Comments on: The Brotherhood of the Very Expensive Pants

The Brotherhood of the Very Expensive Pants

1f2frfbf — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:02:44 -0800

"It's like I used to enjoy firecrackers, but now it takes dynamite to get me high." Brit Eaton takes Outside magazine on a safari for vintage clothing in the wild west. (via)

By: filthy light thief

filthy light thief — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:30:58 -0800

"People make money all sorts of ways, don't they?" Indeed. And when someone states that he is "the best person in the country at finding old clothes, maybe the best in the world," he isn't being "unabashed about his prowess," but boasting. Is it founded? I don't know, but the article didn't provide anything on his competition beyond "there are a handful of other vintage-denim hunters." And given that he still hasn't found a pinnacle-piece (something selling for $30k to $40k), it sounds like he's boasting. Just sayin'.

By: sugarfish

sugarfish — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:33:26 -0800

I swear I thought that said Bret Easton Ellis. I thought, wow, maybe there are second acts in American lives.

By: snofoam

snofoam — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:46:32 -0800

I used to do this, like, a little.

By: dunkadunc

dunkadunc — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:02:42 -0800

OK, now it's loading. I thought the server was messed up but it seems that my dorm offers some level of filtering that screws up from time to time which I am way not cool with. This is way cool, but what I'd be the most interested in is the patterns of the pants so I could make a pair of my own. It's funny how those old pants look more like Carhartts (real work pants) than any 505s you could buy now. I wonder how much thicker the fabric was.

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:17:28 -0800

Pantsfishing.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:24:34 -0800

Eaton explains the value of old chaps to ranchers Hmm.

By: Jody Tresidder

Jody Tresidder — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:39:13 -0800

What an impeccably tight piece of feature writing. Not a wasted paragraph. (It's the kind of fascinating oddball subject the NY Times mag would thrash to death over several million words.) Very cool post - thanks.

By: tommasz

tommasz — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:03:40 -0800

I try to avoid crusty old pants myself. Especially when they're being worn by someone.

By: box

box — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:16:59 -0800

Is this something I'd have to be wearing pants to appreciate?

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:27:37 -0800

This was fascinating.

By: rmd1023

rmd1023 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:11:34 -0800

fascinating.

By: jimmythefish

jimmythefish — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:43:13 -0800

Just for clarification: DO NOT USE DYNAMITE TO GET YOURSELF HIGH.

By: echo target

echo target — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:51:23 -0800

although if you set it up right, you have the potential to get very, very high indeed. Once.

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:22:51 -0800

"You know how kids nowadays buy jeans that are faded and full of holes?" he asked her. "Well, clients rely on guys like me to find things for design inspiration." Oh my, this dude is like some sort of bounty hunter on behalf of simulacra. "Yeah, I track down and bring in the real. My clients don't like to let that sort of thing run loose among the public."

By: digsrus

digsrus — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:24:36 -0800

I cannot think of a better way to ruin one's own business than to announce to the world through the internet that an old pair of Levis is worth fifty grand.

By: zippy

zippy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:27:07 -0800

Unless they're actually worth fifty million dollars.

By: longsleeves

longsleeves — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:21:19 -0800

Thanks for posting this. It was fun to poke around out there and meet some genuine cowboy-type folks.

By: exogenous

exogenous — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:42:31 -0800

I wonder how many people he approaches figure that they can do better by telling him to buzz off and going directly to ebay themselves. Seems like common sense to cut out the middle man, but I reckon the assurance of instant cash is strong.

By: Rhomboid

Rhomboid — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:40:45 -0800

I cannot think of a better way to ruin one's own business than to announce to the world through the internet that an old pair of Levis is worth fifty grand. From the narrative in the article, most of the current unbeknownst owners of said valued items didn't strike me as heavy internet users.