Swabbies Cut-offs – OG-107 cotton sateen

SPECS

Following their navy blue HBT debut release, the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS are now available in a classic 9 Oz. vintage Mil-Spec OG-107 cotton-back sateen fabric, in that timeless US military shade of Olive Green we all love. Milled in 2024 as close as it gets to its 1952 GI ancestor (unlike most contemporary overly-slubby commercial renditions), our OG-107 cotton sateen will age as gracefully as that of vintage fatigues.

Wear the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS at the original mid-thigh length, hem them shorter, roll them, or chop them and let the bottom fray (as I did with my navy blue HBT release), they are versatile short pants boasting a vintage pedigree, with a tough military/workwear classic vibe.

The mfsc SWABBIES CUT-OFFS are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.

PATTERN: An original mfsc pattern inspired by US Navy 1940’s-50’s private-purchase denim bell bottom trousers aka dungarees.

FABRIC: 100% cotton, vintage Mil-Specs cotton-back sateen, OG-107 color (classic US military Olive Green), 9 Oz., milled in Japan.

DETAILS:

• An original mfsc pattern inspired by US Navy 1940’s-50’s private-purchase denim bell bottom trousers aka dungarees, cropped into short pants.
• Hemmed at mid-thigh, can be cropped to one’s preferred length.
• Wrap leg (no outseam.)
• Black 1940s-style laurel leaf starburst metal donut waist & fly buttons.
• Front pockets combining complex patch-type and slash-type pattern due to the challenge of the wrap leg. No open seams.
• Rear patch pockets cut using horizontal warp.
• Flat lock chainstitch construction.
• Tonal all-cotton stitching.
• Bar-tacked stress points.Woven rayon mfsc “AREA 7161” label on inside waistband.
• Made in Japan.

SIZING/FIT

The SWABBIES CUT-OFFS come UN-WASHED and are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:

• Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
• Spin dry and line dry.
• Wear briefly before fully-dry to set creases, then hang until fully dry.

I had opted for a W31 in the Denim Swabbies bell-bottom trousers, for a fitted top block, comfortable thighs and period flares. I went with a W30 in the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, for both OG-107 Cotton Sateen and navy blue HBT versions.

CARE

Launder when needed, low maintenance.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.

STORY

The Mister Freedom® SWABBIES were initially released sometime in 2020 as full-legged bell-bottom denim trousers.

The pattern inspiration had come from a rare pair of 1940’s-50’s private-purchase naval dungarees from the “Portlite Uniform” maker, extensively documented here. If these conformed to the general silhouette and specs of traditional US Navy-issued denim dungarees — with authentic 1940’s-style navy bells and a traditional high waist —, they featured really fancy tailoring and intricate pattern work for a pair of utilitarian trousers. The apparently-inconspicuous two front pockets are actually a very clever combination of two types of pocket patterns, slash and patch, a construction tour-de-force on a wrap leg that only makes sense when studying the inside of the pants.

The SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, as the name implies,  are simply a cropped version of the SWABBIES, bye-bye bells. We hemmed the inseam at about 6 inches, for a mid-thigh length.

A common practice in tropical Theater of Operations in the old days, salty Navy personnel would chop-off their faded dungarees and turn them into swim shorts or off-duty bermudas. Another common practice was to undo the top button, and wear the shorts with the waistband rolled-down, as was often the case with UDT Scuba Trunks.