Gear Patrol

Fashion trends are as capricious and dispensable as the blasé hipsters who sport them. Enduring appeal, on the other hand, is hard to come by. That’s what makes the both Levi’s and its 501 Jean such icons; it’s why we keep a framed poster of the 501’s history on the wall here at the GP offices. In a masterstroke of marketing, Levi’s put together this energetic film, which reminds us just how rich the 501’s history is.

It’s pretty clear that our staff is passionate about gear, and as we strive to bring you the best of the best, we also want to take the time to share our own personal favorites. These are the goods we personally own: our essentials. Over the next few months, we’ll bring you each of our writers’ 10 personal favorites. By the look of things, the selection will run a wide gamut, from heirloom pieces to the most practical of gear that can be easily procured — a gear fingerprint, of sorts. Last but not least, each will share one “holy grail” item that still remains the stuff of dreams, out of reach, but hopefully only temporarily so. This week, we check out the goods of Bradley Hasemeyer, GP’s Auto Correspondent and Behind The Wheel host.

In 1957 the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar was a spry three years young; that same year, Levi’s original 1873 patent for riveted denim work pants — the first jeans — was already an octogenarian. But that doesn’t mean those jeans didn’t love to rock ‘n’ roll. As part of a series paying tribute to America’s vintage Hot Rod culture, this spring Levi’s is rolling out one-off garments and items that would love to take your pink slip at the drag strip.

Though Daniel Craig pulls off a solid fashionable Bond, let’s be honest: what we’re buying tickets to see is the grizzly aftermath (and pre-math, and during-math) of his nasty violent streak. He’s got to look like a killer while he does it, and the Levi’s Vintage Clothing Jacket that he sports in Skyfall does the…

GEAR PATROL SPONSORED POST The classic style of Levi’s products is undeniable. We’re even wearing a pair of 501′s as we type this. Since patenting the first jean for the Gold Rush miners over a hundred years ago, Levi’s denim has continued its reign as an American style icon with unmatched craftsmanship. Originally made for…

$55 | Levis.com

Combining two of America’s best and oldest names in classic rugged clothing, Levi’s (1853) and C.C. Filson (1897) have teamed up to produce a small line of very cool new products based on their respective heritages. Many are classic Filson patterns done up in Levi’s denim, but some are just the opposite. The real standout…

Thanks to capitalism, competing entities rarely team up. Coke and Pepsi won’t be making Copsi anytime soon, and Honda and Toyota will not be bringing us an Camcord. Luckily for our benefit though, two titans of American clothing have bucked the rule and teamed together (2010 Miami Heat style) to bring us something truly spectacular….

J.Crew continues their march to bring men well-curated, distinctively heritage inspired American attire. This time, it’s Levi’s Vintage Clothing – a collection of denim wear recreated (by hand) with the original spit and polish used in 1873. An era when clothing was a not a temporary affair. Gear Patrol was invited to check out the…

By Gear Patrol Reader Matthew Swaggart: The other day, my buddy called a local Saks Fifth Avenue store and asked if they carried Levi’s Capital E brand jeans. The salesman quipped, “Levi’s! No, we don’t carry Levi’s.” His tone was overtly snarky, to which my buddy replied with a few choice words and hung up…