Mister Freedom® SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, OG-107 Cotton Sateen.
SS2024 mfsc AREA 7161 Collection.
Made in Japan.
The Mister Freedom® SWABBIES were initially released sometime in 2020 as full-legged bell-bottom denim trousers.
The pattern inspiration had come from a rare pair of 1940’s-50’s private-purchase naval dungarees from the “Portlite Uniform” maker, extensively documented here. If these conformed to the general silhouette and specs of traditional US Navy-issued denim dungarees — with authentic 1940’s-style navy bells and a traditional high waist —, they featured really fancy tailoring and intricate pattern work for a pair of utilitarian trousers. The apparently-inconspicuous two front pockets are actually a very clever combination of two types of pocket patterns, slash and patch, a construction tour-de-force on a wrap leg that only makes sense when studying the inside of the pants.
The SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, as the name implies, are simply a cropped version of the SWABBIES, bye-bye bells. We hemmed the inseam at about 6 inches, for a mid-thigh length.
A common practice in tropical Theater of Operations in the old days, salty Navy personnel would chop-off their faded dungarees and turn them into swim shorts or off-duty bermudas. Another common practice was to undo the top button, and wear the shorts with the waistband rolled-down, as was often the case with UDT Scuba Trunks.
Following their navy blue HBT debut release, the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS are now available in a classic 9 Oz. vintage Mil-Spec OG-107 cotton-back sateen fabric, in that timeless US military shade of Olive Green we all love. Milled in 2024 as close as it gets to its 1952 GI ancestor (unlike most contemporary overly-slubby commercial renditions), our OG-107 cotton sateen will age as gracefully as that of vintage fatigues.
Wear the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS at the original mid-thigh length, hem them shorter, roll them, or chop them and let the bottom fray (as I did with my navy blue HBT release), they are versatile short pants boasting a vintage pedigree, with a tough military/workwear classic vibe.
The mfsc SWABBIES CUT-OFFS are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% cotton, vintage Mil-Specs cotton-back sateen, OG-107 color (classic US military Olive Green), 9 Oz., milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* An original mfsc pattern inspired by US Navy 1940’s-50’s private-purchase denim bell bottom trousers aka dungarees, cropped into short pants.
* Hemmed at mid-thigh, can be cropped to one’s preferred length.
* Wrap leg (no outseam.)
* Black 1940s-style laurel leaf starburst metal donut waist & fly buttons.
* Front pockets combining complex patch-type and slash-type pattern due to the challenge of the wrap leg. No open seams.
* Rear patch pockets cut using horizontal warp.
* Flat lock chainstitch construction.
* Tonal all-cotton stitching.
* Bar-tacked stress points.
* Woven rayon mfsc “AREA 7161” label on inside waistband.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING:
The SWABBIES CUT-OFFS come UN-WASHED and are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to set creases, then hang until fully dry.
I had opted for a W31 in the Denim Swabbies bell-bottom trousers, for a fitted top block, comfortable thighs and period flares. I went with a W30 in the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, for both OG-107 Cotton Sateen and navy blue HBT versions.
CARE:
Launder when needed, low maintenance.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
 New MF® Watertown Shirt & worn Breezer Type II, same indigo chambray fabric ©2024
 MF® Watertown Shirt with its two siblings, Tahiti Shirt Ura and Moana , with an unidentified furry alien ©2024 
Mister Freedom® WATERTOWN Shirt, selvedge indigo chambray.
mfsc SS2024 AREA 7161
Made in Japan
The Mister Freedom® WATERTOWN Shirt gets its pattern DNA from our 2015 TAHITI Shirt, an original garment fully documented here, anecdotally dear to me as it has roots in my expat family history.
The streamline design was a take on classic 1950s-60s vintage French casual sportswear shirts: straight shirttail tuck-out style, period-typical “shark fin” collar (“col requin” in French, sometimes referred-to as “Capri” collar), side seam slits, in a long-sleeve pattern. Our Tahiti shirts were cut from printed bark-cloth type cotton fabrics featuring a splendid vintage monstera motif, in both Moana blue and Ura red color options, inspired by a set of original pareos my dad was issued during a stint at the Club Med in 1957.
The WATERTOWN Shirt is basically a short-sleeve version of our TAHITI Shirt, but also a completely different fabric treatment and concept.
For our Area 7161 story, we twisted the design and opted for a fancy cotton/linen indigo chambray fabric, an old MF® favorite previously featured on the Naval Chinos Type No.266ic, the Breezer Type II, and the Riviera Continental Sportcoat & Trousers set.
This premium indigo selvedge 6.5 Oz. chambray is a slubby, tightly-woven blend of 85% cotton and 15% linen, plain weave dark indigo warp with unbleached weft yarns, a dry and crisp fabric flashing a white/red stripe selvedge ID, exclusively milled in Japan for mfsc. It is much darker than typical workwear chambrays (or vintage-style USN workshirts), with a deep indigo hue and reddish sheen. This chambray fabric is guaranteed to age gracefully with normal wash/wear routine, developing overtime a beautiful indigo patina exposing the woven texture and ring.
For the Watertown, we decided to visually spice things up by using an orange/yellow contrast stitch construction, a nod to our Californian Blue Jeans and their classic denim two-tone stitching. A purely cosmetic design choice today — time-consuming and costly manufacturing wise —, the origin of mixing similarly-colored threads in garment construction dates back to 1940s-50s crunch time in factories, when everything on hand was used to meet production deadlines.
The fabric selvedge is displayed in both the front panels button placket and the chest pocket fold.
The sleeves are a period 1950s-style length, cut shorter than contemporary short-sleeve shirts. The amber-colored corrozo wood buttons compliment the orange/yellow chainstitch accents.
For those who wonder, our shirt gets its moniker from the classified Top-Secret and highly-restricted legendary AREA 51, a remote air strip on natural salt flats located in Groom Lake, Nevada, initially utilized during WW2 as gunnery range by USAAF pilots. Later codenamed Watertown in internal convo — also referred to as “Paradise Ranch” or “The Ranch” amongst other dreamy nicknames — , the area was secretly reactivated in 1955 as a R&D facility for covert projects. In this hard-to-access isolated high desert location, the CIA, USAF pilots (referred to as “drivers”, for anonymity), Lockheed “Skunk Works” engineers, mechanics, …, helped develop and test U-2 spy planes. More on our Mister Freedom® stylistic twist on this historical background here.
More simply, the MF® Watertown Shirt is a cool 1950s-style casual short-sleeve shirt, loaded with subtle details, blending period sportswear with workwear, diverting chambray fabric from its routine utilitarian garment role.
The MF® WATERTOWN Shirt is designed in California, USA, by Mister Freedom®, and produced in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Premium indigo selvedge chambray, 6.5 Oz., slubby, 85% cotton — 15% linen tightly-woven blend, plain weave dark indigo warp with unbleached weft yarns, dry-hand, white/red stripe selvedge ID, milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* An original mfsc shirt pattern, inspired by French 1950s vintage casual shirts, blending sportswear and workwear vibes.
* Short sleeves, period cut.
* Straight shirttail tuck-out style, side slits.
* French style “col requin” (shark fin collar), with 1950s-style collar loop.
* Contrast Californian-style yellow & orange combo stitching, high count, 100% cotton.
* Fabric selvedge displayed on front panels button placket and chest pocket fold.
* Single piece back, no shoulder yoke.
* Narrow folder chainstitch construction.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The WATERTOWN Shirt in indigo chambray comes unwashed and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend this straight-forward easy protocol before wearing:
- Rinse in cold water, machine setting on delicate, full cycle.
- Line dry, no heat dryer.
At 5’7 ~145 lbs, I opted for a SMALL for a comfortable fit. We recommend getting your usual size in MF® shirts.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate soaked/rinsed measurements, and reach out to sales@misterfredom.com for further sizing advice.
CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
 “Won’t bind your legs.” 
Mister Freedom® Californian Lot64MD “OUTLAW”, 16 Oz. indigo “Midnight” selvedge denim.
mfsc FW2022 Sportsman Catalog
Made in USA
The Californian “OUTLAW” has been a member of our classic Californian Blue Jeans Family since we introduced the original modified pattern in 2021.
We basically took the cut of our popular Lot64 – slightly tapered leg, mid rise, traditional 1950s-60s silhouette – and spiced things up a bit by introducing a western-wear modification to a classic five-pocket style: “frogmouth” type front pocket openings, sometimes referred-to as western pockets, a detail often seen on early riding apparel.
We have played around with this pocketing style in the past, with mfsc oldies such as the MF® Vaqueros, Buckaroos, Conductor Slacks, and the Deputy Britches. From the latter, we directly borrowed and adapted the pocket opening design for the OUTLAW.
This vintage-style western tailoring touch is subtle, but adds a cool twist to a classic pair of five-pocket jeans, setting them apart from the herd.
The Californian Lot64 OUTLAW model is available in several fabrics, a traditional blue denim NOS Cone 14 Oz., a black sulfur-dyed 13 Oz. denim, and now in our mighty “Midnight denim”, a sturdy 16 Oz. selvedge denim twill milled for us in Japan, featuring a dark indigo warp x black weft.
For those into denim fades (from natural wear) nothing short of spectacular, this two-legged horse is a good one to bet on!
The Californian Lot64MD OUTLAW are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and produced in USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co, cut from premium selvedge denim milled in Japan.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
* Original Mister Freedom® classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern.
* Our popular Lot64 cut (slightly tapered leg, mid rise, traditional 1950s-60s silhouette.)
* Western-style “Frogmouth” front pocket opening pattern.
* Button fly, combination of brass/silver original MF® branded metal cast waist/fly tack buttons.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* NOS fabric pocket bags, vintage French workwear type black/grey woven stripe.
* MF® original “M” branding stitch design on rear pockets, tonal.
* MF® branded black tea-core leather patch on rear pocket.
* Black tonal stitching, 100% cotton thread, gauge combination.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket reinforcement bar tack stitching.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (dark navy)
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT:
The Californian Lot64MD OUTLAW Midnight jeans come UN-WASHED, and are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. A tagged W32 x L34 will shrink to approximately 32 inches x 34 inches after a soak/dry process.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry cycle, and/or line dry.
- Optionally, wear briefly while still damp to set creases, then hang until fully dry.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I opted for a W30 with this model (my current waist size in MF® Californians), for a classic silhouette with a snug waist, comfortable top block and straight leg. I’m about 5’7 – 145 lbs.
As with all denim twills, shrinkage and stretching will occur for a while and will depend on the wearer’s body, activities and initial fit.
DENIM CARE:
Treat this Midnight denim twill as you would premium indigo-dyed denim.
Launder your denim jeans when needed, according to frequency of wear and activities. Machine wash or hand wash, turn garment inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Wash separately from light-colored garments.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
 Enter the Loiron Mister Freedom® SPORTSMAN Shirt, NOS 2×1 ICEBLU Selvedge Denim.
SS2024 Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
We introduced the MF® Sportsman Shirt pattern sometime in 2013, and have since released it in a wide range of new original or vintage NOS fabrics.
This simple vintage utilitarian style is our spin on classic 1930s-1950s work shirts, with the expected early workwear details such as chin strap and side gussets, and the less-common shoulder yoke dart construction. This latter detail is the main difference between the Mister Freedom® Sportsman Shirt and its Ranger Shirt compadre.
We scored some fine NOS yardage of 2×1 selvedge denim last year, a lightweight 7.25 Oz. twill in a very desirable lighter indigo shade, and decided to do a small run with it. Like previous lighter indigo denims we’ve worked with — from the Maverick to the Ranch Blouse — we’re calling this hue “IceBlu” (at times spelled Ice Blue, IceBlue, Ice-blu etc) because we’re cool like that.
Side note, this killer fabric (of probable USA origin, if not Japan) was definitely not a wise choice for cutting shirts with… It is milled on narrow shuttle loom, and, at a width of 29¼’’, is hardly the optimal candidate for a high yielding shirting fabric! Due to pattern cutting technicalities, fabrics with a 29”~32” width are usually ideal for making selvedge jeans, not shirts. Because you need almost double the amount of yardage to produce one garment, obviously driving the cost up.
But, like desert dweller Edward “take the other” Abbey suggested, this was the less-travelled road we opted for again. So there it is.
To spice things up, we opted for contrast yellow and orange stitching (the vintage-inspired color combo we use on our Californian blue jeans), a nod to period workwear production when consistency took second place over using-up everything on hand at factory level, fabric, trims, lining, and thread.
Additionally, a front row of fancy French milky-white glass buttons (authentic New Old Stock from the 1920s-30s) should make you feel very special, and probably aggravated should you accidentally smash one. Just don’t stomp on your shirt wearing clogs. If you do, forget Amazon, but this place may have replacements.
The MF® SPORTSMAN Shirt “IceBlu” Denim is designed and made in California, USA, by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Original MFSC pattern, inspired by classic 1930s-50s workwear shirting and vintage menswear fashion.
FABRIC:
New Old Stock 2×1 selvedge denim, lightweight 7.25 Oz. twill, lighter indigo “IceBlu” shade, white line selvedge ID. Probable USA mill origin.
DETAILS:
* Relaxed silhouette and fit.
* Original inverted box-pleat double chest pockets.
* Narrow chin strap.
* Authentic 1920s-30s French NOS glass buttons.
* White cotton poplin button facing strip.
* Double front & back expansion pleats on shoulder yoke, for ease of movement.
* One piece cuff gussets.
* 100% cotton thread, high stitch count, contrast yellow and orange combo.
* Flat felled seams, with inside green chain-stitch MF® signature.
* Side gussets displaying fabric selvedge.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label.
* Limited production.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The SPORTSMAN Shirt, IceBlu Denim edition, comes unwashed and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend this straight-forward easy protocol:
- Rinse in cold water, machine setting on delicate, full cycle.
- Line dry, no heat dryer.
At 5’7 ~145 lbs, I opted for a SMALL for a trim yet comfortable fit, personal preference. We recommend getting your usual size in MF® shirts.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate soaked/rinsed measurements, and reach out to sales@misterfredom.com for further sizing advice.
CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
Note: 1920s-30s vintage glass buttons are sturdy but obviously more fragile than contemporary plastic/wood buttons, please handle accordingly.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Mister Freedom® APPALOOSA Western Snap Shirt
NOS HBT stripe denim edition (2015) fabric evo
Made in USA
The Mister Freedom® APPALOOSA, introduced during Fall 2013, was our first traditional “western snap” shirt and has been released in a variety of denim-related fabrics.
Its fancier legacy is our Dude Rancher today, with elaborate pattern work, but the OG design — discussed here — blended more plebeian Roebuck denim snap shirts and utilitarian roots of vintage cowboy fashion.
After the initial 2013 goat rodeo of releasing the first batch in mixed yardages of NOS denims of unknown origins and specs, we cut the pattern in an unassuming NOS HBT stripe denim fabric in 2015, followed by a small batch of double indigo twill in 2016.
Fabric wise, classifying that 2015 release in the HBT/stripe family is a bit misleading. The vertical woven herringbone twill pattern is hardly noticeable to the untrained eye (it’s even hard to capture on camera!), and the weft pin stripe not as blatant as, say, classic workwear hickory stripes.
The “unassuming” part is because that specific fabric in its raw state looks like an average 2×1 denim, and will only reach full character after repeat wear/wash cycles.
We don’t resort to factory-distressed gimmicks to make our clothes more relevant to contemporary fashion, and more appealing to the average consumer, we let you do the hard work of breaking-in your own clothes. A “vintage wash”, in industry parlance, consists in mechanically abrading/sand-blasting/stone-washing/laser-burning/etc a perfectly fine garment, resulting in a fake patina that took 90% out of the life of said garment, and ultimately makes you look like a tool.
More on that here.
 “Wear your clothes!” A few pieces of the Appaloosa NOS HBT denim still available from www.misterfreedom.com and our Los Angeles brick & mortar store.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
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