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Mister Freedom “SNIPES” Shirt, indigo warp/white weft Herringbone Twill (HBT) “denim”
SS2023 mfsc “Frogsville x Saigon Classified”
Made in Japan.
The pattern of the MF® SNIPES is inspired by the earliest model of US Gov-issued uniform shirt in a full button-front design, a departure from earlier 1/2 button-front pullover styles.
Nomenclated as Specs “No. 8-26C Shirt, Flannel, Olive-Drab, Coat Style” by the Quartermaster Corps, the garment was introduced sometime in 1933 and issued to US Army and Air Corps personnel and FDR’s CCC enrollees alike. This new uniform shirt pattern was deemed “Coat Style”, marking a practical departure from its predecessor, the mustard color pullover wool shirt commonly associated with WW1 Doughboys. The overall design was borrowed from civilian workwear, back when utilitarian garment-making skills bordered on fancy tailoring prowess. This is definitely an intricate pattern by modern utilitarian clothing standards, Dickies and the likes.
Besides the full six-button front placket improvement, the characteristics of the early 8-26C shirt included a one-piece unstructured collar (no collar band), a singular style of elbow reinforcement patch, and two large functional chest pockets, each with a pen compartment. Remember pens?
The Mister Freedom® SNIPES retains all of that military design DNA, and we only decided to get creative with our choices of fabrics, a departure from the original US Army OD wool blend issue.
This is the third MF® iteration of the SNIPES, with the first 2020 release cut from Buzz Rickson’s Chambray. Followed an OD cotton poplin version in 2021, a visual reference to classic US Navy N-3 type shirts.
This season, the SNIPES gets a new fancy skin, a very slubby herringbone twill (HBT) milled in Japan, about 6 Oz., light indigo warp x white weft, which we are (with great liberty) calling “HBT denim” because of the denim-like yarn color combination.
Technically speaking, this textile is not of the denim family (usually right or left hand twill fabric with indigo warp x natural weft), definitely not chambray (a plain weave fabric), but kinda looks like the latter, from a distance. Besides fabric nerds, most will probably refer to it as “chambray”.
Blurring the lines between vintage US Navy work shirts and early US Army shirts, with the usual Mister Freedom® might-have-been design approach, we went for classic navy blue urea plastic buttons and white contrast stitching, old-school naval chambray shirt style.
The term “snipes” refers to USN enlisted personnel working in the engine room, the “sailors that sail below”, aka “Black Gang” for their grease-covered blues and salty dixie cup covers. See Machinist’s Mate Jake Holman’s dungarees for a Hollywood rendition.
The MF® SNIPES Shirt is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
FABRIC:
100% cotton herringbone twill (HBT) “denim”, light indigo slubby warp x white weft weave, ~6 Oz., milled in Japan.
SPECS:
* Pattern inspired by a vintage 1930’s US Army wool uniform classic, revisited.
* Full 6 button front opening.
* Rounded tails.
* Vintage USN chambray shirt style urea buttons.
* Two large utilitarian chest pockets with pen compartments.
* Unstructured one-piece collar.
* Elbow reinforcement patches.
* White poplin button placket facing.
* Chainstitch construction with narrow folder.
* 100% cotton contrast stitching, white.
* Red bartack in lieu of side gussets.
* Original mfsc “Frogsville x Saigon Classified” woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The HBT “denim” SNIPES Shirt comes RAW/unwashed. It is cut so that the measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend this usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Hang until fully dry.
At 5.7’ ~145 lbs, I opted for a SMALL for a trim uniform-like fit.
We recommend sticking to your usual mfsc shirt size.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Heat dryer may result in excessive shrinkage.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2023
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