Week 3 Update: January 21st - 28th

Week 3 has arrived and surprisingly, there are a few fades coming in pretty well.  Usually I don't notice any fading until about a month and a half into a new pair.  I guess because these are Left Hand Twill, the softer feel is allowing for faster bleed of the indigo.  This is kindof cool because it is yeilding some pretty quick and satisfying results early on, but I'm curious how these will hold up against the ins and outs of this year.  I'm hoping they get rocked!  Man vs cotton....who will win?

Fade:

The back pocket is fading and coming along.  You can almost make out the shape of my wallet.  Other than that, it's mostly just increased beginnings in the same areas so far.  You can see for yourself in the pictures.

Smell:

Honestly, they still don't really smell.  When they start to though, I'll be sure to document what I do.  (freezer, febreez, dryer sheets...)

Stretch:

There hasn't been any more stretching.  Which is good.  I really like where these landed in this area.  I love the Weird Guy fit from N&F.  Seriously.  It just works for my body type.

Peace and love,
~austin~

Week 2 Update: Jan 14th - 21st

Well it's been two weeks now, and here is the current update.

As far as stretching is concerned, I've gotten around another 1/4" out of the waist.  The thighs and legs feel about the same.  They are completely comfortable to wear now and I think they have stretched as much as they are going to.  I can still get a little more room in the thighs potentially, but other than that I don't see them growing too much more.

They still smell about the same.  (even after some fire pitt fun last night)

The fading has slightly progressed in the same areas that were showing last week.  You will be able to see that the back pocket is fading more from the snap button on my wallet.  As promised, I've included a shot of what my wallet looks like to get an idea of why that fading has started to happen so quickly.

Feel free to share any questions you have about what I'm doing.  I love to talk about denim.

Until next week.....
~austin~

(p.s. Sorry about some of these being out of focus.  I had a setting on my camera messed up)

Week 1 Update: Jan 7th - 14th

Ok so here is the first round of updates on my jeans. They were purchased 2 Saturdays ago on January 5th and I began daily wear on Jan 7th.  Overall, they have stretched about a 1/2" in the waist since last Monday and they have definitely loosened up in the thighs, knees, and butt.  I predict them to continue to stretch about another 1/4" in the waist and a little more in the legs over the next week.  I'm pretty pleased so far with the fit.  I bought them pretty tight since I'm rocking them for an entire year and I think these are going to end up just right.

In terms of fade, there has been some very minimal fading in "typical" areas already.  You can see in the pictures below.  I carry my wallet in my back right pocket and there is some small fading from where the button on it is rubbing.  Also, there is some fading in the crotch and on the back of the jeans in the butt.  You can tell now where my honeycombs will be and in a few areas on the front where they are starting to crease up.  In my next post, I will include a picture of my wallet so you can see what it looks like and begin to compare the fades with its shape.  Lastly, I may be adding a pocket knife to the mix to clip on the inside of my front - right pocket and I will let you know when or if I do and what those fades start to look like.  

The other factor I promised with these updates is the "smelliness" of my jeans.  As of now, they don't really smell at all.  My experience is that there is kindof a plateau in the funk and then it doesn't get too much worse until that 6 month mark.  We will see, but that all depends of what I decide to do in them.  

On a side note, I'm growing a "Chi Gnome" that my wife Brittany gave me for Christmas.  It looked like this when I started and should only take 2 weeks for full growth.  Such an odd gift.

until next week....Cheers!!

~austin~

The Experiment

Over the past year and a half I have been completely falling in love with denim.  The kind that is made on shuttle looms and constructed by hand.  The whole idea is that you wear them for a really really long time without washing them and they mold to your body and you get some pretty sweet custom fades that are only unique to you.  They are rigid.  They are stiff.  And most of all...they are raw.  These jeans have never seen water or soap.  It's a blank canvas just waiting to be turned into a beautiful pair of customized jeans that only time and life can create.

One of the sources of my knowledge that Iv'e gathered since my love began has been rawrdenim.com where they break down everything you could ever want to know about raw denim.  Spend some time checking out their site and familiarize yourself with an age old trade that is truly an amazing art.

Over the next year you will be getting weekly updates with detailed photos and descriptions of how much these jeans stretch, fade, and smell.  :)   I will also be including guest posts of friends in their own raw denim and all of the goofy things that we get into.  Here are the specks and some beginning photos to kick off the journey.  Enjoy!

Purchased at Need Supply Co. in Richmond, VA.  I stopped there on my way home to Philly.

Brand:
Naked & Famous

Type:
Left Hand Twill Selvedge

Fit:
Weird Guy

Size:
33