Random Thoughts Thread

[Limewater]

What exactly is "cowboy cut" jeans?

Heh.

They are, no joke, originally designed for ranch hands. They're popular with farmers, ranchers, and motorcycle riders. They're kind of the "flagship" Wranglers, and comparable to Levi's 501.

Compared to 501s, the rise (distance from crotch to top of the pants) is slightly higher, the back pockets are slightly higher, they have a zippered fly, more belt loops, more rivets, and the rolled seam is on the outside instead of the inside. They're not really a slim fit, but not relaxed, either. And the foot openings are larger, to accommodate work boots, but not as loose as "boot cut" jeans that were trendy twenty years ago.

So yeah, wannabe cowboys wear them, but you don't have to look like a wannabe cowboy while wearing them.

[Ziggy]

That description actually makes me curious to try them! The higher rise sounds like it would be useful for someone (like myself) that bends over a million times a day. Although I'd imagine the higher rise probably wouldn't agree with the muffin top, yet another reason this thing has to go! I like idea of more belt loops too, again for the reason of bending over.

That's actually why I took to wearing suspenders. The muffin top got large enough that the pants don't want to stay where they need to be with just a belt. The suspenders work perfectly, but require you to tuck in your shirt, which is why I only wear them in the cold weather. The rest of the year, I have to do the pants adjustment shuffle thing constantly through the day. It gets old fast. And in the heat of the summer, I'm wearing shorts. I put some thought into wearing suspenders with shorts and a t-shirt, but no, I think that would look just a little too ridiculous.

To go off on another tangent... Speaking of boot cut, the carpenter jeans are wide enough for boots too, but I always wear sneakers anyway. I'm always considering trying a work boot. But with the cost of a decent work boot, I'm afraid of finding out that I hate them.

[Note]

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to temperature. I get cold really easily, so other than the summer, I usually wear an additional layer if I'm going out, or even if it's cool at home.

I never got into lined jeans myself, as I usually would just add a thermal layer underneath. But other than LL Bean, I'm aware that Eddie Bauer and Lee also have fleece lined jeans, so those brands might be worth looking into.

If you're open to wearing a base layer underneath regular jeans, I have a pair from 32 Degrees (https://www.32degrees.com/), which has become my go to layer to wear underneath my work chinos or jeans. Their stuff is pretty cheap, like $10 to $15, depending on the item.

[Gucci]

@Ziggy

I nerded out a couple of years ago regarding base layers and how they should be worn. I got into winter trailing during the pandemic (can’t catch Covid in the woods when no one is around). Staten Island has a wonderful network of trails. The idea behind base layering is not only to regulate temperature, but to get moisture like sweat away from your skin as much as possible. People usually get synthetic materials (nylon or polyester) or merino wool as their base layers because it wicks sweat, while cotton will absorb it like a sponge. Goretex jackets for breathability (moisture droplets from your body can pass through the membrane) while keeping rain and water out (much bigger droplets).

You mentioned peacoats. Probably my favorite piece of outerwear. I can get into that topic for hours. I have several kinds but the favorite all-rounder are the Schott peacoats: specifically the 782USA coat. I also have a really simple but well built one by Route 66, the brand that KMart used to be associated with. Late 90’s coat. Still great with a high ratio of wool (75%) and it was like $50 off the rack and is used as my beater peacoat.

[Ziggy]

If you're open to wearing a base layer underneath regular jeans, I have a pair from 32 Degrees (https://www.32degrees.com/), which has become my go to layer to wear underneath my work chinos or jeans. Their stuff is pretty cheap, like $10 to $15, depending on the item.

I am open to exploring this option. One thing though, I wear boxer shorts, so I'm not sure how that'll jive with thermal pants or some kind of base layer.

@Ziggy

I nerded out a couple of years ago regarding base layers and how they should be worn. I got into winter trailing during the pandemic (can’t catch Covid in the woods when no one is around). Staten Island has a wonderful network of trails. The idea behind base layering is not only to regulate temperature, but to get moisture like sweat away from your skin as much as possible. People usually get synthetic materials (nylon or polyester) or merino wool as their base layers because it wicks sweat, while cotton will absorb it like a sponge. Goretex jackets for breathability (moisture droplets from your body can pass through the membrane) while keeping rain and water out (much bigger droplets).

You mentioned peacoats. Probably my favorite piece of outerwear. I can get into that topic for hours. I have several kinds but the favorite all-rounder are the Schott peacoats: specifically the 782USA coat. I also have a really simple but well built one by Route 66, the brand that KMart used to be associated with. Late 90’s coat. Still great with a high ratio of wool (75%) and it was like $50 off the rack and is used as my beater peacoat.

Didn't we have a fashion thread or something like that? I feel like I should have started this conversation there instead of here.

Trailing? Is that like hiking or nature walk or something?

I do like a good peacoat, and surprisingly the only one I currently have is my beater coat. I got it really cheap some years back and had to modify it a bit. It came with one of those fake hoodies, where it's made to look like you're wearing a hoodie underneath, but luckily it zipped off and went straight into the trash. I only ever wear it with a real hoodie underneath, so no need for a fake one. It had a really awful hook loop at the back of the neck that also had to go. And it came with those shoulder loop things with buttons, I don't know what they're called. I wore it like that for a few years, then I had a tailor remove the shoulder loops things for me. That made the coat look a lot better. But it's still my beater coat.

I would like to get a nicer peacoat, but I strangely instead acquired two overcoats. First, I had a February wedding to go to so I bought an overcoat that would look good with my suit. But it is too heavy, and a little too nice looking for casual use. So when I was dressing business casual for work, I ended up buying another overcoat one winter. Sorta tweed. I love it, but these days I don't have many opportunities to wear an overcoat. In fact, I can't recall if I even wore my peacoat last winter. The winters have been really warm.

[opa]

I pretty much can't drive at night any more. Headlights are now so bright it's like two suns are piercing through the darkness. This is bad enough for oncoming traffic but it's even worse when the other drivers are behind me. I drive a car that's a normal size and sits kind of low (like, you know, cars used to) but 99% of people now drive colossal SUV's and pick-up trucks whose headlights now sit at my head level. This exacerbates things because they like to ride me because, unlike them, I don't drive like a bat out of hell. So now I get to experience a complete and totally blinding light that floods the entirety of my car's interior and -bonus points- all the mirrors are blinding as well for my pleasure.

[Ziggy]

I've found that night driving is like a muscle. If you don't use it, it'll go weak. Night driving seems to bother me the most when the sun first starts to set early enough for me to be driving home in the dark. But after a while, I adapt to it and it's not so bad.

But yeah, not including those fucking headlights. Every time I see a commercial for headlights and they're like "you can see more" I'm like "FUCK YOU, HEADLIGHT MANUFACTURES!" Sure, one person can see more. At the expense of everyone else being able to see less. How some of those obnoxiously bright ones are even legal is a total bafflement to me.

And yeah, NY drivers. Everyone is up your ass. It's especially annoying on a rainy night, when there's water droplets on my side mirrors, then the headlights from behind hit them and I can't see shit in my mirrors.

[REPO Man]

Reminds me of a scene from a King of the Hill episode. In the episode (the link will skip you to the 7:01 mark), Peggy casually asks why folks don't drive with their high beams on and how it makes it easier to see.

As someone who rides their back to and from work (often leaving my evening job after dark), I can tell you that folks REALLY need to switch OFF their high beams. It's bad enough that the sidewalk between the plaza my job's at and the post office has no streetlights, so my pupils are naturally dilated to take in extra light. Huh. Maybe folks really aren't blasting their high beams like they're trying to piss off air raid wardens circa WWII. Maybe it's just me.

[marurun]

Honestly, a big part of the problem is that people just don't have their headlights adjusted properly. Their angle is off and they shine too high.

[Ack]

Yes, but there is also no set standard for headlight brightness, beyond simply having headlights that a police officer can say are headlights.