Fade Contest Winner: Jordan Johnson

About your denim

Fit: Pen Slim 14oz 

Color: Indigo Raw

I have owned the denim a couple of years now, but I try to put tallies in for the number of wears. I am at roughly 175 wears in this specific pair of denim. I wear them for everything: casually around the house, dates, hikes, playing with the kids, work, etc. Since I got into denim, I typically strive for those big contrasting fades. I think with this specific pair, they have about 4-5 washes and a couple soaks. 

Tell us about yourself.

I am a husband and father above everything else in life. My family is my WHY and I am who I am today. My wife and I have been married 10 years and have been together since high school. We have two children, a boy and a girl, and a baby coming in August. Once you have kids, life begins to revolve a bit around their interests and experiences we can introduce to them, so that has been a very satisfying part of this chapter of life. 

Professionally, I have worked in education for almost a decade. I taught elementary school for 8 years, but have since moved into administration, currently serving as an assistant principal. Right now, it is a difficult job with some very hard days, but always so rewarding to work with kids and help guide them into the awesome individuals they will become. 

I have been on instagram for 3-4 years now. It all began as a hobby once I acquired my first pair of redwing boots, and slowly overtime, I added more and more heritage pieces to my collection. With the growing wardrobe, a small following came as well, and I am so grateful to all that choose to follow along. 

What are the most fulfilling and challenging aspects in your work?

I went into education because I loved working with kids. Honestly, for me, it has nothing to do with the content being taught- The kids and their lives are the content. Having the ability to help young people learn through difficult situations in life and having the opportunity to speak life into how to best navigate those situations is easily the most rewarding part of the job. But there is also nothing like seeing those lightbulbs go off when they finally grasp that difficult concept that you have been working on. 

The job will always have challenges, much like any profession. I’d say the most difficult part of the profession is the outside negativity that is constantly being thrown on education. Whether a principal, teacher, Instructional assistant, cafeteria worker, etc., these people are dedicating their lives to the future generations. They deserve the highest respect. And also a liveable wage would be nice. 

As an educator, do you incorporate your educational experience with your own children?

As a teacher, principal, and father, I always have found that building relationships is the number one objective. You will never connect with any individual or be able to teach them anything if there is not a strong relationship established. If you think back to your favorite teachers in life, odds are they gave time in class to just share conversations, talk about life, have fun, etc. There is a reason you remember those specific individuals. They made an impact. Not because they simply taught you some dates in history, but because they were simply in your corner. As an educator and father, I have found that sharing my past experiences in life, good and bad, is desired by these children. They want to know who you are outside of the four walls and about your life. Let them learn from your failures and borrow ideas from your successes. 

What is your purchasing style? and how do you coordinate your outfits on social media?

Over the past couple years, my purchasing style has been to buy quality pieces that can pair with multiple things in my wardrobe. But I also am attempting to stay minimal, so when purchasing these new quality pieces, I attempt to replace a few fast fashion pieces for that one new item, whether selling or donating the old. The goal is to buy quality pieces that will last forever. 

How long have you known KATO & what do you like about us? 

I won a contest a few years back where I won my first pair of Kato denim. Since then, Kato has become one of my favorite brands to snag awesome gear from. Personally, they have the best fitting bottoms, both denim and chinos, for my figure. I have both the Pen and Axe fits in my wardrobe and both are great! There are a lot of great heritage brands out there, but I always include Kato in my recommendations. 

What is it about selvedge denim that makes it stand out compared to other denim?

I think people that are drawn to selvedge and raw denim are people that strive for quality. People that are observant often make comments that I always cuff my jeans or point out the super clean seam on the cuff. Selvedge pops out and looks awesome, but it also pays tribute to the old school practices of making denim in the past. Additionally, when you begin to enter that world, you become passionate about avoiding fast fashion and buying from smaller brands that focus on quality.