setterman

6 hours ago, JDelage said:

I was wondering how narrow the 1002 are. The measurements suggest a fuller leg than the 660, no? 

Comparing the 1002 to the 660, my size 36 1002 would be close to a size 37 660, if they made one.

My size 36 1002s are about 1/4" to 3/8" narrower through the leg compared to my size 36 800s. And the 1002s started out bigger than the 800s. The 1001 denim the 1002 is made out of shrinks more, nearly 1" in the thigh, compared to the 1/2" the 800 shrank up. 

17 hours ago, MileHighEvertonian said:

thanks, setterman. I just realized both pairs were the kagai with denim pocket bags and longer inseam, neither of which I need or want. So, I'm going to keep the 1000 recommendation in my back pocket for now. 

Not a fan of the denim pockets either.  Made sure when I picked up my 800s that they had the standard white cotton pockets. 

Spring catalog for Warehouse is up.  Not photos yet, but they're going to do a Duck Digger 1003SXX and 1003XX too.  Also, a lot number I'm not familiar with, 1550.  

http://info.ware-house.co.jp/product/season/wh2017ss/

Does he measure rise differently?  Because a 11.6" front rise, pre or post wash on a size 38 20s 501, is wrong. Measurements look short on the smaller sizes too, but doesn't look short in the fit picture.  

37 minutes ago, MileHighEvertonian said:

could use something closer to SCs top block but with a shade less hip flare/diaper butt. Thanks.

 Get the 1000.  I have the size 1003XX from a couple years ago (same pattern as 1000) and a pair of SC47s, both in a size 36.  The 1000 will be little smaller everywhere except the waist.  The 800 will be noticeably smaller everywhere except the waist when compared to the SC47.  The 1000 gives the 40s look without the messed up proportions of the SC47s (IMO, the 47s are too wide in the leg on the bigger sizes)

5 hours ago, PeterParker said:

 

Well shit, this is all news to me. I was a bit surprised by their 25% off sale last month, was eyeing a pair of FC or Kapital TH but it was a tough year so I decided against a splurge; now they're both no longer stocked. Pity that the classic cuts aren't as popular as the more modern cuts.

I wonder if they're not as popular, or if sales are down enough across the board that they can't afford to have anything in stock that isn't turning over within X number of weeks or months.  It may be that they can't afford to have to have any pair of jeans sitting on a shelf for 6 to 12 months before they sell.  

If there's any bright spot in this, it seems like brands like Warehouse are pretty easy dealing with directly and shipping to the US.  Ya just better have a pretty good idea of what ya want and need.  I've asked in the past how model A compares to model B and their reply was to send me the measurements.  Yeah, I saw those on your website already!      

Yeah, I get the feeling the 660 is their only consistent seller from WH.  Kinda surprised the 1002 didn't moved since it's very similar in cut to the 660 (low, narrow).  Don't know if people didn't care for the Lee details or what, but IMO they made for a much more interesting pair of jeans in a store full of Levis copies.

I wouldn't be surprised to see their WH lineup trimmed down to just the 660, 800, and 900.    

They need to bring the bull's head patch back for use across the line up.  Bored with the one they've been using on their standard jeans the past 8 or 9 years.  

In case no one's noticed, 1002 and import models of the 1000 and 800 are on sale at BiG.  Hope WH isn't going the way of FC at BiG.    

Glad to see some updates from you in various threads Maynard.  

Hopefully the new version of sufu, and people having a much easier time posting photos from their phones, jump starts this place. 

Thanks! Certainly makes life easier not having to mess around with an image hosting site. 

Let's see how attaching a picture straight from the device works. Lot 800, 1003XX, and 700.

They use goatskin because that's what A-10 gloves were made out of originally.

not sure what you'd consider a better leather than goatskin. 

Thankfully single digits aren't too common, even here!

And it's not like we'll die of hypothermia in our vintage jackets at those temperatures, we're not as warm as we could be!  Couple years ago though during the polar vortex when it was well below zero, the combo was definitely down jacket with a down parka worn over it.     

In case anyone was wondering, single digits is when the Demotex N-1 gives out.  5F degrees today, and over a chambray shirt and acrylic and mohair sweater, I could feel the cold creeping in through the shell. I could put on a heavier sweater, but it seems like single digits is the point where the alpaca isn't going to keep warmth in better than it can keep the cold out.                 

Picked up a new Buzz blue, zip front deck jacket recently.  Had a size 48 from HPA for years, but it was huge on me.  Found a NWT size 44 on ebay, so bought it and sold off the old one.  The material (shell and lining) in the older one seemed slightly heavier, and the lining a tighter weave than in the new model.  Wearing one of these jacket again reaffirms my belief they're best suited to temps 40 degrees or warmer.  They, and other deck jackets lined with wool, can be worn below freezing, but you're going to need layers if you aren't engaged in a physical activity like hiking or shoveling snow.           

50 minutes ago, aho said:

^More of a personal impression than anything backed by actual numbers; I've just never felt LVC sold well and certainly not at the scale of say standard issue 501's, 511's, etc. Indeed, people are buying, and they keep producing otherwise they would've nicked the line long ago. I  honestly appreciate the dedication to brand history, and though not perfect and definitely competing against lower priced alternatives, I think most of the issues we have against the line are results of internal organizational/brand cultural limitations despite the size and scope of Levis as a whole. 

Yes, obviously nothing resembling the scale of the standard 501.  But, if Instagram is any indication of it's popularity, there's over 35,000 photos under the levisvintageclothing hashtag.  This is thousands to tens of thousands more than the other brands we see here.  I think the brand is bigger, as are it's revenues, than we give it credit for. 

33 minutes ago, aho said:

I've always considered it a loss leader, 

Why?  The Japanese brands seem to be able to turn a profit in pretty niche market.  Why wouldn't LVC, a world wide brand, with the Levis name behind it, not make money?

Figure the jeans cost $40 to produce, wholesale in the $80 to $100 range, stores try to sell them at the required $260 to $285 MSRP, and when they clear them out they sell them for $130.  If you can't make money selling reproductions of vintage Levis, while the Japanese have at least a half dozen brands that can and have done so for the past 15 to 20 years, something's wrong with your business model.     

Speaking of stores, when in a local (if 90 miles away is truly local!) shop recently, I asked them about the various brands they carry, and why.  They mentioned they'd considered LVC, but after Levis sent them a couple inches thick legal agreement they decided it wasn't worth the hassle.  

23 hours ago, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

left W30 1978 repro, to right W35 original vintage.

Can't find the raw measurements for a size 30, but post wash front rise is supposed to be around 10".  So I'd assume those raw size 30 are around 10.5", and those size 35s look to be a good 1.5" to 2" bigger.  My size 38s shrank to 11.5", making them the same size or 1/2" shorter than a vintage pair that's three sizes smaller (probably more like 4 considering LVC vanity sizing and the 38 starting with a 39" waist.

Maynard, I have no doubt the 1976 is a more correct take on a late 70s 501.  LVC probably realized they blew it with the pattern decisions for the 78, and rather than correct them and cause confusion with two different fits (old and new stock) in stores called the 78 , they made their corrections and called it the new jean the 1976.      

The 76s look nice, measurements look good and suit the current popularity for regular fits, and if it's the same denim used in the 78 it's IMO one of LVC/Cone's best.  That price tag though.   I like the variety and offerings LVC offers, but IMO is a middling brand and they're charging a price that currently is reserved for the top of the market.  For example, they want $285 for the 1976, while Mister Freedom's Lot 654 made of vintage cone denim is $300, and Warehouse's 1101 is $185 with the current exchange rate.  The 76s, and the entire raw LVC 501 lineup, is falling at the wrong end of the pricing scale, and should be in the $180 to $200 range.    

You referring to the 47s? Yeah, just compared them to the newer 551ZXX and a pair of '44s from 2008ish, and the 47s are pretty underwhelming (especially after wearing my new 800s the past week). Dryer improved them (nothing the camera sees) but they're still at the back of the pack, only ahead of the denim used in my '33s. The '44s though... that's the denim they should be using in the '47s. Feels beefier, and the way they're fading, even with lots of washer and dryer time this hunting season (ticks), seems very appropriate for a pair 40s Levi's.

I have both pairs of 551ZXX, though haven't dried the Valencia St pair. Can try photographing, but I'm not sure the change brought about by the dryer is anything the camera can catch. The naked eye sees it, and there's definitely a change in the feel. I'd probably washed the 47s four or five times prior, but the dryer tightened up the weave and lost a little over another 1/4" of inseam. That surprised me because I figured they were done.

Like his silk tie range, they don't appear to be made in the USA.

They need some gold on them, will make them tremendously classy.  

thanks setterman, forgot the 551zxx, as it was the predecessor of the 505 and a neat piece of denim, due to the details.

wasn´t the womens 701 sanforized aswell?

I think the 701 was sanforized too.

The 551ZXX is IMO, one of LVC's better recent offerings.  I think they got a little carried away with the back pockets though (too big/tall, and riding too low), but over all a pretty decent take on that jean (at one point I'd considered wearing a pair for the DWC).  Pretty sure the denim is a sanforized version of the denim used in the '54 501ZXX.  Surprising amount of slubbiness and broken yarns.  Shrinks about 1" at the waist and inseam.  

I've discovered with my '47s and the 551ZXX, the dryer helps them.  Last wash with the '47s I turned up the heat a little in the washer, and tossed them in the dryer.  Definitely helped the denim bloom, and feel thicker. Still nothing to write home about, but has less of that flat, papery, lifelessness to it.  Love the cut though, so I picked up it's twin the Warehouse 800.         

551ZXX is sanforized too.

cross post from DWC thread. 

click on the pictures for better resolution on a PC.  

After all this time in these jeans, I'd like to see the cut tweaked to have a little less room in the seat, start with 1/2" less in teh waist, 1/4" less room in the thigh, and a little more inseam.  These are at 31", fine with sneakers, though getting a hair short with boots, and about 3/4" of an inch shorter than I'd like a jean I don't plan on cuffing.  Really like how the banner denim wears, buy prefer the heavier weight of the 1000XX denim.      

Start of a new year, and coming down the home stretch.  Warehouse 1001, 414 days of wear, dozen washes.

 

 

 

 

Start of a new year, and coming down the home stretch.  Warehouse 1001, 414 days of wear, dozen washes.

 In the end, nothing is more accurate than the originals, which even differ in detail year to yesr, factory to factory, even within the same umbrella Levi's brand.

That's the thing to remember, in the end, regardless of who makes them, they're not the real thing.  They're all just an "idea", and they all have some sort of shortcoming.  Some might be a better idea than others, and that may play a role in how you feel about wearing them, but in the end they're never going to be the real thing.  Sufu can go round and round about historical accuracy, but in the end if they aren't flattering, aren't comfortable, don't fit your style or wardrobe, or you aren't enthusiastic about the denim they're made of, their historical accuracy is irrelevant.  If you're hung up on historical accuracy, when it comes to post 1941 Levis style jeans you could probably successfully put the '55 and '66 up against any of the Japanese offerings.  

if you don't want to put a pair of jeans on in the morning, doesn't matter how accurate a reproduction they are or the name on the label.