I'm an idiot. I spelled the title to the thread wrong. It should read "Buzz Rickson khaki review" If a mod could change it that would be great. Otherwise just realize that without spell check I can barely write a literate sentance.

 

Great thread

thanks for the detailed report.

Markus

 

familyman,

Excellent, intriguing post. Thanks.

- Were the measurements taken before or after washing? Any noticeable shrinkage after the washing? Curious to see if the BR's act like shrink-to-fit Levi's.

- Seven belt loops or eight? Your 'tail might be covering up #8 on the backside shot.

- You mention these are high rise pants. Where exactly do they sit on waist / hip for you?

- Would love to see post hem/cuff (Have you decided?) to see how they drape at proper length.

Thanks again!

 

VERY interesting. Thanks for the info. Based on the price tag, shipping must be very costly!

10290 Japanese yen = 86.1736873 U.S. dollars


Please post pics when you get them hemmed.


How did they feel after the wash?

 

The measurements were taken after a warm soak and a trip through the dryer. I measured before as well but measurements were virtually the same. They only losts half an inch in length. Will they shrink more? I bet they will, at least a bit. I'm going to hold off on hemming them for a little while. I'll just cuff them and wear them. I may just start a new trend.
7 belt loops.
They are high rise, I can wear them anywhere from above my belly button (which is where they are probably designed to fit) all the way down to blue jean level. This is the other reason I'm not hemming them now, they have about a 4 inch range where they fit well and I'm not sure where I'm going to wear them. I think I'm going to go cuffless on these but I haven't decided.

PC, yes, shipping is a bugger. First I have to pay shipping from the store to the guy, then I pay him a nominal fee (I think it's 10% of the cost of the pants, $9 very fair) and then something like $25 to get them over the ocean. It's not a perfect system but I know from others that have gone this route that one can get Sugarcane denim and Buzz Rickson jackets cheaper than buying them from History Preservation who is the US importer for these articles of clothing. They take a BIG markup.

 

Thanks for an interesting review. The Buzz Rickson khakis look like a genuine quality product.

jeph

 

Thanks for the review! With a 36" waist, I can't help but feel slighted by the fact that they don't make 'em bigger than 35". I guess I'm a lardass (at least by Japanese standards).

And what's with the standard inseams? I knew Japan was a homogeneous culture, but I didn't know their legs were all the same length.

 

Thanks for the review! With a 36" waist, I can't help but feel slighted by the fact that they don't make 'em bigger than 35". I guess I'm a lardass (at least by Japanese standards).

And what's with the standard inseams? I knew Japan was a homogeneous culture, but I didn't know their legs were all the same length.

It's a very limited run product. Just one of those scales of production things. You find it a lot in the botique level Japanese denim, very few if any options for inseams, they make them all longer than most anyone would need and just have you hem them if you need to. Why not just sell them unhemmed you ask? I think it goes against the aestetic of the product to sell something finished so beautifully with a raw edge at the bottom.

 

OK, I sorta feel like a schmuck for even asking this, but here 'goes.

So...what's the deal with your hair? You've gotta realize that we're probably all wondering, even if most people aren't as obnoxiously forward as myself. Mea culpa.

Your clothing is so trad, yet your hair is telling a different story. Is this a statement on the duality of man? Enquring minds want to know!

By the way...in case you're wondering, I have an all-over buzz cut, not by choice, but due to a lack of other alternatives (mother nature hit me with the bald stick). Perhaps I have ponytail envy?

 

So...what's the deal with your hair?

The bald stick strikes very heavy in my family. My mother's two brothers are shiny headed men. Looking at family pictures they were shiny headed men in high school. The bald stick struck heavy and early. I have a brother who is two years older than me (and one younger) When he was 17 and I was 15 it became clear that when he slept someone was sneaking into his room with the bald stick and whacking him hard. I knew my time was running out so I decided that rather than calmly let my forehead get longer and longer I would go out in one last hurrah of full haired glory. I would shun barbers until the very moment when it became obvious that I had lost the battle then finish it all with a blazing razor of glory.
That was 15 years ago. My forehead has stayed in the same place. Both of my brothers have followed my uncles lead and taken what they used to spend at the barber and invested in hats and sunblock.
At this point I could go back to getting hair cuts I suppose but I'd feel just as weird with short hair as most posters here would feel with long hair. This is just who I am. Almost noone outside my family that I come in contact with has ever seen me with short hair. At this point it's just way easier to go with the status quo. And I like it. I've liked it for a long time.
My hair doesn't match my clothes? Just something for people to wrap their heads around when they meet me. I think it gives them a bit of a pause that leads to a question of who I am instead of just assuming they know who I am by my look.
I hope that explains it. Now you know why I always look at the camera when I do the What are you wearing pictures.

 

FM,
A few years ago I found an old army duffel filled with WW11 uniforms from a man who was evidently my size. I was able to keep four khaki shirts and two pairs of pants, needing no alteration. The rest I tossed. The shirts are unbelievably well made and I'll probably be able to keep them the rest of my life. The pants are well made too but I've just never figured out the full-cut thing. I mean... why? Yes, they're about the same dimensions as Bill's M1, meaning they balloon on me. Consequently I don't wear them much. But here's my point in writing... your khakis, when compared visually to my WW11 khakis are indeed very similar, including the narrow belt loops. I'm glad you like yours.

 

The fabric felt hard and unwashed, just the way clothes should be when new. I'm not a fan of having a company pre-wash the first 2-5 years of life out of clothes for me.

This is SO true. I get sick and tired of sellers acting like they're doing a favor by "aging" my khakis - I don't want my khakis aged or sanded or given some other bogus "faded in" look or a "soft hand" and damn near almost frayed at the pockets and cuff, etc. I want stiff, hard wearing twill - I'll put the "wear" in my khakis, than you very much.

 

FM,
Consequently I don't wear them much.

Well, if they're about a 32 or so I can imagine a situation where they could find a home where they would be loved and appreciated and worn. Just something I could envision. Hypothetically.

 

I hope that explains it. Now you know why I always look at the camera when I do the What are you wearing pictures.

Well, if it makes you feel better, it's very Colonial Williamsburg...how much more "trad" can you get?

For anyone who's aghast that I would ask such a personal question in a public forum, you should know that I originally PM'd familyman about it privately, but he asked me to post my inquiry in the thread so everyone could read his answer. He is now entitled to ask me the prying question of his choice (anyone remember "Truth or Dare?")

 

Well, if it makes you feel better, it's very Colonial Williamsburg...how much more "trad" can you get?

For anyone who's aghast that I would ask such a personal question in a public forum, you should know that I originally PM'd familyman about it privately, but he asked me to post my inquiry in the thread so everyone could read his answer. He is now entitled to ask me the prying question of his choice (anyone remember "Truth or Dare?")

Excellent. Thanks for posting this explanantion. I must admit that I was taken aback by your question.

As I said in the Allen secretary thread - Family, you are a good sport.

Truth or Dare, wasn't that a horrible Madonna movie?

 

Excellent. Thanks for posting this explanantion. I must admit that I was taken aback by your question.

As I said in the Allen secretary thread - Family, you are a good sport.

Truth or Dare, wasn't that a horrible Madonna movie?

I did ask Kent to bring it forward in the thread, he's a good sport for doing so.
Because of the pictures I posted I thought it was probably time for an explination to you guys. I sort of felt like I was in a room full of people staring at me and only one guy speaks up and asks why there's a jellyfish in my pants. Better to tell the whole group about the jellyfish and set everyone at ease.
(this last part isn't biographical by the way)

 

This is SO true. I get sick and tired of sellers acting like they're doing a favor by "aging" my khakis - I don't want my khakis aged or sanded or given some other bogus "faded in" look or a "soft hand" and damn near almost frayed at the pockets and cuff, etc. I want stiff, hard wearing twill - I'll put the "wear" in my khakis, than you very much.

yes, yes, yes. well said. in fact, that's one of the greatest appeals of these BRickson pants.

And thanks, Familyman, for posting all this info. A couple things based on the photo: the rise looks long (not short) because of how long the fly placket looks -- is it an optical illusion because they're high-waisted? And you mention the twill being a slightly lighter weight than Bills. I ask for clarity because I don't think the twill on Bills is anything that special and to think these are lighter weight is slightly disappointing. Then again, if it's a tighter weave twill ... never mind.

The other thing that might prevent me from ordering -- aside from the price and my allegiance to Bills -- is the back pockets. Are they both slits without a button closure ... or does the right rear pocket have a button?

Thanks. They look like an awesome product. And I can already tell you're going to love 'em for a long, long time.

 

yes, yes, yes. well said. in fact, that's one of the greatest appeals of these BRickson pants.

And thanks, Familyman, for posting all this info. A couple things based on the photo: the rise looks long (not short) because of how long the fly placket looks -- is it an optical illusion because they're high-waisted? And you mention the twill being a slightly lighter weight than Bills. I ask for clarity because I don't think the twill on Bills is anything that special and to think these are lighter weight is slightly disappointing. Then again, if it's a tighter weave twill ... never mind.

The other thing that might prevent me from ordering -- aside from the price and my allegiance to Bills -- is the back pockets. Are they both slits without a button closure ... or does the right rear pocket have a button?

Thanks. They look like an awesome product. And I can already tell you're going to love 'em for a long, long time.

The rise is within 1/4 inch of Bills M1. The fly is longer but the pants really fit the same.
The fabric feels tighter. If you've ever taken a pair of pants from brand new all the way to worn out you know how the feel of it changes over time. This makes it really hard sit down and compare a new pair of BR's with my Bills. At this point I wouldn't give the advantage to either one on fabric. The bills feels like it's slightly heavier but the Ricksons feel like a tighter weave.
Both rear pockets are slits, no buttons. I like it better this way. Symetry and all that.

 

FM,
i'm very intrigued. i'm definitely not going to rule out a pair. thanks!

 

these are awesome khakis!:icon_cheers: I like the detail of the close together belt loops in the front. Looks very authentic to me.:icon_smile_big:

 

Great looking pair of khakis...thanks for posting, familyman. As observed by a few others, the maximum 35" waist pretty much eliminates any further consideration of a pair of Buzz Ricksons in my future. Guess I'll have to stick with Bill's, if I want khakis with a button front, prewashed or not.

 

When taking photos of un-hemmed pants, simply turn them up on the outside to the right length. It will look like you are wearing 12" cuffs, but the pants will hang right.

 

I like them a lot.

 

family,

Those look like kick-a** pants.

 

Familyman,

You look great!

jeph