Happy Thursday, reader. We're talking about denim today. It's not exactly that it's being replaced by athleisure, but sweatpants ethos is infiltrating everything. Plus:

• Oktoberfest is coming: Time to train for all those steinholding competitions.
• Doc Martens that need no break-in time? A new collection awaits.

How Sweatpants Became the Jeans of the 21st Century

American closets have been defined by their steadfast embrace of blue jeans for over a century, but have we finally reached peak denim? That’s a question keeping certain players in the fashion industry up at night as a new item looks to become the garment of the century: sweatpants.

Yes, sweatpants. Their proliferation has been anecdotally seen in all corners of the sartorial ecosystem, from social media feeds to catwalks to the press, but their rise and denim’s fall are now being reinforced by some concrete statistics. A market research report from McKinsey last year, for example, indicated that adults under 35 — fashion’s biggest consumers — are the group least interested in buying jeans now, with less than a third saying they’re likely to buy jeans as their next pants purchase. Gen Z adults, specifically, are even less interested.

Yesterday, we asked where you sleep when you camp, You said: 

• In a rooftop tent like Brock (5%)
• In a well-appointed yurt. Glamping is not a dirty word! (20%)
• In my cozy camper van or trailer (23%)
• In a tent on the ground, like a normal person (52%)

How to Train for (and Win) an Oktoberfest Steinholding Competition

Steinholding, known traditionally as masskrugstemmen, is the most German of Oktoberfest fare. As of late, though, the game has taken off in the United States. There are dozens of “Hofbraü qualifiying locations” throughout the country, and the national championship takes place at Central Park SummerStage each year, as part of the German-American New York City Oktoberfest and Steuben Day Parade.

The game is a classic, and likely on the docket this month at a microbrewery near you. If you plan on attending, it might be time to give steinholding the old college try. And while lasting 20 minutes is probably out of the question, you definitely don’t want to be the first one out. Fortunately, there are some training steps you can take ahead of the competition to build up your beer muscles.

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Dr. Martens Solves a Common Complaint With Their Ambassador Boots

Once the emblem of counterculture punk rockers and British rebels, Dr. Martens has evolved into stylish, go-to footwear embraced by a broad spectrum of people — from street-savvy trendsetters to bankers, baristas, bass players and anyone looking to inject some attitude into their ensemble. They can now officially be called tried and true, with their iconic air-cushioned sole almost as recognizable as a pair of Classic Chuck Taylors. That status has inspired designers, from Rick Owens to Comme des Garçons, to put their own spin on Doc’s unique silhouette over the years. With their distinctive yellow stitching and trademark soles, Dr. Martens’s easy-on-the-wallet lace-ups are a style staple that’s here to stay.

For a brand to stay relevant, however, it must evolve, and this season Dr. Martens is doing just that.