How Yesterday's Blue-Collar Brands Became Today's Coolest Clothes

Adweek ^ | January 12, 2015

[don-o]

Wearing my Pointer brand overalls. Had to read this to discover that I may be a hipster.

I bought 'em because they are made nearby and are of excellent quality.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We pretty much live in Carhart or Duluth Trading Company.

Hipsters? Aim small, miss small, LOL!

Everything else is usually Goodwill or St. Vincent’s except for shoes, boots and underwear. Found a $59 ‘Nine West’ purse (brand new!) this week for $4. Score!

I was cheap before cheap was cool! :)

[atc23]

Cheap isn’t cool but finding a great deal is magic

[WorkingClassFilth]

One clip from the article said it best:

[A]s Dan Nosowitz wrote in a lengthy essay for BuzzFeed last year, "Madewell as it stands today has almost nothing at all to do with the company founded by my great-grandfather almost 80 years ago. How many corporations are out there rifling through the defunct brands of America's past like a bin of used records, look for something, anything, that will give them that soft Edison-bulb glow of authenticity?"

I have some of my Carhart stuff from nearly 40 years ago and most of it is still serviceable (not my wife's opinion). One pair of jeans is so shredded it looks like those wild-west sheepskin chaps some cowboys wore. The material beneath is still stout and strong. I also have a new(er) jacket from Carhart that is now in rags and yet it is only about 3 years old.

The new stuff from many of these manufacturers is relying on the label trust and using new materials, many of which are substandard to those of the past, and streamlined processes to deliver faux products to the masses. Unfortunately, compared to the rest of the crap they do seem to be of good quality.

One further case in point: I bought a Filson Cruiser jacket when I was 17 and paid the whopping price of $70.00 at Eddie Bauer on sale. My wife now wears the jacket around the place for chores and she bought me a new one for $200.00 about a decade ago. These are the only winter jackets I've ever owned as an adult (40+ years) and, yet, the new one is of different and inferior wool and the buttons are not the same. Even the coat weight is different. Is the new one a good jacket? Yep, but it ain't what it was when it was what it is.

[niteowl77]

I used to work for a company that made garments (and damned good ones) here in the U.S., but left before they underwent a sad transformation meant to keep them alive amid a sea of imported junk. (They eventually succumbed.) TPTB seemingly can't abide any small industries that allow decentralization of production and/or profits.

(Unless they cater to the carriage trade, apparently.)

Mr. niteowl77

[grania]

American Giant is another US manufacturer. Made in the USA 100% cotton well made sweatshirts, hoodies, and tee shirts. They're not all that much more expensive, and will last forever. The "Made in the USA" store is another source. It is online. They have excellent and well-priced made in the USA 100% cotton denim jeans and a wide variety of merchandise.

I'm glad the "hipsters" are catching up to us oldsters! And don't forget to always ask customer reps at 800 numbers where merchandise is made. LL Bean, among others, is very sensitive to consumers who complain when things that should be made in the USA aren't. And I'll never buy made in China except for the smallest handful of items where it's impossible to avoid....and I delay those purchases as long as possible. Always call the 800 numbers and complain when a US company sells made in China, and refuse to purchase from them.

Here's a bizarre example of corporate irresponsibility. Mead (Dayton OH corporate address) has official Wizard of Oz calendars made in China!

[Ditter]

MrD and I both have clothes and shoes from Duluth, we love ‘em. He has Carhart jackets that he wears a lot, great stuff. And you can shop from your comfy chair on the Internet or on the phone.

[Rodamala]

I just got a replacement Carhartt C61 Coat for 1/3 off list price on ebay... Hechoed en Mexico. My Carhartt pocket tees... they vary... the one I am wear now is Mexico... I have seen Honduras... My older ones with the real fabric tag at the collar and not a silk screened on one... Dominican Republic.

I make a habit of buying only American... the problem is I should not havr to change what I buy. I used to buy New Balance black socks at Sears because they were what I wanted and made here... but they shipped that overseas too...

I went and looked to see who was making socks in America and there is a factory in Reading, PA but they are like 18 Dollars a pair.

I

[Rodamala]

There was a sharp looking wool Filson coat in the consignment shop in town here... New Old Stock from the 70s still had original sales tags... I was ready to go and snatch it up... it would have fit me in the 1970s... now, “not so much”.

[9thLife]

Back in fashion: The 'Regular Guy" Fashion Show.

[Rodamala]

I absolutely refuse to buy anything made in China... Wal*Mart shopping is tedious having to look at labels...

[WorkingClassFilth]

Go get it and give it to some worthy young-un.

A friend of mine once said that Baby Boomers want everything their grandparents have except their morals and work ethic.

Wise man.

[Noumenon]

Yeah, we’re a Carhartt Duluth Trading and Fis on family. Filson surely isn’t cheap but it lasts a long time.

[Tupelo]

Duluth trading hands down.
Why?
Duluth Trading Company had the best ads during the just past Christmas season.
Their ads made me want to cut up my Cabela’s card.

[RegulatorCountry]

“I went and looked to see who was making socks in America”

Nestor Hosiery in Mt. Airy, North Carolina manufactures and markets their “Farm To Feet” brand of socks, with everything in them from the fiber to the packaging made in the USA. They can be found at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, quite a few retailers. They’re not particularly cheap, best price would be mid-teens on Amazon, but they’re excellent socks with not a shred of imported anything, at all.

http://farmtofeet.com

[real saxophonist]

DeFeet. I'm wearing a pair of Woolie Boolies right now.

I wear a lot of Carhartt, some Columbia, Danner boots.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’re FINALLY getting a Cabela’s within driving distance. Between them and Farm & Fleet we’ll be golden! :)

[RegulatorCountry]

DeFeet. I'm wearing a pair of Woolie Boolies right now.

Another fine NC survivor in the sock industry.

[girlangler]

I once hunted quail with the owner of Pointer Brand Overalls.

[bunnie911]

“Duluth trading hands down.”

Best commercials plus Duluth fits big guys well.