A close up of the fading ww2 army air forces stencil ........

Fresh out of the aviators kit bag where it was stored.

THE B-15

This is the cleanest B-15 i've got .It's a type 3220 from W&C CLOTHING CO.dates from 1944.For those of you who collect or just enjoy this type of jacket,you know how hard it is to find them without any flaws right !!?

BACK TO THE ARCHIVES

While browsing through family pictures ,I came across an interesting one.It was taken i guess around 1962 and my dad was serving as a"sous officier" for the french army during the Algerian conflict at the time.The french army back then was still using a blend of US surplus, French made uniforms and field gears.it started in ww2 with the free french troops of the famous 2nd armored div for example and went on,up until the mid 60's.It's very common to find pictures of french paratroopers in indochina wearing USMC camo.My dad got his hands on a B-15 and a pair of US chino pants.He is wearing them with his officer's beret shaped as a cap .Very Steve Mc queen i might say .......i've always loved that very worm and versatile jacket .This picture is one of the reasons why,i've started to be interested in vintage clothing. I've always loved that B-15.It was also one of the very first piece i've purchased.Upgrading along the years for cleaner more wearable ones .......

MY FIRST TIME ....

One might have noticed by now,if reading my poor prose,that english isn't my native language.To reassure possible followers,if any,i'll say that this blog, was born in part from the desire to improve my writing .So i'll try hard not to disappoint them....Enough digression here and let's go back,to what the original intent of this weekly post is:"my first encounter with vintage denims".Well !!,judging by what is,i believe,the oldest unearth picture,it was in 1968.My sister and i were at my grand parent's house in the summer and my godfather,back from a trip to the USA, brought some gifts for me to enjoy.It was pair of button fly 501 ,a university of Georgia sweatshirt and a wrangler jacket[don't remember the model] .All were used and from a thrift store .i must say i was thrilled and have worn them to death.It is ,i guess,the only surviving picture left from that time and looking at it, still brings a smile to my face .Mostly while looking at my sister .My mom made her that cute little dress she's wearing .I think from original tahitian cotton fabric ......

my dad wearing his LEE RIDERS  back in the late 50's. gotta love the attitude .chanbray shirt ,long silk scarf and the usual cigarette to complete the look.the cigarette is long gone now .

IN THE BEGINNING...or, the first pair of jeans

I guess everything started with my dad ,as it should right !??He was born in 1941 in Alger and as being a child of the war ,was at an early age immersed in American culture .With the allies landing in north africa in 1942 [2 years prior to the big one as part of the "operation torch"]came along the usual set of goodies traveling with the troops at that time .jazz music ,coca cola ,hollywood movies and so on .... you name it ,they've got it.It was more with the "second wave" and the Marshall plan in 1947 that things really happened.As part of the european recovery effort ,north Africa was early on submerged with huge surplus coming from America . civilian clothings,militaria,movies,records,books.Anything and everything you can imagine.So i guess it was a normal step, as teenager at that time, to emulate his "heroes". They were all American back then:Dean,Brando,Elvis,Hemingway,Steinbeck....they were trying anything to look like what they were seeing on the big screen ,to look and dress the part .Got to look sharp ,impress the girl ..right!?? My dad was one of them guys.I remember stories of my dad ,in the 50's,going to the flea market in Alger and buying jeans and chambray shirt for less than a $ and my grand mother being mad at him,wanting to through them away as they were considered to be clothes for "poor people" .It was a shame bought upon the family .well !! ,i guess it didn't work that way as i can tell you that the "disease " has been transfered  to the next generation and " votre serviteur" is here to testify ......