Being afflicted with thunder thighs and liking raw denim can be a frustrating experience (judging from your comments I am not alone). I’d owned a few pairs of raw denim when I got invited to participate in the Denim Debate, most of which straight up didn’t fit.
Straight Leg raw jeans didn’t seem to be cut for anyone who wasn’t built like Pete Dohrety. So, I got in touch with John Webb at AB Fits and started picking his brain on what jeans might actually work. His recommendation was the Dope + Drakkar x AB Fits #1198 jean. I’ve had them a little over 2 months now and couldn’t be happier. Construction is top notch (refer above) from a 13.5oz Japanese selvage. This weight has been versatile, not too light in sub-freezing temperatures, and not sw-ass inducing in hotter climes. The fit is “easy” while retaining the straighter slim aesthetic, important to me as I wear them to the office. The yoke rode quite high initially, but has broken in comfortably. My goal is not to wash them for the first year, but at a minimum six months. The fact that the #1198′s were sanforized was a nice bonus as it takes a lot of the crazy denim math required with STF (shrink to fit). The indigo is proving quite stubborn fading wise, but my Billykirk No. 92 is making its presence known. Overall I’m looking forward to bringing you a hands on perspective on a denim brand you might not have known about, and wear the hell out of these #1198.
