# Buying Nantucket Reds



## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

I'm off for a three week trip to New England next week. This had always seemed like something far in the future but now the children are off school and we're travelling in just a few days. 

Spending most of our time near Boston, with a side trip to NYC, and also a week at a lake in New Hampshire.
Seeing as I will need to buy at least one pair of shorts for the New Hampshire trip, I was thinking of Nantucket Reds, and then thought seeing as I'm in New England, shorts and also trousers might be a good buy.

A few questions.
Is it best to buy the "real" thing from Murray's Toggery Shop?
Other brands I've looked at online are O'Connells and Ralph Lauren. Are they all much the same?

Do they shrink much?
Saw a pair on ebay listed as 32" but they are tagged as 34".


Thanks for any info.


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## swils8610 (Mar 12, 2016)

I have a pair of red shorts from Murrays and a pair of long pants from O'Connells. Both are nice. The shorts are a little more casual and the pants a bit more business casual. Both are true to size.


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## swils8610 (Mar 12, 2016)

O'Connells are made in USA. Murrays are made in China.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
Having both, I too prefer the reds purchased from O'Connell's. I also have a pair purchased from BB and although the color is marginally different, the trousers have proven quite satisfactory.


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## xcubbies (Jul 31, 2005)

You may want to think twice, as it's largely the tourists who wear Nantucket reds here.


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## August West (Aug 1, 2013)

xcubbies said:


> You may want to think twice, as it's largely the *tourist*s who wear Nantucket reds here.


Isn't that exactly what he'll be? That said IMO, the shorts would be less conspicuous, as they are ubiquitous these days.


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## Drew4au (Feb 17, 2013)

You could also wait until you're in Boston, take a side trip up the Red Line to Harvard Square, and see what they have on sale at Press and the Andover Shop. May not be reds -- which you don't see a lot of outside of the Cape and Islands -- but worth browsing around. In Boston Proper, North River Outfitters on Charles Street in Beacon Hill is having a sale too.

I have red trousers from Press and Murray's. They're about the same, though the cloth from J. Press is marginally nicer. My shorts from Bill's are my favorites, alas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DRWWE (Jul 6, 2009)

I bought a pair of reds from Murray's early this year. I wash them, hang them to dry, and they did not shrink at all. I really like them and think they breathe beautifully during hot weather. My wife hates the color, though.


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## CSG (Nov 22, 2011)

Reds are very much wannabe pants/shorts but if you're gonna get them anyway, Murray's is the place to go if you want authentic. I thought they'd brought back the Made in USA versions as well as offering the Chinese ones as well. I don't wear them as I don't live in that rather narrow world back east of old money yachtsmen. In Idaho, khakis are a safer bet.


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## MFoley1956 (May 19, 2014)

Regardless where you get them (Murray's is preferred) they are not going to be presentable until they've been washed a few dozen times. Soaked in salt water and dried in the sun is even better, but that takes longer.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

xcubbies said:


> You may want to think twice, as it's largely the tourists who wear Nantucket reds here.


I know exactly what you mean.
I'm from Ireland but live in England now.
When I was back in Ireland last Christmas I bought a great Aran sweater in a sale.
All my in-laws laughed. They're pretty much only worn by tourists these days.
But I get compliments on it when in England.

Thanks for all the replies about Nantucket Reds.


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

Odradek said:


> I'm off for a three week trip to New England next week. This had always seemed like something far in the future but now the children are off school and we're traveling in just a few days.


This trip sounds like a once in a lifetime sort of thing, or at least not someplace you go regularly, so buy the friggin' pants. Don't be that guy driving home thinking, "Darn, I should have bought the pants because I have no idea when I'll visit there again."

This also applies to women.


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## TallLefty21 (Jul 19, 2016)

xcubbies said:


> You may want to think twice, as it's largely the tourists who wear Nantucket reds here.


Shorts aren't that rare IMO. The pants are very rare, can't remember the last time I saw them in CT/RI/MA TBH.


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## rmpmcdermott (Oct 27, 2015)

Doctor Damage said:


> This trip sounds like a once in a lifetime sort of thing, or at least not someplace you go regularly, so buy the friggin' pants. Don't be that guy driving home thinking, "Darn, I should have bought the pants because I have no idea when I'll visit there again."


This. Do what makes you happy. O'Connell's and Murray's are both great and from my experience true to size so either would be great. And beat the hell out of them, that's how they fade to that great pink color.


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## cglex (Oct 23, 2006)

I live in Boston and wear the real thing from Murrays. The pants occasionally, the shorts often. My standard summer gear is a rotation of Murrays shorts in red, green and khaki/stone. They only scream tourist when they are new. Over the years there has been slight variations in sizing, but not much. My khaki "red" pants I bought 5 years ago, have a slightly slimmer cut than the red "reds" I bought 15 years ago. I don't care where they are made. I haven't seen O'Connell's version, but most imitations I have seen have a dressier look and are poplin or twill instead of the summer canvas material used in Murray's.


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## challer (Sep 4, 2008)

You must live on a different part of the cape. In Falmouth, a high percentage of the residents seem to wear reds year round.



xcubbies said:


> You may want to think twice, as it's largely the tourists who wear Nantucket reds here.


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## orange fury (Dec 8, 2013)

Like has been said, but reds if you like them. I love reds, and have pairs from Ralph Lauren, Murrays (for Corbin), Tommy Hilfiger, etc. I live in Texas and I've never received a negative comment- though I wouldn't necessarily care if I did. 

Theyre interchangeable with khakis for me- just about everything goes with them.


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## xcubbies (Jul 31, 2005)

challer said:


> You must live on a different part of the cape. In Falmouth, a high percentage of the residents seem to wear reds year round.


Maine is no longer a part of Cape Cod, though we also have a Falmouth (where Nantucket Reds are rare).


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## Moonshae (Jun 9, 2015)

Mine are from Murray's. They're nicely faded now, and only getting better. The material is nice, heavy breathable cotton, which I particularly like. I have them in blue and the traditional red. Wear them as a tourist and then when you're home, no one will have any idea what they are but faded pink shorts.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

I wore BB Nantucket red pants to mass today with a BB d-ring madras belt. They might be ubiquitous in some parts of the country. However, in Alabama, they are just unique enough to garner many compliments. It helps that both the pants and belt were purchased at an 80% discount from retail ($18 for the pants and $10 for the belt - still going on by the way).


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Well I'm in New England now, currently in rural New Hampshire with a very slow internet. 

I bought a pair of Murrays, second hand on eBay. Nicely faded but great condition. They are tagged as 34 but the seller had them measured as a 32" waist with fits me well. 

One question though. Murrays website mentions them being cut loose around the seat. Is this very obvious? These ones I bought are quite loose, so the ID almost think of having the seat taken in, but maybe they're supposed to be like that. Otherwise a good fit.

My sister in law, who we are staying with in Boston, made it clear she does not like them at all. "Very wide" was her main comment.


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## Charles Dana (Nov 20, 2006)

Odradek said:


> I bought a pair of Murrays, second hand on eBay. Nicely faded but great condition. They are tagged as 34 but the seller had them measured as a 32" waist with fits me well.
> 
> One question though. Murrays website mentions them being cut loose around the seat. Is this very obvious? These ones I bought are quite loose, so the ID almost think of having the seat taken in, but maybe they're supposed to be like that. Otherwise a good fit.
> 
> My sister in law, who we are staying with in Boston, made it clear she does not like them at all. "Very wide" was her main comment.


It sounds as if the trousers started out with a 34-inch waist, which was then taken in two inches. That would explain why the waist fits you well but the seat is reportedly too big.

It's hard to give you specific guidance without a seeing a photo of you wearing the trousers. Generally speaking, it doesn't matter what a garment is "supposed to" look like--it either flatters your particular body or it doesn't.

There's nothing wrong with trousers that are designed to have a full fit; they can, and usually do, look perfectly fine. However, fullness is a continuum: when a full fit veers into the baggy or sloppy category, it's time for an alteration--or a different pair of trousers altogether.

If you don't like how the seat fits and feels, consider having it taken in, regardless of what the seat is "supposed to" feel like. YOUR clothes have to fit YOU and only you.

Really, though, a photo would help.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

I'm up in Bartlett, New Hampshire, for the next five day and the trousers are back in Boston, so maybe when I get back there.


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## inq89 (Dec 3, 2008)

Odradek said:


> I'm off for a three week trip to New England next week. This had always seemed like something far in the future but now the children are off school and we're travelling in just a few days.
> 
> Spending most of our time near Boston, with a side trip to NYC, and also a week at a lake in New Hampshire.
> Seeing as I will need to buy at least one pair of shorts for the New Hampshire trip, I was thinking of Nantucket Reds, and then thought seeing as I'm in New England, shorts and also trousers might be a good buy.
> ...


I've been meaning to take the plunge and try their trim fitting M Crest Collection, made in USA by Gitman Bros. But they are at a premium of course and I've yet to see them go on sale on the website.

Otherwise you're better of with eBay. If you're a W32 then I'm looking to get rid of my regular fit shorts to make room for the M Crest. Already hemmed to 7.5" inseam since I like them shorter than the standard 9.5" (rise 11" total outer length 18.5" leg opening 12.5"). Or anyone else interested just PM me.

Also if you aren't a stickler on buying the famous original Murray's, our other favorite trad label JPress has it's own USA made nanny reds. W32 still in-stock as with many other sizes left as of this posting. Now on final sale for $60 from $120. Pretty solid deal.


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## Odradek (Sep 1, 2011)

Odradek said:


> I'm up in Bartlett, New Hampshire, for the next five day and the trousers are back in Boston, so maybe when I get back there.


Just back in Boston. Hopefully this image uploads.









To to me the seat needs taking in a bit. The waist does not look likeitsbeen altered, unless someone did an incredible job. Looks like shrinkage might account for them being 32 when tagged 34.
But maybe they're supposed to be this loose.....?


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## Charles Dana (Nov 20, 2006)

Odradek said:


> Just back in Boston. Hopefully this image uploads.
> 
> View attachment 16387
> 
> ...


Yeah, those are too big in the seat. Too much excess fabric back there. It needs to be taken in.


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

To add to the data on shrinkage, I ordered some of the cloth from Murray's and ran it through a warm washer/drier after making 12" marks on the length and width. The width shrank next to nothing, but the length lost more than 3/8" per foot, or over 3%. That would be slightly more than an inch for most guys' inseam. 

Murray's says not to dry-clean trousers-- I am assuming that is a consequence of construction and not the actual fabric.


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## Bermuda (Aug 16, 2009)

Just wore my first ever pair of Murrays Reds the past two days. Probably my favorite pant I own now! Amazing tough and comfortable fabric. Everyone loves the color as well. Definitely worth the money


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## ClarenceRogerVictorShir (Sep 2, 2016)

I have one pair of shorts and one pair of trousers both from Murrays. I wash them in cold water by themselves and hang dry. IF they feel a bit stiff, i throw them back in the dryer on no heat with a tennis ball for 30 minutes and it softens them up. I bought the shorts before the pants so I can see the difference in the color as time goes on changing to more of a brick than the red it starts as. I'm not sure how other makers would evolve over tine but the murrays have character and they're tough as hell


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## Randy Carson (May 7, 2017)

Are Nantucket Reds normally cuff no break or no cuff no break?


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## Old Tartan (Oct 4, 2012)

Randy Carson said:


> Are Nantucket Reds normally cuff no break or no cuff no break?


I have always seen them no cuff no break ... and usually no socks.

OT


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## Randy Carson (May 7, 2017)

Nantucket Reds from Murray's Toggery arrived today. 38/30 with a 1" cuff fit like a glove straight out of the box.

I am one...happy...camper.


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## FLMike (Sep 17, 2008)

^1" cuff? Why even bother? I wouldn't consider a cuff less than the standard 1.5".


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## Randy Carson (May 7, 2017)

Because Murray's Toggery, the original purveyor of Nantucket Reds, sells them that way. From the website:

Introduced in the 1960's by the late Philip C. Murray, the original Nantucket Reds™ pants have become a symbol of island life. Inspired by the color of the sails that embarked the coast of Brittany, France, our iconic cotton canvas pants are guaranteed to fade.
_Details_
*• Traditional fit, classic fuller cut through the leg and seat
• 100% cotton
• Sits at waist
• Button closure and zip fly 
• Slant front pockets
• Welt back pockets, left with button closure, right open
• Lined waistband and lined pockets
• Pre-washed
• Machine wash cold, hang dry
• Unfinished at 38"
• Finished at 30" and 32" inseam with 1" cuff
• Imported 
• DO NOT DRY CLEAN*


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## FLMike (Sep 17, 2008)

^Very interesting. Had never seen that. Seems odd to me.


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## Charles Dana (Nov 20, 2006)

Randy Carson said:


> Because Murray's Toggery, the original purveyor of Nantucket Reds, sells them that way. From the website:
> *
> • Unfinished at 38"
> • Finished at 30" and 32" inseam with 1" cuff*


I have exactly the same concerns as FLMike does.

I'm a 1.5-inch man. (Cuff! I'm talking about cuff!)

So regarding Murray and the Angry Inch:

If you are happy with those 1-inch cuffs, that's all that matters. But for future reference, keep in mind that you don't have to settle for whatever style of pre-made hems/cuffs a retailer wants to foist on you. 
What you can do, in the event you don't like how a retailer finishes off the trouser legs, is buy the trousers unfinished, and then have a local tailor hem/cuff them however you please.

I, for instance, being a 1.5-inch guy (with respect to cuffs--that's cuffs!!) would have bought the Nantucket Reds at their unfinished 38-inch length and then had my alterations person tailor them with 1.5-inch cuffs. The extra expense would have been worth it to me in the long haul. (But not worth it, of course, to someone who doesn't mind a 1-inch cuff.)


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