Saturday, January 11, 2014

Papa Nui wears the Eastman USN t-shirt.

How often do you read the description of products as being an authentic pattern based on a period original? All the time I bet, and yet you know its all bullshit but these companies honestly believe their customers will buy these claims. Well not this Papa!
Gary Eastman of the Eastman Leather Company has done what every other company claims to have done, except that this time its the real deal. Using several vintage WWII USN t-shirts as a base, Gary has used the best of Japanese manufacturing techniques to pull these originals apart stitch for stitch and then recreate them in especially loomed wheel-looped slub cotton jersey. The results are outstanding and worthy of the 2 years R&D it took to develop the idea.
The fit is awesome with a narrow and close fitting body shape with a shorter sleeve and a neck opening that is wider that a crew but not ridiculously scoopy either. In short, its about as perfect as you can get without buying a dead-stock original. This is high praise I know, but realistically this is perhaps the best t-shirt I've ever owned and coming from a part of the world where t-shirts are the au-rigueur you get to know real quick what's what.
Beautifully packaged and priced at UK 39.99 it's a must buy for any true enthusiast.


Packaged in a small printed cardboard container this tee is beautifully presented.


Fit reference, yes I knew you'd want to know about this so Giggles got her camera out to shoot this expose.
The Papa is wearing his new Corsairs Cap in Experimental Night Op's colourway and original American Optics aviators sunglasses.


Note fit: slim through the torso but not contemporary tight. Sleeve is short and fits just above the biceps. Neck opening is actually really flattering and doesn't choke rub and irritate like a crewneck tee does. Length is sufficient to tuck in and stay tucked but not too long as to not be worn out.


Sizing is genuine and accurate. In everyday wear I would normally wear a size medium, somewhere between a 38"-40" or around 18" across the shoulders ( the way I ensure vintage purchases fit me is always to know my shoulder measurement). In these photos I'm wearing a size 38". At first it appeared quite snug but after repeated washes and wearing the size is a beautiful fit, by far my favourite tee I own and the beginning of repeated purchases.

Nomenclature contract print is authentic and is reproduced exactly from the original samples.

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