WIWT

[Pepetito]

Usually, I correlate dad jeans to fit. That said I just don't like light wash in general.

[LesserBlackDog]

As far as being skeptical for me speaking for a silent majority, you did agree with me. Do you really think it's possible that the majority would not see these jeans as awful?

I do agree everyone is entitled to wear what they like, but the purpose of this forum is for discussion. We should be hear to teach, learn, dress better, and help others dress better, right? If that is the case, in an instance like this, I think it is best to be blunt and just state that these are not jeans that you should wear, if you are looking to up your style game. If you want to wear what you want to wear with disregard to what looks good, go for it. But then why are you posting in a WIWT thread?

I bite my tongue a lot, when I see things that don't look good. I feel like a lot of that goes on here. Are we here to cosign everything everyone wears with statements like, "that looks good buddy"? Or are we here to help each other improve? It seems to me we are just here to cosign everyone else's style choices. I'm done doing that, in cases where there is total disregard for style, such as this one.

I can only speak for myself, and speculate as to what others might say based on my general knowledge in this subject area. Probably there are quite a few who would agree with us that this light wash is not the most stylish choice. But the other three people who have commented so far (four if you include JDI) seem to think these jeans are, in fact, not "awful."

I agree that posting on a WIWT thread opens a person to some degree of criticism. But just as we don't want the WIWT thread to turn into a mindless circle-jerk, I also don't think it's necessarily helpful to denounce things that we don't personally like as objectively wrong. A tailored jacket whose shoulders are at a guy's elbows may be objectively "wrong"; whether a burgundy or a navy tie is best with a charcoal suit is almost purely subjective; and there are a whole lot of areas in between where there is room for reasonable people to disagree. For example, you posted a WIWT the other day where I thought the trousers were comically short. But I didn't feel any urge to comment on it because I know trouser length preferences are subjective to some degree; you had already expressed your opinion approving of the trouser length in your post; and you have a strong personal aesthetic and strong opinions. I knew my comment would be largely, if not entirely, irrelevant to you. Commenting on it would have been an exercise in enjoying the figurative sound of my own voice.

I welcome your opinion and your comments on my and other people's WIWT posts here. But I think the tone in which you convey your opinion (i.e. "You don't have to agree with me. I can't force you to be right.") is counter-productive if your goal is to persuade people to your position.

[JDI]

Now I'm really curious about what "everyone" thinks.

[MENTION=13537]JDI[/MENTION], would you object if someone (who may or may not be me) were to start an independent thread with a poll. For science .

Go for it....

I am not sure of the exact wash of these, these are a season or so old, but fit is slim.
My offense stems from "epitome of Dad jean" ...never thought of dad Jean in a wash context...it's a fit term for me.

Let the poll begin.

to each his own.

[thecharlesg]

[MENTION=2341]LesserBlackDog[/MENTION] the hen on those pants was comical. I posted in the comments that I ethrifted then and hadn't got them lengthened yet. That style is acceptable here, in Los Angeles, so I wore them. Had you said they were comically short I would have agreed with you.

[ForeverGuest]

It's not just the lightness and uniformity. Ignoring the fact that light jeans are generally out of fashion (that is cyclical, of course), light jeans are very casual, but here they're worn with a tucked-in button down plus a dressy belt and penny loafers, both in black. It looks out of balance.

I also don't actually see this wash on J Crew's website. The closest seems to be the Tobias, which is styled with running shoes and t-shirts.

Put me in the "dad jeans" camp. Light washes are actually back in fashion a bit these days, but mostly styled in a more urban streetwear or casual, sportswear way. Like most things, it comes down to how the piece is worn, and here I agree that the overall look is out of balance. It just reads as being older and stuffier than I think many would prefer. Even if you consider your style to be more mature and conservative, I tend to think rakish or debonair is the goal, not dowdy or stuffy. Sure, the fit saves this from being egregiously bad, but while fit is the most important thing it isn't the only thing. The combo of light wash and black pennies just doesn't do it for me. If my dad wore this, I'd be thrilled, but in so far as this thread is intended to either show off or provide examples for how to put together an outfit, I agree with [MENTION=14255]thecharlesg[/MENTION] that there's nothing wrong with pointing out when things miss the mark. If not, then it's just an exercise in vanity (which might be what some people want).

[MENTION=2341]LesserBlackDog[/MENTION] – I'd personally like to see some of those riskier style choices on display. Those are the sorts of dramatic choices that, when done well, can really define and highlight great individual style.

IMO this community has gotten incredibly uniform in its conservatism. Great style should be about self expression through clothes and the careful, effective, and intentioned breaking of rules. It'd be nice to see more of that on display, as well as less defensive, less personal discussions on why we think things do or don't work. But maybe that's just a platonic ideal impossible for an online community.

Just my 2 cents.

[LesserBlackDog]

[MENTION=2341]LesserBlackDog[/MENTION] – I'd personally like to see some of those riskier style choices on display. Those are the sorts of dramatic choices that, when done well, can really define and highlight great individual style.

I've worn all those items in WIWT posts before... generally without much fanfare or response.

Jade pinkie ring:


Western buckle:


Bolo tie (with bonus buckle):


Short shorts:


The only time I've got much criticism/negative feedback is when I had my "Five Favorites" posted as an article on the main site a few years ago, and got a bit of shade re: the belt buckle. Meh, bear no care.

The only WIWT criticism I've taken personally is when someone commented that I must be wearing the wrong shoe size based on the way my shoes were laced.

[thecharlesg]

[MENTION=2341]LesserBlackDog[/MENTION] when you said short shorts I was expecting much shorter. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw said shorts those aren't that short.

[LesserBlackDog]

[MENTION=2341]LesserBlackDog[/MENTION] when you said short shorts I was expecting much shorter. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw said shorts those aren't that short.

Don't worry, I save my hot pants for happy time with the ladies.

[ForeverGuest]

I've worn all those items in WIWT posts before... generally without much fanfare or response.

I remember those posts, and for what it's worth at this point, I think you pulled them off really well. I now live in the southwestern US and can tell you from experience I've seen a lot of bad bolo ties and belt buckles. Yikes.

What I meant, too, was that I wish more people were willing to display some of those "riskier" moves.

[dpark]

Western buckle: ...

Maybe off topic (or maybe back on-topic?), what boots are you wearing there?

[LesserBlackDog]

Maybe off topic (or maybe back on-topic?), what boots are you wearing there?

Wolverine 1000 Mile Krause. Got them for less than half the absurd $550 MSRP during a Unionmade Goods sale. Really comfortable boots, love the black cherry color.

[AngusM]

I'm referring to the light wash of the jeans. You don't have to agree with me. I can't force you to be right.

I chuckled appreciatively at, "I can't force you to be right."

This would be a fun poll, for sure.

These jeans are:

A) ... incurable dad jeans that cannot be worn stylishly.
B) ... possible to wear stylishly but dangerously paternal.
C) ... not dad jeans.

[JBarwick]

Not dad jeans but the color is sort of light. I ordered some jeans yesterday that online looked fine but may be a similar light color. The only circle-jerk thing I don't like with jeans is anything Selvedge. They come on super cheap jeans these days and I don't care for them. GTFOOHWTMFBS!

[dpark]

Wolverine 1000 Mile Krause. Got them for less than half the absurd $550 MSRP during a Unionmade Goods sale. Really comfortable boots, love the black cherry color.

Very nice boots. I love that color, too.

[Matchbook]

Going to throw my opinion in: Those aren't Dad jeans, but I also don't like light rinse jeans. But JDI pulls it off. And I read that he's 56...so he can pretty much do whatever he wants. Dad jeans come down to fit, imo.

Anyways, not what I wore today, but rocked this get-up this weekend. Finally some Fall weather here in SoCal.



Jacket: Some Woolrich number I picked up when I was kid back in 2002-3.
Shirt: Eddie Bauer. Have had that shirt since I was like, 17. So it's got that legit 17-year old broken in feel to it. Love it.
Jeans: Levis 541s in Rigid Dragon
Sunglasses: Warby Parker Ames

Not pictured are some brown Caterpillar boots (non-work), my Hamilton Khaki Field watch.