave Star‘s 13 oz. Witness Series jeans made from deadstock Cone Mills denim.

For those who don’t know the tale of Cone Mills White Oak plant, it was known for its long history as the denim supplier for Levi Strauss & Co., Cone Mills turned off the Draper X3 looms for the last time in 2017. But as they were winding down, denim brands flocked to gobble up as much of the unused fabric as they could. After all, once it’s gone, it’s gone. 9 years later, our friends at Brave Star are still working through their finite stock to offer limited edition releases that encapsulate the essence of the White Oak plant.

This 13 oz. 3×1 raw selvedge denim is dormant mill inventory that had been left behind, as opposed to a reproduction of old fabric, woven from long staple cotton for strength and clean texture. Available in a variety of cuts from true straight to slim taper, these dark indigo selvedge jeans let the denim do the talking. Made in the USA and closed out by not much more than their signature star embroidery on the back right pocket and a debossed leather patch, these button fly jeans were made to wear out in the world. After all, the fabric has been waiting long enough.

Available for pre-order for $138 from Brave Star.

The Real McCoy’s Reissues Extremely Rare USN Submarine Jacket

In the landscape of ‘WWII US Navy designs you don’t see every day,’ the Submarine Jacket hides in the deepest, darkest crevice. Also known by its catchy and charming official name, Coat, Winter, Woolen, this jacket is a true scarcity with few original examples ever surfacing. Manufactured in extremely limited quantities due to their niche use by submarine personnel, it was made in a black color scheme, a virtually unseen move in the navy blue world of the US Navy.

Painstakingly reproduced by The Real McCoy’s, in the hypothetical scenario that you already knew about this jacket, you would be hard-pressed to distinguish their version from an original. And that’s no accident. Exacting-ly made in Japan from 100% double-cloth herringbone wool, for a jacket this shockingly simple in design, we’re surprised it never caught on the way later military garments did. Just 2 roomy flap pockets, a chin strap for added warmth, and a subtle spread collar that frames the whole silhouette perfectly, you’re good to go.

Available for $970 from Clutch Cafe.

/ Weekly Rundown /

• A Selvedge Denim Pioneer Weighs in on His 5 Most-Worn Jeans – GQ

• Is Combating the ‘Persistent Pattern’ of China-Imposed Forced Labor Still a US Priority? – Sourcing Journal

• The World’s Best Complete Calendar Watches – InsideHook

• Garmology – Finding Meaning in the Clothes We Already Own – With Wendy Ward(#162) – Well Dressed Dad

• Consider the optics: why men have fallen back in love with spectacles – The Guardian

• How Exploring Labrador With Inuit Guides Changed Me – Field Mag

• Bingo! (First Friday) Feb 6th – Bradley Mountain