501 was not successful<\/a>, and yet the idea of some room in the seat and thigh that gracefully tapers to a narrow leg opening is a goal worth striving for. As much as I like the idea of a completely slim or skinny fit, my physiology will not play along (and I am not alone\u2014I\u2019ve seen far too many tops o\u2019 asses. Most of us are not French models, and we need to start dressing accordingly).<\/p>\nIn a 34\u201d (46.5cm\u2026c\u2019mon, isn\u2019t it time we all started using the metric system?) waist, that gives me a 25cm rise, 31.5cm thigh, 22.5cm knee, 19.5cm leg opening, and 81.5cm inseam. They might as well call it the Goldilocks Fit, because it\u2019s just right. The majority of the trim silhouette comes from the legs, not the topblock, so to the eye these are<\/em> slim jeans. That\u2019s a win.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s made with a 14oz. Japanese red line selvedge raw denim, with a smooth, consistent hand and an inky, almost overdyed quality. (Mine are far from needing their first soak, but I suspect they will release quite a bit of dye and could yield some high contrast fades.) Hawksmill’s nods to the past are a Union Special chain stitched hem, belt loops folded under the waistband, pockets of heavy duty sail cloth, nickel-free copper rivets, heavy corded button holes, felled seam construction, and a chain stitched waistband. At\u00a0\u00a3<\/span><\/span><\/span>149.00 (a little over $200), that\u2019s a Toyota Camry for the price of a Corolla (I\u2019m car shopping, and that\u2019s nothing to sneeze at).<\/p>\nGarment Dyed Tee<\/p><\/div>\n
Loopback Cotton Sweatshirt<\/p><\/div>\n
Would a few sit-ups kill me?<\/p><\/div>\n
Hawksmill offers all the menswear basics, and I found their t-shirts (garment dyed with a mildly slubby texture,\u00a0\u00a3<\/span><\/span><\/span>39.00) and sweatshirts (also garment dyed, and made from a slubby, 100% loopback cotton with flatlock seams,\u00a0\u00a3<\/span><\/span><\/span>79.00), wonderful and comfy, though I\u2019d personally prefer a slightly roomier cut, especially during Cadbury Egg season (I’m sized up in an XXL. The shirt I mean.).<\/p>\nThis is what the Cord Shirt looks like on artist William Blanchard, a more stylish man than the author.<\/p><\/div>\n
And then…the author.<\/p><\/div>\n
What really got me excited were three pieces in particular–the Olive Baby Cord Utility Shirt, and the Reverse Weave Utility Jacket and Trouser. The cord shirt surely has the boxy cut that references the French chore shirtjac that Fraser mentioned, but it’s made from the softest corduroy I’ve felt, and thus perfectly straddles the old and new that seems essential to the Hawksmill design aesthetic. But it’s\u00a0\u00a3175.00, which is a real splurge\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>for a shirt, though one worth considering.<\/p>\nReverse Weave Utility Trouser<\/p><\/div>\n
Note the side-cinch button adjusters<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
But it’s these Reverse Weave Pants (a steal at\u00a0\u00a3119.00\u200b)\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>and Jacket (slightly less a steal at\u00a0\u00a3149.00\u200b)<\/span><\/span><\/span> that have stolen my jaded heart. The pants look like classic Vietnam War era fatigues, but even while sized for comfort, they still appear slim and, dare I say, “fashionable” (my wife’s word, one she uses to illustrate they are dinner-out-worthy). It’s more of that loose tapered fit (still a 34″ waist), and the side-cinched button adjusters on the waist are a cool detail I’d love to see more often. The reversed sateen cotton twill looks combat-ready, but started soft and is only getting more so. Lately, if I’m out of denim I’m in these.<\/p>\nReverse Weave Sateen Utility Jacket<\/p><\/div>\n
I’ve never stood in this position before in my life.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
The jacket is an XL and is cut to fall just below the waist\u2014I wear it more like a heavy shirt than jacket (I’d likely need an XXL for true jacketness to be achieved)\u2014and is perfect over a tee for when it gets to what people in Southern California consider “cold.”\u00a0 The color has a brightness to it that is far more olive than drab, and they’re my new go-to staples (though never at the same time). It’s also worth mentioning that, while ordering from Hawksmill’s site is a breeze and cheaper than you might suspect, their stuff is available through other US-based online retailers.<\/p>\n
While I’ll never say it to her, perhaps I should shop with my wife more often? If it means more opportunities to discover high quality, won’t-see-it-on-all-your-friends-unless-you-live-in-England brands like Hawksmill Denim Co., the hours spent might actually be worth it. But seriously, who brings more into the dressing room than they need? And since when is it fun trying on clothes you have no intention of buying? Where are my bros at? Hello?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I love to shop. That is, as long as said shopping is for me. When it comes to shopping with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":104872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[627],"tags":[4947,15130,1303],"acf":{"published_feed_date":"2018-04-12 00:01:50"},"yoast_head":"\n
Hawksmill Denim Co. - A Hidden British Gem<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n