Started by digging into Matthew Williams’ background cause that dude made magic with Alyx. First thing I bought? The same damn rollercoaster buckle he used everywhere. Not cheap! Found a seller listing hardware parts, clicked buy, waited a week sweating bullets hoping it wasn’t junk.
When it finally landed, I took one of my old Carhartt jackets straight to the garage. Grabbed the pliers, ripped off the cheap plastic zipper pulls and those useless metal hook things near the collar. Scattered bits everywhere. Felt brutal. Like dismantling something perfectly fine hoping it gets better.
The Sewing Machine Fight
Okay, installing the buckle. Looked simple online. Total lie.
- Tried threading heavy-duty thread. Broke.
- Jam every time the needle hit the buckle’s curve.
- Machine sounded like a dying lawnmower.
Gave up. Went to my buddy Mike who repairs Harley leathers. His industrial machine just ate it. Cost me two beers. Learned: You need serious tools for serious hardware.
Copying The “Vibe” (Poorly)
Watched interviews where Matthew talked about “utility” and “feel”. Figured it meant muted tones and thick fabrics. Went thrifting:
- Found an oversized military shirt – too grey, washed it to fade more.
- Grabbed heavy cotton pants – chopped the legs unevenly “deconstructed”. Looked sloppy, not cool.
Tried layering: shirt, thin hoodie, jacket with buckle. Felt bulky. Looked messy. Took pictures. Hated them. Realized copying the look ain’t the same as getting the secret. His stuff hangs right, moves right. Mine didn’t.
That Moment It Clicked (Sort Of)
Kept staring at runway pics. Saw how Alyx mixes super technical pieces with simple basics. Thought maybe it’s about contrast? Took the buckle jacket and threw it over the plainest white tee I own + simple black jeans. Cleaned it up hard.
Still felt off though. Tried walking around different, standing taller, pretending I belonged in it. Helped a bit. Then my wife walked in and laughed. “You look stiff, relax!”. The attitude matters. Not just the clothes. Matthew’s designs feel lived-in, confident. I wasn’t there yet.
End of experiment? Spent money on buckles, ruined a jacket, annoyed Mike, looked awkward in photos. But: I understood that Alyx ain’t just clothes. It’s hardware obsession + tailoring guts + wearing it like you mean it. Maybe next time I’ll nail one of those.
