Vintage Military Dialogue

How should a girl dress vintage military items?

Firstly, please advise young girls how to dress the military clothing.

Kojima

As the major premise, Japanese girls often try to avoid a military-styled outfit since it somewhat obtains a delinquent, punk-flavor in their perspectives. It’s just like the culture that they mark a huge skull-figure with rhinestones on the back of a military outer. In addition to the intense outer, if a girl applies a think makeup, she will definitely be categorized as a “bad girl” in the society. However, if a girl has a pure, natural, and clean look, she will be perceived just like a military idol; moreover, no one will ever think wearing a military item is a “fashion” if she doesn't apply any makeup. Furthermore, it is such a tough mission to impress people “you are fashionable” when dressing a military item while you aren’t in Omotesando or Harajuku, the urban areas. Thus, how naturally a girl dresses a military-outfit is what makes them stylish or not.

Fujihara

I see… Being a girl sounds so tough, haha. On the other hand, boys rather care about knowledge than how it looks, so being a boy might be much effortless.

Kojima

Yes! Girls merely values their appearances! Recently, oversized clothing is on fire because of the VETEMENTS movement, hence an inevitable timing to enter the vintage military world. Various sizes are currently available from oversized to just-sizes, not like in the past with fewer choices in sizing.

Among the young female generation, MA-1 and European military berets were booming this winter.

Fujihara

The boom was just too tremendous. I couldn’t count how many girls were wearing MA-1 just wandering five minutes around Harajuku station.

Kojima

Yeah, most of the young people dressed a MA-1-ish outer with a skinny denim and All Star Hi as the prevalent outfits. Among relatively fashionable teenagers, they adopted brands like ALPHA, renowned for its red ribbon, and AVIREX, well-known for its big logo on the back. I see the intense and expressive designs are today’s trends such as MA-1, M-51, and M-65 as the mainstreams of outers.

Fujihara

Unfortunately, no one wears vintages, haha. They probably perceive damages as defects. Nevertheless, they wouldn’t acquire a deadstock with a great condition as well.

Kojima

I can definitely comprehend the contemporary, military-inspired clothing is easy to suit with various styles, but I personally yearn the youth to discern the authentic vintages. Especially, the GIRL HOUYHNHNM readers are up-to-date stylish youth, so I guess they understand what I mean where they probably enjoy being distinctive from the prevalent fashion. In addition, vintage items are broadly categorized into two styles; the real worn-out item and the immaculate deadstock, and there are also two types of people who matches either style. For me, I prefer and often wear the overused items, but the deadstock doesn’t suit me.

Fujihara

I guess a woman with broader shoulders doesn't suit the worn-out vintages.

Kojima

Generally, the sizing is vital. The military clothing is the best uniform to conceal your actual body shape. While the military items are made for a large figure, women’s slim parts such as arms to wrists and legs and ankles stand out beautifully.

Were berets marketable in BerBerJin?

Fujihara

Well, we don’t supply much accessories including berets.

Kojima

Yeah, the U.S. is basically your mainstream, right?

Fujihara

Exactly. We intentionally avoid European stuffs, haha.

Kojima

Honestly, I feel the same; European vintages are “too” fashionable. For example, tiny details such as the way Europeans adopt a flap-bag to their outfits is way too elegant, so I feel the American style is just right on me.

Fujihara

I sometimes feel “oh, it’s lit” on the European military clothing, but its sewing skill is generally not satisfying. On the other hand, the U.S. products retain an excellent quality. For instance, German military pants, which were trendy shortly before, were easily loosen its sewing.

Kojima

Isn't that because the wars occurred in Europe were much older than the Americans? Thus, the sewing skills were worse then.

Fujihara

Not really. Even when comparing the items produced at the same era, the U.S. product is much better. I guess it’s because Americans were so robust and put crazy efforts into wars.

When were you awaken into military vintages, Ms. Kojima?

Kojima

I presumably got into it when I initially started designing clothing. Additionally, I had been thinking M-65 was quite pretty since I saw Kate Moss wearing it.

Fujihara

Nowadays, I see you only dress olive greens.

Kojima

Well, I love pure designs of military clothing as well as its colors.

Fujihara

Actually, brown is the very first color which was used for American military and flight products because those had been made of wool, not cotton. Thereafter, the mainstream of color gradually shifted to olive green because of its higher functionality, and people perceive “military = olive green” today. Olive green is pretty prevalent color in a city nowadays, so I think it must be uncomplicated to style it into a lady’s outfit. For instance, if you dress khaki corduroy pants, people identify them as a military clothing. Anyway, I wanna suggest girls to initially enjoy fashion regardless of “military” stuff.

Kojima

Mackintosh, for example, uses an elegant khaki for its product, so it could be a great introductory piece to enter the olive green world. Moreover, the authentic military items were of course worn by the actual soldiers in the past, so dressing it could encourage people to attain peaceful mindset and even contribute to the world peace. We don't put on military clothing because we like a war, but we rather do in order to weaken the “war” impression by dressing it as fashion. Furthermore, a lady in a military-style is somewhat fascinating. There must be a special attraction when a girl dresses military clothing.

Fujihara

The military clothing from a designer’s brand is acceptable in my view, but I strongly prefer the youth to purchase an authentic piece, which is the origin of all military-inspired items. Plain military pants are one of the greatest introductory items to start with since the pants can be worn in any style. If a person desires a bit more challenge, camouflage pants are also awesome to begin with.

What, in specific, should a girl scrutinize the military vintages?

Since we just have a talk on military pants, I’d like you to chat about military items that are easy-to-suit with any style.

Fujihara

I’d say cotton pants and baker pants are well-adaptive products.

Kojima

Even when the pants are the equivalent models, every olive color differs to each other by its thicknesses of cotton and the dates of manufacture. I personally favor the pants which consist of outside pockets and rip-stop fabrics, woven fabrics that are generated with a special technique which resist from tearing and ripping. I heavily care about comfortableness of pants, so I prefer lighter rip-stop fabrics to the non-rip-stops. Moreover, baker pants without outside pockets are recently booming among unstylish young girls, so I’m quite sick of it.

Fujihara

Haha. Today, you’ve brought your own favorite items, right?

Kojima

Yeah, mostly I bought at your store though, haha.

I’ve never seen military pants as small as this one.

Kojima

Probably, the pair is remade since the original size cannot be as tight as its current form. I was recommended that the pants are small hence should fit me well, and it certainly did.

Fujihara

The model was manufactured in 1968, so the pants were probably supplied to an army during Vietnam War. The pattern is so-called “green leaf”. Furthermore, there is a model called “brown leaf” where obviously the proportion of brown is higher, but the green leaf is often more popular. The appearances are immensely disparate when the occupancies of the two colors are different.

Kojima

I feel the green leaf is more pop while the brown one is gloomy and somewhat sorrow.

Fujihara

The piece you have obtains rip-stop fabrics, but there are also a lot of non-rip-stop pants in the market as well. Military clothing nuts usually seek for green leaf × non-rip-stops since they are relatively rare, but I’d suggest girls to own a model with rip-stops.

I see, but I don’t think girls are so attentive to whichever fabrics the pants comprise, haha.

Kojima

Exactly. As I mentioned previously, girls rather care about their looks than its history, knowledge, or materials of an item. Even if an item is invaluable, girls don’t put it on when it doesn't suit them. In my aspect, after they earn knowledge and comprehend values of vintages, judging what’s good by their own eyes is desirable.

Fujihara

True. Like when you try on an item in my store, I always stand next to you and explain the item. You ask me, for example, “what’s this detail meant for?” and I describe it with some additional information. I’m specialized in a product’s “explanation”, and you are specialized in “dressing it well”. When a small-sized, valuable piece arrives the shop, I always keep it for you and let you try it on when you visit the store to see your reaction and learn how you dress it, haha.

Kojima

I sometimes feel “bruh, that’s lame” with your recommendations, haha.

Fujihara

I remember a very memorable scene when I showed you the 1940’s mountain troop’s outer for the first time. Even a man feels it’s “too military and manly” when fastening its belt, yet you dressed it just like that, and I was so impressed how cool you were. Nowadays, I was discerning that women prefer the fastened-belt style, but you were way above the trend by perfectly styling it with 40S jacket.

Kojima

Haha, thanks. I generally dress thermal tops inside of the jacket and fasten up the front to present it like a vintage dress.

Fujihara

Usually, belts are ripped or lost with the other equivalent models, yet yours stays the superb condition. In addition, there is another belt hidden in the lining of the back part and huge pockets on back.

Okay, please tell us about M-65 next.

Kojima

That’s on fire in the city now. I hate being “one of them” person, so I purposely put the hood this winter since most of the people wear the jacket without it, haha. Since M-65 is one of the most renowned and classic model, so I didn't own it for a long time in the past. However, one day at BerBerJin, I found the really cool one, so I immediately bought it in your store. The size I have is regular-small, so I dress it for a bit oversized style. Additionally, I have another piece which is the size XS with an immovable hood. I often buy the classic, famed models with different sizes.

Fujihara

M-65 is still prevalent in the market, but a deadstock including a hood, a shell, and a liner is getting so rare and hard to find today.

This piece seems very old as well, but it’s so pretty!

Kojima

I also love it. The item is categorized as the U.S. navy’s deck parka, so it sufficiently resists water from light rain and I’m fond of its lightweight material. I also like the entire figure where the back hem is quite wide which presents the beautiful A-line.

Fujihara

I rarely encounter as the great condition as your item in the market nowadays. Mostly, the olive colors are heavily faded. This model was generally worn as a rain jacket in the past, so the lining tapes inside of the jacket are hydrolyzed and peeled off. Yet, yours seriously stays an extraordinary condition!

Kojima

Honestly, I was initially looking for a Baxter State Parka from L.L. Bean, but I couldn’t procure it since it’s not being produced recently, so I half-compromised to buy the jacket. I frequently dress it with sweat pants and Bean boots without laces or plain sandals.

Kojima

This is the only piece I didn’t buy at BerBerJin among today’s lists in which I purchased it at a recycle shop in Taishido, Tokyo. Moreover, my current boom is MA-1, so it’s lately just relaxing in my closet, haha. This L-2B doesn’t comprise inner cotton, hence hard to distinguish it from MA-1.

Fujihara

I can recognize it since it obtains the epaulettes.

Kojima

No one notices it except you, haha. By the way, this L-2B holds several traces being cut by a knife or whatever sharp thing, yet it’s being repaired exquisitely. The specialty and distinctiveness got my heart.

Fujihara

The items you brought here today are all worn-out vintages, but recently, deadstock from 2000s is simultaneously getting notable. The deadstock is designed to be comfortable and agile in a battlefront; thus, the clothing is manufactured by the latest technology. Mostly, they weren’t degraded, so ladies can attain it in a fresh quality.

Fujihara

For instance, valuable deadstock was generated by the world leading outdoor brands such as Patagonia, Arc’teryx, and Wild Things in 2007, so its materials are exceptional, and they deal the products at really low prices. Actually, the military-style clothing from these brands doesn't possess a brand logo on its surface.

Kojima

Wow, that’s awesome. I personally don't dress the clothing with a brand logo, so it seriously is beneficial info, especially Patagonia’s military item is fire. In fact, camouflage and earth-colored products from designers’ brands are completely disparate from the authentic items in depths of colors and its entire auras. Hey, is there the equivalent item with a smaller size in the store now?

Fujihara

Oh sorry, that’s currently out now. Until several years ago, the items were prevalent in the market, but it’s hard as hell to procure the smaller sizes nowadays. Buyers even compete in the U.S. market.

Fujihara

Still, I have an alternative. This is the U.S. army’s outer manufactured about five to six years ago called Monster Parka. The product was made for the sake of people living in a really cold area to wear it over their outers, so even the small size is tremendously large. XS is the best size for girls, but they are unfortunately sold out.

Kojima

(Try on the small size) Well… way too large despite of its size. It’s much more than oversized. Did you try it?

Fujihara

Yeah. It actually fits me perfectly in terms of sizing, but I would really look like a real soldier, haha.

Fujihara

As well as vintage denims, military vintages are also collector’s items where they are so competitive, so you’d better seize them before military nuts capture them.

Kojima

We’d better frequently visit a shop, but anyway, I hope more people to hit various vintage stores to be preoccupied into the vintage world.