Mechanic Utility Trousers - OG-107 Cotton Sateen

PATTERN:
Freely-inspired by 1950s USAF Mechanic Utility Trousers (MIL-T-4335A) and mfsc 2014 Mechanic Utility Trousers.

FABRIC:
100% cotton, vintage Mil-Specs cotton-back sateen, OG-107 color, 9 Oz., milled in Japan.
Facing: Indian orange all-cotton ripstop.

DETAILS:

• Original msfc pattern, freely inspired by 1950s USAF Mechanic Utility Trousers style.
• Mid-high rise period cut.
• Two front slash patch pockets.
• “Utility/map” pocket, left leg inseam, mid-calf.
• Button fly, brown corrozo wood buttons.
• Quick release side cinch tabs, 2-inch waist adjustment.
• Contrast “Indian” orange snap caps on tabs + cotton ripstop facing.
• Two rear patch pockets, single flap.
• Flat-felled seam sturdy construction.
• 100% cotton thread stitching, tonal.
• Mister Freedom® mfsc “Survival School” double labeling: woven rayon “MFSC NAVAL CLOTHING TAILOR” topped with printed “EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH UNIT” labels.
• Made in JAPAN.

The Mister Freedom® MECHANIC Utility Trousers OG-107 come UN-WASHED, cut so that actual measurements match the labeling after the initial cold soak/line dry shrinking process. Recommended protocol:

• Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
• Machine spin dry cycle and line dry.

These are considered true-to-size.
A tagged W32 will most-likely be the right size for an individual with an approximate measured natural waist of +/- 32 inches, and with average body proportions.
I opted for a W30 in the MECHANIC Trousers  — my usual current size in mfsc jeans/trousers at 5’7 ~145 lbs — for a fit top block (tabs un-cinched) and comfortable straight leg silhouette.

Note that the side tabs allow for a 2-inch waist adjustment when fully-cinched (second snap.)

We recommend hemming the pants to your desired length after the shrinking process. The simple 1 ¾  inch folded hem only requires single-needle machine work, and traditional hemming will look sharper than rolled cuffs.
The waist size that will work best for you depends on your body type and how you like your pants to fit.
Please refer to size chart, reflecting rinsed measurements.

Launder when needed.
Turn garment inside out to avoid marbling during laundering. Machine wash, cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Excessive and irreversible shrinkage may result from using hot water and heat dryer.

We are freely borrowing again from a vintage pair of 1957 New Old Stock “TROUSERS, UTILITY, COTTON, SAGE GREEN, CLASS 2, HEMMED BOTTOMS, SHADE 509” (MIL-T-4335A) from our archives.

Issued to US Air Force Aircraft Mechanics in the mid 1950’s, these cotton sateen “grease monkey” pants are immediately distinguishable by their USAF sage green fabric, front single pleats, double thigh tool pockets, and long cinch-waist adjusting tabs. They somewhat have the ‘look’ of the lower half of a pilot flight suit.

Compared to the ubiquitous 1950s-60s OG-107 cotton sateen Utility Trousers — their military fatigue MIL-T-838 brother-in-arms, sometimes referred to as “Baker” pants —, vintage specimen of USAF MIL-T-4335A are rare birds.

We initially modified the pattern/fit/features/fabric of the USAF originals back in 2014, and released the MF® Mechanic Utility Trousers in an indigo Cavalry twill.
We kept the functional side cinch tabs — allowing for a quick 2-inch waist adjustment —, but left off the front pleats and thigh tool pockets. Instead, a single utility pocket was relocated along the inseam of the left leg, ‘sandwiched’ in the flat-felled seam, mid-calf, convenient for storing map/gloves/tools/phone/etc.

The main update for this FW2023 edition of the MF® MECHANIC Trousers is the fabric, pretty much going back full circle to the original 1950s version, fabric wise. We opted for a 9 Oz. vintage Mil-Specs cotton-back sateen, OG-107 color — that classic shade of Olive Green we all love. Milled in 2024 as close as it gets to its 1952 US military cotton-back sateen predecessor, our MECHANIC fabric is bound to age as gracefully as vintage specimen did. For that worn-in look, you will have to do the wearing, as we are still not caving-in to factory-distressed processes.
The OG-107 color base fabric is complimented by subtle “Indian” orange contrast accents, visually matching our “Survival School” concept. The blazing orange snap caps and concealed orange ripstop fabric facing are nods to vintage US Military survival/signal gear.

The MF® MECHANIC Trousers, OG-107 cotton sateen 2023 edition, are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. Fabric milled in Japan.