Heddels Blowout (Heddels)

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Praise be to Ryan for salvaging this episode that was recorded in undisclosed locations in northern Nevada. We discuss the California look after I witnessed a significant amount of it on a recent trip, swimsuit options available to the modern man, and how the trends are swerving into Reed's lane.

Clothing production isn't as bad as we thought for the environment! (It's still very bad, though (it's confusing, no one understands all the implications (but we understand even fewer of them (even the metric system)))).

What we do know now is that "recycled clothing" is mostly a greenwashed lie and brands that based their entire identity around "this shirt is made of plastic bottles" are going to have to find a new schtick.

We also discuss the following:

• Heimat Knits
• RRL Ackworth suede jacket
• William Ellery

Join Heddels+, shop at Heddels Shop, email us at blowout@heddels.com, call us at ‪(720) 675-7098‬. Also follow Alden Wicker on Twitter.

I hope you got something good for the holidays, because New Balance got a federal lawsuit. The Boston-based shoemaker is being sued for false advertising that their "Made in USA" line of sneakers isn't entirely made in USA per the Federal Trade Commissions guidelines. We look into what 70% of a shoe could entail, talk about our holiday hauls, and play "Is it too costumey?" on a fresh edition of product talk:

• Freenote Cloth Western Rambler Shirt
• Pendleton Wool Zip up Sweater
• Post O’alls Craftmaster 3 Ikat Indigo Pullover

Check out the Heddels Shop and consider joining Heddels Plus if you haven't already!

Like the light switch and the steering wheel, zippers are one of those things that we interact with so much they just seem like perpetual fixtures of everyday life. The story of the humble zipper, however, is one of continuous failure unending iteration to bring us the cheap and easy thing we enjoy today. Designer, vintage dealer, and zipper enthusiast John Gluckow takes us through the history of the zipper from a chain link hook and eye fastener to high end riri zips.

You can find John on Instagram, both at Strongarm Clothing & Supply and at John Gluckow Ancient & Modern. Check out the article on heddels.com to see examples from John's extensive zipper collection. If you want to learn more about zippers, check out the book Zipper Gear by Aota Mituhiro.

This episode is brought to you by the Heddels Shop, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Be sure to check out our new Surf n Turf wallets.

Hear the full episode and much more on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

If you own a tote bag and have my phone number, chances are you have texted me about a new PBS documentary that just released this week. I’m of course talking about “Riveted: The History of Jeans”, the latest in PBS’s “American Experience” series directed by Michael Bicks and Anna Lee Strachan. The documentary traces indigo twill cloth from its origins in Northern Africa, Italy, and France in the late Renaissance through the American enslaved peoples, gold miners, biker gangs, high fashion, and hip hop. We all watched it and I guess my gut reaction is it was good but they could’ve talked more about Taco Bell.

We get into that as well as the rebirth, or lack thereof, of Brooks Bros. and J.Crew in a recent GQ article. Find all that and more on this week's episode.

We're running down the posts of the past week with the Heddels team featuring Albert Muzquiz, James Smith, Reed Nelson, and David Shuck. Hear about our product picks, a history of abuse at a Buffalo Exchange franchise, and the story behind recreating the Quint Cap during Covid.

To support the show, you can pick up a Quint Cap for 10% off with the code BLOWOUT, or 20% off with a Heddels+ subscription.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

Reed and Albert delve back into the world of carny-core with some advice on jort-ifying your jeans, what we liked at Paris Fashion Week, and what the new "heritage" is.

Five pairs. If you only had five pairs of shoes to get you through every single possible scenario in your life, what would you choose? We make our cases for shoes past, present, and future that are up to the task. We also discuss New York state's upcoming bill banning polyfluoroalkyls (PFAs) that are used in millions and millions of garments every year and have serious health and environmental consequences.

Thank you to our sponsor, Science and Kindness Denim Repair. Whether your jeans fit so well they are wearing out or need some adjustments to truly earn your love, Science and Kindness Denim Repair understands. Discrete crotch repairs? Yeah. Sashiko? Yeah. Chainstitch embroidery? Yeah. Union Specials? Yeah. Period correct Big E patches? Yeah!

They go hard when it comes to your jeans but it’s not hard to get things taken care of usually within two weeks. No waitlist. No judgement. Just your jeans-- better. By mail or drop-off in St. Paul, MN. @Sciencendkindness on instagram to see our work, scienceandkindness.net for an estimate or to get started. A free chainstitch hem and repair/service discounts for all Heddels+ members. Science and Kindness — Less Yikes.

David

1. Lowa Renegade GTX Max
2. Mizuno Wave Ascend 8
3. Yuketen Pedro Roper
4. Vans Eras
5. Gucci 1953 Horsebit Loafer

Albert

1. Hoka Clifton 7 Running Shoes
2. Paraboot Chambord
3. Chuck 70s
4. New Balance 990v5
5. Pull on boot

Reed

1. Birkenstock Bostons
2. Adidas Powerphase
3. Scarpa Instinct VS
4. Nike Free 2 Trail or the Adidas Terrex joints
5. Loafer, likely Alden Handsewn 

Listen to the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

When you get on a plane, are you dressing for yourself? For your fellow passengers? Or for a certain Washington Post op-ed writer? We dive into the airplane dress code debate and the validity of all dress codes in general.

We also discuss the multitude of items in the Wachowski's prop auction and our picks for best general releases, including:

• Birkenstock Boston
• Nike Blazer
• Reebok Club C or Reebok Leather Original
• Nike Cortez
• Adidas Samba
• Jordan 1 Low
• 990 series
• Adidas Campus 80s
• Gazelles
• Reebok Beatniks

Send us your picks for the best general releases at blowout@heddels.com.

It's nearly the end of the 2020 election in the United States. And David's taking this week's episode to explain why something seemingly innocuous as a pair of jeans is very much a product of and affected by our political system.

If you live here, please take the time to vote either in person or by dropping off your ballot. In many states, you can register same day and you can check right here where the correct spot is for you to go:

https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/

Be safe out there, we'll be back to Denim History next week!

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

How old were you when you had your first job? Hopefully it was older than what's showing on Nike's interactive production map, where the average age of some country's factories is listed at 15. Have a look at their interactive map. [UPDATE 4/7/22: Nike has addressed what they're calling a "data error" and the information on the map has changed since recording and no countries currently list an average age below 20.]

We also dive into our Spring/Summer trend predictions, so buy up your alt-Crocs models early!

We discuss the difference between slutty (good) and pervert (bad) fashion behavior. What are the sluttiest sartorial choices you can make? After all, you want people to know you can put it down.

Are we allowed to talk about sex? Who knows - we move on to safer territory, namely camp collar shirts. Are they on their way out and if so, why? Will they go the way of the fedora? We urge prudence before you get rid of anything in your rotation. But isn't this the natural impulse to put camp collars in the closet before layering season comes? We talk failed trips to J. Crew, generally bad retail experiences, Asics, and JJJJJJJound sneakers.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+

The man, the myth, the legend. We've got an hour with the most passionate man in denim, a Swiss geographer named Ruedi Karrer who also has one of the largest private collections of denim in the world. Since the early 1970s, Ruedi has grabbed up nearly every scrap of raw indigo he could get his hands on, amassing a total of 16,000 denim garments in his "Jeansmuseum of Heaviest Fadings". Learn all about Ruedi's life in denim (doing everything from climbing Kilimanjaro to attending weddings and funerals), his days of environmental activism, and his future plans for the Jeansmuseum and his exclusive birthday jeans in this week's episode.

Also, this week we're promoting our new arrivals of Ashland shell cordovan wallets in the Heddels Shop. Made in Chicago from Chicago-tanned Horween shell cordovan, these wallets are made to outlast whatever they're holding and whatever pocket they're put in. Get 10% off them at the Heddels Shop with code BLOWOUT.

Also, if you're interested in donating your jeans to the Jeansmuseum, visit the museum website and email all your questions/comments to blowout@heddels.com.

Americans are poised to spend over $10 billion this Halloween, over a third of that on costumes that will likely hit the dump before the pumpkins rot. Me and Albert and Reed think back on costumes from years past as well as discuss the end of Scott Sternberg's latest clothing brand Entireworld plus answer some reader questions.

Product Talk:

• Blue Blue Japan x Fruit of the Loom
• Nigel Cabourn x Vans Vault
• William Gibson x Buzz Rickson’s Fishtail Parka

Support the show by joining Heddels+ and visiting the Heddels Shop, 10% with the code BLOWOUT.

When stalking the jungles of Vietnam, many of the elite US Navy SEALs didn't sport their standard issue camo, but rather opted for Levi's 501 and 505 denim jeans instead. We're talking with Chris Danforth, a writer and researcher who investigated this story and spoke to some of the SEALs who wore jeans on their night raids for its utility on the battlefield. Hear all about how they customized their kit and avoided leeches in their urethras and more on this episode.

If you'd like to support the show, head over to make a purchase at the Heddels Shop. Get 10% off your order with the code BLOWOUT.

If you have any questions you’d like us to answer, topics to cover, or people to talk to, email us at blowout@heddels.com. Also help us out by dropping a review!

We could put a man on the moon, but recently we couldn't put a piece of fabric on our collective faces. What happened to the mythical "Made in USA" of yore? Was there ever a Golden Age of American manufacturing? How did we get there and can we recapture it again?

David and Reed put on their historian speculation hats and dig into why things used to be made in America, why workers used to be paid more, and why things in this country once functioned much more equitably than they do now.

If you want a piece of union made in USA goodness, have a look at the Teamster Tees available on the Heddels Shop—10% off now with the code BLOWOUT at checkout!

Strap in and put on your oxygen, we're taking off on another ambiguously long historical series! Aside from jeans, I can't think of another garment that tracks the history of the twentieth century better than the flight jacket. Starting in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903 and leading all the way to putting a man on the moon, the garments of aviation had to advance just as quickly as the aircraft themselves.

In our first episode, we get into the prehistory of flight and what people wore when they were strapping chicken feathers on to themselves and serving in the Union Army's Balloonist Corps in the Civil War.

If you want to hear more AND support the show, please subscribe to Heddels+. We've got more episodes as well as exclusive discounts all over the web, giveaways, and you can hang out in our discord chat forum. Get your first month free with the code EXTRABLOWOUT at http://heddels.plus

Citations

• “Air Balloons in the Civil War (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed April 6, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/air-balloons-in-the-civil-war.htm.
• Heppenheimer, T. A. First Flight: the Wright Brothers and the Invention of the Airplane. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2003.
• “Otto Lilienthal.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed April 6, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Otto-Lilienthal.
• Otto-Lilienthal-Museum. “Otto-Lilienthal-Museum Anklam.” Lilienthal. Accessed April 6, 2021. http://www.lilienthal-museum.de/olma/esoest.htm.
• T., Ege Lennart A. Balloons and Airships. New York: Macmillan, 1974.

Albert trauma-dumps, his sister is totally fine now, by the way! Reed and Albert try and figure out how to have fun dressing even during the height of a heat-wave. How to find a good tee - buy from an establishment you like, rob your dad, etc. 

The main event - what to wear on a first date! Reed and Albert attempt to set down some ground rules on what to wear on your first dates. How to look comfy and at ease and yet show your date-partner that you actually care. Don't stray too far from the things you normally wear. We run down a few situations that should hopefully help you all in all your dating endeavors! 

We're back! Unfortunately a lot of other brands and retailers aren't. In this Heddels podcast reboot, David talks with writer Albert Muzquiz on his articles following the fallout of Covid-19 on the clothing business (spoiler:  it hasn't been great). Then we have a lengthy chat with all-around denim renaissance man Mohsin Sajid about his 20 year career designing, consulting, and educating about all things indigo, including his latest push for a greater use of hemp in the textile industry.

Also, take 10% off your next purchase at the Heddels Shop this week with the code BLOWOUT, including our newly stocked Waltzing Matilda sandals. Handmade in Maine from Horween Chromexcel leather, these are flip flops that will last you for many many seasons. https://shop.heddels.com

You can find Albert's articles here:

J.Crew: https://www.heddels.com/2020/05/another-one-bites-the-dust-j-crew-files-for-bankruptcy/

CARES Act: https://www.heddels.com/2020/05/the-harsh-reality-of-the-paycheck-protection-program/

J.C. Penney: https://www.heddels.com/2020/05/j-c-penneys-long-slow-decline/

Brooks Bros.: https://www.heddels.com/2020/05/a-brooks-brothers-without-american-manufacturing/

Gitman: https://www.heddels.com/2020/06/gitman-shuts-a-plant/

Here's Mohsin's vintage sewing machine piece: https://www.heddels.com/2015/02/vintage-sewing-machines-the-complete-guide/

And his webinar on hemp in denim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AthZzgROhSc

If you've got questions, comments, or want to submit your own industrial audio, email us at blowout@heddels.com

To hear the full episode, join Heddels+:

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While there were many deals this past week, there were also STEALS! We're of course talking about the shoplifting mania that's sweeping the nation (and how for the most part it doesn't exist). We also discuss our respective Black Friday hauls and remember Virgil Abloh after his untimely passing.

Vogue reports that "-core" has gone the way of "-chic." We try to recall the history of the whole "-core" thing from Normcore in the 20-teens to blokecore this year. But.... It's done! Passé! No more! It's not cool to just tack on "core" to shit anymore!

Reed was a genius and anticipated this change a mile off - so we use his mind and Albert's less-genius mind to anticipate what's coming up this Fall. We bemoan the weirdness of Merz B. Schwanen tees and get stoked for things to come.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

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Cat's out of the bag! I (David) am planning an extensive six month trip through Europe and Asia for the latter half of this year. I'm going to ride as many trains and eat as many weird things as I possibly can (more on this to come in future articles), but how does one pack for being continuously mobile across 30+ countries, climates, and time zones? Reed and Albert help me sort through the good, bad, and ugly that will and won't fit into my bag.

We also discuss the origins of the returning bell bottom trend and the bell.b0ys of Tiktok leading the vanguard.

Our rock in this ever-changing world, David Shuck, is back for an episode from the road. Our brave traveler (and co-host on hiatus) calls in about Georgian nightlife, bootleg wine, and big news from Patagonia. Enjoy a joyous reunion of all three of the Blowout boys and learn a little bit about what the hipsters in Tbilisi are wearing right now. David admits we were right about our packing suggestions and tells us how he's keeping his grody clothes clean on the road. Everything you wanted to know about cleaning your three pairs of underwear in an Eastern European hotel sink but were afraid to ask.

In the early twentieth century, it's estimated that 70%-95% of all clothing worn in America was made in a small section of midtown Manhattan. In 2020 it's less than 3%, but NYC's Garment District is still one of the most crucial communities in the entire global fashion industry. However, it's shrunk to the point where it's at risk of being uprooted and destroyed entirely.

We're talking with Alex Robins, one half of the linen-focused brand Blluemade, about what it's like to do all of their production in the Garment District, transporting their collections via subway, and their fight to keep the factories and finishers that helped them start their business alive.

If you'd like to support this episode, have a look at the Heddels Shop and check out our new selection of madras western shirts from Left Field, made in USA from authentic Indian madras, and get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT.

Do you know where your cotton came from? Probably not as the world of cotton buyers and sellers is about as murky as it gets. Blake Ulves, a clothing production vet who's made knits for the biggest retailers on the market talks to us about his new t-shirt project Sewn West, which represents his uncompromising idea of what a tee (and cotton) can be.

Visit https://www.sewnwest.com/ for 15% off with promo code SWHEDDELS15 valid thru June 30, 2021.

And support our show by becoming a Heddels+ member for more discounts, giveaways, and episodes like this one.

Happy 4th of July, may all your limbs stay attached! We watched the quintessential summer movie Jaws, which just so happens to coincide with the restock of our Quint Caps. Hear our thoughts on the clothes, the characters, and how it feels like a way to prescient parable for pandemic living.

Pick up a Quint Cap for 20% today and today only with the code AMITYMEANSFRIENDSHIP. Or become a Heddels+ member and it's 20% off everyday!

David updates us from the road and lets us know he had to abandon pretty much all his cold weather gear in the face of a record-breaking heatwave. Albert and "the Lovely Reed" discuss the science of uniform dressing and whether or not we have our own uniforms. Because after all, isn't finding a uniform an art in and of itself? As long, of course, as you're not doing it for "grind-set" reasons. Many stylish people spend their lives in search of that perfect outfit and some of them actually find it! We talk about the Nike Cortez and wonder if innovation is still possible in an era when so much energy (and money) seems to be directed to the catalogs and archives, and we do a very brief run-down on the history of South Korean fashion. Enjoy!

Hear the full episode on Heddels+: http://heddels.plus

To pick up the newest release from G-Star, you just have to renounce all of your worldly possessions. We've got discussion of denim monk habits, including what other religious brand collabs we'd like to see, plus another brand (Aime Leon Dore) being sacrificed on the altar of global capital. We also go deep on a few products:

• Shaggy Melton Wool CPO Sloppy Shirt Coat - Black
• Vague Watch Company Every-One “Explorers” Automatic Watch
• Hikers Suspender Things

Subscribe to Heddels Plus, shop at Heddels Shop, and email us at blowout@heddels.com.

The Canadian Olympic team announced their outfits this week and their closing ceremony jacket is a doozy. David, Reed, and Albert Muzquiz discuss that as well as the Met Gala's "American Fashion" theme, the benefits of Kapital basics, the new Aime Leon Dore New Balances, Albert's article on blazers, as well as ripping into a Federalist essay that claims overseas sweatshops are for girlbosses.

If you like this show and want more of it, or just want to support us, join Heddels+ today. It comes with an Blowout extra episode every week, more Heddels content, exclusive discounts and giveaways, and a chat forum—all starting at $5. Use the code EXTRABLOWOUT for your first month free.

Also you can check out Albert's piece on blazers here:

https://www.heddels.com/2021/04/blazers-not-just-nerds/

DATELINE DEC 14, 2020:  JEANS GO TO WAR! As the United States exited the Great Depression, the world had to contend with a few other new powers flexing their military might on a global stage. And America did so in denim! This episode, Reed and David explain the different military and domestic applications our fabric had during WWII and how wartime rationing would change the look and feel of jeans forever.

If you'd like to support the show, head over to make a purchase at the Heddels Shop. Get 10% off your order with the code BLOWOUT. Be sure to check out our new Surf n Turf wallets!

If you have any questions you’d like us to answer, topics to cover, or people to talk to, email us at blowout@heddels.com. Also help us out by dropping a review.

We all know her, we all love her, we all follow her. Amy Leverton, aka Denim Dudes, has been at the bleeding edge of the denim business for almost two decades now. Much of it working as a "trend forecaster", which is basically the person who interprets culture and the world at large to determine what looks are going to pop and when so manufacturers can get the wheels in motion to meet the moment. Listen in as we try to predict how the zeitgeist of today will make the pants of tomorrow.

Support this show and our work by becoming a Heddels+ subscriber! Heddels+ is our membership program that includes exclusive giveaways, discounts at partnered brands and retailers, and yes, more episodes of Blowout! Click here to sign up:

https://www.heddels.com/join-heddels-plus/

You can find more of Amy on Instagram @denimdudes and check out the full trend report on her website, which has a "pay as much as you can" option for smaller brands.

Join Heddels+ http://heddels.plus and shop at the Heddels Shop https://shop.heddels.com !

What is the shoe policy in your home? Are you a sane person that asks guests to take their shoes off at the entrance? If so, you may not want to invite WSJ columnist Kris Frieswick into your home because they made their stance loud and clear in a piece titled, "Here’s Why I’ll Be Keeping My Shoes on in Your Shoeless Home”:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/heres-why-ill-be-keeping-my-shoes-on-in-your-shoeless-home-11644503227

We go over Kris's errors as well as the apparent facade of organic cotton uncovered in a recent NYT article:  https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/13/world/organic-cotton-fraud-india.html

Plus we get into product talk on a Sassafras Diggin Half Cotton Tweed Black Shirt: https://shoplostfound.com/products/sassafras-diggin-half-cotton-tweed-black

Momotaro's Green-Tea Dyed Ochazome Sashiko Type II https://www.okayamadenim.com/collections/new-restocks/products/momotaro-ochazome-type-2-sashiko-jacket

And our Bootleg Bootcut Returns https://shop.heddels.com/collections/wrangler/products/wrangler-13mwz-raw-denim-jean?variant=39670302179395

The story of denim continues—into the newly formed United States! David and Reed explore the development of mass production textiles in the early days of America and what life was like in these mill towns of 1800s New England. And then we discuss a person who unknowingly created the conditions that lead to millions of people being enslaved and probably caused the U.S. Civil War (and then he knowingly invented a faster and cheaper way to build guns).

All that and more on this week's episode! If you want an easy entry into the world of denim, check out our selection of Tellason Stock jeans and jackets available on the Heddels Shop—10% off now with the code BLOWOUT at checkout.

Heddels writer Reed Nelson and managing editor David Shuck run down the issues of the day including the mass exodus of retail in NYC (and what's left to fill it besides real estate speculators), how postal slowdowns/shutdowns affect small business, and should Patagonia be given any credit for taking this long to cut ties with potential forced labor in Xinjiang. Also we make fun of random PR emails for a long time.

If you want to support the show, have a look at the new Teamster Tees on the Heddels Shop. We're currently backordered but should have more stock coming in shortly, as always, take 10% with the code BLOWOUT. Send emails with questions, comments, etc. to blowout@heddels.com

A few weeks ago we had a discussion about Burberry’s use of Wehrmacht-esque Nazi camoflauge patterns in their winter collection and that put me back in touch with Charles McFarlane, who is one of the most well informed individuals I know on all things military uniforms. Charles is a second-year masters student in Costume Studies at NYU, whose research focuses on the intersection of military uniforms and popular fashion and the soldier as a consumer of fashion. He has also been a contributor at GQ, Put This On, Gear Patrol, Heddels, and his own substack Combat Threads.

We had the opportunity to discuss the origins of camo, some of the patterns you'd most likely want to avoid, and how to get a start in collecting and wearing military clothing in your wardrobe.

Join Heddels+ and shop at Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT>

We've made it to 100 episodes! Only for David to leave immediately. Our final fully attended discussion gets into Facebook's push for digital clothes, featuring Balenciaga, Prada, and Thom Browne and the search for the perfect pair of mesh shorts.

Thank you for joining us for nearly 100 hours. Help us out by joining Heddels+ or by visiting the Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT.

To hear the full episode join Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

As you may have noticed, global supply chains are a little wonky, to put it mildly, and this could affect everything from your new phone to toy Tonka trucks. Basically when everything shut down in the spring of 2020, it didn’t start up at the same time and this incredibly precarious global supply chain we have basically went out of balance and now has the speed wobbles as it’s doing 110 on the highway.

We also update the Space Force uniform controversy, discuss some product, and go on a long tangent on chain restaurants. We also got another voicemail!

As always, 10% off for listeners at the Heddels Shop with the code BLOWOUT.

We’ve talked about gold miners, we’ve talked about ancient sailors, we’ve talked about cowboys, soldiers, and poets. Today we’re going to get into something a little heavier, and we don’t mean Iron Hearts.

Since practically its inception, denim has had a role in institutional racism in the United States. As we mentioned a few episodes ago, one of Levi’s earliest selling points was that it was “the only brand made by white labor.” Well today we’re going to be talking about the other kind of labor, non-white and often non-paid, which is a very euphemistic way to say slavery, human bondage, and other forms of exploitation.

Listen on to hear about denim was forced on enslaved peoples in the American South as well as how Black Civil Rights leaders of the 1950s but ultimately accepted as a unifying source of identity in the early 1960s. Special thanks to Miko Underwood for lending the voice of her lived experience working in denim to this episode, you can check out her brand Oak & Acorn - Only for the Rebelles launching later this month.

Citations:

• DeSante, Christopher D. "Working Twice as Hard to Get Half as Far: Race, Work Ethic, and America's Deserving Poor." American Journal of Political Science 57, no. 2 (2013): 342-56. Accessed February 5, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23496601.
• Ford, Tanisha C. "SNCC Women, Denim, and the Politics of Dress." The Journal of Southern History 79, no. 3 (2013): 625-58. Accessed February 5, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23795090.
• Lopez, German. “How the Voting Rights Act Transformed Black Voting Rights in the South, in One Chart.” Vox. Vox, March 6, 2015. https://www.vox.com/2015/3/6/8163229/voting-rights-act-1965.
• Mads Jakobsen. “An Introduction to the Indigo Dye Styles of Western Africa.” Heddels, 9 May 2018, www.heddels.com/2016/09/an-introduction-to-the-indigo-dye-styles-of-western-africa/.
• “Civil Rights Martyrs.” Southern Poverty Law Center. Accessed February 5, 2021. https://www.splcenter.org/what-we-do/civil-rights-memorial/civil-rights-martyrs.

This is the end, my denim friends, the end. After over 7 hours of denim history, the beginning of Japanese denim will be our last stop on our 13-part denim history series. Learn all about why Japanese people became culturally obsessed with American jeans, early pairs of knockoff 501s, how Okayama became the denim capital of Japan (and arguably the world), and more on this final installment. This is the Heddels stuff that you probably all tuned in to hear in the first place so we hope you enjoy.

This episode is brought to you by Heddels+, our new membership program with all the best deals, giveaways, content, and community connection in the Heddels world. Join now at: https://heddels.com/heddels-plus/

Citations:

• Marx, W. David. “Who Made Japan’s First Jeans?” Heddels, 12 Oct 2015, www.heddels.com/2015/10/who-made-japans-first-jeans.
• ---. “Why Okayama? How the Region Became the Denim Capital.” Heddels, 9 Feb 2016, www.heddels.com/2016/02/why-okayama-japanese-region-became-denim-capital.
• Robinson, Kyle. “The History Of The Osaka 5 - Studio D’Artisan, Denime, Evisu, and More.” Heddels, 9 March 2014, www.heddels.com/2014/03/history-osaka-5.
• ---. “Why Does Japan Love Mid-Century America So Much?” Heddels, 22 July 2014, www.heddels.com/2014/07/japan-love-mid-century-america-much.
• Steinberger, Kevin. “The Complete Guide to Okayama Jeans Street - Part II.” Heddels, 9 May 2014, www.heddels.com/2014/05/complete-guide-okayama-jeans-street-part-ii.

We're back in 1870s San Francisco and Reed and David are exploring the fallout of Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis's exclusive patent to put rivets on pants, creating the first iteration of what we know as jeans today. The resulting  period kicked off an arms race of competing brands trying to make their own inventions to compete with the patent-protected riveted Levi's pants.

If you'd like to learn more, much of the reference for this episode is from Michael Allen Harris's phenomenal book Jeans of the Old West. If you'd like to support the work we're doing, check out the Heddels Shop where we have a new selection of Teamster Tees in Black and Grey. As always, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT.

We're back this week with another two discussions. First we chat with our editor James Smith about a recent article of his documenting his journey buying clothes as a vegan and avoiding all animal products (https://www.heddels.com/2020/06/my-experience-of-navigating-quality-menswear-as-a-vegan/) and all the difficulties and decisions that requires. Then David talks with Jaime Wong, the owner of Raggedy Threads (http://www.raggedythreads.com/), about her 20+ years buying and selling vintage workwear. Learn about The Real McCoy's Polish horse farm, the history of the Buddy Lee doll, what it takes to sell at the Rose Bowl and more!

Be sure to check out our new offerings on the Heddels Shop (https://shop.heddels.com) this week and take 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Also, send us your questions, tips, and sounds to blowout@heddels.com!

Shameless plug here for our new membership program Heddels+ that'll get you more Blowout episodes, more written content, up to 2 product giveaways a month, a Discord forum where you can show us your pants, and discounts all across our niche. Get a free month trial with the code EXTRABLOWOUT:

https://www.heddels.com/join-heddels-plus

C'mon! C'monnnnnnn

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

David talks with perennial Blowout guest, photographer Eric Kvatek in advance of his round the world trip. Hear tips, tricks, and how Eric was once inadvertently a mailman on a Mexican train.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

If peeing your pants is cool, you can buy some jeans that already look like they've been peed in at Wet Pants Denim (complete with pisscoin). We also discuss the rise of Fettermania and what a Dickies and Carhartt clad Senate candidate means for the future of political dress and the agony and ecstasy of trying to sell your used clothing online.

The US government did it's best to reintegrate the young people returning from WWII, but an sizeable portion returned wanting nothing to do with it. Instead of getting a middle class job and starting a family, they wanted to do drugs, ride motorcycles, push sexual boundaries, and wear jeans. This didn't go over well at first. Our series continues with bikers and beats as Reed and David navigate denim's role in postwar culture.

This episode is brought to you by the Heddels Shop, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Also, if you like what we're doing, please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, just keep scrolling and hit the stars!

The history of America is often one of oppression and exploitation, and the stories of American clothing are no different. Even more important than the details and the fabrics of uniforms and work clothes is who was allowed or forced to wear them. We had the chance to talk to Miko Underwood whose new denim label Oak & Acorn shines a light on the Black American experience of denim and indigo with historically inspired pieces. Learn about indigo dyeing in Western Africa, the clothes of incarceration, and the most important but undiscussed court martial of WWII.

You can find the Oak & Acorn collection at Nordstroms and Shopbop. You can also learn more about the non-profit to support children of incarcerated parents We Got Us Now at their website.

Support our show by joining Heddels+ for more episodes, discounts, and giveaways. Use the code EXTRABLOWOUT for your first month free!

David here, I wasn't here for this episode and I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure it's great and it's about everything the notes claim:

• Critiquing Met Gala fits
• The colonial history of Safari shirts
• Reed goes on a tangent about candy themed clothes

Etc. etc., I can't wait for both of us to listen to it. Also, join Heddels+ and shop at the Heddels Shop!

In our last episode we talked about the earliest experiments of humans with aviation, which mostly included people covering themselves with feathers and jumping off of tall buildings. However, that lineage eventually got us to the Wright Brothers, who pioneered the first powered flight in 1903.

They sold the first plane to the United States Army in 1909, but that would be far from the last plane bought by a military. Soon, every powerful nation on the face of the planet would be buying planes by the thousands, and also, of course, buying jackets for the people who flew them. In this episode we cover World War One and how it launched aviation and the associated apparel into completely new territory.

If you want to support the show, please join Heddels+ for more episodes, giveaways, discounts, and more!

Citations:

• “Boots, Aviator's 'Fug' Boots: RFC.” Imperial War Museums, www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30016195.
• TheGreatWar, director. Fight For Air Supremacy - Bloody April 1917 I THE GREAT WAR Special Feat. Real Engineering. YouTube, YouTube, 29 Apr. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfMY1j4wXak&t=312s.
• “World War I.” Ducksters, www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/aviation_and_aircraft_of_ww1.php.
• “WW1 Aircraft of 1914.” Military Factory - Global Defense Reference, www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/ww1-airplanes-1914.asp.

Saddle up, partner! We're here to talk about how the image of the cowboy is a manufactured piece of myth-making that helped spread denim pants all across these United States. In part 6 of our denim history marathon, Reed and David discuss the origins of the actual cowboys in the tradition of Mexican vaqueros and how that morphed into denim clad gunslingers on the silver screen.

Listen in for all that and more on this week's episode. As always, listeners get 10% off at the Heddels Shop with the code BLOWOUT.

If you have any questions you’d like us to answer, topics to cover, or people to talk to, email us at blowout@heddels.com. Also help us out by dropping a review!

Join Heddels+ to hear the full episode:

http://heddels.plus

If you're American and you're listening to this episode, you probably own something Japanese. If you're Japanese and listening to this episode, you probably own something American. But you probably don't know the cultural histories of these countries nearly as well as Yumiko Sakuma (@yumikosakuma), a Japanese writer who has lived in and written about the United States for nearly 25 years. Yumiko is currently exploring how to cover Japanese products from a non-appropriative angle and joins us to talk Japanese-American history, the influence of western media, and Kim Kardashian's poorly named bodysuit line.

Hear it all on Heddels+ first month free with code EXTRABLOWOUT:

http://heddels.plus

The newest branch of the US military, the Space Force, has revealed its first draft of uniforms. With new militaria to mine, we dig in on the tactics of said uniforms as well as Todd Snyder's attempt to do LL Bean right and Haruki Murakami's obsession with t-shirts.

We also got a phone call! You too can call in at (720) 675-7098‬ or email us at blowout@heddels.com

We've officially entered the holiday shopping season, and if you're like us, very few people in your life know what to buy to satisfy your strange clothing obsession. But that doesn't stop us from dreaming about it! Reed, Albert, and I go over our fantasy holiday wishlists including the following:

• Anonymous Ism Sweaters
• Quoddy Ring Boots
• TCB 40s Jeans
• And much more!

We also answer a listener question on our "desert island" brands. If you have a question or comment, email us at blowout@heddels.com or call us at ‪(720) 675-7098‬. Also, join Heddels+ and visit Heddels Shop, our 20% off everything Black Friday sale runs through Monday 11/29 and we've got new Solovair in the shop!

Happy Labor Day in the US, it's time for us to reflect on the hard fought labor rights victories we enjoy in this country...AND SAVE! We're taking 25% off all of our Teamster Union Made tees and hoodies this weekend.

So tune in to hear about the origins of Labor Day the holiday, the current status of our fall trend predictions, and David's bleach eccentricities.

And get a great deal on a tee made with unionized labor through this Monday at the Heddels Shop:

https://shop.heddels.com/collections/vendors?q=Teamster%20Union%20Made

We've arrived at the Baby Boomer section of our indigo narrative. The transgressive postwar counterculture may have been the first to embrace denim and workwear for its style over utility, but it would be the teens of the 1950s to create the mass appeal. Join us as we discuss denim being banned in schools, jeans on screen heartthrobs, and a pop singer being denied entrance at a Vancouver hotel.

This episode is brought to you by the Heddels Shop, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Also, if you like what we're doing, please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, just keep scrolling and hit the stars!

It was the Met Gala last week and there was denim in it so obviously we have to comment on it. Also, Snoop Dogg collaborated with G-Star for some reason, which produced one of the strangest music videos in recent memory.

Also discuss Hollywood Ranch Market channeling Needles, Levi's running a stretch jean in a color they call "Punk Rock", and some Flat Head paisley print shorts that you'll have to wait til next summer.

Check out Heddels Shop, 10% off with the code BLOWOUT at checkout.

To hear the full episode, join Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

It's the midseason blues and Ralph Lauren's answer to it is letting people dye whatever they want in store. That is also far from the most ridiculous product concept we have today because this is the return of PR Plop! Our series where we dive into the best of the worst of the PR emails we receive. We've got NSFW NFTs, "The Peloton of the Kitchen", virtual clothing and more!

On this week’s Blowout… REED’S CORNER IS OFFICIALLY COOKED. Or at least the corner of Birkenstock Boston’s and Able to Buy Whenever. (Spoiler: He blames TikTok.) But because discovery is often generated out of necessity and Bostons are officially Pop Music now, that also means mules are Mainstream™, which has forced — yes, forced — us to investigate some alternative options in the Big Comfort footwear category. And guess what? Alongside oversized everything and a near-extinction event for hard-bottoms, the Mule Market is thriving my guys.

Also: We answer some listener questions from the Discord and probably talk about other things, but don’t worry it’s mostly Mules.

Links:

• 3sixteen has these, and are running a roughout now too.
• ALD is making garden clogs. They look cool.
• Chillbies (Reed’s favorites and US made!)
• The Blackstock Ellis/Horsebits
• Fear of God joints
• Fancy Boston’s
• Crocs (you can find them give Google Ads a workout I guess)
• Subus (Reed maintains that these are mostly just Thermoballs)
• New Balance 2002R
• Suicokes
• The Nepenthes Suite:
  • Easy Mocs
  • Troentorp x Needles Clogs
  • Rhodo Mary Janes

​​What Smoking Slippers Talk About When They Talk About Smoking

The year is 1990: Michael Bolton is on the radio, the first McDonald's opens in Moscow, and a group of carnivorous worms known as "graboids" are terrorizing the residents of a remote Nevada town called Perfection. The world may have changed, but the looks live on as Reed, Albert, David and former Heddels editor Gerald Ortiz dig deep on this creature horror classic. Hear about the sunbaked denim, boots, and entrails on this week's Blowout.

Support the show by becoming a Heddels+ member, visiting the Heddels Shop (10% off with code BLOWOUT, more Quint Caps back in stock), or leaving us a review on your podcasts app.

It may very well be a bucket that drains your bank account this spring. We're talking hats of course, the pocketable fabric cap that looks like it's ready to peak this summer season. We look back on its origins in the Irish countryside, adoption by the military, and eventually taking its place in mainstream pop culture. We also have a few picks to put on your bucket list:

• Blluemade’s bucket hat in steel blue linen
• Kapital’s Old Man and the Sea Bucket Hat
• Propper ripstop boonie hat
• And Wander pe-co hat
• Universal Works seersucker bucket hat

Plus we discuss the horrifying consumerism of one Orange County brand director.

Join Heddels+ and shop at Heddels Shop, Le Laboureur is back and 10% off with code BLOWOUT!

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake rocked the country of Japan. It moved the entire country over two meters west and reset the Earth's axis and caused a subsequent tsunami that hit the east coast of the Japanese region of Tohoku with a 133 foot tall wave. The influx of water lead to a failure and meltdown of three reactor cores of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, sending nuclear radiation throughout the area.

Photographer Eric Kvatek was on the ground in Tohoku a few weeks later to help with the relief effort and document the destruction that killed over 20,000 people. I talked to Eric about his experiences on the ten year anniversary of the Fukushima disaster. His photos are available to view on our website.

All photos courtesy of Eric Kvatek and he is giving away a print of their choosing to one randomly selected Heddels+ member. Click here to learn more and join Heddels+, where we'll be donating 25% of all signups this week to UNICEF Tsunami and Disaster Relief.

You can keep up with Eric on Instagram and on his website.

As the rivet cold war subsided out west, blue jeans went national. We dig into the effects rail connectivity had on the expansion of jeans eastward and how certain companies began dividing up the map into regional territories, establishing the modern day "Big Three" of Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler/Blue Bell.

Listen in for all that and more on this week's episode. As always, listeners get 10% off at the Heddels Shop with the code BLOWOUT.

If you have any questions you’d like us to answer, topics to cover, or people to talk to, email us at blowout@heddels.com. Also help us out by dropping a review!

Now that Ye is getting himself canceled, what would it take for Pitbull to take over the fashion zeitgeist. We don't think it would be that hard. 

Albert reviews Don't Worry Darling and the cool sneakers he saw in the crowd. Reed continues to deprive Albert of his sneaker connections. Albert begs a stranger at a party for shoes. Reed gets every sneaker he ever wants without even trying. 

We embed a message to Andrew about Johan's free shoe life.

SWEATER TALK - Reed knows a ton about sweaters and owns too many. We discuss the models, details, and fits that we love most. Albert chimes in with some sweatshirt love (more appropriate for his climate). Tennis sweater, cricket sweaters, the only appropriate venue for a v-neck, etc. Loopwheeled vs. cheap sweats.

Big raw jeans are in vogue? Unfaded? Cool kids all around seem to be wearing big, stiff jeans - and although Reed and Albert disagree about which shoes look best with them, they agree the look can be cool. 

We discuss Ye... even before the latest brouhaha had come out... we have to, right?

To hear the full episode, become a Heddels+ member here:

http://heddels.plus

A recent study found that "sewing machine operator" was number 7 of the jobs with the greatest increased risk of death during the pandemic in California. Reed, David, and Albert discuss the implications and the dark realities of the people who make our clothes, even in a country where we would hope workers have the greatest protections. We also get into a cool new Chinese subculture of "lying flat" and generally refusing to work. All that and more on this week's Blowout.

To hear the full episode, join Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

We live in an age of unprecedented choice. Whether it's jeans, hair conditioner, or marinara sauce; the western consumer has a skull crushing variety of options to choose from. But is that a good thing? The New York Times seems ambivalent and so are we. We discuss their piece "Is Denim Having an Identity Crisis" as well as Thanksgiving fits, the necessity of shampoo (it's not necessary), and these weird Margaret Howell house socks.

Use the code TODAYISNTFRIDAY for an early 20% off everything in the Heddels Shop before our Black Friday sale goes live on Wednesday.

Hi, I'm David Shuck and welcome to Blowout! We were recently graced with a new entry in the Jackass franchise and we thought it appropriate to detail the many fits and stylings that the band of pranksters and stunt artists have donned over the last 20+ years. Reed, Albert, and I run through the clothing of Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, Bam, and many more.

Listen to the episode above, sign up for Heddels+, and get 10% off at the Heddels Shop with the code BLOWOUT.

Denim is the thrust of what we discuss on Heddels - and our original namesake in Rawr Denim. It’s become the people’s fabric, democratized into ubiquity around the world in just 150 short years.

But how did it get there? How are we at the point where jeans can be the “default pant option” for a large part of the globe? We’re getting into the history of denim on a new series, and in this episode we're starting at the beginning in the "Speculation Zone" around the origin of our favorite fabric. We dig into the etymology of denim and the many competing theories of where denim jeans (and denim and jean) first developed.

If you want an easy entry into the world of denim, check out our selection of Tellason Stock jeans and jackets available on the Heddels Shop—10% off now with the code BLOWOUT at checkout!

While on a road trip through New England in the summer of 1965, eight Japanese men unwittingly created some of the most influential images of late 2000s menswear. We're talking about Take Ivy, a cultural sensation that's become the de facto document of the 1960s prep look.

And we're talking with the person who wrote the book on the intersection of Japanese and American fashion, W. David Marx, author of Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style. Learn about how teens wearing blazers scandalized Japan's image for the 1964 Olympics, how the name Take Ivy is a Japanese Dave Brubeck pun, and that chatting is a legitimate form of warming up. If you want to follow along, check out the English translation of the book or have a look at scans of the first 30 pages that the publisher has generously put online.

As always, you can support Blowout by visiting the Heddels Shop, get a 10% discount on your order with the code BLOWOUT.Image via Fujingahosha Publishing.

To listen to the full episode, join at http://heddels.plus

Yes, I know Levi's got the patent on May 20, but they didn't even call it the 501 for like 20 years later. It doesn't make any sense. Aside from that, we chat about Nick Wooster's new NFT, Brendan Babenzien's move to J.Crew, weird shorts, and our personal history of mask usage in the past year.

If you want to support brands and artisans in Palestine, you can do so here:

https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1651034

If you want to support this show, join Heddels+ for more episodes, written content, and exclusive giveaways and discounts, including 20% all the new Corridor NYC that's now available in the Heddels Shop.

Listen to the full episode on Heddels+:

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It's been a minute since we've gone deep on product so we thought we could catch up and catch up in style with a whole episode devoted to our product picks and misses (with a short aside on Victorian era crotchless underpants). We get into the following:

• Burgus Plus Ripstop Cargo Pants - Leopard
• Viberg Wholecut Derby Boot - Taupe Horsebutt
• Epperson Mountaineering - Large Climb Tote w/ Vintage NASA Patch - Clay
• Master-piece Potential V3 Waist Bag Black
• The Rite Stuff Atlas Salt & Pepper Work Shirt (Cedar)
• Iron Heart POLARTEC® Fleece Vest - Black
• Loewe Distressed Denim Shoes
• Le Laboureur Cape de Berger
• Scott Fraser Collection High-Waisted Denim Jeans
• Corridor Space Dye Cardigan in Sunset

Also check out the Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT.

That UN climate report was a doozy, wasn't it? While we've been mulling the habitable future of the planet over, we thought it was a good time to revisit some old practices one can do to make the most infinitesimal dent in the human impact on the climate. While the real change that needs to happen is systemic policy regulation, Reed and I discuss some easy habits you can do to reduce consumption and save some money.

For more info, have a look at the article that inspired this episode:

https://www.heddels.com/2016/12/11-ways-your-clothes-can-help-the-environment-and-your-wallet/

Join Heddels+ to hear the full episode:

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The big sea change in the fashion industry appears to be that fur is going the way of the dodo. Just this week, luxe parka maker Canada Goose announced they would be joining labels like Burberry and Prada in ending the use of fur in their collections. We've got that plus the willful destruction of perfectly good product, Reed's takedown of denim trousers, and our favorite summer totes and more on this week's Heddels+ episode.

Albert and David discuss North Korea's ban on denim and mullets and how it relates to denim behind the Iron Curtain in the Cold War as well as the reclaimed styles of French imperialism, long socks, and a breakdown of irregular denim.

If you like this episode, be sure to join Heddels+ for discounts, giveaways, and more episodes. Also, here's our old piece on denim in the Soviet Union:

https://www.heddels.com/2014/09/soviet-denim-smuggling-history-jeans-behind-iron-curtain/

Join Heddels+ to hear the full episode:

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Albert's back everyone! And we herald his return with discussion of the most relevant news of the day, Kim K stretching out Marilyn Monroe's dress at the Met Gala. But it goes deeper than that, should we be wearing historically significant and rare items like truly vintage denim? And when does a garment stop being a garment? Also we revisit discussion of how to learn about fashion online and work through a case of Outlier  clothing that I'm testing for future travel.

Unlocked from our Heddels+ Blowout feed, the middle part of a Venn diagram that includes denim jackets, cults, and rampant abuse.

We’re talking about Tony Alamo, and yes that’s spelled like Alamo as in “remember the” but it’s pronounced like Alamo. Regardless, he was about as despicable a human being as they come. From the late 60s onward, he ran a religious cult that separated families, forced people to work without pay, beat and sexually abused children, tried to summon people from the dead...and made some pretty cool rhinestone denim jackets.

These jackets were extremely popular, you could see them on the backs of everyone from Mr. T, Sonny Bono, Michael Jackson, Burt Reynolds, and Dolly Parton. So today we’re going inside the Tony Alamo of Nashville fashion label and inside the Tony Alamo Ministries cult as we dig up this denim crime story.

Albert bullies a Love Island-lookin' influencer so bad his wife asks him to stop. Jugglalos are actually sweet people, as sweet as their soda of choice.

This week we put our heads together and think about the pieces that have stood the test of time - those well-made classics that transcend trends.

Some of these pieces are:

• The BUZZ RICKSON Chambray workshirt.
• Orslow Chambray shirt (not workshirt)
• Vintage Lee Storm Rider
• TS(S) Reversible Jacket
• Good Art Curb Chain #1 Necklace
• Chuck 70s
• Birk Boston
• Blundstone's
• Orslow 105
• Sugar Cane 66 and 47
• Orslow Regular Fit Fatigue
• Barena Elastic Waist Trousers

Then, if you're still reading, we pitch each other on things we need to buy! The other host decides if it's a keeper or not.

It only took a little less than 250 years for denim to go from niche work fabric to presiding over "the world's greatest deliberative body" and we couldn't be more disappointed. We discuss what senator Kyrsten Sinema's denim vest means for dress codes for legislators, leading Reed to go on an extremely niche exploration of what senators would be into what streetwear brands. We also talk about the end of the brand Unis and Albert's experiences at a tiktok influencer party. Plus discussions of:

• The Real McCoy's MC18122 Waffle Thermal Long John Underwear Black
• Raleigh Denim Jones OGMP
• KAPITAL NO. K2109LP102 COW FLEECE PULLOVER

Support the show by joining Heddels+ or by visiting the Heddels Shop and using the code BLOWOUT for 10% off your order. Email us at blowout@heddels.com or call us at ‪(720) 675-7098‬.

To listen to the full episode, subscribe at http://heddels.plus

When you think of the legendary Cone Mills White Oak plant, you should also think of Ralph Tharpe. Ralph was one of the longest serving individuals at the plant, working in textile development there from 1975 up until near the mill's closure in 2017. He's now started the White Oak Legacy Foundation, a non-profit group focused on not only preserving the history of the White Oak facility, but also making new denim on White Oak's old looms and pioneering new developments in denim production technology. Listen in for the history of White Oak from someone who knows a lot of it.

You can find more about the White Oak Legacy Foundation at their website, https://www.wolfdenim.org/

Access the full episode by joining Heddels+:

https://www.heddels.com/join-heddels-plus/

You can own pants, but can you own all pants? Albert apparently does as he was recently gifted an NFT of the entire concept of pants as a whole. Listen to our uneducated discussions of NFTs, and our slightly more educated discussions of Converse potentially ripping off a potential intern, Etsy buying Depop, if Guayabera shirts are something appropriative, and how we don't recognize a Paul Newman t-shirt when we see one.

This week we're on with renowned photographer and former vintage dealer / cigarette security guard Eric Kvatek. After getting an initial lucky break, Eric has shot for everyone from 45rpm, Strongarm, Battenwear, W'menswear, Holubar, Heddels, and most notably all the books for Japanese brand Kapital.

One of his passions from his collecting days is printed t-shirts, specifically Harley-Davidson t-shirts from their xenophobic anti-Japan era of the 1970s and 80s. As the US manufacturing economy waned and thousands of blue collar Americans were out of work, Harley lashed out with a series of both authorized and bootleg t-shirts aimed at their Japanese competitors and the Japanese people in general. Eric and David talk through the story of how these shirts came into existence and the violent effect they had on Asian-Americans, including Chinese-American Vincent Chin who was beaten to death by white Chrysler auto workers.

To view examples of these shirts from Eric's collection, check out the article on heddels.com. You can also follow Eric on Instagram @eric_kvatek or visit his website kvatek.com. As always, you can get a 10% discount at the Heddels Shop with code BLOWOUT including a recent restocks of Teamster Tees.

How does one start down the long indigo path online these days? We're beyond the heyday of blogs and Tumblr and have moved into the realm of reels, reels that involve some guy telling you to tuck in your shirt or pull your hoodie through your beltloops. Reed and David discuss the prospect of starting out as a fashion neophyte these days and the various posts and influencers one might encounter.

We also get into the following:

• Barns Shaggy Dog Cardigan
• The horror of long-sleeve Hawaiians
• Why anyone would want a half-zip western
• And Manresa

Join Heddels+ for more and visit the Heddels Shop for 10% with the code BLOWOUT.

To hear the full episode, join at:

http://heddels.plus

So last week we talked about the personal aspects of climate change in regards to some practices we can all do to reduce our own impact. But as we all know and even mentioned, the actions of an individual, even all you beautiful individuals reading right now is like one drop removed from the rising ocean.

We need policy and regulation enforced by governments if we hope to have any chance at minimizing the effects of the coming climate apocalypse. I’m sure that’s a thing we’ve all heard a lot, but we rarely hear about the specific policy that would make that difference.

Well not today! We’ve got some policy proposals that would hopefully curb the fashion industry’s worst effects on climate change. Listen in and let us know what changes you'd like to see either at blowout@heddels.com or our voicemail 720-675-7098.

To hear the full episode and much more, subscribe below:

http://heddels.plus

Traffic stopped on the Manhattan Bridge, blood spilled in Mulberry Bend, thousands of stick wielding teens in the streets. New York City came to a standstill over the straw boater hat 99 years ago, and we're here to remember it.

Also, check out Stan Ray restocks and more in the Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT!

Denim. Why is it funny? Is it because it's so ubiquitous or is there something comedic inherent to its nature that makes you laugh when you see it fashioned into a couch or boots or sunglasses? We attempt to answer this and other deep questions, like "Are the provisions in the new FABRIC Act proposed by US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand going to be enough to bring back American manufacturing jobs?" and "Should Albert soak his deadstock 501s?" All that and more above.

Thank you to our sponsor, Science and Kindness Denim Repair. Whether your jeans fit so well they are wearing out or need some adjustments to truly earn your love, Science and Kindness Denim Repair understands. Discrete crotch repairs? Yeah. Sashiko? Yeah. Chainstitch embroidery? Yeah. Union Specials? Yeah. Period correct Big E patches? Yeah!

They go hard when it comes to your jeans but it’s not hard to get things taken care of usually within two weeks. No waitlist. No judgement. Just your jeans-- better. By mail or drop-off in St. Paul, MN. @Sciencendkindness on instagram to see our work, scienceandkindness.net for an estimate or to get started. A free chainstitch hem and repair/service discounts for all Heddels+ members. Science and Kindness — Less Yikes.

In our niche, getting your jeans repaired is in many ways more important than buying them in the first place, and we had the opportunity to discuss with someone who knows all the ins and outs about both. Satchel B. Moore started Science and Kindness Denim Repair in the early 2010s to complement his day job selling raw denim at BlackBlue in Saint Paul, Minnesota and it has since grown into a fully-fledged repair studio doing any fabric fix or alteration you can imagine on a full roster of vintage machines.

We chat with Satchel about everything from his early days buying Cheap Monday jeans from online proxies to fitting heavyweight flat-fells through a Union Special 43200G.

You can start your own repair by visiting their website, scienceandkindness.net or on Instagram @scienceandkindness. Also, Heddels+ members get 1 Free Chainstitch hem, OR $35 dollars off any service, OR 20% off any service over $100 per month (shipping not included).

On the mean streets of San Francisco, one garment is ready to tear the entire city apart:  the Patagonia fleece vest. What you wear is often the first thing you can say to the world, and in the Bay, the vest is an extremely loaded statement. We get into Bobby Allyn's NPR piece about the agony and the ecstasy of going vested in San Francisco.

We also discuss the following:

• Knickerbocker x Kleman Dimori Sandal
• North Face Purple Label Mountain Field Pants
• Unique Garment Urban Type 2
• Burgus Plus Overdyed Hoodie

Remember to join Heddels+ if you haven't already and visit the Heddels Shop, as always, 10% off with code BLOWOUT.

If you've perused any Fade Fridays, you may have noticed some of the most impressive fades come from Indonesia. But more recently, some of the most impressive boots are coming out of the country as well. We talk with Ben Robinson, Editor in Chief of Stitchdown.com and one of the foremost western experts and consumers of Indonesian footwear about how the Indonesian scene developed, some of the makers worth following, and how to order a pair from halfway around the world.

If you want to know more about Indonesian bootmakers, check out some of the resources on Stitchdown and be sure to check out their upcoming Patina Thunderdome wear contest starting this October.

And if you want to order a pair now, here are the links to a few of the discussed brands:

• https://www.instagram.com/santalum_id/?hl=en
• https://www.sagarabootmaker.com/
• https://onderhoud.carbonmade.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/benzeinshoes/?hl=en
• https://www.instagram.com/prof.barnets/?hl=en

What's up, Frogface? We're here with a bonus episode of Reed and David talking over all 80 glorious minutes of Marlon Brando's biker bad boy flick The Wild One. The movie is not good, with lots of gender dynamics that have aged poorly but it also has a lot of jeans, leather jackets, hats and knits that haven't. It's got Perfectos, Cafe Racers, A-2s, B-3s, top hats, beanies, 5-panels, 501s, ringer tees, and more!

Sync up with the movie and listen to us prattle on. It's available for a $3 rental on Amazon and iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-wild-one/id263825985

https://www.amazon.com/Wild-One-Marlon-Brando/dp/B001NQ31S8

This episode is brought to you by the Heddels Shop, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Also, if you like what we're doing, please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, just keep scrolling and hit the stars!

Hey guys, thanks for waiting!

Reed, Albert and I (David) are back with a new off-Heddels podcast called Neverrong and we thought you might want to hear about it.

Neverrong is a fashion and culture show where we breakdown a topic that's trending in the world today and explore where it came from, where it's going, and how much carbon it's probably putting into the atmosphere.

This is our first episode on Trucker Hats, but you can find a bunch more on our Substack and on Spotify, Apple, etc etc. Thanks for your support over the years!

This was quite the year for a variety of reasons. And what better way to reflect upon it than to count down the most read articles on a pants website? Reed and David are joined by Heddels Features Editor James Smith to run down our top hits (not necessarily greatest, but top) this year and look forward to what may be yet to come.

This episode is brought to you by the Heddels Shop, listeners get 10% off with the code BLOWOUT. Also, if you like what we're doing, please leave us a review on Apple podcasts, just keep scrolling and hit the stars!

Also here are those top articles if you'd care to read them:

heddels.com/2020/03/how-to-make-a-diy-face-mask-out-of-a-t-shirt/

heddels.com/2020/02/ralphs-roster-the-many-faces-of-ralph-lauren/

heddels.com/2020/01/the-rough-history-of-biker-cuts/

heddels.com/2020/06/rakuten-global-can-we-still-order-outside-of-japan/

heddels.com/2020/01/the-different-types-of-shoelaces/

heddels.com/2020/02/colors-shell-cordovan-rainbow/

heddels.com/2020/05/the-harsh-reality-of-the-paycheck-protection-program/

heddels.com/2020/05/introducing-vidalia-mills-bringing-back-american-selvedge/

heddels.com/2020/03/vibram-numbers-classic-rubber-soles/

heddels.com/2020/01/does-cotton-kill-the-moisture-wicking-properties-of-various-fabrics/

heddels.com/2020/03/teacore-leather-whats-it-all-about/

heddels.com/2020/01/tyrolean-shoes-thick-and-stitched/

heddels.com/2020/03/how-to-do-your-laundry-without-a-washing-machine/

To hear the full episode, join Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

Inadvertently or not, Carhartt has waded into the culture war with a recently leaked memo saying they're going to maintain their company vaccine mandate after the Supreme Court struck down OSHA's federal mandate for employers. We discuss the efficacy of burning bought and paid for items for a political end and the cynicism inherent in being a brand making statements to begin with. Also Albert discusses some tiktok #drama about the ethics of buying dupes. All that and more on Heddels+!

Reed and David discuss what fall fashion and the typical "back to school" buying season will look like as they wear their respective basketball shorts and t-shirts. Is there going to be a need to buy clothes for this upcoming season as so many stay inside and many more face financial uncertainty? We also get into our favorites on the Taco Bell menu and ponder if celebrities can use mask wearing as a way to send body doubles out to do public appearances.

If you want to support the show, have a look at the new Teamster Tees on the Heddels Shop. We're currently backordered but should have more stock coming in shortly, as always, take 10% with the code BLOWOUT. Send emails with questions, comments, etc. to blowout@heddels.com

Join Heddels+ to listen to the full episode:

http://heddels.plus

We review and discuss the elusive tale of denim and teen pregnancy, Blue Denim from 1959 (thank you Phillip from Denmark for sending us a copy!) Hear about 1950s morals on teenage delinquency, family values, and abortion.

BWOOOMP! BWOOOMP! It's the trend alert sound! We're talking Boa Fleece this week, the retro deep polyester pile that it seems every brand has put out in the last year. We talk it's history, how it's made, and why we think its tufted head is popping up so prominently in this particular moment. We also talk about our most difficult break in experiences and do a product lightning round, including:

• California Diner Roll Returns: Barns Cozun Sweat Parka
• Yuks Type 1 Moccasin F OG Brown
• Alaska Sleeping Bag Viking Safari Jacket
• Kapital Snowflake Denim

Subscribe for more of this at Heddels+, get 10% your Heddels Shop order with code BLOWOUT (look for new Stan Ray and Columbiaknit soon), and email us at blowout@heddels.com call us at ‪(720) 675-7098‬.

California signed the Garment Worker Protection Act into law this week. It's a big win for the people who make clothes in this country who have had up to 80% of their paychecks stolen via wage theft until it's passage. Also Albert went to a Pitbull show and has the vibe report on Mr. Worldwide and his fans.

Also we discuss the following:

• Studio D’artisan 8oz. Loopwheeled Kasuri Indigo t-shirt
• WAREHOUSE Lot.2168 ALL LEATHER AWARD JACKET
• Engineered Garments Olive Satin Explorer Shirt Jacket
• "Chillbies"

Check out our new Faribault Woolen Mills blankets and vests on the Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT!

Listen to the full episode at Heddels+:

https://www.heddels.com/join-heddels-plus/

A vibe shift is coming, are you prepared? Reed and David dissect the idea of a "vibe shift" and the previous vibes we have experienced in the last 20 years while riffing off of a recent New York Magazine article.

*Spoiler alert: if you're listening to this, you probably didn't survive the last vibe shift.

Japanese brand Kapital's latest Kountry collection created waves in ways they didn't expect (but probably should've) when its "Free Tibet" imagery awakened thousands and thousands of angry comments on Instagram, putting the release in jeopardy. Kapital photographer Eric Kvatek rejoins us to discuss what happened and his own photoshopped response to the incident. We also discuss our fall trend predictions and the origins of Englebert Humperdinck on this week's episode.

Support the show by becoming a Heddels+ member and by visiting the Heddels Shop, we've got new Teamster tie-dyes and hoodies for 10% off with the code BLOWOUT.

At least 99% of denim on the market today isn't raw, it's been stonewashed, lasered, or sandblasted into what mimics an authentically worn pair of jeans. But this wasn't always the case, pre-distressed denim is a relatively recent phenomenon, which we're going to be getting into how the fashion market took over denim and they took the indigo with them. Learn all about Jackie Kennedy's favorite denim brand, an infamous Calvin Klein ad that was banned in a dozen markets, and how the denim industry mined so much pumice stone it caused widespread environmental protests on our penultimate episode of Denim History.

This episode is brought to you by Heddels+, if you'd like more discounts, more giveaways, and more of the Heddels content you love, check out our new membership program launching soon. Click here to be informed as soon as it's live!

Citations:

• Edwin Europe. “Edwin Europe - History.” Copyright © 2009 Edwin Europe, All Rights Reserved, 18 May 2009, web.archive.org/web/20111112105814/http://www.edwin-europe.com/history.php.
• Ghioto, Gary. 2000. "Mining the Sacred Mountains." E: The Environmental Magazine 11, no. 1: 15. MasterFILE Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed August 8, 2013)
• “Farewell Fiorucci - Inventor of Skinny Jeans | Fashion | Phaidon.” Phaidon, Phaidon, www.phaidon.com/agenda/fashion/articles/2015/july/21/farewell-fiorucci-inventor-of-skinny-jeans. Accessed 12 Feb. 2021.
• Miller, Meg. “RIP Elio Fiorucci, The Designer Of Stretch Denim.” Fast Company, 21 July 2015, www.fastcompany.com/3048885/rip-elio-fiorucci-the-designer-of-stretch-denim.
• Stu Pollard. “CALVIN KLEIN JEANS - ‘Brooke Shields - Nothing’ (80’s Commercial).” YouTube, uploaded by Stu Pollard, 12 Jan. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD3zMCWwQeo&ab_channel=StuPollard.
• Lead image credit Fiorucci denim and model Donna Jordan

It took over a decade, but Levi's finally upped the price of the 501 and it still hasn't matched the rate of inflation. We discuss Levi's latest statement on raising their prices, Uniqlo getting into the repairs game, Burberry using a Nazi Waffen-SS camo pattern in their latest collection, and David's experience at the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow.

Get 10% off your order at the Heddels Shop with the code BLOWOUT, and join Heddels+ for even more Blowout episodes!

Denim soldiers forward through one of the darkest times in recent American history, the Great Depression. Reed and David explore the denim histories of both the Dust Bowl migrants and the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps, whose denim uniforms built much of the infrastructure we still enjoy today. Hear about all that and more in part 7 of our ongoing podcast series.

If you'd like to support the show, head over to make a purchase at the Heddels Shop. Get 10% off your order with the code BLOWOUT.

If you have any questions you’d like us to answer, topics to cover, or people to talk to, email us at blowout@heddels.com. Also help us out by dropping a review!

When buying a new product these days, the search often starts (and ends) with Google. But how does Google tell you what to buy and where to go? And how are publishers telling Google what to tell you? The world of ecommerce has become more and more concentrated around a single source and we explore what that means when trying to buy something like a pair of sneakers or a toaster.

We also discuss the state of retail and what it's like to work on a sales floor these days with ever shifting customer expectations.

Be sure to check out the Heddels Shop and join Heddels+ for more Blowout.