Levi’s

Dark and lovely



I’m not a great fan of faded denim. Given the choice, I prefer my jeans stiff, dark and densely pigmented. And as traditional faux-fading processes are found to be harmful to their makers and the environment, fashion is finally catching up with me.

One of the suggestions Levi’s makes is to wash jeans less, using only cold water. Funnily enough, this is something I’ve done for years. Using only a tiny bit of detergent, I soak jeans in a bucket of water then rinse, roll in a towel and dry flat. But mostly I try to avoid washing them at all, which is obviously much easier if they’re dark to start with (yeah, it helps if you’re a bit of a scruff).

As it happens, my favourite inky-hued jeans are back online at Netaporter.com. I have these Levi’s Made & Crafted chino jeans already in indigo and khaki but will be buying another pair of the indigo as I wear mine a lot. If you want a dark wash jean that’s versatile enough to wear all year round (day to night, dressed up or down, yada yada) then I’d thoroughly recommend these…

Buy Levi’s Made & Crafted jeans at Netaporter.com



Future Classics Black Label



My resolution for next year is to be a bit braver with colour and print. I used to love layering busy Kenzo-type prints but over the years I’ve got lazier and more classic in what I wear. This year, fashion has truly been ‘Bubbled’, with Susie Bubble‘s clashy colour-meets-print-meets-texture influence reaching far and wide and well into 2012. (more…)



Supersized Levis on The Sartorialist




What’s not to love about this picture? I adore the XXXL fit of the jeans, super-crunchy, stiff denim with not an ounce of stretch and the paperbag-like cinched waist. And the abbreviated proportions of the silky top (loose but well-fitting on the shoulders). The boots didn’t go down well on The Sartorialist but I actually think they bring the outfit into the 21st century. My bugbear is they’re fighting with the hem of the jeans, so if they were just an inch shorter (the boots not the jeans), the look would be more harmonious. But the overall effect of the outfit with the beautiful curls and retro red lip is nothing short of wonderful. What do you think?

[Image: The Sartorialist.com]



Introducing Levi’s Made & Crafted



“Details make the design. Our buttondown buttons, like the 1920’s Levi’s® Sunset shirts they were inspired by, are hidden. It’s more difficult, more time consuming, and more beautiful that way.”

Ah, Levi’s is speaking my language with its Made & Crafted line, a range of beautifully (more…)