Pair of Kings

Where does your field jacket actually come from? Were WWII soldiers the original hypebeasts? What is the M-43 jacket? Sol and Michael sit down with Avery Trufelman, host of Articles of Interest and 99% Invisible veteran, to break down the military origins of menswear and why everyone's suddenly obsessed with gorpcore. The trio dive deep into the history of the M-65 field jacket, how World War II military surplus shaped American fashion, the invention of layering (yes, someone had to invent it), why Special Forces operators became fashion influencers, and the complicated ethics of wearing military aesthetics as civilians. Further, Avery shares insights from her latest podcast season "Gear," explaining the connection between outdoor brands and military contracts, the decline of army surplus stores, why The Row is making combat boots now, and how Buck Mason's militaria collection tells the story of American style. They also discuss Vivienne Westwood's punk legacy, the upcoming Antwerp Six book, athleisure as health signifier, Rick Owens' influence on tactical fashion, women's gear and the "pink it and shrink it" problem, plus whether military fashion makes you complicit in something larger. Other topics include: the Parsons jacket and Supreme-style military drops, George Doria inventing venture capital AND the field jacket, challenge coins and PowerPoint patch design, Americana Pipe Dream's hunt for rare surplus, Cher and the Armenian diaspora (a future episode?), and why fashion never really goes away — it just cycles back.Want to support the podcast? Subscribe to our HeroHero for giveaways, extra episodes, and more!We hope you enjoy just as much as we did recording!Lots of love!Sol---Episode Tags: Avery Trufelman, Articles of Interest, military fashion, field jacket history, M-65 jacket, gorpcore 2025, menswear history, military surplus, tactical fashion, outdoor gear fashion, American style origins, 99% Invisible, fashion podcast, cargo pants history, Special Forces fashion, athleisure, Rick Owens menswear, The Row combat boots, Vivienne Westwood, punk fashion origins, Antwerp Six, Buck Mason, vintage military clothing, workwear fashion, heritage menswear, Americana Pipe Dream, OG-107 pants, archival fashion, techwear, Stone Island, CP Company, Helmut Lang, fashion trend forecasting, militaria collection, Patagonia military, Arc'teryx fashion, North Face history, functional fashion 2026Sol 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] to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month Links: Instagram TikTok Twitter/X Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All) Sol’s Instagram Michael’s Instagram Michael’s TikTok

Is that Chrome Hearts real or fake? Should guys actually use skincare? Why are "stylists" wearing head-to-toe counterfeit on the subway?Sol and Michael are back for a boys episode as they chat about spotting fake Chrome Hearts (and why people can't dress when they wear fakes), the perfume habits of Albanian men in the club, men's skincare routines that actually work (CeraVe, The Ordinary, La Roche-Posay) from an unsponsored viewpoint, men's skincare mistakes (and why Neutrogena face wash is apparently destroying everyone's face), the best affordable skincare products for guys, putting sports stylists getting in fashion jail, how Telfar bags are priced, the best fashion Black Friday sales, how to tell if designer fashion is counterfeit, Philadelphia sports culture (Go Birds), AI-generated restaurant menus (?!), people designing merch on Canva, why fashion people need to touch grass,  andtheir massive skincare giveaway (you could win everything). If you'd like to support the podcast and be entered into our wonderful skincare giveaway, subscribe to our HeroHero!We hope you enjoy :)Lots of love! Sol---Episode tags:Chrome Hearts fake, men's skincare routine, how to spot fake designer, CeraVe skincare, The Ordinary products, men's grooming, counterfeit fashion, Chrome Hearts legit check, affordable skincare men, fashion podcast, fake fashion culture, La Roche-Posay, skincare for guys, vitamin C serum men, designer authentication, fashion styling critique, men's face wash, beginner skincare routine, Chrome Hearts real vs fake, drugstore skincare, fashion commentary podcast, men's moisturizer, skincare products men need, fake designer problem, fashion culture discussion, Pair of Kings podcast, men's grooming essentials, budget skincare routine, counterfeit spotting guide, fashion styling mistakes 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] to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month Links: Instagram TikTok Twitter/X Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All) Sol’s Instagram Michael’s Instagram Michael’s TikTok

Who were the best designers of Paris Fashion Week 2025?Sol and Michael are talking the future of fashion this week! The duo sit down with Mandy Lee (aka oldloserinbrooklyn) to chat about fashion trend forecasting before TikTok existed (and TikTok fashion trends), microtrends vs macro trends (and why everyone's obsessed with ranking them), the Simone Rocha bride aesthetic, designer fashion show debuts in 2025, what it's really like being a Gen Z fashion influencer, how TikTok changed fashion predictions forever, the politics of fashion discourse (and why fashion people need to touch grass), pandemic TikTok origin stories (chainmail, anyone?), freaky shoes collections, why the fashion industry ate its own during COVID layoffs, fashion community building, Neo-punk revivalism right-wing mommy influencers (yes, that's a thing, apparently), and whether liberals are losing the culture war on the internet (among other things)!Want to support the podcast? Subscribe to our HeroHero for giveaways, extra episodes, and more!We hope you enjoy just as much as we did recording!Lots of love!Sol---Episode tags: trend forecasting, microtrends 2025, Simone Rocha, old loser in Brooklyn, Mandy Lee, TikTok fashion, Gen Z fashion trends, designer debuts 2025, fashion show rankings, Brooklyn fashion, pandemic TikTok, fashion predictions 2026, balletcore, coquette aesthetic, fashion industry, runway analysis, fashion podcast, fashion forecaster interview, Sandy Liang, quiet luxury, mob wife aesthetic, fashion and politics, neo-punk revival, fashion community, fashion discourse, freaky shoes, Y2K fashion, fashion career advice 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] to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month Links: Instagram TikTok Twitter/X Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All) Sol’s Instagram Michael’s Instagram Michael’s TikTok

Is Glenn Martens a good designer? Who owns Maison Margiela (and thus, controls the brand)? Are Margiela gats, futures, tabis, and shoes enough to carry a designer through their tenure? Join Michael and Sol as they chat about what it means to be a designer in 2025, Maison Margiela shoes, John Galliano, Martin Margiela, Hedi Slimane Jeans, Saint Laurent's rebrand (why did YSL change to SLP), mm6 (and the connotations of the line), Margiela's Line 2, Vetements Hoodies (and how to legit check vetements hoodies (they're all fake)), how fashion changed with social media, what the connotations of a hoodie/t-shirt/sweatpants changed, Sol's weird date, if Thom Yorke is a zionist, and Dubtribe Sound System's "Do It Now" (among other things)!If you'd like to support the podcast and be entered into our wonderful Toskovat fragrance giveaway, subscribe to our HeroHero!We hope you enjoy :)Lots of love!Sol---mens fashion podcast, margiela 2026, demna balenciaga, glenn martens designer, y project fashion, diesel fashion brand, gucci flip flops, streetwear trends 2026, luxury fashion for men, designer fashion explained, north face style guide, mens style tips, fashion podcast recommendations, balenciaga worth it, margiela review, streetwear essentials, mens fashion trends, designer sneakers 2026, hypebeast fashion, fashion for guys, mens streetwear guide, luxury streetwear brands, demna gvasalia designs, is balenciaga overrated, gucci slides styling, mens fashion advice, ski jacket streetwear, designer hoodies men, fashion podcast spotify, mens style 2026, streetwear fit check, designer brand tier list, margiela vs balenciaga, mens fashion basics, streetwear on budget, fashion trends explained, mens wardrobe essentials, designer fashion worth it, streetwear outfit ideas, fashion for young men, luxury fashion guide, street style men, fashion podcast youtube, mens fashion mistakes, designer clothing review, fashion trends tiktok, streetwear brands 2026, mens style evolution, fashion content creators, pair of kings podcast 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] to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month Links: Instagram TikTok Twitter/X Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All) Sol’s Instagram Michael’s Instagram Michael’s TikTok

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!If you want to hear episodes early, support the podcast, and be included in all of our giveaways, subscribe to our HeroHero!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---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] to get early access to podcasts and videos, and participate in exclusive giveaways for $4 a month Links: Instagram TikTok Twitter/X Sol's Substack (One Size Fits All) Sol’s Instagram Michael’s Instagram Michael’s TikTok