The Silentist

Personal thoughts, tastes, observations and memories by Kiyoshi Martinez. Proud Chicagoan. Lead Fit Specialist at HALL MADDEN Chicago. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @thesilentist Instagram: @kiyoshimartinez

[thesilentist]

After several years hiatus, I’ve decided to start a new blog:

FIVEINBLUE.com

For anyone who followed The Silentist years ago, thank you and I’ll see you around.

-Kiyoshi

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Thoughts on Tumblr

It’s hyperbole to declare a social media platform or service “dead”, but I feel like Tumblr is at the very least on life support when it comes to #menswear blogs. 

Instagram has long overtaken Tumblr for those looking to create and share content -- and you can tell this is the case because most accounts on Tumblr are only “active users” because Instagram accounts are being automatically fed into them like a blood transfusion of selfies. 

Granted, a few popular blogs still exist here on the topic, but they’ve been here since the beginning and it’s now an impossible (or very time consumingly difficult) task to migrate your content outside to a new platform. 

The real disappointment comes from using the Dashboard, especially on a desktop browser. Junky ads on the right sidebar and trashy in-line ads in the feed that repeat themselves constantly. It seems like the answer to the headline posed by this New York Times Magazine article is, in fact, “No.” 

And it’s easy to blame Tumblr for selling out after taking a billion dollars from Yahoo, and in turn it’s easy to blame Yahoo for making Tumblr suck. But that’s too simplistic. The fact is that content consumption popularized by Tumblr led to an even more abbreviated version perfected by Instagram (or arguably Snapchat). 

So, where does that leave us -- or me, for that matter? 

I’m not tied to any one platform forever. I don’t have a commercial reason to keep producing content on here. And I’m not as sentimental about things I’ve written in the past (although I do recognize that they might be of value to others researching certain topics). Regardless, I do like to occasionally write about the things and ideas I find interesting. I like sharing thoughts on my current obsessions. 

But I’m not really interested in continuing to do it on Tumblr. I dislike my writing being placed next to advertising that I have no control over. And I’m prepared to spend a little bit of money for a lot more control in that area. 

I’ve got a vacation coming up, during which I plan to have no plans and want to spend some time writing a lot of posts I’ve had rolling around in my mind for a while. When I come back, I’ll find a new home for them to be published on and share it with those of you who want to read them. 

[thesilentist]

Dearborn Denim

What I learned from my last job working at a men's store was that while almost every guy wears blue jeans, most of them don't care about all the things that menswear nerds get excited about when it comes to denim.

The selvedge means nothing. Raw denim made from pure Zimbabwe cotton woven on Japanese looms and dyed with natural indigo feels uncomfortable and stiff. The joys of breaking in jeans to get individualized fades and button flys are all things average jeans-wearing Joe doesn't care about.

Here's what actually sold: rinsed, zip fly jeans with stretch built into the fabric. And none were American (or Japanese) made and still managed to retail north of $200 a pair. It was eye opening to a person like me who worshiped at the alter of stores that took denim culture seriously like Self Edge, where I bought my first pair of 3Sixteens.

But there's good reason why these jeans sell: they're insanely comfortable the moment you put them on. If you're the kind of person who has zero patience for breaking in jeans and feel like raw denim is a chore you'd rather not bother with, then it's understandable. If you're not looking for the street cred of a selvedge stripe visible when you roll your cuffs and like the idea of your jeans stretching because you have larger than average thighs and calves, then you're after a pair of jeans very different than what you'll read about at Heddels.

And that’s the context I wanted to provide when mentioning Dearborn Denim, a Chicago jeans company for men and women. Dearborn Denim makes their jeans right here in the Windy City. Started by Rob McMillan back in 2014, Dearborn Denim originally began as Four Star Denim (for you non-Chicagoans, that's a reference to the city flag). McMillan's denim brand stands apart in the fact that it's manufactured at a company-owned factory in Chicago -- not by a third party. The fabric is a stretch denim woven by Denim North America in Georgia and all thread and trimmings are also sourced domestically.

For the men's line, there are two fits: tailored and slim. Each available in three washes. There's also a women's line available, too.

I first discovered them over the holidays where they had a booth at a gift show I attended. Jeans made in Chicago for $50 seemed almost too good to be true, but I bought a pair after trying them on.

The first thing you'll notice is that the fabric is substantially lighter than your 100% cotton raw denim jeans. The fabric is a blend of 78-20-2 cotton-polyester-spandex. What you'll notice next when you put them on is how they stretch. It's an odd sensation after wearing raw denim for half a decade, but insanely comfortable. Looks like jeans, feels like joggers.

Because of the thinness of the material, I think they're more suitable for warmer weather, which is when I plan to wear them (raw denim can be unbearable in humid summers).

In terms of sizing, I tend to wear 33" waist trousers and sized to a size 31 in the tailored fit. Being a stretch jean, sizing down more than you might normally is probably a good idea.

Dearborn Denim is worth a shot if the idea appeals to you. Long term I'm not sure how they'll break in or fade, but for the price I'm willing to see.

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StyleGirlfriend - What He Wore - Kiyoshi Martinez

Thanks to Megan for asking me to do this feature for her site. Five days, five outfits. 

(Photo credit: John Cousert)

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“Weaving Shibusa” -- A documentary on denim

If you’re in San Francisco this weekend, then you’ve got an opportunity to go see what looks like a promising documentary film on denim woven in Japan. The film will be playing at The Castro Theatre and you can buy tickets to the film thru its host, Self Edge.

If you’re like myself and don’t live in the Bay Area, then don’t fret. The film will have other screening locations in the future and potentially an online/streaming release, too. 

[thesilentist]

Colorado vacation

My good friend Deremy invited me up to Estes Park, Colo., for the Fourth of July holiday and despite getting altitude sickness I had a wonderful (and literally breathtaking) time seeing the Rocky Mountains. The idea of a national park system and the concept of preservation becomes much clearer once you see such a magnificent landscape for yourself. 

Temperature and weather fluctuates quite a bit. In the valley and lower areas, it’s rather mild. Yet go up to some of the highest elevations you’ll want a jacket for the wind and layers underneath for warmth as it’s just above freezing. And for other parts it can be sunny enough to get sunburned. Plus, rain showers can happen quickly. 

I packed more than I would for a typical trip. Western denim shirts for the extra snap pockets to store random things like a camera lens cap. Comfortable hiking boots that were lightweight and cushioned. And a nice shell jacket with a hood that could pack up easily into a backpack. The canvas pants I picked up featured a banded elastic hem which kept them from getting caught while hiking and snap pockets in the back for security so things wouldn’t fall out. 

Probably the most useful item I brought was a small backpack. There’s lots of heritage hiking and outdoors companies that make ones that look great and still are plenty functional. I found one that was just big enough to carry my small camera, a jacket and water with enough room to spare that I could’ve packed a lunch if I wanted. No point in getting a backpack that’s made to carry schoolbooks like a student if you’re just going for a small hike.  

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Picture 1: Meyvn 6-panel linen ballcap, Polo Ralph Lauren western denim shirt, The Flat Head white heavyweight tee, Stock Mfg Co. riding pant, GREATS Midwood khaki trail boots, Mt. Rainier Design classic day pack

Picture 2: Fjallraven “Sten” jacket, Polo Ralph Lauren western denim shirt, The Flat Head white heavyweight tee, Natural Selection London narrow jeans

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Cool in blue

I hesitate to say this because my job involves selling suits, but suits are rarely the most ideal clothing choice when it comes to weather in the extremes. If it’s really cold out, you’d probably rather wear heavy-duty gear or thick sweaters to keep you warm. And if it’s hot, wearing a suit isn’t as appealing to most as just cruising around in shorts and a T-shirt. 

But suits do make almost any guy look great, which is often the whole point of wearing tailored clothing -- vanity! So we’ve got a conundrum. 

Unlike fall and winter fabrics where you’re able to get a benefit from seasonal cloth in terms of drape, summer’s less kind. Linen wrinkles. Seersucker is only worn for about three short months. Cotton can sometimes be too thick and dense for the heat, and yet still can look as wrinkled as linen.

What’s left is lightweight wool. You’d think “Fresco” cloth is the only thing worth getting, but there’s a lot of variations out there with an open weave from different mills. Mine in particular is from Ermenegildo Zegna’s “Cool Effects” collection. 

The fabric is 6 ounces and does have a bit of a dry hand to it, but isn’t as “scratchy” as some “fresco”-style fabrics I’ve felt in the past -- probably because the weave isn’t as open as others I’ve felt. To be honest, fabrics with too dry of a hand feel cheap to me, but some really enjoy that texture. 

Zegna claims their “Cool Effects” fabric “absorbs the sun’s rays,” which to raises a bit of skepticism in me as to how beneficial that can be, but after testing the suit in Texas it wears about as cool as suit can get in the heat. 

I think the main benefit comes from the weight and partially the airflow. I opted for half-lining instead of full. But the lightness of the jacket and trousers helped a lot. 

Lightweight fabrics aren’t without downsides. They’re not as crease resistant as heavier midweights might be -- you’ll get some at the back of your trouser knees and jacket from sitting. A quick steam, however, sorts that out quickly. The drape also isn’t as compelling as heavier fabrics would be, but that’s the compromise. 

I did some other things to make this suit a bit more functional for travel. Patch hip pockets instead of my usual choice of jetted. I wanted to split the jacket up to wear as a sport coat with jeans. I also raised the hem and tapered the trousers a bit more at the leg opening as I think it looks a bit better when worn sockless during the warm months. 

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Suit made-to-measure by PROPERSUIT, necktie & pocket square by Vanda Fine Clothing, shirt by Hugh & Crye, loafers by Alden, watch by Swatch.  

Photo by John Cousert

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Dogmatic views on trousers

When you consider what’s included on the basic men’s trouser in stores, you wonder if the men buying them actually want all the included features. 

For instance, take the back pocket. Front pockets are fine: you can put your hands in them to rest, but you don’t use them to carry anything. But why an additional set of pockets on the rear? Even the slimmest of wallets breaks the line of a trouser’s seat, adding a lump that only will produce spinal pain years down the road. Some guys will put their cell phone in rear pockets, which to me seems like an invitation to test your phone’s warranty. 

And what about belt loops? I’m not convinced guys love wearing belts, but I am convinced salesmen love selling another item to you (I speak from experience). Of course, you feel like a doofus not wearing a belt when you have loops on your trousers for them. Not wearing one screams, “Oh, look who forgot how to get dressed this morning!”

If you find yourself in a position to have your clothing made for your instead of picking it off the rack, consider what you really want your trousers to do for you. 

Personally, I don’t get back pockets anymore. I don’t miss the ritual of shoving my hands across my backside to straighten out the pocket bags from being tangled up with my shirt tail every time I put them on. 

As for belt loops? It’s about 50/50. My drawers still have some nice belts I paid too much not to wear anymore. 

[thesilentist]

Review: Jack Erwin “Chester” boots

Recommending shoes to people is tough, especially in ready-to-wear brands. You can make reasonably informed decisions based on price, basic quality construction standards and your own aesthetic point of view. But shoes are the kind of clothing item where it either fits or it doesn’t – and almost nothing can be done to the shoe if you find it doesn’t work for you. 

And with the rise of several direct-to-consumer brands in footwear online, it’s tougher still for you to know just how well something will fit you – let alone how it’ll feel after a full month or more of wearing. Carefully walking on carpeting at your home or office and trying not to crease the front of the toe box isn’t the same as putting some miles on a shoe. 

There’s a lot I liked about these Jack Erwin boots, their “Chester”model. The material was on par with others in their price tier (or slightly above it) and it ticked off the checkboxes for a decent build (Goodyear welting) and looks. Heck, it even had the studded rubber sole for a bit more traction in bad weather. 

But the first two weeks were painful to wear these. I learned not to wear regular dress socks and instead thicker casual socks with them. In that time period I only wore them while at work and laced them only halfway up. I used leather conditioner several times and worked the boot with my hands in hopes of softening the leather up. Specifically, the boot dug in rather tough on my interior ankle bones and above my heel several inches where the top of the boot’s edge ended. 

Eventually, the boots were comfortable enough to walk in to grab lunch and later for my full daily commute. Just know that if you’re considering this model boot that the leather around your ankle and shin will take some real work breaking in while wearing decently thick socks. I’ve experienced “break-in periods” before with boots, but not at this level. 

(I will note that in his review at Well Spent, Nick Grant’s break-in only lasted five days – so maybe I’m a wimp on my feet.)

Also, if you have wider feet, you might want to reconsider. I have narrow feet (typically wearing 10.5C or 11B on the Brannock U.S. scale) and found the boots to be a very snug fit. I’m not sure someone with an “E” fitting with thick socks could wear these comfortably. 

Looking up other reviews of Jack Erwin, you’ll see a lot of them back from 2013, but it’s tough to compare these to the shoes from that era. Production of those shoes were done in Portugal, whereas Jack Erwin’s moved manufacturing to Spain. Also, construction varies from by model – using either Blake, Bologna or Goodyear. 

If your budget is around $200, I’d give Jack Erwin a look and use their free shipping and free returns – or if you’re in NYC drop by their showroom. For the price, it’s hard to suggest something else. I have a feeling their shoes won’t require the same dedication to break-in as their boots. But you won’t know until you try them on. 

[thesilentist]

MEYVN x Victory Sportswear -- American-made runners that can be resoled and made from premium materials. Three of these designs are Meyvn exclusives. Available online, but if you’re in Chicago it’s probably worth checking them out in person. 

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Farewell to Flannel

Despite it being technically spring for more than a month, it’s only been recently that it actually feels like the correct season. I’m no fan of cold, miserable weather, but I am a fan of wearing flannel. I’ll almost miss putting these suits away. 

I made good use of these suits through the winter and “spring”. Both are made from a hefty 340g (~12 oz.) woolen flannel from Vitale Barberis Canonico. The hand on the fabric feels substantial and the drape impressive. 

The suits are probably bolder than what many would wear in professions that still require a suit, but I’ve always enjoyed a good pin or chalk stripe (and one of the advantages of my current job -- PROPERSUIT -- is the freedom to wear clothing I find exciting). 

The first suit is a dark charcoal with a rust chalk stripe. I wanted to try a double-breasted jacket and trousers with single, forward pleats. I also opted to do a “tailor’s fly” with buttons rather than a zipper. 

The royal blue flannel has a double chalk stripe in silver grey. I decided to try a three-piece with a 6-button front that brought the waistcoat up higher toward the neck. The jacket is a 3/2 roll with jetted pockets and a jetted ticket pocket as well. The trousers have side adjusters and braces buttons in the waistband. 

The shoulders on both suits are more traditional, having a bit more padding. I wouldn’t personally use this for more casual fabrics, but it made sense on these suits.

At the time I was having these suits made, I was binge-watching “Boardwalk Empire”. The suits on the show are obviously of a very different cut, but what really struck me was the vibrant array of flannel fabrics worn by the likes of Nucky and Chalky. You could tell the cloth had a substantial weight and the molted surface of flannel gave the bright checks and stripes an elegant nuance you just don’t find often in men’s suits. 

I’m not a fan of dressing in costume of an era passed, but I’m always drawn toward fabrics that have a bit of something different about them than the norm. Flannel provides a great opportunity and doesn’t need to always be a shade of dull grey in your wardrobe. 

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Suits made-to-measure by PROPERSUIT, neckties by Vanda Fine Clothing, shirts by Hugh & Crye, pocket squares by Rubinacci & Vanda. 

Photos by John Cousert

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A Suitable Wardrobe returns

One of my favorite menswear blogs to read -- and one of the first I ever read -- was A Suitable Wardrobe by Will Boehlke. He was so O.G. that he was on BlogSpot! 

Informative, well-written and independent, the blog became regular reading and formed a foundational education for me. Like many others who appreciated the blog, I lamented its demise. 

Thankfully, it’s back! ASW was bought by The Hanger Project and Kirby Allison has begun the process of putting the archives back online alongside new contributors. 

Head over and dive into the archives for a few hours. 

[meyvnshop]

Next weekend, MEYVN is taking over the Tank Room at the Chicago Athletic Association for our first ever Sample Sale.

April 9th & 10th 10am - 6pm (at Chicago Athletic Association Hotel)

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If you’re in Chicago, then you should check this out.

[thesilentist]

Gustin has another 3-pack of Japanese socks for just $30 right now with four days left and at 65% funding. I backed the campaign (and their previous one) because I think they’d look great with jeans and sneakers. And the designs are pretty cool without being obnoxiously loud. And if you’ve never used Gustin before, use my referral link and we each save $5.

Bonus: Gustin is also opening up their “in stock” section today. No wait time for these items, which is kind of nice if you’re more of an instant-gratification person.

[propersuitblog]

Learn about Ermenegildo Zegna’s 15Milmil15 suiting, now available at PROPERSUIT for spring/summer 2016. 

Learn about superfine Australian wool fibers that are four times thinner than a human hair and see the entire swatch collection. 

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Surprisingly, it’s not as delicate feeling as you’d guess. 

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Ikiré Jones F/W 2016 -- I love this oversized print on the various outerwear pieces and leather goods. Worth clicking through to see the entire collection if you haven’t yet.