Levi's 501 Shrink to Fit (STF)

[SLEEZY]

Okay, so I just got a pair of the cheap Levi's 501 STFs and wasnt completely sure what the first step is that i should take with them. So i fugured id consult the forum using the search tool. HOWEVER, the information on these jeans, although partially available, is completely scattered throughout the forum in a bunch of different threads resulting in new 501 Shrink To Fit threads all the time. So i figured it may help to gather the links to all of the existing threads out there and provide a definative thread for all new questions and specific problems or concerns regarding the 501 STFs. If you know of any threads that i missed or forgot to post please post them . Thanks!

For all new questions or inquiries please read through the posted threads first as they may answer your question for you. Cheers!

"ONE WASH : Warm water vs Cold water" - kapay - Great Thread

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=7203

"raw 501xx STF" - bookem

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=11606

"levi's question." - jasonm

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=12384

"Quality differences among new Levi's 501 STFs" - walletboy

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=11422

"Levis Shrink To Fit" - sneakeraddict

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=10690

"Washing my STF today" - SoloC

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=11001

"Levis 517 STF...where to cop?" - NoNutHuggers

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=11013

"Help Buying STF:" - superfriend

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=9180

"Levis 501 STF, denim quality?" - tanner68

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=8532

"1 MONTH PICTURES OF LEVIS 501xx STF" - CHUNGY

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=7282

"YES, I SERCHED - 501 STF vs 501PreShrunk" - i skate nikes

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=7855

"Newbie Question: what is STF's mean" - brio619

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=7452

"Levis 501 or 501 STF?" - AtlDunkMan

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=6858

"STF at almost one month: pics" - justbrowsing

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk/showthread.php?t=12444

Hope this helps with some of the confusion.

EASY!

[cheapmuthafukr]

ahhhhhhhh.... great. someone please stickey this

[minya]

excellent.

[snugglepony]

i think we have june's noob of the month...

huh.

where's chicken been lately? maybe getting called out on his 7.8 posts-per-day average got to him? he switched IDs, but can't help being the superhelpful supernoob??

[snugglepony]

i think chicken was supermay. i think chicken (masquerading as SLEEZY) is also superjune.

it's a clark kent/superman deal...

i repeat my question: where the crap is chicken?

[denimdestroyedmylife]

I don't know.

[SLEEZY]

heh thanks fellas

so i just put my 501 STFs in the tub in some pretty hot water for about half an hour (inside out) and then put them on until they started to dry. to be honest im not really that happy with the results so far in terms of shrinkage. the denim is still nice and dark and quite rigid, but i was hoping that they would shrink a little more in the width of the legs. i normally prefer slim straight or tapered jeans, and i guess it was just wishful thinking that i could make these into a slim pair of jeans.

i took some pictures of the jeans before during and after the process that i'll post in here in a bit.

Cheers!

[captain5640]

Has anyone ever not shrunk/washed their STF's? I am doing this right now. I bought them true to size-36/32. They are a perfect fit for my preference right now. I figure when they get really dirty, I can take them to the dry cleaners. I know this may seem a little weird, but I just wanted to try it... And I'm not going to be disappointed if they get messed up since I didn't exactly spend a fortune on them.

[SLEEZY]

Has anyone ever not shrunk/washed their STF's? I am doing this right now. I bought them true to size-36/32. They are a perfect fit for my preference right now. I figure when they get really dirty, I can take them to the dry cleaners. I know this may seem a little weird, but I just wanted to try it... And I'm not going to be disappointed if they get messed up since I didn't exactly spend a fortune on them.

i would have done the exact same thing if they fit how i wanted them to when i got em.

[Chicken]

i have no idea who chicken is, but do you think you guys could cut me a little slack? im trying to get a thread going to help other people who arent as knowledgeable about this stuff as you guys may be. such as myself. so give me a break and save the hate for private messages. thanks.

there's no hate here at all. those were some big props you received here. thanks for your thread, i'm going to spend some time checking them out myself.

hey guys, good to be back.

[SLEEZY]

[SLEEZY]

[SLEEZY]

BEFORE

[SLEEZY]

SOAKING WET!

AFTER

[Corbin Law]

none of this noob of the month bs

he used the search function without being told

unless there is a backstory to this taht i havent seen

thats admirable in my opinion

the most commonly asked question about what to do with a brand new shrink to fit is the most obvious asnwer

shrink to fit them, soak in a tub with them on or take a shower temp doesnt matter too much cause you havent worn them at all yet, just to get them to shrink to fit your body,

[SLEEZY]

when i picked this pair up i noticed that there were some (none in my size) that had no writing on the red tab other than the rights reserved logo in shiny thread.

anyone know what the deal is with those ones?

[burtreynolds]

Finally someone made this thread so that nobody ever makes a STF post ever again!

edit: actually now that i think about it, the "dry for dummies" stickie is all that anybody ever needed.

[snugglepony]

oh man. no hate. love for SLEEZY and Chicken for being very helpful. and yes, corbin, you missed the backstory...

[cheapmuthafukr]

[fletcherrr]

OK OK

I'm bidding on a pair of 27x28 501 STFs

I fit nicely in a slim/straight pair of paperdenim&cloths size 28...

but I know that 501s run a tad baggy, so I'm going a bit small and I'm going to get in the tub with them for a while.

What do you think? Is this a disaster? Should I bid on the 28's instead?

( I tried on 29s in the store...I went up an inch like the sizing said...but it felt like I had on at least a 34-36...and the girl said they don't shrink too drastically)

Remember - tight fit.

[WIZARDS]

i soaked my stf's in warm water for 35 minutes, took them outside put them on and sat reading until they were dry and they turned out good except for one problem. the back of the legs honey combed very nicely but since my legs were bent the knees didnt have a chance to shrink along with the rest leaving this annoying bag around the knees.

any suggestions on how i can fix this? i was thinking maybe just pour a little hot water around where they bag out and blow drying the area...

[SLEEZY]

when i picked this pair up i noticed that there were some (none in my size) that had no writing on the red tab other than the rights reserved logo in shiny thread.

anyone know what the deal is with those ones?

.....anyone?

[denimdestroyedmylife]

LEVI does that to trademark the RED TAB as such, regardless of what is printed on it.

[SLEEZY]

these sort of seemed like the particular tab with no writing and ONLY the registered trademark logo in the shiny thread, signified something unique or special about them. i though maybe it meant they were from a specific run or manufactured somewhere special or something. i would be suprised to find out that it signifies nothing as it was quite dilberately labeled differently than the regualr tab on the other STFs.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

surprise!!!

[Nomadic]

OK OK

I'm bidding on a pair of 27x28 501 STFs

I fit nicely in a slim/straight pair of paperdenim&cloths size 28...

but I know that 501s run a tad baggy, so I'm going a bit small and I'm going to get in the tub with them for a while.

What do you think? Is this a disaster? Should I bid on the 28's instead?

( I tried on 29s in the store...I went up an inch like the sizing said...but it felt like I had on at least a 34-36...and the girl said they don't shrink too drastically)

Remember - tight fit.

where can you find levis stf's in that size? the 27x28??

[Dick Danger]

My local STF seller has STFs in my size made in Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Columbia, is there any reason to pick one over the other?

[SLEEZY]

its hard to tell unless youve had one of each, i got a pair made in columbia at the same time as my friend got a pair made in mexico, so far i dont see any difference in quality visibly, and my pair is holding up fine, but then again i just got them last week.

[walletboy]

My local STF seller has STFs in my size made in Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Columbia, is there any reason to pick one over the other?

DR is tighter than colombia in my experience/

[Guest denimfanatic]

do levis 501 STF shrink to fit stretch?