“I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth or shapes it into a garment will starve in the process.” Benjamin Harrison, President of the U.S., 1889-1893
Bloudini at work
MF® Cowboy blue denim Jacket, NOS Cone, made in USA Sportsman Fall 2015
Those familiar with some of my private after-hour rants will confirm that I’m not too big on consumerism (“the concept that an ever-expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy“), mass marketing, and wasting resources in general. I find the “Think/Own less/Pay more” motto quite convincing, and personally live in relative detachment from un-necessary material possessions, however subjective the concept of must-haves is. I do own more vintage records than I need.
If my disdain for the accumulation of ‘things’ is not necessarily evident to the visitor of the ol’ pile o’ rags at 7161 Beverly, these feelings hopefully transpire once in a while via my blog posts. Much to the consternation of the Mister Freedom® sales department, I’d rather confess to existential concerns in awkward write-ups than concoct the perfect sales pitch.
A moment of “relative detachment from un-necessary material possessions”…
The perfect sales pitch
I got da goods, wha ya need there, Nitz?
Whether shopping for groceries or auto parts, the amount of tantalizing junk and gadgets one sees sitting on store shelves and inside push carts never ceases to baffle me. Some of my fine Angeleno counterparts cruising while staring at their phone screen might not have fully noticed yet, but there is stuff eeeeeeeverywhere. Stuff, stuff, stuff… All that ‘stuff’ is getting to me, ‘Falling Down’ style, with Boris Vian rapping “La Complainte du Progrès” on the turntable.
So now, it never fails. With each Mister Freedom® garment release, a side of me sincerely feels guilty bringing yet another manufactured widget on the market. Besides the paycheck that helps relieve the angst, it has become quite challenging for me to intellectually balance a strong anti-consumerism inclination with a professional occupation that basically consists in relentlessly adding clothes to closets.
There’s not much to discuss in regards to the particular style of our accoutrement du jour. The Mister Freedom® blue denim Cowboy Jacket is another MF® twist on a classic, this time a ‘type III’ trucker jacket, a pattern briefly addressed with the release of its wheat recent predecessor.
MF® Cowboy Jacket in wheat denim
On the other hand, for those proclaiming a passion for denim like it’s the best thing since pizza, there’s always plenty to chew on regarding what manufacturing a pair of jeans involves. For instance, setting aside COO-related labor issues for a minute, our beloved blue jeans are not exactly Natures’s best friend when it comes to H2O… As compelling evidences of climate change keep pilling up, one doesn’t need to live in the Atacama Desert to realize the urgency to conserve and preserve water. This summer, complying California residents even had to refrain from hosing down the old SUV…
From the extensive industrial farming of the cotton crop, to the amount of water necessary for dye-houses to keep our rear ends wrapped in indigo, the tally appears to be around 2,900 gallons per pair. Add a few extra hundreds thanks to the combined efforts of an International band of geniuses who figured consumers would buy more jeans if only rigid denim was soft and distressed, and you can get that environmental footprint in super size. To complete the marketing ploy, the resulting stone-washed denim beauties tend to, surprise surprise, magically fall apart within a year, blown crotch and knees, and get dumped in landfills with no chance of being recycled. A vacuum for more demand has been created. All is well.
If MF®, as a small clothing brand, admits involvement in some stages of this not-so eco-friendly chain of events, just imagine what the garment-churning fashion giant conglomerates might have to confess…
Knowledge is out there, if you take the time to do a bit of research. Being aware of what goes on in your own closet, not just style-wise, can be depressing but is never a bad idea.
That is why I’m always grateful for documentaries and stories coming out of intelligent investigating journalism. If one can’t expect much from fashion publications, more preoccupied by not jeopardizing the flow of sponsors and advertisers than actually educating its audience, traditional news or entertainment media, on the other hand, do have scoops on the Garment Industry at times.
Randomly, Arte has some fine documentaries. Vice did an interesting bit a while back. The Guardian relaying this photo essay actually shed more light on Fashion than the latest issue of your favorite fashion magazine…
I recently came across an insightful Newsweek article, after watching a short French TV documentary mentioning the city of Tirupur, India. If you happen to wear clothes on a daily basis, that article is a must-read. Tirupur is better known as Knit City, playing a major role in feeding the avid consumer of fast-fashion with endless yardages of unbeatably-priced knitwear.
If someone you know owns a color T-shirt featuring a “Made in India” label, it was probably milled and dyed in Knit City, the reason why Wal-Mart could retail it for $10.00. The compulsive apparel bargain-hunter will find relief in learning that local farmers of that southern India region, as a motivation, have been enjoying the perks of purple-colored toxic rivers and invigorating water-borne diseases for decades.
Sorry ’bout that.
At this point, the aggravated consumer, claiming a limited budget, usually comes out with a quip along the lines of “But who the **** can afford a $70.00 T-shirt!?!”, to whom you can politely suggest that owning TWO instead of TWELVE might help.
Bottom line, most of you probably don’t need more clothes, let alone another denim jacket. And besides our commitment to supply fun projects to the small family-owned factory locally producing the Mister Freedom® Sportsman catalog, and a desire to keep our jobs in Los Angeles, we don’t even have much valid reasons for issuing one either.
So I thought I’d spare you the usual brand skit about how “awesome, superior, essential, authentic, second to none, blahh…” the Mister Freedom® blue denim Cowboy Jackets are, and leave you with the usual ‘vintage inspiration’ imagery instead.
Richard Widmark in Lee® (1958) Courtesy Getty Images.
EP in Levi’s® type III “Stay Away Joe” (1968) MGM
Brando in Lee® 101, Dick Cavett Show (1973)
Paul Zastupnevich’s costume design for Steve McQueen in “The Towering Inferno” (1974)
Bob in Lee®, (1976)
Life’s rough. Johnson Outboards ad (1975) “Skin Diver”
Above vintage photos are shown for educational purposes only. To the best of our knowledge, credits are as follows:
* Richard Widmark’s photo in “The Law and Jake Wade” (1958) and M. Brando on the Dick Cavett Show (1973) courtesy of Getty Images.
* McQueen’s wardrobe sketch by Paul Zastupnevich for “The Towering Inferno” (1974) courtesy of this website via that one.
* Robert Redford in 1976 courtesy of Rex Features.
Having said that, the MF® Cowboy Jacket is designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional trucker-type denim jackets, aka third-type jackets.
FABRIC:
Limited New Old Stock Cone Mills indigo blue denim, 12.5 Oz., white/red line selvedge ID, sanforized. Milled in the USA.
DETAILS:
* Fairly trim silhouette, sixties vibe.
* Fabric selvedge displayed on inside front panels.
* Original MF® slanted flap chest pockets.
* Original brass cast MF® branded buttons.
* MF® yellow “M” stitching on pockets.
* Orange and yellow stitch combination.
* Blue 2×1 denim pocket flap lining.
* All cotton thread chainstitch construction.
* Buttoned cinch-waist side tabs.
* Copper rivet backed by leather washers for pockets and sleeve placket reinforcements.
* Debossed leather MF® original patch.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The blue denim Cowboy Jacket comes UN-WASHED and cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. This specific denim shrinks quite significantly.
We recommend our usual method for raw blue denim garments:
* 30-40mn cold soak with intermittent hand agitation, in minimally-filled washing machine or bath tub.
* Spin dry cycle (if using a machine).
* Hang dry.
* As an optional step, wear the garment briefly when still not fully dry, in order to slightly shape it to your body and set creases. Hang and let fully dry.
When following this routine, the denim garment will dry quite stiff, due to the re-activated fabric starch contained in the cotton yarns. This is normal and will subside with normal wear.
I went for the Medium (38) in the blue denim Cowboy Jacket, my usual size in msfc garments, although I had opted to size down to a 36 with the wheat version.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
CARE: Wash when hygiene dictates and common sense prevails.
We recommend turning the jacket inside out to avoid marbling on the indigo side.
Hand washing can be a good option for those concerned with specific wear patterns and high-contrast colors fades. Otherwise, machine wash inside out with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Please note that the debossed graphic on the leather patch will naturally ‘flatten out’ when soaked in water.
Available RAW/unwashed
SIZES:
X-Small (34)
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
“I could use a jacket right now…” James Coburn (1968)
MF® Cowboy Jacket, NOS wheat denim, made in USA Sportsman Fall 2015
Introducing another finer than frog hair treat for the International Man of Action à laDerek Flint, a sensational bucking number, runway winner, the playboy’s choice and bruiser’s favorite, the much-anticipated Mister Freedom® Cowboy Jacket!
Kick it in wheat!
Relentlessly keeping our fingers on the pulse of the World of Fashion, you know us, we are quite ecstatic about adding a new denim jacket pattern to our Sportsman catalog this Fall. The Ranch Blouse now has a pardner.
With Labor Day long gone in the rear view mirror, we are doubling the euphoria by releasing a WHEAT denim version of this Cowboy Jacket, cut from a limited yardage of New Old Stock natural-colored selvedge denim.
A prevalent concern since 1894, sporting white garments in public between the first Monday of September and the last Monday of May has been deemed a style faux pas by the enlighten chosen few of the Fashion Taliban elite. This sounded like yet another mission for Mister Freedom®, so we teamed-up with an assembly of brain surjins surgeons to cook up a piece of accoutrement so adorable it is bound to muzzle that obsolete style diktat for at least an entire week.
Hear ye, hear ye, hello MF® wheat Cowboy Jacket, goodbye First World closet dilemmas.
Pushing the envelop even further, for a desirable Boogaloo Tuxedo effect, a nod to our talented and stylish friend CW Stoneking, may we recommend pairing your wheat Cowboy Jacket with a matching pair of wheat Californian Lot.74? May we? Mais oui, Johnny!
For the unconvinced, detailed tutorial on how to publicly embarrass your family is available here.
Papy’s gon’ boogaloo
Style-wise, our denim Cowboy Jacket is no stop-the-press type revolution, as it freely borrows from the familiar trucker-type denim jacket family of its legendary predecessors. Our specific pattern combines influences of several vintage iconic models, without doing a full literal cut/paste out of respect for the original long-established brands. The slanted yoke and chest pockets are a take on our Appaloosa Shirt, in turn influenced by 1950’s Sears & Roebuck denim ranchwear. The pocket flaps are adapted from our ‘classic’ denim Ranch Blouse. The cinch back strap was removed and replaced by buttoned cinch-waist tabs. The silhouette was trimmed for a more 60’s vibe.
“Suvenirs, suvenirs” with Johnny Hallyday (Los Angeles 1994)
The MF® Cowboy Jacket is designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional trucker-type denim jackets, aka third-type jackets.
FABRIC: Limited New Old Stock Cone Mills natural colored denim, 12.5 Oz., white/red line selvedge ID, sanforized. Milled in the USA.
DETAILS: * Fairly trim silhouette, sixties vibe. * Fabric selvedge displayed on inside front panels. * Original MF® slanted flap chest pockets. * Original brass cast MF® branded buttons. * MF® yellow “M” stitching on pockets. * Orange and yellow stitch combination. * Blue 2×1 denim pocket flap lining. * All cotton thread chainstitch construction. * Buttoned cinch-waist tabs.
* Copper rivet backed by leather washers for pockets and sleeve placket reinforcements. * Debossed leather MF® original patch. * Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT The wheat denim Cowboy Jacket comes UN-WASHED and cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. This specific denim is sanforized, and very minimal shrinkage is to be expected. I opted to size down from the Medium (38) I usually wear in msfc garments, and went for a Small (36) after deliberating a bit. The soaked/dry 36 fits tight and barely closes but i preferred it over the more roomy 38. What works is subjective and will depend on what silhouette one is comfortable and familiar with, as much as with the wearer’s body type.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
Cowboy Jacket fit 38
36 and 38 fits
Cowboy Jacket wheat sizing
CARE:
Wash when hygiene dictates and common sense prevails. Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Please note that the debossed graphic on the leather patch will naturally ‘flatten out’ when soaked in water. As devastating as it is, this is normal.
DISCLAIMER: Some color transfer from the the leather patch and pocket flap blue denim lining to the wheat denim might occur after laundry. This will recede with subsequent washing cycles, as light-colored garments require frequent cleaning. DO NOT use hot water as this will increase chances of color transfer.
Available RAW/unwashed SIZES:
X-Small (34)
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
And a free bowl of soup to the first reader who notices the upside down woven label on this early sample. Shipping not included.
Mister Freedom® HQ at 7161 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA. (Photo Tadashi Tawarayama 2015)
CDO Jacket, Melton wool x indigo cotton twill combo Saigon Cowboy Fall 2015
Following the recent release of the Mister Freedom® Caban Peacoat, and pushing further up the meanders of our Saigon Cowboy arroyos, here is a new number out of the bush: the ‘CDO Jacket’.
CDO stands for Commando, a respectful reference to Commandos Marine, the famed elite assault troops of the French Navy.
During France’s involvement in the Indochina War, mid-40’s to 1954, several Commandos Marine (Commando François, de Montfort, Jaubert, Tempête and Ouragan) joined forces with South Vietnamese troops on numerous operations from the Gulf of Siam to the Gulf of Tonkin. Whether navigating South China Sea waters, maneuvering Tonkin and Cochinchina waterways, or joining riverine operations around Annam deltas with the Divisons Navales d’Assaut (DINASSAUT), the Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FUSCO) played a very active role from the early stages of the conflict. These commandos were composed of both supplétifs (enrolled pro-French Indochinese nationals) and CEFEO troops from continental France.
For units assigned to Fleuve (Brown-water Navy) or Mer (blue-water Navy), deployments involved all kinds of fun tropical aquatic activities such as exhilarating adventures in leech-infested and mosquito-ridden mangrove. Cruising aboard US-made landing craft vessels recycled from WW2, or rudimentary river patrol Swift Boat-type precursors, many of these French commandos never reached the end of their 18-month tour.
Due to field isolation, some of these units were left to their own fate and judgement, often pictured sporting eclectic outfits more adapted to local conditions and personal preferences than showing concern for strict military regulations.
For those with a yen for vivid military slang, brown-water French sailors, ‘marins en kaki’ in Indochina, were poetically nicknamed ‘chie dans l’eau” by their airborne or infantry counterparts. ‘Dans l’eau’ translates to ‘in the water’. The verb is for you to guess.
In subsequent years, in and about Vietnam’s 12,000 miles of coastal terrain, American soldiers would in turn be instructed to board all kinds of riverine crafts, some actually inherited from the French flotillas, and confront the same Viet Minh (Vietnamese independentists) enemy, relabelled Viet Cong (Vietnamese communists) to better celebrate the pursuit of the Cold War festivities…
Cdo Jaubert 1950 (Courtesy JY Seven)
CDO Montfort (1949-51) Courtesy Musiolik René
CDO Montfort 1951-53 (Courtesy O Walter)
CDO Montfort LEMONNIER Louis (Tonkin 1951) Courtesy Sélo
CDO Montfort MORVAN Joseph (Tonkin 1951-52)
CDO Montfort Sélo 1950-52 Courtesy MISPELAERE André
WW2 era LCVP, Dinassault crew in Indochina
PBR 9th Division My Tho River (1968 AP photo)
LST 97 Heavy Boat Company (1969) Courtesy Tom Poston 154th Transportation Company
Vintage photos courtesy of thisCommandos Marine homage website. Landing Ship Tank photo courtesy of this website.
Back on point.
Our ‘CDO Jacket’ is by no means a replica of 50’s French Indochina military gear, but instead a product of our questionable imagination. It mixes influences from different armies and periods, in order to create a wearable garment suitable for a peaceful 2015 bateau-mouche cruise. This jacket is the result of combining several vintage goodies in the MF® shaker: British Battledress, 1940’s US Army denim utility jacket, 1950’s French tenue de sortie (dress uniform) jackets, outdoor navy CPO-type civvy garments…
If the general pattern of the ‘CDO Jacket’ is adapted from our Spring 2015 denim Utility Jacket, the shell fabric we opted for is new to MFSC. This textured woven woolen fabric is reminiscent of 1960’s-70’s Melton wool CPO navy shirts, the common civilian kind we are all familiar with, featuring the classic black plastic anchor buttons. This fabric is different from the dense Kersey-type wool of early peacoats, or from the wool serge of typical 1940’s battledress/Ike jackets. It is more loosely woven, without the softer brushed finish, and with the woven pattern clearly visible from both sides.
Vintage Melton navy CPO shirt
1970’s wool CPO navy shirt
‘Black’ indigo is an important feature of Vietnam’s indigenous Degar People traditional attire, both men and women, in the form of dark loincloth, sarongs… Seemingly out of left field but as a subtle Montagnard reference , we have combined our navy blue woven wool fabric with the 16 Oz. indigo warp x black weft twill of our Caban Peacoat, in contrasting textures but blending colors. The two chest pockets, underarm gussets, and more importantly the collar top part, are all cut from that indigo cotton twill. The rest of the body is made of Melton-type wool. Those allergic to wool will appreciate the ‘CDO jacket’ collar not rubbing their neck.
To add another layer of historical references, our ‘CDO Jacket’ is fully lined with Buzz Rickson’s 100% cotton twill, printed with TSP (Tadpole Sparse Pattern) gold tiger stripe camouflage, the same fabric featured on the MF® Tiger Board Shorts.
Oh, and because we have way too much time on our hands, we also thought of hand-dyeing corozo wood buttons in our Mickey Mouse indigo vat, creating quite an impression in the neighborhood.
Loiron of Arabia
The fun begins when the strand breaks
The ‘CDO Jacket’ is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC: Shell: Combination 100% wool, Melton-type, textured weave and 100% cotton twill, 16 Oz. indigo warp x black weft with white selvedge ID. Both fabrics are milled in Japan. Lining: Buzz Rickson’s 100% cotton twill, printed with TSP (Tadpole Sparse Pattern) gold tiger stripe camouflage. Made in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Revisited general pattern of the classic US Army M1941 HBT Utility jacket.
* Contrasting fabric texture combination, melton wool and indigo cotton twill.
* Battledress-type waist length.
* Side cinch straps, mil-specs metal sliders.
* Concealed inner chest pocket.
* Indigo cotton twill top collar for neck confort.
* Indigo twill selvedge visible on inside pocket fold.
* ‘Bat sleeve’ pattern with indigo twill gusset for arm hole comfort.
* Expanding box pleat chest pockets, indigo cotton twill.
* Indigo-dyed corozo wood buttons.
* Adjustable wrist cuffs.
* ‘Oxidized’ black 100% cotton thread stitching.
* MFSC ‘tailleur‘ woven label on the inside waistband.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT: Our ‘CDO Jacket’ comes unwashed, is true to size, and meant to be professionally dry-cleaned.
However, for the adventurous few who like a bit of ‘torquing and roping’ in their fabrics, the jacket can be initially soaked in cold water for 20-30 mn, briefly hand agitated, and spun dry. Shape it a bit to your body by wearing it briefly before hanging and letting fully dry overnight. This process is not intended to shrink the jacket, but instead to ‘tone down’ the off-the-shelf look inherent to raw garments in general. The necessity of this step is left to everyone judgement and is merely a subjective suggestion.
Unlike its denim Utility Jacket predecessor I had opted to size down with, I wear a medium (38) in the CDO jacket.
Please refer to sizing chart for measurements.
CARE: Professional dry-cleaning or hand-wash and hang-dry. Do NOT use hot water or throw the jacket in a dryer.
Available RAW/unwashed SIZES:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
Suggested extra noise-canceling set-up, pending USPTO approval.
Some MF® Oki Covers in their new environment.
Mister Freedom® Oki Cover.
Recycled from 1940’s USMC ponchos. Sportsman 2015, made in USA.
Recycling is green but the MF® Oki Cover comes in frogskin camo.
The name “Oki” is a reference to Okinawa, the home of the Counter Insurgency Support Office for a while, as we already mentioned while introducing the MF® Experimental Camouflage Utility Trousers during Spring 2015. To pretentiously quote ourselves, here is a bit of that interesting slice of History again:
“…To more efficiently handle logistics, the highly-classified Counter Insurgency Support Office is established on the island of Okinawa, Japan in 1963. Headed by a mysterious individual working for the Department of Army by the name of Conrad Benjamin Baker, CISO was “assigned the mission of supporting the Special Forces programs through triservice depots and local procurement sources (…) Many items of clothing and equipment, for example, had to be obtained from markets in other countries because of size problems, composition of material, and equipment which had to be tailored to Montagnard measurements.” (source)
CISO acquired or produced ‘sterile’ (untraceable if captured) weapons, along with unmarked clothing and equipment to outfit US Special Forces or advisors heading out to South Vietnam. Locally screen-printed tiger stripe camo fatigues, “bowie” knives, VC-style black pajamas, rations, machetes, Seiko watches for recon teams, black 1-0rain jackets, North Vietnamese Army-inspired rucksacks… Basically, if it proved needed in the field, CISO sourced it out in Asia, or designed it and manufactured it locally. At a fraction of the price compared to US-made mil-specs issued gear, and quicker delivery than its state-side bureaucracy-laden official channel alternative. What exactly went on is not well documented, but Ben Baker’s account of his involvement in the original design and R&D of the famous SOG knife is available for download in pdf form here…”
In the tradition of local-made garments using recycled Government-issued equipment and fabrics, we have decided to ‘sacrifice’ a few NOS WW2 USMC ponchos scored recently to make some hats. These un-issued shelter halves are authentic and originate from different military contractors of the period. They were still craft paper-wrapped and stored in talc powder. They are all dated 1944.
Original US Gov’t issued USMC ponchos, dated 1944
Originally, these ponchos were mainly issued to GI’s in the Pacific theater of operations (PTO), as the frogskin camo pattern proved too close to the German’s variety of field concealment to avoid confusion in Europe (ETO). From Tarawa to Iwo Jima, island-hoping Marines made good use of these reversible rubberized canvas shelter halves, also turning them into floor mats, blankets, tents… Rarely pictured worn in combat situation probably due to obvious impracticability, these ponchos can still be spotted on period photography of the Pacific War.
USN or USMC Camo poncho in action. GI’s unloading USN landing crafts, Iwo Jima 1945 (Courtesy LIFE)
The pattern of our Oki Cover is of a generic engineer cap type, a cross between the Choo Choo Charlie hat and a 40’s UMSC cover. Our cap is pretty much reversible, and can be worn jungle side out or beach side out, although, for those understandingly allergic to branding, the green camo side features the MF® sportsman woven label.
DISCLAIMER: This NOS rubberized canvas fabric, although thin, feels quite stiff and starched, making crinkly noises even after being thoroughly washed. For argument sake, it can be said that once sitting on top of you head and shaped to your liking, the MF® Oki Cover should remain quiet if your hair grows less than a foot per day.
One can also look at the Oki Cover as a low-tech noise canceling hat.
The very limited MF® Oki Cover is made in California by Mister Freedom®, from recycled 1940’s USMC frogskin camo ponchos.
Also featured in the photos is the MF® Jump Scarf, recycled from authentic vintage 1950’s US military spot camouflage canopies.
Credits: Some historical references courtesy of this US Militaria Forum thread.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Recycled NOS 1940’s USMC frogskin camo ponchos, original US Government issue, dated 1944. This batch of rubberized fabric is quite stiff and noisy. Each cap was washed thoroughly after completion and the fabric feels like dry fabric and not rubber.
We do not guarantee the waterproof quality of the fabric anymore, but applying some type of weatherproof fabric dressing might help, and prove more productive than suing the original 1944 contractor. We have yet to test, but the wax might also help with the crinkling noise. Due to the nature of this 70 year-old vintage fabric, each hat might show wear from washing and abrasion, and feature tiny holes and minor fraying.
DETAILS:
* Engineer cap-type pattern.
* Reversible.
* Low-tech noise canceling technology.
* Limited Edition.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The Oki Covers come thoroughly washed and machine dried. No further shrinkage is to be expected.
They are sized by measuring the headband in centimeters. The sizing is discreetly stamped in black on the jungle side.
Perso Lot.74 blue jeans worn for about 2 months, laundered once.
Lot.74 Californian blue jeans, NOS Cone denim. “The Sportsman” catalog, made in USA, Fall 2015.
Immediately following its recent New Old Stock wheat denim release, the new Mister Freedom® Lot.74 swept the nation overnight…
Rumors of ferocious shopping stampedes have been relayed by the media, said rumors now backed by strong unequivocal photographic evidence.
Salut les filles…
“OOOMG, the Lot.74 has arrived!!” (Courtesy “Confessions of a Shopaholic” 2009 Walt Disney Studios)
To mark the addition of the Lot.74 blue jeans pattern to the Sportsman catalog for Fall 2015, we thought of simultaneously issuing a compañero to our wheat denimamigo. Fresh-off a coveted California factory, this run is made from a handsome 12.5 Oz blue denim, limited yardage of NOS from Cone Mills found in a local warehouse. This righthand twill denim is of an attractive shade of indigo blue, featuring a white and red stripe selvedge ID.
The Californian Lot.74 is not just another iteration of previous Californian lots, and departs quite a bit from its Lot.64 or Lot.654 predecessors. For one, the fit has been trimmed significantly for a 60’s McQueenesque vibe, with a fitted top block and a straight leg from the knee on down. The Lot.74 are no jeggings (aka denim tights for the connoisseur) however, those being readily available elsewhere, raw and in all kinds of fierce and desirable chemical washes.
The lot.74 might be a good option for ‘smaller frame’ fit individuals looking for a period-proportioned seat/thigh/calf silhouette.
The keen eye will notice that McQueen, at an alleged 5’9 ½ and a waist 32 according to Western Costumes, opted to have some of his classic dungarees taken in from the knee down to achieve that specific visual balance. During his Johnny Strabler days in “The Wild One” (1953), Brando, at 5’8 and in a body-type league of his own, had the Columbia Pictures’ Costume Department alter his 501® from the knee down as well. Part of the popularity of the traditional five pocket jeans pattern, through decades of ever-changing fashion, might reside in its easily-altered outseam.
Mc Queen in jerry-rigged denim (photo William Claxton 1965)
Brando in altered denim (1953) Courtesy Getty Images.
The addition of an old school “Gripper Zipper” to our Californian is a nod to the supposed improvement that zip-fly jeans were over their button-fly model counterparts. If H.D. Lee® introduced his 101z slide-fastener fly cowboy jeans in 1926, and the Levi’s® suits-controlled design team started playing with them around 1951, it is not until the 1960’s that zippers evolved into a popular feature on most blue jeans. Today, zipper jeans are in general considered unfashionable and usually pooh-poohed by denimheads, somewhat of a convincing argument in itself to release a MF® version.
The rear pockets of the Lot.74 have been subjected to an overhaul, and are inspired by 60’s-70’s denim pocketing rather than the 1950’s influence of our original Lot.54. If the rear pockets top reinforcement stitching is still there, we have removed the hidden rivets, saving the Planet one copper rivet at a time.
The denim fabric selvedge is still inconspicuously featured on the outseam, the watch pocket fold and the overlocked fly placket. Our choice of pocket bag fabric for this season’s Lot.74 Californian is a solid navy blue 100% cotton pique, part of a NOS grouping of French workwear fabrics scored a while back.
The Sportsman “Californian” LOT.74 blue jeans are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional five-pocket type 1960′s-1970’s era blue jeans, traditional slim fit, straight leg from the knee down. The Lot.74 is our slimmest five-pocket jeans cut, and is as slim as we’ll go, with a silhouette similar to that of the Malibu’s and a mid-high rise.
FABRIC:
Limited New Old Stock Cone Mills indigo blue denim, 12.5 Oz., white/red line selvedge ID, unsanforized. Milled in the USA. Pocket bags: French NOS navy blue cotton pique, from an old stock of French workwear fabric lot.
DETAILS:
* Five pockets.
* Zip fly, vintage-style brass ‘Gripper Zipper” pull.
* Twelve types of 100% cotton threads (gauge and color combination) used for construction. Main colors are yellow and orange.
* Re-designed rear pocket shape, featuring MF® original “M” stitch in banana yellow.
* Original debossed leather MF® patch on rear pocket.
* Top pocket reinforcement zig-zag stitching.
* Original brass cast MF® branded waist button.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket reinforcement.
* Fabric selvedge featured on leg outseams, zip fly placket and coin pocket fold.
* Original MF® ‘smoke-free Johnny’ pocket paper flasher.
* Made in sunny California, USA.
SIZING/FIT
The Californian LOT.74 comes UN-WASHED and cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. A tagged W32 x L34 “Californian” actually measures about 34” x 36½” when raw, and will shrink to approx. 32” x 34” after soak/dry.
Although some opt to wear their jeans raw and never wash them, a more practical and sensible option seems to be the cold soak/line dry/wear-when-damp to set creases protocole.
Which size works for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I wear a slim-fitting but comfortable tagged W32 in the Lot.74.
We recommend getting your usual waist size, although proper fit is a subjective matter and everyone has their own idea of what looks good.
As with all denim twill, shrinkage and stretching will occur for a while and will depend on the wearer’s body, activities and initial fit.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
CARE: Wash your jeans when hygiene dictates and common sense prevails.
When cleaning is required, machine wash inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Please note that the debossed artwork on the leather patch will naturally ‘flatten out’ when soaked in water. As devastating as it is, this is normal.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available RAW/unwashed/Un-sanforized
Sizes
W28 x L32
W29 x L32
W30 x L32
W31 x L32
W32 x L34
W33 x L34
W34 x L34
W36 x L34
W38 x L34 Retail $299.95
