A Love Letter To orSlow Fatigues
On intentionality and pants
Bear with me—I’m new here.
I’m new to Substack, and I’m fairly new to men’s fashion. But I’m not new to raving about things I love—and my god, do I love my first pair of orSlow Fatigue pants.
I’ve dabbled in men’s fashion over the years but always felt priced out or unworthy of the scene. Lately, with some extra time on my hands, I’ve been diving into the world of menswear, figuring out my own sense of style and where I fit into the larger ecosystem of fashion.
And yeah, I get why people call it a journey. I spent months lurking on substacks and fashion blogs, admiring from afar, but never feeling compelled to take the plunge on a big purchase. Then, finally, I did it—I bought a pair of orSlow’s Fatigue Pants in green. And let me tell you: I get it.
Specific shoutout to and that great community for nudging me forward on this journey.
The moderate taper strikes that perfect balance between straight and loose. The muted olive green to make it timeless and versatile. The reverse sateen fabric, the elongated side pockets—it’s all in the details. The moment I put them on, I could feel the craftsmanship. (Am I doing this right??? Please, critique and call me out.)
I’ll be honest—I underestimated how it feels to wear something that not only looks great but is built to last. The price tag made me hesitate. At $220+, I had to be intentional. Would they sit in my closet, too “nice” to actually wear?
Then I came across this excellent post from
:“That’s the magic of clothes that look worn—they stop feeling stiff and start feeling like part of you. They carry a character and ease that can’t be faked, and that’s what makes them cooler every time you wear them.”
The “character” they mention resonates with me the most—it’s about recognizing the uniqueness of a piece, how it feels personal to you, and how it evolves over time. That simple mindset shift made a real impact. It gave me a strange kind of permission to actually use nice things. I’ve basically been living in these pants.
Buying with intention feels different from mindlessly shopping for something cheap. Saving up, considering the value, and choosing something that truly fits into my life—it makes a difference. And every time I put on these pants, I’m reminded of that intention. It’s a small change, but that intentionality moves with me throughout the rest of my day.
A part of me is resisting this post—calling myself out for getting attached to material things, overspending, overindulging, or whatever you want to label it. I hear that voice loud and clear. But at the same time, it’s a simple, mostly harmless pleasure.
Lately, I’ve been trying not to overthink those small joys and savoring them as they come.
If you're on the team that thinks spending $200+ on pants is pointless and raving about them online is even worse, I get it.
But man, have you tried them on?
Beautiful piece Joey- I felt the same way about a pair of Japanese denim I spent roughly the same amount on. Initial hesitation, but I just love the way they look, and the craftsmanship that went into them. They’ve aged with me through the years; the patinas and stains a various memory of happy days. Let’s spend our money on things that truly add joy to our lives… we can’t take it with us!
I have a set of the original OG107's Utilities that these are based on, I should really break them out more often, the pockets on the originals are massive. Shout out to the successors, the Jungle uniform in poplin, those are also bangers.