Explore every episode of the podcast Heddels Blowout

Sashiko is the age old Japanese technique of repairing and reinforcing fabric with rows of decorative running stitches. This little piece of reinforcing thread began over a thousand years ago and has been a mainstay of Japanese peasants, martial artists, and even firefighters.

So if you’ve ever seen some of those awe-inspiring pics of people who have put dozens of hours into customizing their denim and wondered what that was all about, so spool up as we wind back on the past millennium of sashiko  including how you can do it yourself on today’s Blowout.

Today we are talking about that oft-derided denim style that was relegated to the disco era.

This type of cut can go by many names:  bell-bottoms, boot cuts, flares, darts. However you slice it, these inverse-tapered fits usually have a tight fitting top block but are flowing and breezy at the ankle.

As bell-bottoms begin to ring again, let’s take a look at some of the backstory behind these flared jeans.

Thanks again to our sponsor Meermin and thank you for listening and until next time keep it real and keep it raw.

We are currently in the midst of the US Tennis Open being held at the Arthur Ashe arena in Queens, New York, named after one of the most stylish tennis stars of the 20th century, and believe me, there were a lot of them.

It’s also supposedly the end of summer, but it is still 99 degrees where I am in Los Angeles and tennis wear, it’s very nice when it’s hot out! But it wasn’t always that way. So stick around as we dive into tennis shoes, sweatbands, and everything in between on today’s Blowout.

Today’s episode featured writing from the article “Serving in Style” by Kadeem Roper on Heddels.com

We spend an awful lot of time and a lot of digital ink discussing the finer qualities of leather and there is arguably no finer cut than shell cordovan.

You may have seen it on a pair of loafers, a wallet, or a watch strap and immediately recoiled that it was over double the price of the calfskin or chromexcel equivalent. And there’s still a label stamped on the inside of the thing!

Get ready to come out of your shell as we get under the skin of the near mythical shell cordovan on today’s Blowout.

Featuring writing from John Bobey’s article “Shell Cordovan - The King of Leathers”

• Meermin
• Alden
• Crown Northampton
• Loyal Stricklin

You’ve seen it inlaid in rings, pendants, bolo ties, squash blossom necklaces, conchos, studs, and more. It dots the hands and necks of those devoted to Southwestern Americana aesthetics. But its story reaches far beyond our corner of the world. Though this beautifully teal-hued gemstone often feels synonymous with vintage and heritage-inspired fashion, its history stretches much further.

So stick around as we explore this colorful rock and why you may want to rock it on your next cuff, necklace, pin, or ring.

• Shiprock Santa Fe
• Four Winds
• First Arrow's
• Legend
• Munqa

Join our Discord and email us at blowout@heddels.com. Article features writing by Daniel Rockburn and his article Robin’s Egg Blue – All About Turquoise & Its Relevance In Heritage Fashion.

Today we’re talking about running! Not away from your problems, but the shoes you’d wear while you’re doing it.

We’re putting aside the goodyear welts and chunky vibram soles to discuss the evolution of footwear options designed for that oh so human activity.

And whether you’re someone who’s run marathon distances or sucked wind while running The Mile in gym class (trust me, I've been both at different points in my 25 years of running), you will definitely appreciate the advances we have available to us today as we stride towards running shoes.

Today we’re talking about guayaberas. No, not guavas my Spanish speaking friends, but rather the shirt named after them.

Also known as the cigar shirt or the camisa de Yucatan It’s been a staple of Latin American and Caribbean clothing spanning three centuries now and, yeah, it’s really nice to wear when it’s hot outside.

So if you could please grin and bear it as we dive into the guayabera.

• eBay
• Cubavera
• Ramon Puig
• Dos Carolinas
• Soundman
• The Real McCoy's
• Gitman Bros.

Email us at blowout@heddels.com!

Today we’re talking bandanas.

Not banned books, bandoliers, or watch bands, we’re discussing the classic square of fabric you might find on the forehead of a biker or in the back pocket of someone who just likes leather.

It may seem like a simple thing, but this paisley handkerchief has been in the making for nearly three thousand years and has played a significant part in the silk road, the American Revolution, the labor rights movement, and LGBT culture. And I pretty much never leave the house without one!

So allow me to bend your ears as we get into the bandana.

Today we’re putting down the iron fist. The cast iron one, that is!

As you know, raw denim is our first love, and if there’s one item that’s most spiritually attuned to the raw denim lifestyle, it’s not another piece of clothing, it’s a piece of cookware.

They both have ancient origins but became more commonplace in the 1800s, they both get better the more you use them, there are practically cults about how you should or shouldn’t clean them, and a well worn example probably has an equal amount of food caked into it.

For the past decade or so, there has been one white whale (or rather a pod of white whales) among raw denim fanatics, whose course has been followed with great interest since they left their home in North Carolina to move to Louisiana and now they have relocated again to Georgia.

I am of course referring to the Draper X-3 shuttle looms, the forebearers of American selvedge denim from the late great Cone Mills White Oak plant in Greensboro. I got to speak with Bill Rogers, the president and CEO of their new home at Mount Vernon Mills, where the mills are again operational and expected to ship their first rolls of selvedge denim in just a matter of weeks.

We discussed the history of American milling, why it’s still important to make fabric here, and why Mount Vernon has what it takes to keep these looms running well into the future. So keep listening to hear about the next chapter of American selvedge denim.

Welcome to Heddels Blowout. The show where we explore one thing, from watch caps to flip flops, and tell you all about:

• Why it’s important

• Where it came from

• How it’s made

• Who’s making them today

• How to take care of it

• And, the real reason you’re here, your ears were cold because your hat is rolled up and you needed to put on some headphones.

That’s right, we’re talking about watch caps today.

The knit cap. The skullcap. The beanie. The toque. Whatever the name you choose, tracking down the history of this now-ubiquitous piece of headgear may prove frustrating. Every cold part of the world that needed to keep their ears and head warm while at work and play invented some variant of the watch cap.

The history may not be straightforward, but everyone knows the end of this story. This cap becomes one of the most worn and frequently lost accessories in the modern wardrobe. In my younger days, I would lose at least one per season to a dive bar vinyl booth. 

So warm up and dig into this week’s obsession over the watch cap.

If you liked what you’ve been hearing, please let us and other people know with a review

Our email address is blowout@heddels.com and we also have our discord running so you can bother me directly if you like!

https://discord.gg/GA978xdP

That’s right, today we’re talking about arguably the most well known name in performance fabrics - GORE-TEX.

Most of the time, consumers aren’t aware of the upstream material manufacturers behind the clothes they wear but Gore-Tex is one of the few that’s broken through to wide recognition. You see that black and yellow tag on a parka, pair of boots, or a hat and you know it means business.

But what kind of business is that exactly? Gore-Tex purports to be both breathable and waterproof at the same time but how does it do that? Is it successful? And did the company behind it knowingly poison its employees and the surrounding community?

Listen on for all those answers and more as we get into all the gory details.

That’s right, today is a little bit different. I’m not here to talk about an item but a concept, tariffs!

The big T-word that has been taking up so much airtime over the last year as the returning American president has made it a cornerstone of his new administration and it’s probably having an impact on how you get your sweet fix of denim and leather.

I kinda didn’t want to do this one, but we just got a ruling that these tariffs are indeed illegal by our completely legitimate supreme court and in response, Trump announced that they’re staying and the global rate just got bumped up to ten and then fifteen percent, which will affect the cost of pretty much everything.

So strap in as we walk through the history and future implications of slapping a tax on everything that comes into the country, then removing it, then putting it back on, then removing it, etc. etc. and how it’s drastically affecting the retailers and makers of your favorite brands.

Most of us can’t even hear the word “cardigan” without picturing Mr. Rogers coming home to exchange his suit jacket and dress shoes for one of his zip-up cardigans and a pair of sneakers. Most authors that write histories of this favorite casual sweater act stunned that Mr. Rogers favorite item of clothing was invented by the military. But for those of us better-versed in menswear history, it’s no surprise that the cardigan was a military invention, because… well, most pieces of men’s clothing wouldn’t exist today if not for their military application.

The far more interesting angle in the cardigan story is not that the unassuming sweater gained fame for its role in one of the most disastrous cavalry charges of all time, but its position in women’s fashion. It was Coco Chanel who, was probably a Nazi collaborator, but it’s pretty clear she helped bring the cardigan to the masses and it was women who made cardigans cool.

Brands mentioned:

• Inverallan Knitters (also at Clutch Cafe)
• Dehen 1920
• Beams Plus
• Drakes
• J.Press

Today’s episode featured writing from Albert Muzquiz in “From Cavalry to Coco Chanel: The Cardigan Unbuttoned” on Heddels.com and the production talents of Sean Thornton

When you imagine an Air Force pilot, the first image that probably comes to mind is the dashing World War II-era captain in impossibly high-waisted khakis and a brown leather bomber jacket. But you might be surprised to learn then that the first time the U.S. Air Force issued a leather jacket was in 1987.

So this is a technicality I’m exploiting, but the U.S. Air Force didn’t exist as a separate branch of the military until 1947. Before then, it was a part of the U.S. Army Air Corps and then U.S. Army Air Forces, which issued its last leather jacket in 1943.

But the legacy of this jacket just wouldn’t die so the Air Force brought back a retro piece of equipment over 40 years later due to a combination of Hollywood, one dedicated collector, and deregulation of the airlines, which we’re going to get into in today’s Blowout.

Brands mentioned:

• Cockpit USA
• Good Wear Leather
• Buzz Rickson's
• The Real McCoy's

If you liked what you’ve been hearing, please let us and other people know. Our email address is blowout@heddels.com and we are also getting our discord fired up again so you can bother me directly if you like.

Join our Discord server here: https://discord.gg/KHA5qvKb

Today’s episode featured writing from “⁠Why the Air Force Brought Back the A-2 Leather Jacket” by me on Heddels.com and the production talents of Sean Thornton with the theme musical talents of Andrew Ryan.

Thank you to our season sponsor, Meermin.

It’s been a long time since our last collaborative product, but we’re back with a bang. We’ve joined forces with Crown Northampton to launch the Grand Union Wholecut Sneaker, a denim & leather sneaker built to last for years and earn unique fades along the way.

But there is much more to this Union than denim and leather – there’s a laundry list of world-class materials, shoemaking expertise, and Northamptonshire heritage in each pair. We visited Crown Northampton to finalize the design and the Grand Union Wholecut turn from a concept into what is arguably the world’s strongest denim sneaker.

Hear from David and James as well as fifth generation shoemaker and head of Crown Northampton Chris Woodford about how we brought this unique sneaker to the finish line and how you can fade out a pair yourself!

Link to buy: https://crownnorthampton.com/en-us/collections/grand-union-sneaker

Today we’re talking about loafers. Those do-nothing idlers who just sit around all day and the leisurely leather shoe that’s come to be named after them.

Yes, the penny, the tassel, even the horsebit. These footwear icons might seem like timeless classics, but they are the result of a relatively recent cross-cultural exchange of mutually beneficial cultural appropriation.

So slide in, slip on, and get ready for a relaxing ride along Loafer Lane.

Brands mentioned:

• Aurlands
• Meermin
• Rancourt
• Alden
• Grant Stone

So this is the end piece of our loaf on loafers and the end piece of this first experimental season. Thank you for listening and learning along with me.

If you liked what you’ve been hearing, please let us and other people know. Our email address is blowout@heddels.com and we are also getting our discord fired up again so you can bother me directly if you like.

Today’s episode featured writing from “The Lowdown on Loafers - From American to Norway and Back Again” by Albert Muzquiz on Heddels.com and the production talents of Sean Thornton with the theme musical talents of Andrew Ryan.

That’s right, this is a denim episode! Longtime listeners will remember our 13-part, 7-hour audio epic about the history of denim where we covered 500 years of history of our favorite fabric.

Relax, we’re not doing that again. That was a graduate level seminar, instead, this is denim 101 and by the end of it you should have all the tools and info needed to make an informed purchase and join the wonderful fraternity of people who talk about their jeans way too much.

If you only know whispers of the discomfort associated with raw denim, the supposed high cost, or even about people putting their jeans in the freezer or wearing them to the beach, then this is for you.

Brands mentioned:

• Levi’s

• Left Field
• Hiroshi Kato
• Tilden

Today’s episode featured writing from “The Essential Raw Denim Breakdown” by yours truly on Heddels.com and the producing talents of Sean Thornton and theme music by Andrew Ryan.

If you have any questions, comments, feedback or suggestions for other topics, email us at blowout@heddels.com.

Today we’re talking polarization.

I’m not talking about the bears, Santa Claus, or the state of global politics. Rather something a bit more anodyne, and seasonally appropriate, cool shades!

You may have heard of the many benefits of polarized sunglasses, how they reduce glare, let you see through the surface of water, or make it easier to drive. But why? How? Where to find?

There isn’t that much technical information for consumers explaining how they work or the very different quality of materials they can be made from. But listen on and you’ll soon be an expert on all things polarized!

• Serengeti

They say all clothing is a type of language. Even refusing to participate in the conversation is a way to say something.

Whether you’re in a top hat and tails or Canadian tuxedo or naked, it’s all saying something about you and how you chose to present yourself.

But some clothes speak a little louder than others. Today we’re talking about arguably the loudest and most explicit of them all. That’s right, it’s graphic tee time, the shirt that literally spells out its message for you right across your chest for anyone who cares to read it.

They may feel like the most ubiquitous item in the world, and that’s because they are with an estimated 8 billion of them produced every year, but they’ve been around for less than a hundred years.

Brands mentioned:

• BARNS
• Buzz Rickson
• The Real McCoy’s
• Human Made

Hi, I’m Heddels publisher David Shuck.

You may remember me from previous Heddels podcasts like our History of Denim series, the Rise and Fall of Made in USA, and the one where Reed, Albert, and I just shot the breeze for an hour every week. 

I’ve been writing about owning things you want to use forever for well over a decade now. I’ve been everywhere from downtown Los Angeles to the deserts of Pakistan to understand where and how to find quality goods and the history of the people that make them.

I’ve written and edited thousands of articles on jeans, boots, backpacks, bandanas, and nearly anything else made of cloth and leather. And, looking back, there are a few topics that I want to go a little deeper on in this new seasonal podcast series.

Each episode, we’ll tackle a single item, whether that’s huarache sandals, Type II denim jackets, or the cast iron frying pan and I promise that by the end of it you’ll know:

• Why it’s important

• Where it came from

• How it’s made

• Who’s making them today

• How to take care of it

• And, the real reason people listen to podcasts, at least three fun facts you can share at parties

We’ll be releasing these in mini-seasons with items appropriate to the weather, at least in the northern hemisphere (sorry Australians!)

This first episode is about Madras, the Indian fabric that’s really only famous in the US because Brooks Brothers cleverly remarketed a bad batch of it in the 50s. Let me know what you think and if you have any topics you’d like to hear about by emailing us at blowout@heddels.com, I hope you enjoy.

Brands mentioned:

• The Original Madras Trading Company
• J.Press
• Gitman Bros. Vintage
• Iron Heart
• Beams Plus

Read the full article by Albert Muzquiz here: https://www.heddels.com/2018/05/history-madras-fabric/

Production by Sean Thornton and theme music by Andrew Ryan.

On this week’s Blowout… REED’S CORNER IS OFFICIALLY COOKED. Or at least the corner of Birkenstock Boston’s and Able to Buy Whenever. (Spoiler: He blames TikTok.) But because discovery is often generated out of necessity and Bostons are officially Pop Music now, that also means mules are Mainstream™, which has forced — yes, forced — us to investigate some alternative options in the Big Comfort footwear category. And guess what? Alongside oversized everything and a near-extinction event for hard-bottoms, the Mule Market is thriving my guys.

Also: We answer some listener questions from the Discord and probably talk about other things, but don’t worry it’s mostly Mules.

Links:

• 3sixteen has these, and are running a roughout now too.
• ALD is making garden clogs. They look cool.
• Chillbies (Reed’s favorites and US made!)
• The Blackstock Ellis/Horsebits
• Fear of God joints
• Fancy Boston’s
• Crocs (you can find them give Google Ads a workout I guess)
• Subus (Reed maintains that these are mostly just Thermoballs)
• New Balance 2002R
• Suicokes
• The Nepenthes Suite:
  • Easy Mocs
  • Troentorp x Needles Clogs
  • Rhodo Mary Janes

​​What Smoking Slippers Talk About When They Talk About Smoking

Now that Ye is getting himself canceled, what would it take for Pitbull to take over the fashion zeitgeist. We don't think it would be that hard. 

Albert reviews Don't Worry Darling and the cool sneakers he saw in the crowd. Reed continues to deprive Albert of his sneaker connections. Albert begs a stranger at a party for shoes. Reed gets every sneaker he ever wants without even trying. 

We embed a message to Andrew about Johan's free shoe life.

SWEATER TALK - Reed knows a ton about sweaters and owns too many. We discuss the models, details, and fits that we love most. Albert chimes in with some sweatshirt love (more appropriate for his climate). Tennis sweater, cricket sweaters, the only appropriate venue for a v-neck, etc. Loopwheeled vs. cheap sweats.

Big raw jeans are in vogue? Unfaded? Cool kids all around seem to be wearing big, stiff jeans - and although Reed and Albert disagree about which shoes look best with them, they agree the look can be cool. 

We discuss Ye... even before the latest brouhaha had come out... we have to, right?

Our rock in this ever-changing world, David Shuck, is back for an episode from the road. Our brave traveler (and co-host on hiatus) calls in about Georgian nightlife, bootleg wine, and big news from Patagonia. Enjoy a joyous reunion of all three of the Blowout boys and learn a little bit about what the hipsters in Tbilisi are wearing right now. David admits we were right about our packing suggestions and tells us how he's keeping his grody clothes clean on the road. Everything you wanted to know about cleaning your three pairs of underwear in an Eastern European hotel sink but were afraid to ask.

Albert trauma-dumps, his sister is totally fine now, by the way! Reed and Albert try and figure out how to have fun dressing even during the height of a heat-wave. How to find a good tee - buy from an establishment you like, rob your dad, etc. 

The main event - what to wear on a first date! Reed and Albert attempt to set down some ground rules on what to wear on your first dates. How to look comfy and at ease and yet show your date-partner that you actually care. Don't stray too far from the things you normally wear. We run down a few situations that should hopefully help you all in all your dating endeavors! 

We discuss the difference between slutty (good) and pervert (bad) fashion behavior. What are the sluttiest sartorial choices you can make? After all, you want people to know you can put it down.

Are we allowed to talk about sex? Who knows - we move on to safer territory, namely camp collar shirts. Are they on their way out and if so, why? Will they go the way of the fedora? We urge prudence before you get rid of anything in your rotation. But isn't this the natural impulse to put camp collars in the closet before layering season comes? We talk failed trips to J. Crew, generally bad retail experiences, Asics, and JJJJJJJound sneakers.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+

Albert bullies a Love Island-lookin' influencer so bad his wife asks him to stop. Jugglalos are actually sweet people, as sweet as their soda of choice.

This week we put our heads together and think about the pieces that have stood the test of time - those well-made classics that transcend trends.

Some of these pieces are:

• The BUZZ RICKSON Chambray workshirt.
• Orslow Chambray shirt (not workshirt)
• Vintage Lee Storm Rider
• TS(S) Reversible Jacket
• Good Art Curb Chain #1 Necklace
• Chuck 70s
• Birk Boston
• Blundstone's
• Orslow 105
• Sugar Cane 66 and 47
• Orslow Regular Fit Fatigue
• Barena Elastic Waist Trousers

Then, if you're still reading, we pitch each other on things we need to buy! The other host decides if it's a keeper or not.

Vogue reports that "-core" has gone the way of "-chic." We try to recall the history of the whole "-core" thing from Normcore in the 20-teens to blokecore this year. But.... It's done! Passé! No more! It's not cool to just tack on "core" to shit anymore!

Reed was a genius and anticipated this change a mile off - so we use his mind and Albert's less-genius mind to anticipate what's coming up this Fall. We bemoan the weirdness of Merz B. Schwanen tees and get stoked for things to come.

David updates us from the road and lets us know he had to abandon pretty much all his cold weather gear in the face of a record-breaking heatwave. Albert and "the Lovely Reed" discuss the science of uniform dressing and whether or not we have our own uniforms. Because after all, isn't finding a uniform an art in and of itself? As long, of course, as you're not doing it for "grind-set" reasons. Many stylish people spend their lives in search of that perfect outfit and some of them actually find it! We talk about the Nike Cortez and wonder if innovation is still possible in an era when so much energy (and money) seems to be directed to the catalogs and archives, and we do a very brief run-down on the history of South Korean fashion. Enjoy!

Hear the full episode on Heddels+: http://heddels.plus

David chimes in from the road, which we don't quite respond to. Albert and Reed spend their morning hashing through the new J. Crew and how best to market a new brand to someone. Here is a link to the J.Crew Fall 2022 lookbook, the first collection spearheaded by Brendon Babenzien. We've been waiting for it and here it is. If you want to see what the old, old J.Crew looked like, we'd recommend @lostjcrew on Instagram.

We discuss Mall fashions, democratizing style, and how to stand out when everyone you know is wearing the Giant Fit chinos.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

Reed and Albert delve back into the world of carny-core with some advice on jort-ifying your jeans, what we liked at Paris Fashion Week, and what the new "heritage" is.

David is gone, off on his epic voyage and sabbatical. Reed and Albert discuss surveillance, the possible rise of carny-core, and make sure to include a little bad news in David's honor.

We've made it to 100 episodes! Only for David to leave immediately. Our final fully attended discussion gets into Facebook's push for digital clothes, featuring Balenciaga, Prada, and Thom Browne and the search for the perfect pair of mesh shorts.

Thank you for joining us for nearly 100 hours. Help us out by joining Heddels+ or by visiting the Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

David talks with perennial Blowout guest, photographer Eric Kvatek in advance of his round the world trip. Hear tips, tricks, and how Eric was once inadvertently a mailman on a Mexican train.

Join Heddels+ to hear the full episode:

http://heddels.plus

Albert's back everyone! And we herald his return with discussion of the most relevant news of the day, Kim K stretching out Marilyn Monroe's dress at the Met Gala. But it goes deeper than that, should we be wearing historically significant and rare items like truly vintage denim? And when does a garment stop being a garment? Also we revisit discussion of how to learn about fashion online and work through a case of Outlier  clothing that I'm testing for future travel.

How does one start down the long indigo path online these days? We're beyond the heyday of blogs and Tumblr and have moved into the realm of reels, reels that involve some guy telling you to tuck in your shirt or pull your hoodie through your beltloops. Reed and David discuss the prospect of starting out as a fashion neophyte these days and the various posts and influencers one might encounter.

We also get into the following:

• Barns Shaggy Dog Cardigan
• The horror of long-sleeve Hawaiians
• Why anyone would want a half-zip western
• And Manresa

Join Heddels+ for more and visit the Heddels Shop for 10% with the code BLOWOUT.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

If peeing your pants is cool, you can buy some jeans that already look like they've been peed in at Wet Pants Denim (complete with pisscoin). We also discuss the rise of Fettermania and what a Dickies and Carhartt clad Senate candidate means for the future of political dress and the agony and ecstasy of trying to sell your used clothing online.

In our niche, getting your jeans repaired is in many ways more important than buying them in the first place, and we had the opportunity to discuss with someone who knows all the ins and outs about both. Satchel B. Moore started Science and Kindness Denim Repair in the early 2010s to complement his day job selling raw denim at BlackBlue in Saint Paul, Minnesota and it has since grown into a fully-fledged repair studio doing any fabric fix or alteration you can imagine on a full roster of vintage machines.

We chat with Satchel about everything from his early days buying Cheap Monday jeans from online proxies to fitting heavyweight flat-fells through a Union Special 43200G.

You can start your own repair by visiting their website, scienceandkindness.net or on Instagram @scienceandkindness. Also, Heddels+ members get 1 Free Chainstitch hem, OR $35 dollars off any service, OR 20% off any service over $100 per month (shipping not included).

Five pairs. If you only had five pairs of shoes to get you through every single possible scenario in your life, what would you choose? We make our cases for shoes past, present, and future that are up to the task. We also discuss New York state's upcoming bill banning polyfluoroalkyls (PFAs) that are used in millions and millions of garments every year and have serious health and environmental consequences.

Thank you to our sponsor, Science and Kindness Denim Repair. Whether your jeans fit so well they are wearing out or need some adjustments to truly earn your love, Science and Kindness Denim Repair understands. Discrete crotch repairs? Yeah. Sashiko? Yeah. Chainstitch embroidery? Yeah. Union Specials? Yeah. Period correct Big E patches? Yeah!

They go hard when it comes to your jeans but it’s not hard to get things taken care of usually within two weeks. No waitlist. No judgement. Just your jeans-- better. By mail or drop-off in St. Paul, MN. @Sciencendkindness on instagram to see our work, scienceandkindness.net for an estimate or to get started. A free chainstitch hem and repair/service discounts for all Heddels+ members. Science and Kindness — Less Yikes.

David

1. Lowa Renegade GTX Max
2. Mizuno Wave Ascend 8
3. Yuketen Pedro Roper
4. Vans Eras
5. Gucci 1953 Horsebit Loafer

Albert

1. Hoka Clifton 7 Running Shoes
2. Paraboot Chambord
3. Chuck 70s
4. New Balance 990v5
5. Pull on boot

Reed

1. Birkenstock Bostons
2. Adidas Powerphase
3. Scarpa Instinct VS
4. Nike Free 2 Trail or the Adidas Terrex joints
5. Loafer, likely Alden Handsewn 

To hear the full episode, join Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

Praise be to Ryan for salvaging this episode that was recorded in undisclosed locations in northern Nevada. We discuss the California look after I witnessed a significant amount of it on a recent trip, swimsuit options available to the modern man, and how the trends are swerving into Reed's lane.

Denim. Why is it funny? Is it because it's so ubiquitous or is there something comedic inherent to its nature that makes you laugh when you see it fashioned into a couch or boots or sunglasses? We attempt to answer this and other deep questions, like "Are the provisions in the new FABRIC Act proposed by US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand going to be enough to bring back American manufacturing jobs?" and "Should Albert soak his deadstock 501s?" All that and more above.

Thank you to our sponsor, Science and Kindness Denim Repair. Whether your jeans fit so well they are wearing out or need some adjustments to truly earn your love, Science and Kindness Denim Repair understands. Discrete crotch repairs? Yeah. Sashiko? Yeah. Chainstitch embroidery? Yeah. Union Specials? Yeah. Period correct Big E patches? Yeah!

They go hard when it comes to your jeans but it’s not hard to get things taken care of usually within two weeks. No waitlist. No judgement. Just your jeans-- better. By mail or drop-off in St. Paul, MN. @Sciencendkindness on instagram to see our work, scienceandkindness.net for an estimate or to get started. A free chainstitch hem and repair/service discounts for all Heddels+ members. Science and Kindness — Less Yikes.

David here, I wasn't here for this episode and I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure it's great and it's about everything the notes claim:

• Critiquing Met Gala fits
• The colonial history of Safari shirts
• Reed goes on a tangent about candy themed clothes

Etc. etc., I can't wait for both of us to listen to it. Also, join Heddels+ and shop at the Heddels Shop!

Listen to the full episode on Heddels+:

http://heddels.plus

When you get on a plane, are you dressing for yourself? For your fellow passengers? Or for a certain Washington Post op-ed writer? We dive into the airplane dress code debate and the validity of all dress codes in general.

We also discuss the multitude of items in the Wachowski's prop auction and our picks for best general releases, including:

• Birkenstock Boston
• Nike Blazer
• Reebok Club C or Reebok Leather Original
• Nike Cortez
• Adidas Samba
• Jordan 1 Low
• 990 series
• Adidas Campus 80s
• Gazelles
• Reebok Beatniks

Send us your picks for the best general releases at blowout@heddels.com.

It may very well be a bucket that drains your bank account this spring. We're talking hats of course, the pocketable fabric cap that looks like it's ready to peak this summer season. We look back on its origins in the Irish countryside, adoption by the military, and eventually taking its place in mainstream pop culture. We also have a few picks to put on your bucket list:

• Blluemade’s bucket hat in steel blue linen
• Kapital’s Old Man and the Sea Bucket Hat
• Propper ripstop boonie hat
• And Wander pe-co hat
• Universal Works seersucker bucket hat

Plus we discuss the horrifying consumerism of one Orange County brand director.

Join Heddels+ and shop at Heddels Shop, Le Laboureur is back and 10% off with code BLOWOUT!

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

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Cat's out of the bag! I (David) am planning an extensive six month trip through Europe and Asia for the latter half of this year. I'm going to ride as many trains and eat as many weird things as I possibly can (more on this to come in future articles), but how does one pack for being continuously mobile across 30+ countries, climates, and time zones? Reed and Albert help me sort through the good, bad, and ugly that will and won't fit into my bag.

We also discuss the origins of the returning bell bottom trend and the bell.b0ys of Tiktok leading the vanguard.

On the mean streets of San Francisco, one garment is ready to tear the entire city apart:  the Patagonia fleece vest. What you wear is often the first thing you can say to the world, and in the Bay, the vest is an extremely loaded statement. We get into Bobby Allyn's NPR piece about the agony and the ecstasy of going vested in San Francisco.

We also discuss the following:

• Knickerbocker x Kleman Dimori Sandal
• North Face Purple Label Mountain Field Pants
• Unique Garment Urban Type 2
• Burgus Plus Overdyed Hoodie

Remember to join Heddels+ if you haven't already and visit the Heddels Shop, as always, 10% off with code BLOWOUT.

Hear the full episode on Heddels+:

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How old were you when you had your first job? Hopefully it was older than what's showing on Nike's interactive production map, where the average age of some country's factories is listed at 15. Have a look at their interactive map. [UPDATE 4/7/22: Nike has addressed what they're calling a "data error" and the information on the map has changed since recording and no countries currently list an average age below 20.]

We also dive into our Spring/Summer trend predictions, so buy up your alt-Crocs models early!

When buying a new product these days, the search often starts (and ends) with Google. But how does Google tell you what to buy and where to go? And how are publishers telling Google what to tell you? The world of ecommerce has become more and more concentrated around a single source and we explore what that means when trying to buy something like a pair of sneakers or a toaster.

We also discuss the state of retail and what it's like to work on a sales floor these days with ever shifting customer expectations.

Be sure to check out the Heddels Shop and join Heddels+ for more Blowout.

Listen to the full episode on Heddels+:

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It's been a minute since we've gone deep on product so we thought we could catch up and catch up in style with a whole episode devoted to our product picks and misses (with a short aside on Victorian era crotchless underpants). We get into the following:

• Burgus Plus Ripstop Cargo Pants - Leopard
• Viberg Wholecut Derby Boot - Taupe Horsebutt
• Epperson Mountaineering - Large Climb Tote w/ Vintage NASA Patch - Clay
• Master-piece Potential V3 Waist Bag Black
• The Rite Stuff Atlas Salt & Pepper Work Shirt (Cedar)
• Iron Heart POLARTEC® Fleece Vest - Black
• Loewe Distressed Denim Shoes
• Le Laboureur Cape de Berger
• Scott Fraser Collection High-Waisted Denim Jeans
• Corridor Space Dye Cardigan in Sunset

Also check out the Heddels Shop, 10% off with code BLOWOUT.

A few weeks ago we had a discussion about Burberry’s use of Wehrmacht-esque Nazi camoflauge patterns in their winter collection and that put me back in touch with Charles McFarlane, who is one of the most well informed individuals I know on all things military uniforms. Charles is a second-year masters student in Costume Studies at NYU, whose research focuses on the intersection of military uniforms and popular fashion and the soldier as a consumer of fashion. He has also been a contributor at GQ, Put This On, Gear Patrol, Heddels, and his own substack Combat Threads.

We had the opportunity to discuss the origins of camo, some of the patterns you'd most likely want to avoid, and how to get a start in collecting and wearing military clothing in your wardrobe.

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