Mister Freedom® Fall 2014 head-gear
The Watch Cap & Boonie Hat
New Old Stock Gov’t Issue surplus
Just because it appears I lost mine recently is a good reminder that you should protect yours.
So here is a selection of covers we’ve dug up for Fall 2014, some New Old Stock Mil-Specs surplus items.
CAP, KNIT, WATCH
Made in USA
We could have gone the DIY Mattel route but decided instead to acquire stock from the fine folks manufacturing them for the US Government.
Our wool caps are knitted on a circular knitting machine the size of Soyuz 19, and about as easy to operate I’ve heard.
 
Please note that our watchcaps are not reproductions of the original 1940’s A-4 type knit hats issued to USAAF mechanics, as there are already reputable companies offering these.
Our caps are following contemporary US military specs and standards, and are still available today from PX.
We’ve customized this standard issue a bit, adding an ID cloth label, as we had done in 2008 with our old school USN-style watch cap. Admittedly not as useful as a LED flashlight, our ID patch can be customized according to your preferences. This label is not intended as a billboard and is ‘strategically’ positioned on the tubular knit in order to be partially concealed when the cap is worn with the double fold method.
A wool hat won’t turn anyone into Steve McQueen or Jack ‘Bunny’ Nicholson, but will keep your head warm while you keep your cool.
According to how you sport this hat, it will go from ski hat to commando cover… to everything in between.
        
(Warm thanks to Sam Cox at WMM for sending above WW2 Seabees photo)
US Gov’t surplus, manufactured in the USA.
SPECS:
* Two ply worsted 100% wool.
* Dark navy blue or Olive Green.
* Circular knit (no side seam).
* Four darts crown.
* US Mil-specs.
WASHING:
Professional dry clean only. This is a wool item, do not machine wash or put in a heat dryer.
Hand washing with eco-friendly wool detergent (such as “Ecovert Delicate Wash”) is possible but might result with stretching or shrinking of the knit hat, to be done at your own risks.
MF® Wool Watchcap available UNISSUED
Color options: Dark navy blue or Olive Green
One Size fits all.
Retail $39.95
And now this one…
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Fashion Tutorial #1
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Fashion Tutorial #2
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Fashion Statement Field Testing
HAT, SUN, HOT WEATHER
TYPE II
Made in USA
Sometimes you gotta love the military for not calling a spade a “spatulous device for abrading the surface of the soil” (Joseph Devlin, 1910).
An E-tool is an E-tool. There it is.
What we have here is a “HAT, SUN, HOT WEATHER”. You’d think there wouldn’t be much to add after this.
Watch me.
This hat finds its origin with the bush-worn felt hat popular with the British troops and Australian diggers in the early XXth Century. The British military replaced felt with cotton fabric around 1944 in order to provide a more practical and durable hot weather hat.
During the Indochina conflict, the chapeaux de brousse, a hat resembling a sort of quilted cowboy hat with a snapped brim, came out. These were often locally made from recycled uniform, parachute or tent camo fabric and favored by French colonial troops and their local VNA allies alike.
Following the (official) US involvement in Vietnam in 1965, an urgent need for proper tropical field equipment ensued. Around 1967, a new hat pattern was developed and adapted from its predecessors in the Natick labs of Massachusetts…
The “HAT, SUN, HOT WEATHER” was to become a US military standard issue, available in OD popeline, ERDL, multi cam… or pink camo, according to where you shop.
The overall design has not much changed today, and this hat is still issued to combat troops.
     
These covers are often referred to as boonies, because less common on Wall Street than the in boondocks.
In the 1960’s, they earned their stripes on US Special Forces incursions in humid South-East Asia jungles. I have read somewhere that on night patrols, the dome shape of the steel helmet left too much of a target silhouette for VC snipers. Floppy hats were thought to be a better option, as they blended more efficiently with the natural shapes of the jungle. To accentuate that effect, the brim was often chopped-off and the edges frayed, as many period photos show. These boonies were soon associated with LRRPs, RECONDOs… along with the rest of the salty in-Country crowd. The boonie hat was originally were a statement of bad-assness. They were also worn by ARVN troops and Australian units before being adopted by more branches of the military.
These hats were as popular with troops as they weren’t with the higher-highers, too floppy in appearance for the starch-obsessed.
But they worked, and Vietnam would prove out a fine theater for all kinds of liberties with outfits and behaviors.
The hatband was designed to hold branches or strips of fabrics for field concealment while on raid. That piece of tape also made a fine display for grenade rings, pins and other goodies, when you took your party hat to town.
The four mesh-screen eyelets on the crown allowed air circulation while preventing bugs to p*** you off any further while humping through rice paddies. The hat rolls up in a conic shape, making it easy to carry around in a bag pocket. The crown is shorter in front than in the back, which gives it a specific profile and ‘attitude’.
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Darrell G Moe Elmore, Project DELTA Recon (May 1968)
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Meanwhile, USO Show Vietnam tour (October 1968)
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Party hat
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Poetry
Photo on left courtesy of Darrell G Moe Elmore, Project Delta Recon (May 1968) via this forum. Regarding the bush hat he is wearing on the photo, Mr. Elmore mentioned “I lost it during the summer of 68 while we were fighting in the Saigon area with the ARVN 81st Airborne Rangers. I never got another to ‘break in’ like it”… Thank you for your service Sir, and for letting us feature this BA photo!
Other photos eBay/public forums.
But lets get back on point with the NOS model we are offering for Fall 2014. Our specimen here is an original Government issue, to the best of my knowledge, and I’ve been known to have my foot in my mouth up to the knee at times.
The fabric feels like NyCo (mil-specs 50% nylon/50% cotton). The camouflage is of the tiger stripe pattern family. I am quite uncertain about the actual vintage of this issue, as research based on the procurement label was more confusing than enlightening. A great deal of infos can be found here for the investigating kind, as well as in several books, such as “Les Paras Francais en Indochine“.
I am guessing these might be an older stock from the 1980’s? In any case, they are USA made, as opposed to the countless ‘imports’ available from most Army-Navy stores today.
We were lucky to score two good size options: 7 and 7 ¼
US Gov’t surplus, manufactured in the USA. Limited supply.
SPECS:
* Tiger stripe camo pattern
* Mil-specs NyCo rip stop fabric (50% nylon/50% cotton)
* 2 ½ ” wide brim
* Adjustable chin-strap, leather toggle
* Vent mesh-screen eyelets
* Foliage ring hatband.
* Made in USA
WASHING:
Hand wash when necessary, hang dry. Minimal to no shrinkage.
Available UNISSUED
Pattern: Tiger stripe
Sizes: 7 and 7¼
Retail $49.95
While stock lasts, both the watch cap and boonie hat are available from our Los Angeles store and online from www.misterfreedom.com
Call 323-653-2014 or email sales@misterfreedom.com with any question unanswered above.
Thank you for your patience and support 😉
 Louis XVI, in our elegant blue shirt.
 
Indeed, they come in different colors.
This one is blue.
Designed in California by Mister Freedom®, manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. Fabric milled in Japan.
Available RAW/unwashed.
SIZES:
Small
Medium
Large
X-Large
XX-Large
Retail $384.95
Soon available from www.misterfreedom.com
Please call 323-653-2014 or email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions not answered above.
Thank you sincerely for your support.
BREAKING NEWS!!!!
We can’t hold it any longer. The rumors of a Special Edition BS (Blue Shirt) are indeed TRUE.
Here is a preview.
And that’s just the outside.
To pre-order email audigier@monsterfreedom.com
(limit 5 blue shirts per customer)
‘Californian’ Blue Jeans, Lot.64 Okinawa issue
Fall 2014 ‘The Sportsman’ Catalog
Some of you might already be familiar with the Mister Freedom® five-pocket blue jeans called the “Californian”…
Now part of the Sportsman catalog, its several reiterations so far have been as follows:
* Californian Lot.54 (NOS Cone denim), Spring 2010.
* Californian Lot.44 (Assorted NOS denim), Fall 2011.
* Californian Lot.64 (SC1966 denim), Fall 2013.
* Californian Lot.64US (SC1966 denim, Uncle Sam edition), Spring 2014.
This will come as disappointing news to Tony Manero expecting a Lot.74 with an elegant 14-inch flare, but up next is yet another straight leg Lot.64…
 “Yes Tony we do lay-away. As long as it doesn’t turn into a ten-year mortgage” So what’s new you’re saying? Well, if the cut and fit stay unchanged compared to previous Lot.64s, a traditional 1950’s era-type blue jeans with a 1960′s twist, we made this Californian with a 14 Oz. left-hand twill indigo denim referred to as “Okinawa 301”. Milled in Japan from a blend of 50% Okinawan recycled sugar cane fibers and 50% cotton, this narrow loom denim has been a Mister Freedom® favorite for some time.
In its 14 Oz. version, this “Okinawa 301” denim was featured in our 2013 Vaquero Jeans and Loco jacket… all the way down to the 2008 denim Utility Peacoat of our pre-iPhone days.
Serendipity dictated that the island of Okinawa was, in the 1950’s, the temporary home of US advisors en route to the Laotian border and other relaxing retreats around the Vietnamese countryside…
We imagined some members of this Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) had some locally-made five pocket jeans while training or transiting on Okinawa, using left-over surplus stocks of fabrics. Locally-loomed indigo denim, with HBT cotton “Duck Hunter” M1942 reversible camo aka “Frogskin” for pocketing. The hardware was also locally sourced from surplus stocks, such as the black painted “13 stars” or “Burst of Glory” tack buttons typical of US military WW2 utility/work uniforms.
Our choice of un-marked labeling is a reference to ‘sterile’ clothing worn by advisors/Special Forces, when on “over the fence” operations, in places where they were not officially supposed to venture. As in, you get caught you’re on your own…
There is no visible branding/marking on our Californian Lot.64 Okinawa, in an effort to ‘sterilize’ them and their provenance. Besides sizing, both cloth and natural cowhide leather patch are left blank. So, not your typical billboard.
We couldn’t help sticking a “Made in USA” tag on the inside waistband however, rendering the entire spill above slightly incoherent, thanks for noticing.
If you’re thinking “That’s right there sweet Charly, SF wore blue jeans on black ops in ‘Nam! Haha ya numbnuts”, see food for thought below, courtesy of Seal Team 1, Juliet Platoon, 1970.
 Seals Team1, Juliet Platoon, 1970 (Photo Credit goes to the shadow at 07:00) But as usual, let’s not let History get in the way of a good story and move on.
The Californian Lot.64 “Okinawa” are designed and made in Los Angeles, California, by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co, from fabrics loomed in Japan.
Note: Some of the product photos are featuring a worn pair of Californian Lot.64 “Okinawa” (rinsed twice over a 7 months period), in order to show potential denim evolution and natural wear. These photos are not intended to deceive one into thinking we offer factory-distressed garments. Mister Freedom® original denim goods are still only available UN-WASHED/RAW from us.
SPECS:
PATTERN
Original Mister Freedom® pattern, inspired by traditional 1950′s era blue jeans with a 1960’s twist. Silhouette inspired by vintage fits and old photos, BRMC meets Beatniks. Traditional mid-rise with straight slightly tapered leg.
FABRIC
“Okinawa 301”, a 14 Oz. left-hand twill indigo denim, white with green line selvedge ID. Milled in Japan on narrow shuttle looms, from a blend of 50% Okinawan recycled sugar cane fibers and 50% cotton.
POCKETING
HBT cotton “Duck Hunter” M1942 reversible camo aka “Frogskin”, milled in Japan for Buzz Rickson’s. We were told it accidentally fell off the truck, courtesy of Sgt. Ernie Bilko.
DETAILS
* Classic five-pocket design, button fly, selvedge leg seams,…
* Original “M” stitch design
* Unmarked/un-branded cowhide leather patch and cloth patch.
* M1942 ‘frogskin’ camo pocket bags, alternate visible jungle/beach pattern.
* Hidden back pocket rivets with top pocket reinforcement zig-zag stitching.
* Fully lined back pocket with M1942 ‘frogskin’ camo.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* All cotton thread Olive Drab color, assorted gauge combination.
* Selvedge button hole flap (yes, it’s under the overlock)
* Flat black-painted Metal “13 Stars” tack waist button (paint will chip off)
* Flat black-painted donut-type fly buttons.
*Unmarked copper riveting for reinforcement.
* Made in USA
SIZING/WASHING
The Californian Lot.64 “Okinawa” comes UN-WASHED and “oversized” so that the actual measurements will approximately match the labeling AFTER an original cold soak/line dry.
Example: A tagged W32 x L34 “Californian” actually measures about 33” x 36” before wash. They will shrink to approx. 32” x 34” after rinse/dry.
Which size works for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I wear a comfortable waist 32 in the Lot.64
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/rinsed measurements. Please note that in our case, ‘rinsed’ means a 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie minimal shrinkage).
Available RAW/unwashed/Un-sanforized
Sizes
W28 x L32 and L32
W29 x L32 and L32
W30 x L32 and L32
W31 x L32 and L32
W32 x L32 and L34
W33 x L32 and L34
W34 x L32 and L34
W36 x L32 and L34
W38 x L32 and L34
Retail $329.95
Available on www.misterfreedom.com.
Please email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered in the above ramblings.
Thank you for your support as always.
OG-107 Man’s, Vest, Down
“The Sportsman” Fall 2014
Following the smashing debut of our OG-107 cotton sateen-back Sportsman Chinos, here is another MF® garment in the same Mil-Specs fabric.
Alert the media, it’s our first ever down vest! We had an opportunity for a down-filled garment a while back, but manufacturing was in China, and I had passed my comfort zone quota with the MF® x Palladium Palladenim experience, however pleased with the results.
After some research, we sourced a domestic qualified manufacturing facility, a place basically looking like a giant pillow fight.
If you are skilled at deciphering the Country of Origin of goods while navigating on-line stores, you might assume that there are not that many places manufacturing down-filled garments in the USA. Thankfully, in 2014, there are still a few domestic options left:
Respectable companies such as Sierra Designs or Nunatak offer a USA-made selection of down vests.
For the crafty types and bench-made fans, there’s always the DIY route. Start here to select your filling of choice.
Then you got the obscurely-named “OG-107 Vest, Man’s, Down”, the latest addition to the Mister Freedom® Sportsman catalog.
Our down vest is inspired by 1960’s-70’s outdoor garments and military gear, another case of civvies in Mil-Spec fabrics.
The shell is a “4/1 (four warp up, one weft down) 9 Oz. cotton back sateen”, similar to the fabric of the US Army M-51 field jackets, as introduced with our OG-107 cotton sateen-back chinos.
We opted for a rip-stop 100% cotton lining in a slightly different shade of Army green, for a subtle tonal contrast.
Don’t miss this helpful (often hysterical) perspective on the subject of which enigmatic green color was actually used by the US Army during WW2.
For more daltonian confusion, dig this excerpt from the Jan/Feb 1952 issue of the “Quartermaster Review”:
…” A further consideration in the matter of color of the general wear uniform is the fact that while the shade (O.D. #33) of the present service uniform was originally selected as a camouflage color for a field uniform, this type of color is no longer regarded as satisfactory from this standpoint. Research undertaken during World War II led to the adoption of a darker green color (O.D. #7) as the basic color of the combat uniform. This color has lately been modified slightly and a somewhat deeper shade with a slightly different cast (Olive Green #107) but otherwise very close to O.D. #7, has been adopted as the basic color for camouflage of the soldier’s combat uniform. Accordingly, there is no requirement for shade O.D #33 from a camouflage standpoint. Without this advantage, the only other basis for retaining this color would be a definite preference for this shade for the service uniform; such preference has not been strongly evidenced.“…
But again, this is a civilian garment, as we leave the reenactment gear to the serious guys.
So, with some older NOS signal orange cotton twill from the MF® stock, we added a ‘survival’ touch to our OD down vest, matching the vibe of our on-going “Sea Hunt” Collection. Both collar facing and inside pockets display that orange twill, bringing subbtle contrasting accents to this utilitarian-looking vest.
When stranded in dark woods , signal your presence by lifting that collar, should Elmer Fudd get overly trigger-happy.
Incomiiiiiing!!!
Our vest is quite fluffy. The filling is 90% down and 10% feathers. Overtime and with normal wear, the puffiness will lessen but this is a garment that definitely looks better on slender body types. I, myself, tend to look more like the Michelin man than Gary Cooper with it, granted the vest might not be the only culprit.
This down-filled garment is patterned with a vintage silhouette in mind, preferably worn with mid to high rise type bottoms. The lower rounded rear panel dips slightly, while the front of the garment follows the natural waist, typical of 50’s-60’s outdoor vests.
That length might not be ideal for those partial to the low-waist plumber’s look. Additionally, this vest might have too much of a Vietnam “FLAK Jacket” vibe for some with more modern aesthetics. Add to that a collar hinting to a buoyancy device and I believe I’ve sealed the deal.
But Travis Bickle and I like this vest, and not just because it makes for an excellent airplane/camping pillow.
“That’s right there sizzlechest, whatever you need sold I’ll sell it. I’m silly.”
The “OG-107 Vest, Man’s, Down” is designed and manufactured in the USA, by Mister Freedom® and Frank Rizzo, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co, with fabrics loomed in Japan or vintage NOS.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC, inspired by vintage by 1960’s-70’s outdoor garments and military gear.
FABRIC:
Shell: Mil-specs Olive Green #107 shade (grayish-green) 4/1 cotton back sateen, milled in Japan.
(Pantone Color approx reference would be 450 U)
Lining: 100% cotton rip-stop, (dark OD shade #41, or is it #31? #7?…), milled in Japan.
Collar facing/ inside pockets: Vintage NOS 100% cotton selvedge twill, signal orange, origin USA.
DETAILS:
* 1950′s-60’s type silhouette and fit.
* Sleeveless.
* 90% down and 10% feathers filling, horizontal quilting.
* Longer rear panel tail.
* OD painted metal snap front closure.
* Storm collar with signal orange accent.
* Hand-warmer pockets.
* Two inside pockets.
* Genuine paracord hanger loop.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/WASHING:
The “OG-107 Vest, Man’s, Down” are sold RAW (unwashed) and should stay that way.
They are true-to-size. I am usually a Medium/38 in mfsc garments and wear a Medium in the vest, with not much extra room for a couscous royal when snapped closed.
Light superficial stains can be spot-cleaned and sponged off with a damp cloth and mild soap.
However, when needed, we recommend professional dry cleaning by an eco-friendly facility familiar with down-filled garments.
Do NOT boil. Do NOT throw in the washer on ‘heavy-duty’.
Refer to charts below for measurements:
Available RAW/unwashed.
SIZES:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
RETAIL $349.95
Available on www.misterfreedom.com
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any areas not covered above, such as the couscous royal recipe.
As always, thank you truly for your support.
OG-107 Cotton Sateen-back Chino Trousers
“The Sportsman” Fall 2014
This might come as a surprise to the original gangster in cell 107, but OG-107 is a reference to the shade #107 of Olive Green that the US Army had settled on as the color of its uniforms, sometime in the early 1950’s. It became by extension a nickname for the set of utilities the issued to military personnel.
For those who enjoy discussing shades of green in the military at the family dinner table, here is a good starting point for interesting historical facts and references, such as:
…”On 7 April 1950, the Uniform Board presented its first uniform display to the General Staff. In order to provide a wide range of color choices, the QMC dressed mannequins in 31 uniforms of different color combinations but of similar design. Among the colors were the 16 shades of gray-green, three shades of gray, five of blue, and one of taupe. For comparison, the uniform line-up included the existing olive-drab and green and pink Army uniforms, and the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and U.S. Military Academy uniforms.“…
Follow this insider’s scoop by this piece of goodness, for more than you are probably willing to read about OD vs. OG, Army Green 44 vs. Olive Drab shade 7…
Please keep in mind that the more punctilious the regulations, the more arguably accurate the dye batches and paint mixes delivered by contracted manufacturers. Wartime production crunch time didn’t help either.
Back on point, I’d love to tell you we raided an abandoned storage brick building around the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot and scored a few rolls of NOS mil-specs OG cotton sateen fabric for our “Sportsman” chinos… Instead, we settled for a yardage batch from the folks at Buzz Rickson’s, who know a thing or two about period mil-specs textiles.
One might be familiar with this specific fabric, technically a “4/1 (four warp up, one weft down) 9 Oz. cotton back sateen”, as it is similar to the shell part of the US Army M-51 field jacket (save for the water-repellent treatment and the shade of green).
Because we were more preoccupied with getting an even tan than with re-inventing the wheel this summer, we decided to roll with our classic Sportsman chinos pattern, the flat felled side seam type. Already available in several fabric options the entire World envies us for, we are adding the OG-107 chinos to the catalog for Fall 2014, a civvy garment in a military fabric.
These pants have a late 1950’s type silhouette, quite comfortable by today standards. They won’t prevent blood flow to the lower limbs, offering just enough room for an occasional mawashi geri on Black Friday.
The Sportsman OG-107 Chinos are designed and manufactured in California, USA, by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co, fabric loomed in Japan.
Please note that production comes without ID stencils on the waistband facing.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC, inspired by vintage cotton twill work pants.
FABRIC: Mil-specs Olive Green #107 shade (grayish-green) 4/1 cotton back sateen
(An approx. Pantone Color reference would be 450 U)
DETAILS:
* Relaxed 1950′s type silhouette and fit.
* Natural corozo wood fly and waist buttons.
* Flat-felled side seam construction.
* Welt back pockets.
* Original combo belt loops, wide & narrow.
* The ever charming ‘crotch gusset’.
* Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckles.
* Natural color 100% cotton sail cloth pocket bags, waist band and fly facing.
* Watch pocket, for which you will have to find a use.
* Tonal 100% cotton thread construction, with inside green chainstich MF® signature.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on back waistback, concealed when wearing a belt.
* ‘Open’ overlocked leg bottom, to suit your cuffing preferences.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/WASHING:
The ‘Sportsman Chinos’ are sold RAW (unwashed) and will shrink to tagged size. The waist sizing is pretty ‘generous’, but still get a 32 if that is your usual size. This OG107 issue feels slightly slimmer than other Sportsman chinos versions, such as its Beach Chino twill or Indigo Métisse comrades, partly because of the flat felled outside seam construction vs. the plain seam type.
The bottom are left open to your cuffing preference. I opted for a 1½ inch cuff, regular single needle machine stitch.
This cotton fabric is pretty low maintenance. Original cold soak and line dry. Further washing when needed, on gentle cycle, warm/cold water, line dry. If you insist on the heat dryer, turn trousers inside out to avoid issues with an undesirable ‘marbling’ effect.
Time between laundry will vary greatly according to one’s occupation and common sense: wash when dirty.
Refer to charts below for raw/rinsed/line dried measurements:
Available RAW/unwashed.
Waist Sizes: 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38
RETAIL $289.95
Available on www.misterfreedom.com
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
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