Warehouse & Co. - Lot 1223 - Forty and Eight Horse Guard Pants - Indigo.

The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) played a pivotal role in the latter stages of World War I. Their journey to the Eastern Front involved a unique mode of transport known as the "Forty-and-Eights," railroad carts ingeniously converted into boxcars. These boxcars were labeled with a distinctive "40 plate," signifying their capacity for carrying "8 horses and 40 people." This intriguing symbol would go on to hold special significance.

In the aftermath of the war, in 1920, a military association primarily comprised of American veterans who had served in France during World War I was formed. They adopted the names "8/40" and "Forty and Eight." Among their ranks was a soldier who had crafted a coverall jacket bearing a conspicuous number on the back. This jacket served as a testament to his wartime experiences, where he had been tasked with managing and safeguarding the invaluable horses that played a crucial role in World War I within these boxcars. Though the attire was not commonly worn locally, it can be seen as a fitting tribute to the boxcar's unique history.

The journey of this boxcar itself traversed tumultuous times. Following the conclusion of World War I, the wagons that once transported American troops to the East found themselves back in France but were later seized during the German occupation. Subsequently, they were repurposed to transport prisoners of war to the Eastern Front. Then, with the outbreak of World War II, France was liberated by American forces who reentered the fray, bringing the "Forty-and-Eights" boxcars back to their homeland. Post-war, these boxcars were bestowed with the name "Mercy Train" and were generously donated to various states in Jeonju as a gesture of gratitude for America's unwavering dedication. A plaque on the boxcar's wall bore the inscription "Hommes 40 Chevaux 8," translating to "40 people and 8 horses" in French, serving as a lasting reminder of its remarkable history. And, as an incredible coincidental sidebar...the current headquarters of the 40/8 is located just a couple of miles from us in Indianapolis.

That's the history, but let's talk about the garments. This pant is something so new and fresh to the shop and we couldn't help but fall in love with the feel and fit. It's a beautifully light-ounce selvedge fabric in a left-hand twill. The real unique part about this denim is that it's mostly indigo. Usually in classic jeans, you see roughly half indigo on the exterior and half of some other color on the interior. This fabric has a wonderful flecky, marled texture when you turn it inside out that is more reminiscent of a double-dyed fabric. The other rich part about this fabric is how easily it will soften. In a left-hand twill, more of the weft is exposed due to the style of twist that happens, and it makes the break-in that much easier. The contrast stitching and extra pockets on these garments are all things that we can't get enough of. These also might be the most fit-friendly pants we've ever seen as you can wear them with a belt, suspenders, or cinch the back. This is a rare piece of reproduction history that we're super proud to be carrying.

Post O'Alls - 3312-HBB - E-Z DND Herringbone Denim - Black.

Our long-awaited partnership with Post O'Alls has finally come to fruition. As we transition into a Post Heritage version of James Dant, one that doesn't shirk the traditional ways of manufacturing, but does accept newer, more contemporary silhouettes...it only makes sense to work with a brand like Post O'Alls. Since its origin in 1993, this brand has been taking iconic American silhouettes and giving them a little extra. In the more recent past, this started to translate to a more modern form of garments. In a world full of "perfect fits" they were offering roomy silhouettes that drape perfectly but don't have to stick to your biceps to look good. It may not be what "Post Overalls" stands for, but we like to think of the "Post" as meaning "after" and the "O'Alls" as meaning traditional heritage. They've evolved beyond the ideals of American menswear into a genre of their own.

One of the things we got most excited about for FW23 was the opportunity to broaden our pant horizons both metaphorically and literally. These straight-leg dungarees from the 90s give you an incredible alternative to all-raw-denim-all-the-time. It's a really impeccable work of design that fits straight away with a non-outseam construction. This is the first time we've seen a pant using this construction and it hooked us from the moment we put it on. The black herringbone fabric adds an extra layer of texture to a pant already jam-packed with details. We particularly like the open-style work pockets and the flat drawstrings accompanying this piece. Our favorite detail has to be the fabric though. You can really see the difference in color in the herringbone when you flip the cuff revealing the lighter gray mirrored on the back of the fabric. These are a work of art.

Naked & Famous - 13oz Camel Slub Selvedge - Easy Guy.

This one has been on our minds for years. We've been waiting for them to bring back some variation of a khaki color to the selvedge world, and we got something even better in this camel color. It's rich and it's slubby, two things variations in the past haven't had. We could see guys wearing this in the office or as an indigo alternative out and about. That extra slubby texture and the starchiness of this denim give it the gumption of an even heavier pair. These have an incredible ability to stack that we just weren't expecting from a 13oz denim. After 5 minutes of wear during the photoshoot, you could clearly see the honeycombs in the legs, so this denim has something incredibly special we haven't quite put our finger on yet. They finished this pair with tonal stitching, copper hardware, and a red selvedge ID.

Naked & Famous - 13oz Camel Slub Selvedge - Weird Guy.

This one has been on our minds for years. We've been waiting for them to bring back some variation of a khaki color to the selvedge world, and we got something even better in this camel color. It's rich and it's slubby, two things variations in the past haven't had. We could see guys wearing this in the office or as an indigo alternative out and about. That extra slubby texture and the starchiness of this denim give it the gumption of an even heavier pair. These have an incredible ability to stack that we just weren't expecting from a 13oz denim. After 5 minutes of wear during the photoshoot, you could clearly see the honeycombs in the legs, so this denim has something incredibly special we haven't quite put our finger on yet. They finished this pair with tonal stitching, copper hardware, and a red selvedge ID.

Naked & Famous - 13oz Camel Slub Selvedge - Super Guy.

This one has been on our minds for years. We've been waiting for them to bring back some variation of a khaki color to the selvedge world, and we got something even better in this camel color. It's rich and it's slubby, two things variations in the past haven't had. We could see guys wearing this in the office or as an indigo alternative out and about. That extra slubby texture and the starchiness of this denim give it the gumption of an even heavier pair. These have an incredible ability to stack that we just weren't expecting from a 13oz denim. After 5 minutes of wear during the photoshoot, you could clearly see the honeycombs in the legs, so this denim has something incredibly special we haven't quite put our finger on yet. They finished this pair with tonal stitching, copper hardware, and a red selvedge ID.