UNDERSTANDING DENIM

Denim is really something that a select few really really really understand. Honestly i don't consider myself a denim head, but i can say i have seen some of the best hand made jeans and been to some of the best denim shops in the world. But before i speak about whatever, let me say to those that if you are into the tru religions, studded bullshits, and brand names and all other bullshits that make you spend $800 because your favorite rapper has them, then this is really for you. Have a seat and take note. There are things you must understand before buying the perfect... wait there isnt really anything perfect so let me start over. Before buying great denim, There are 4 things you must know.
Quality
Fit
Cut
Wash

Now i don't claim to be a denim guru, but i always find myself looking for a great pair. Prob. own 30 but who cares, numbers don't matter. U can never own enough denim. I know i need more. The reason why i bring this up is because it feels like the origin of denim has been forgotten. The full purpose and quality i feel, everyone should know.

This is Levi Strauss. The originator of what we know as denim. During the 19th century miners had complained about their trousers tearing up during work, so levis came up with a tougher material that had tougher pockets that could withstand harsh conditions. Denim back then was American workwear before anything else

The 501 jeans by levis were a staple in american workwear. Levis used old shuttle looms to stitch their jeans to give them a tough rigid feel for their workers. That's were the term selvage comes from
selvage or selfedge as defined in wikipedia is a type of denim which forms a clean natural edge that does not unravel. It is commonly presented in the unwashed or raw state. Typically, the selvage edges will be located along the out-seam of the pants, making it visible when cuffs are worn. Although selvage denim is not completely synonymous with unwashed denim, the presence of selvage typically implies that the denim used is a higher quality. Levis had stop using their shuttle looms to produce their denim decades ago due to a higher demand for jeans. So factory mills used newer looms to replace old ones to mass produce them which sacrificed quality of denim.
Fast foward many years later after quality was irrelevant in today's market, many " designer brand names" poped up which was a competition for levis because name was more important than quality. Bullshit brands like 7, true religion etc became the forefront of what denim is supposed to be to the masses. Levis was in serious jeopardy because it wasn't seen as fashionable like the other brands. After the millenium passed sales began to decline for levis and have not seen profit since. The only thing still keeping levis in the limelight is their hard to find vintage collections and collaborations, but still I am still suprised they are still in business during the recession.
Real denim stores are really hard to come by. As a matter of fact there are only 2 stores in America that specialize in good denim. Selfedge and blue in green. Alot of japanese were obssessed with American pop culture and 50s lifestyle so they mimiced alot of what we had back then including selvage denim. The old shuttle looms that levis had used to produce workwear for their miners, were used by the Japanese to revive the original selvage denim. Brands like Evisu, studio d'artisan, somet, pure blue japan, Sugar Cane and so much more continued the legacy that Americans forgot. That is why alot of collectors travel to Japan to purchase good quality denim.
Another thing i stated about denim is quality. Do you know good denim is supposed to last for 30 years. Denim is meant to be worn everyday, they become better in time and honey combs develop natural. I see it as something personal. Pictured above is a pair of apc jeans that were worn for 1 year everyday. Serious if you ask me
Fit and understanding what you are paying for should really be a factor when you are buying a pair. Do not let these " coporate vultures" tell you what is good. If you feel like this too confusing, or i made grammer errors ( which i always do - speake spanish, i'm sorry) then you need to watch this video, this is from selfdege- A one of a kind denim lifestyle store in san fransico. I guarantee that this video will make you think before you spend $300 on another pair of jeans, you must understand

quality

fit

cut

wash

check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMKv3VfDCP8