Mister Freedom® Continental “JC” Two-Piece Suit (Sportcoat & Trousers) New Old Stock black-coated crosshatch denim (BCD) mfsc Sportsman catalog, Fall 2018 Made in USA
Time to get rhythm ‘n get the blues, and kick off our Fall 2018 mfsc collection with this first installment, the dark and handsome “JC” two-piece suit!
All made-in-USA, this original trousers and sportcoat set, latest addition to the Mister Freedom® Continental family, is cut from an old MF® favorite, the final precious yardage of New Old Stock black-coated indigo denim (BCD) from our dusty vault.
Previously featured on the MF® Speedways and its Cowboy Jacket sidekick, this special NOS fabric is not the modern waxy black rubber type coating seen on novelty contemporary jeans, but rather an interesting indigo denim twill printed with a soft-hand opaque coat of matte black water-based ink. If the black ink completely covers the indigo blue warp of the denim, the traditional light-colored grayish weft (with somewhat of a greenish sheen here) shows on the reverse of the fabric. The slub of the yarns is visible on the weft threads, giving this specific denim its crosshatch quality. If the BCD initially looks flat black due to the pigment coating, it will develop its own patina overtime, blending shades of indigo with black and white, according to activities, frequency of wear and wash cycles. Undertones of indigo will rapidly appear with normal wear abrasion.
Below photos show a worn/washed pair of BCD Speedways next to the “JC” Continental Trousers in un-worn condition, both cut from the exact same fabric.
Black-coated denim, before and after.
The “JC” Two-Piece Suit consists of two of our popular classic patterns, the MF® Continental Sportcoat and Continental Trousers. The unstructured blazer pattern is already available in an array of fine NOS fabrics, an indigo crosshatch twill, two grey cotton-linen twills, a light indigo “Player” denim, and an elegant tropical “Congo Gabardine” cotton-linen twill.
The Trousers have previously been released in brown Cacao Chambray, indigo Crosshatch Denim Twill, and light indigo “Player” Denim.
Available as individual garments for a mix & match look, the black-coated denim “JC” is of course offered as a Sportcoat/Trousers set, for the Man-in-Black inclined.
The mfsc Continental “JC” Two-Piece Suit in Black-Coated Denim (Continental Sportcoat & Trousers) is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS: FABRIC: New Old Stock crosshatch pigment-coated denim, soft-hand matte black finish on indigo warp, 100% cotton, 12 Oz. Probable Kurabo (Japan) origin. Pocketing & half lining/facing:NOS fancy woven stripe 100% cotton plain weave (ivory white with blue & grey stripes), milled in Europe.
Continental “JC” SPORTCOAT: * Unstructured silhouette. * Lightweight and easily folded, perfect traveling companion. * Sixties-vibe high button front. * Black corozo wood butons. * Half shoulder floating lining, 100% cotton NOS fancy woven stripe twill. * Side hip pockets with flaps. * Pocket openings reinforced on the inside with facing fabric. * Tonal 100% cotton stitching, all clean caballo (chainstitch) flat-felled seam construction, green color “Sportsman” signature chainstitch on the inside. No open edges or overlock. * Made in USA.
Continental “JC” TROUSERS: * Elegant late 1950′s early 1960’s type silhouette and fit, straight leg. * Black corozo wood fly and waist buttons. * Flat-felled side seam caballo all around construction. * Rear welt pockets. * Trousers-style belt loops. * Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckles. * 100% cotton NOS fancy woven stripe twill pocket bags, waist band . * NOS indigo twill fly/cinch facing. * Watch pocket. * Tonal stitching, 100% cotton thread construction, with inside green chainstich MF® signature. * Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on rear waistband, concealed when wearing a belt. * Tailor shop-style unfinished overlocked leg bottom, to suit your cuffing preferences. * Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT This explains how we size our garments. The Continental Sportcoat and trousers come raw/unwashed. We recommend the usual initial 30mn cold soak/occasional hand agitation/spin dry/hang dry process. The tagged size reflects the size of the garment after going through this process. The subtle variation of shrinkage between body fabric/lining fabric/cotton thread will result in puckering and roping, slightly altering the fit and drape. I personally opted for a Size 38 in the Continental sportcoatand Waist 32 trousers. These are my usual sizes in the Continental series and most mfsc garments.
Trousers sizing: The Continental Trousers are true to size. If you are a measured waist 32 inches, you are most-likely a stamped W32 in the Continental Trouser. Do not size down on these. Please note that the Continental Trousers pattern might not be a good option for all body types. Proportion-wise, those with Ronaldo-style muscular legs will probably look better in our regular Sportsman Chino models.
Trousers hemming: After the initial soak/hang dry process, we recommend settling down on the final length of the bottom hem after gently wearing the trousers around the house a bit. The cotton fabric tends to naturally bunch/wrinkle and pull the leg up slightly. Letting this specific fabric react to your own body for an hour or so will allow you to decide on a proper classic leg break that works for you. I opted for a classic 1 1/4 fold, and subtle period flood.
Style-wise, we do not recommend bulky denim rolls and over-played BRMC cuffing with these classic slacks.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
(Fit pic: Haus is wearing a size 38 jacket and W32 trousers.)
CARE: Treat your MF® Continental “JC” black-coated denim garments as you would fancy indigo denim wearables. Hand washing can be a good option for those concerned with specific wear patterns and high-contrast colors fades, otherwise machine wash on DELICATE.
Wash separately to avoid color transfer. Turn garment inside-out to minimize unsightly marbling of the fabric. Cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Full wash cycle and heat dryer are not recommended.
Initially black, the MF® Continental “JC” Two-Piece Suit will develop its own attractive patina with normal wear, blending shades of indigo, black, and white, according to activities, frequency of wear and wash cycles. Be patient and just enjoy looking good during the process!
Sportcoat and trousers available separately or as a two-piece suit for substantial saving.
Continental Bermudas, NOS cotton-linen slate grey denim & NOS stripe twill. mfsc SS2018 Sportsman catalog. Made in USA.
We introduced the Mister Freedom® “Continental” series in early 2016, an unpretentious all-made-in-USA casual suiting concept consisting of three new patterns (Continental Trousers, Continental Vest, Continental Sportcoat) seasonally released in a combination of vintage New Old Stock fabrics.
Mister Freedom® “Continental” family, made in USA.
For Spring 2018, we are adding a new member to our Continental family… the Continental Bermudas.
Derived from the pattern of our Continental Trousers inspired by classic late 50’s-mid 60’s casual slacks, these tailored short trousers are a departure from, no offense, dad’s favorite 1990’s cargo shorts, the recreational fisherman’s best friend. We aimed for a more elegant silhouette on this project.
Anchored in a British military style tradition allegedly dating back to WW1, original ‘bermuda shorts’ called for a length of approximately one inch above the knee, which we stuck with. Whether you go for the mandatory knee-length socks, blazer and tie dear to the respectable Bermudian keen on proper insular business attire, is up to you. For a casual stroll around town in old-school Ivy League style, we think you’ll do just fine with a simple Stanley or Berkeley shirt, topped with an unstructured Continental Sportcoat, and shod in a pair of vintage penny loafers or wingtips. Better yet, do your own thing.
Augie Garcia, circa 1954 (courtesy Minnesota Historical Society)
BB King, Bill Harvey Band, early 1950s (courtesy Getty Images.)
New York, 1953, photo Alfred Eisenstaedt for LIFE (courtesy Getty Images)
Snazzy theme party in Pittsburgh, 1960 (courtesy Getty Images)
The above-the-knee target length will obviously depend on where one considers the waist line to be. Our Continental Bermudas feature a mid-to-high rise, and, call us old-fashioned, we tend to think of the waist as a natural line falling right above the hips. The simple single needle hem can easily be tailored to one’s preferred length however, and if we don’t necessarily recommend the Daisy Dukes look, a shorter length might convey a more sporty and contemporary vibe, for those inclined. Just don’t cut past the pocket bags. Style inspiration abound on the interwebs.
The fabrics we opted for the introduction of our Continental Bermudas are two New Old Stock textiles, a fancy slate grey crosshatch denim twill (a blend of 60% cotton and 40% linen), and a nautical all-cotton selvedge stripe twill.
The Continental Bermudas are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS: PATTERN:
An original mfsc pattern inspired by vintage late 1950’s and early 1960’s casual slacks with a classic, slim silhouette. Mid-to-high rise.
FABRIC OPTIONS: a) Slate Grey twill: New Old Stock, 8 Oz. denim twill, blend of 60% cotton and 40% linen, probable a-Italian a-origin. b) Indigo Stripe twill: New Old Stock, woven stripe lightweight twill, selvedge, 100% cotton, USA origin.
Lining/pocketing: NOS 2×1 blue denim.
DETAILS: * Elegant late 1950′s early 1960’s type silhouette and fit, above the knee length. * Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckle. * Amber brown corozo wood fly and waist buttons. * Rear welt pockets, watch pocket. * Trousers-style belt loops. * Crotch gusset pattern. * Flat-felled side seam “caballo” construction. * NOS blue denim pocket bags, waist band and fly facing. * Tonal 100% cotton thread construction, with inside green chainstich MF® signature accents. * Original “SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on rear waistband, concealed when wearing a belt. * Made in USA.
SIZING: The MF® Continental Bermudas come raw/unwashed. Both fabric options will shrink to approximately the same size after a 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry. These are “vanity size”, with somewhat of a generous waist that can be cinched with the rear adjustable strap. I tend to fluctuate between W30 and W32 in mfsc trousers, according to the model, and opted for a comfortable W32 in the Continental Bermudas, in both fabrics.
Refer to sizing chart for cold soak/spin dry/line dry measurements.
CARE: Machine wash on delicate, pants inside-out, cold water with minimal environmentally-friendly detergent and line dry. Stripe Twill: Some faint color transfer (from the indigo blue to the white) may be noticeable after wash, but will subside with further washing. This should not be considered as a flaw, just an inherent part of garments involving indigo-dyed yarns.
NOTE: Full washing cycle in hot water and machine dry might result in maximum shrinkage and color loss. Not recommended.
Available Raw/unwashed Sizes (W stands for Waist. I know, but we’ve been asked) W 28 W 30 W 32 W 34 W 36 W 38 Retail $229.95
Mister Freedom® SPEEDWAYS, NOS black-coated crosshatch denim. Sportsman mfsc Fall 2017. Made in USA.
Originally released in cream and black cotton piqué under the “Speedway Piqué Jeans” moniker during Fall 2011, a modified version (sans buckle-back and with a slightly more tapered leg) made it to our made-in-USA Sportsman catalog in 2015, as the Malibu’s, offered in light indigo ‘sea denim’ and wheat color ‘sand denim’.
This MF® tribute to late 50’s early 60’s popular ‘stovepipe’ type jeans gets another make-over for Fall 2017, this time with a special “coated denim”. This fancy NOS fabric is not the modern waxy black rubber type coating seen on novelty contemporary jeans, but rather an interesting indigo denim twill printed with a soft-hand opaque coat of matte black water-based ink. If the black ink completely covers the indigo blue warp of the denim, the usual light-colored grayish weft (with somewhat of a greenish sheen) shows on the reverse of the fabric. The slub of the yarns is visible on the weft threads, giving this specific denim its crosshatch quality..
If this garment initially looks flat black due to the pigment coating, each pair will develop its own patina overtime, blending shades of indigo, black and white, according to activities, frequency of wear and wash cycles. Undertones of indigo will rapidly appear with normal wear abrasion. See the denim wash test photos below, also featuring a small section rubbed with sand paper.
The mfsc Speedways are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS: FABRIC: New Old Stock crosshatch pigment-coated denim, soft-hand matte black finish on indigo warp, 100% cotton, 12 Oz. Probable Kurabo (Japan) origin. DETAILS: * Inspired by late 50’s early 60’s ’stovepipe’ jeans and vintage casual trousers. * Tab waist band à la McQueen, concealed closure snaps. * No belt loops. * Side snap cinch tabs (adjusting waist by about 1½” when both tabs are fully cinched) * New Old Stock pocket bags: sturdy 100% cotton charcoal grey covert chambray. * Zipper fly, brass “Gripper Zipper”. * Discreet “M” stitched rear pockets. * Flat-felled seam ‘caballo’ construction, with Sportsman green color chainstitch accent. * Tonal stitching, 100% cotton thread. * Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT: The Speedways black-coated denim come raw/unwashed.
We recommend the usual initial routine: cold soak for about 30-40mn, spin dry, hang dry. These are true to size, with the industry-standard generous waist (meaning a W32 measures a bit over 32 inches, quite psychologically gratifying for the consumer concerned about his waistline.)
I am usually between a w30 and W32 in mfsc bottoms, and I’m in luck since the Speedways come in W31. I did not yet fully wash/heat dry my pair, and wear the W31 with one side of the snap tabs cinched.
The bottom hem is done by single needle machine, not chainstitch.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw and cold-soaked/hang dry measurements.
CARE: Treat the MF® Speedways black-coated denim as you would fancy indigo denim jeans. Wash separately to avoid color transfer. Turn garment inside-out to minimize unsightly marbling of the fabric. Cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
If these Speedways denim jeans initially look flat black, each pair will develop its own patina overtime, blending shades of indigo, black, and white, according to activities, frequency of wear and wash cycles.
Mister Freedom® Topsiders, NOS OD HBT (New Old Stock Olive Drab Herringbone Twill) Sportsman mfsc Fall 2017 Made in USA
NOS OD HBT utes?
You no dig dat GI Jive, Jack? Alreeeet.
“P-F-C to the C-P-L to the S-G-T to the L-T C-P the O-D the M-P makes ya do K-P…”
The MF® “Topsiders” pattern was first introduced during our Spring 2014 mfsc “Sea Hunt” collection.
The style was adapted from the familiar WW2 US Navy wrap-leg denim dungarees models. Originally released in the illustrious “Okinawa 301”, a Fall version followed in a special “Marine Nationale” denim twill, both made in Japan at the time.
For Fall 2017, we decided to add the popular Topsiders pattern to our Sportsman catalog, and release a made-in-USA edition cut from vintage New Old Stock fabric, a fine lot of crisp 100% cotton Olive Drab Herringbone Twill. Somewhat similar to the Buzz Rickson’s replica fabric inspired by 1940’s USMC utilities, our NOS textile is in a bit darker shade of green (kinda OG Shade 7 meets OG-107), and features a slightly lighter ounce. Our OD HBT is a bit heavier than the khaki HBT Sportsman Chinos released for Spring 2017, for those familiar with that NOS textile.
High-waisted and full-legged, with a nice drape, our HBT Topsiders are designed with a vintage 1940’s military dungarees silhouette in mind, not yoga leggings.
The MF® Topsiders OD HBT edition are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
Note: Production of the MF® Topsiders come without stencil/perso ID.
SPECS: FABRIC: Crispy 100% cotton New Old Stock Olive Drab Herringbone Twill.
DETAILS: * Pattern adapted from an original pair of WW2 US Navy denim dungarees. * High-waisted, roomy straight leg, vintage 1940’s military utility trousers silhouette. * Wrap-leg construction (no side seams). * Button fly, metal tack buttons, oxidized black donut type. * Vintage USMC-style oxidized black Wreath & Star donut type waist button. * Two functioning rounded-bottom front patch pockets, two deep rounded-bottom rear back pockets. * Adjustable back cinch strap. * Skinny belt-loops for 2” wide belts. * Flat felled seam construction for seat and inseam. * 100% cotton tonal stitching. * MF® Sportsman green inside chainstitch accent. * Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT: The MF® HBT Topsiders come raw/unwashed. A low-maintenance garment, we recommend an initial cold wash, full agitation, heat dryer. Once washed and dried, the HBT fabric will fully reveal its attractive texture. This process will also emphasize the subtle puckering of the seams/stitching, a commun characteristic of vintage workwear. I opted for a size 32, with a generous waist and full silhouette. I adjusted the back strap strap, fully cinching it. I could squeeze in a Waist 30, but, with this model, subjectively preferred the wide leg and comfortable silhouette of the Waist 32.
Please refer to the chart for approximate measurements. (Raw & fully rinsed and dried)
CARE: The MF® Topsiders NOS OD HBT are low-maintenance.
Machine wash when needed, cold/warm water, delicate cycle, eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry or tumble dry.
Available RAW/unwashed. Waist x Length: 28 x 34 30 x 34 32 x 34 34 x 34 36 x 36 38 x 36 RETAIL $289.95
Mister Freedom® Ranch Blouse & Californian LOT.64 BB “OKINAWA” edition. Sportsman catalog, mfsc FW2017 Made in USA
We are giving our original Ranch Blouse and classic Californian 5-pocket Blue Jeans a new handsome skin for Fall 2017, adding the updated version to our catalog of made-in-USA goodies, regrouped under MF® The SPORTSMAN label.
This fabric option is an old mfsc favorite, the mighty “Okinawa 301”, a ‘hairy’ 14 Oz. left-hand twill indigo denim, blend of 20% sugarcane fibers and 80% cotton, with a white/green line selvedge ID.
For the occasion, we also tricked-out our Californian LOT.64 by adding a rear cinch (aka buckle-back), thereby introducing yet another member to the Californian family, the LOT.64 BB “Okinawa” with its midnight blue flasher.
The “Okinawa” denim has enviable fading abilities and will progressively develop a desirable patina overtime, with normal wear/wash cycles.
However, it is less the denim type than the actual wearer that should be credited for amazing fade patterns, as demonstrated by the few jaw-dropping worn specimen of MF® Ranch Blouses sported by friends from Thailand, members of the Pronto Denim gang of workwear aficionados. See some examples below.
Not sure what this fine crew does to those jackets, but the results are incredible! Thank you for the commitment and support, Gentlemen. Don’t hesitate to submit a photo (hi-res) of your worn Ranch Blouse to sales@misterfreedom.com (with your full name for proper credit), we’ll happily add them to this gallery and our Mess of Blues line-up!
For more Instagram indigo adventures from the Land of Smiles, check out this denim squad (apologies if i didn’t get the names right):
Mr. Kang Chantrasri (Kan745)
Mr. Yuttapon (Yuttapon23)
Mr. Aticha Tragunthanan (aticha_acha)
Mr. Nueng (Nueng_n93), …
For more cool photos from this fine denimhead community, check out the Mister Freedom® Thailand Gang Facebook group.
The Californian LOT.64 BB “Okinawa” and Ranch Blouse “Okinawa”, which can be purchased separately, are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co., from selvedge denim fabric milled in Japan.
SPECS CALIFORNIAN LOT.64 BB “Okinawa”
FABRIC: “Okinawa 301”, a hairy 14 Oz. left-hand twill indigo denim, white with green line selvedge ID. Milled in Japan on narrow shuttle looms, from a blend of 20% Okinawan recycled sugar cane fibers and 80% cotton. POCKET BAGS: VintageFrench New Old Stock (NOS) woven stripe workwear twill, 100% cotton.
DETAILS: * Classic vintage five-pocket pattern. * Button fly. * Selvedge leg outseam. * French vintage NOS stripe fabric pocket bags. * MF® original white “M” stitch design on rear pockets. * Unbranded natural cowhide leather MF® patch on rear pocket. * Twelve types of 100% cotton threads (gauge and color combination) used for construction. Main colors are yellow and orange, with special 2016 Election red and white accents. * Coin pocket with concealed selvedge. * Selvedge button hole fly placket. * Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket reinforcement zig-zag stitching. * Unlined rear pockets. * Original silver-color ‘oxidized’ MF® metal cast waist/fly buttons. * Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement. * Original MF® paper pocket flasher (midnight blue). * Made in USA
SIZING/FIT: The Californian LOT.64 BB “Okinawa” blue jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. A tagged W32 x L34 will shrink to approximately 32 inches x 34 inches after a soak/dry process. We recommend the usual protocol cold soak/spin dry/line dry/wear briefly when still damp to set creases/line dry until fully dry. The size that will work for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I wear my usual Californian blue jeans W32 in the LOT.64 BB, for a comfortable fit. The fit pix show a pair of W32, cold-soaked once, worn on/off for about 1 week, with some more shrinkage/stretching down the line. We recommend getting your usual waist size, although proper fit is a subjective matter and everyone has their own idea of what looks good. As with all denim twill, shrinkage and stretching will occur for a while and will depend on the wearer’s body, activities and initial fit. Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements.
Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
Available RAW/unwashed ONLY. Sizes W28 x L32 W29 x L32 W30 x L32 W31 x L32 W32 x L34 W33 x L34 W34 x L34 W36 x L36 W38 x L36 Retail $329.95
SPECS RANCH BLOUSE “Okinawa”
FABRIC: “Okinawa 301”, a hairy 14 Oz. left-hand twill indigo denim, white with green line selvedge ID. Milled in Japan on narrow shuttle looms, from a blend of 20% Okinawan recycled sugar cane fibers and 80% cotton. FACING: French vintage New Old Stock (NOS) woven stripe workwear twill, 100% cotton. DETAILS: * Early round-type collar, A-1 style. * ‘Vintage’ boxy but fit silhouette. * Pleated front with original MF® arrowhead dart stitching. * Original MF® “M” stitching on chest pockets. * Selvedge front panel fold. * French vintage NOS stripe workwear twill facing for collar and pocket flap. * Metal cast MF® branded buttons, ‘oxidized’. * Buckle back, concealed selvedge strap, adjustable, riveted. * Copper rivet reinforced, unmarked, leather washer. * Combination yellow/orange 100% cotton stitching. * Original mfsc printed cloth label. * Made in USA
SIZING FIT: The Ranch Blouse “Okinawa” comes UN-WASHED and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol cold soak/spin dry/line dry/wear briefly when still damp to set creases/line dry until fully dry. I wear my usual Ranch Blouse size in the “Okinawa” version, a cold-soaked 38. Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
Available Raw/unwashed ONLY. Sizes 34 X-small 36 Small 38 Medium 40 Large 42 X-Large 44 XX-Large Retail $379.95
DENIM CARE: Wash denim jeans and jackets when needed. Machine wash inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Wash separately from light-colored garments. Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
