25 Nov 2025 06:00
Dr. Sonya Abrego (@sonyaabrego) on Men's Westernwear, The History of American Denim, and Where to Buy Vintage Jeans | 13.8
Where DO you find the best vintage jeans? This week, Dr. Sonya Abrego, the world's preeminent Westernwear historian joins Sol and Michael to talk about vintage jeans, American-made denim, the Cone Mills Corporation, Lee Jeans (and why pocket designs matter!), what IS selvedge denim, (and what is raw denim), her greatest finds from her days as a picker, the modern landscape of denim, how to date levis, what is so special about raw denim (especially if it's made in the US), some myths about denim production, the craziest denim/workwear brand you've never heard of (not a joke, Sonya blew my mind), her newest research, and so much more!
Thank you so much to Dr. Abrego - we hope you enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed chatting with her!
Lots of love!
Sol
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0:00 Dr. Sonya Abrego - Western Wear Expert & Fashion Historian0:35 What makes vintage Levi's valuable? 2:02 What is selvedge denim? 4:04 How to date vintage Levi's jeans 5:52 Where to find vintage Western wear7:14 Why is Western wear popular?11:52 What is raw denim?14:37 Best vintage clothing stores 18:20 How to authenticate vintage denim 22:45 Cone Mills denim? 28:30 Japanese selvedge denim brands35:15 Kapital clothing brand guide42:00 How to identify vintage cowboy shirts48:25 Western wear trends 202553:40 Where to buy vintage jeans online58:10 How to care for raw denim 1:02:35 Is vintage clothing sustainable? 1:06:20 Ranch wear vs Western wear difference 1:09:09 Spaghetti Western fashion influence1:12:59 Best Western wear brands today
Sol Thompson and Michael Smith explore the world and subcultures of fashion, interviewing creators, personalities, and industry insiders to highlight the new vanguard of the fashion world. Subscribe for weekly uploads of the podcast, and don’t forgot to follow us on our social channels for additional content, and join our discord to access what we’ve dubbed “the happiest place in fashion”.Message us with Business Inquiries at [email protected]Subscribe to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month
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