Levi's Vintage Clothing

[Paul T]

I know not LVC but 2010 US made cone denim 501s.

To be fair, you need to compare Levi's with people like Gap.These are infinitely superior to anything Gap or similar massmarket have done, and Levi's should get credit for it, it's a big step in the right direction.

Levi's have (rightly) been criticised for closing their US plants - but they were among the last to do so, while Gap were among the first. Gap proved that if you had a great retail environment, with good products, consumers didn't care where it was made. Levi's followed their example. But I'm glad they are now following their own path, with denim that is clearly sourced.

It is of course only a few nerds that will miss the chainstitch - which disappeared from some models years ago, but has been kept in others. But that's why we have people like The Clerk, isn't it?

[cheapmuthafukr]

the thing that i dont like about them, and all post 84 levis, is the back pocket bar tack. you can still get good roping on the hems with a single stitch, but you cant hide the ugly exterior bar tack on the pockets.

[ThomasK]

Just got a new 47 501 from 2011. "Made in the USA-tag" is now attached to and bundeled with the care advice (if i may say so). Denim is really gray and looks quite cool compared to a recent 55 i own or older 47s. Also the back pockets are more squarish (but I think this also was true for the 2010 run). Pictures taken with 3G iPhone..second pic shows the color quite well.

[setterman]

those look good. my only gripe is the lack of chain stitching on the cuffs. it really stands out. levis should go back to that for all their 501's. i don't see why they quit doing it to begin with. it couldn't save them anything except a little thread. maybe it was because they had to replace the old machines. Paul would you know why chain stitching the cuffs was abandoned in the first place?

I'd assume chain stitching was done in the first place because Levi's expected their customers were going to hem their jeans post shrink. Pull the right thread and a chain stitch will unravel very easily for hemming. The change was made probably to save time, money, and a chain stitch was probably was no longer deemed necessary.

Agree with Erk, the double stitch down the inseam is much less appealing than the lack of a chain stitched hem.

[entertainment!]

I'd assume chain stitching was done in the first place because Levi's expected their customers were going to hem their jeans post shrink. Pull the right thread and a chain stitch will unravel very easily for hemming.

I can attest that this works. I have a pair of 2006 44s that came with untrimmed threads in the chainstitching on the left leg. One day I stepped on one of the untrimmed threads with my right foot and swung my left leg forward. Like magic, all the chainstitching on the front of the leg dropped off.

I had been meaning to trim the threads and cursed myself.

[airfrogusmc]

These are the current 501s and I like'm. Nice to have something thats a bit diff from the 55s, 47s and all those buckle backs and these are a big step up form the regular STF. Neither the double needle on the legs or the orange bar tacks really bother me in fact I think they're kinda cool because they're different from the 55s say. If you want a current 501 thats really well made from cone denim then I say give'm a shot. If not then theres always 47s 55s 44s 1915s, 1878s, 1880s etc. Nice to have choices and I really applaud Levis for even offering these as an option.

[setterman]

These are the current 501s and I like'm.

If I might ask, what did they tune you up for those? When they were on the Levis website (last I looked they're no longer there), they were wanting around $100 for them. Were you able to get them for less than that?

[colgems1966]

the thing that i dont like about them, and all post 84 levis, is the back pocket bar tack. you can still get good roping on the hems with a single stitch, but you cant hide the ugly exterior bar tack on the pockets.

i agree cheap, i have never liked those gold bartacks that appeared around 84 or so. i always liked the way the black flag stood out once the jeans faded. what's interesting is the gold bartack seems to have evolved from the orange tab line. they had it way before the red tab but it was smaller and done better. it doesn't bother me at all on the OT's but maybe it's because my expectations are different with that line.

[cloudshift]

Nice to have choices and I really applaud Levis for even offering these as an option.

If I could find some with a 38" inseam, I'd definitely give them a shot... but no such luck.

[erk]

Just got a new 47 501 from 2011. "Made in the USA-tag" is now attached to and bundeled with the care advice (if i may say so). Denim is really gray and looks quite cool compared to a recent 55 i own or older 47s. Also the back pockets are more squarish (but I think this also was true for the 2010 run). Pictures taken with 3G iPhone..second pic shows the color quite well.

Wow that fabric looks a lot different than previous seasons. Looks kinda like what crownzip may have mentioned a couple pages ago.

ThomasK, have you soaked the jeans yet? If so, what are your impressions? They seem pretty light in color, but I guess that could mostly bs starch. Please post some more pics.

Paul, have you had any oppurtunity to look at the new denim for 2011?

[ThomasK]

Wow that fabric looks a lot different than previous seasons. Looks kinda like what crownzip may have mentioned a couple pages ago.

ThomasK, have you soaked the jeans yet? If so, what are your impressions? They seem pretty light in color, but I guess that could mostly bs starch. Please post some more pics.

Paul, have you had any oppurtunity to look at the new denim for 2011?

Actually I bought'em as a spare pair as I am currently wearing a 4 week old 55 and plan to wear these as long as possible. But, yeah, It'd be pretty interresting how they turn out. I also noticed the selvage is really tiny. But as soon as I wear them, I'll post pics. Maybe someone has a similar pair with some wear in them.

[Paul T]

What was the crownzip reference?

I looked at some of the samples - I couldn't say there was any overall variation, partly because there's always some variation from year to year.The 47 do look paler than (most) the 55 new, because you can see far more of the weft thread.

[erk]

Maurizio did a good job making RRL a destination stop at least for Japanese and European tourists in NYC. More than a few times I've seen them hit the RRL on Bleecker St. in good size groups. I've heard they also make the Melrose and Malibu stores a destination stop in LA.

LVC is far from exclusive in NYC now being available in a couple of Levi's stores, Brooklyn Denim and J Crew. BTW, I had the chance to see the latest batch of LVC '44's and '55's at the Meat Packing store and wasn't impressed with the current batch of Cone denim. The weight of the denim is lighter and thinner than older runs and not nearly as dark.

here it is. a few pages back. wasn't impressed by the current batch of cone at the meatpacking store in NYC.

[Paul T]

Ah, OK. I"ll see if I can compare successive years next time I'm in Cinch.

There will always be massive sample variation from one year to the next with Cone, because of those old looms - and also because the source of cotton can vary so widely. THey have used some Texas cotton in recent years, I believe, but the recent quality was terrible, with the tops of the plants badly damaged by poor weather... so there will always be a different mix. I'm not as big a fan of the 47 denim as I used to be, but the last 44 I saw looked great - of course, it's very possible the denim was a completely different batch to the ones Crownzip saw.

[mikedbt5]

i agree cheap, i have never liked those gold bartacks that appeared around 84 or so. i always liked the way the black flag stood out once the jeans faded. what's interesting is the gold bartack seems to have evolved from the orange tab line. they had it way before the red tab but it was smaller and done better. it doesn't bother me at all on the OT's but maybe it's because my expectations are different with that line.

I agree but what is really annoying is whne they want Levis can up their game in the " lower end " market . The pics below are of a pair of non selvage 505s which were marketed a couple of years ago in Europe as a 1967 505 . The bar tacks are there and chain stiched hems. bar the red tab and lack of single stitching they could pass for a pair from the era . They were priced at £75 in shops . The denim was tough as f..k too fade , these are a year and a half old , with constant wear . Made in Turkey , they are a great pair of jeand , just wish I had bought more at the time .

[ThomasK]

found a good comparison between the 2010 and the 2011 production 1947:

The pictures at havenshop probably show the 2010 run:

http://havenshop.ca/collections/levis-vintage-clothing/products/1947-501xx-rigid

And here the 2011 model:, its another camera (etc), but mine also has, as I said, the small selvage an the LVC print on one of the front pocktes. difference in color compared to the first link's pretty obvious and just like I saw it:

http://www.superdenim.co.uk/prodpage.asp?productid=702

[Farhad]

I have been wearing the XX repors since the early 90's and the pair of the 47's I just got has the lightest denim in weight and color.

kind of disappointing.

[erk]

found a good comparison between the 2010 and the 2011 production 1947:

The pictures at havenshop probably show the 2010 run:

http://havenshop.ca/collections/levis-vintage-clothing/products/1947-501xx-rigid

And here the 2011 model:, its another camera (etc), but mine also has, as I said, the small selvage an the LVC print on one of the front pocktes. difference in color compared to the first link's pretty obvious and just like I saw it:

http://www.superdenim.co.uk/prodpage.asp?productid=702

farhad and thomas, are your coin pockets all whacky like the superdenim one?

[Paul T]

The 47 has always had that angle on the watch pocket.

[setterman]

The 47 has always had that angle on the watch pocket.

Don't have 'em on today, but pretty sure my '55s watch pocket is like that too, just not as pronounced.

[Paul T]

The shape and positioning of the watch pocket varies throughout the 501's history, it's quite fascinating (altho I can't understand why people keep falling asleep as I explain).

[colgems1966]

it looks to me like the back pockets may be bigger on the 47's now. that would be a welcome change to me as they always seemed to be on the smallish side.

[Farhad]

yeah mine are angled, but Paul is right.

[erk]

yeah mine are angled, but Paul is right.

mine are angled as well, but that picture seems to be more of an exaggerated angle. especially when compared with the other pair pictured on havenshop.

its not like it matters though. too much of an angled coin pocket isn't going to be anyones deciding factor on these jeans. and this all could be explained as product variation.

I'm trying to plan a trip up to NYC to do some tourist type stuff with my lady friend. I never get to that stuff when I'm up there. Hopefully I'll get to stop by the meatpacking store and see this new batch in person.

[emperor501xx]

LVC does make 38" inseams, though it definitely seems like they're harder to find. Cultizm currently has some, but this is first I've seen them having 38" inseams in a while (I've been checking their site periodically for a while looking for some). No 38" inseams on 1947 501's currently.

For what it's worth, I haven't found any 38" inseams anywhere else, and I've been on the hunt for about a week now.

I did speak to someone at a Levi's shop in Malibu, CA today, and he said on their inventory they show no 38" inseams at all, and he wouldn't even be able get any. I guess it's a Flagship store (whatever that means).

This all comes back around to that discussion earlier about marketing LVC and how hard it is to find their products.

It would be great if Levis LVC started producing more 38 and 40 inch inseams on the raw denim jeans, i have a short torso and long legs and i'm six feet one inch tall, they used to do 38 inseams in all sizes, and 40 inseams, luckly i do have a few 38x40 1947 jeans, but it really bugs me that you carn't get 40 inseam at the moment,,, emperor501xx...

[cloudshift]

It would be great if Levis LVC started producing more 38 and 40 inch inseams on the raw denim jeans, i have a short torso and long legs and i'm six feet one inch tall, they used to do 38 inseams in all sizes, and 40 inseams, luckly i do have a few 38x40 1947 jeans, but it really bugs me that you carn't get 40 inseam at the moment,,, emperor501xx...

I agree... I don't really get the lack of longer inseams, especially since with shrinkage, the most common inseam (34") could possibly shrink down to 31". That cuts out a lot of the population, especially if you're going to cuff em.

Also find it a little odd they don't make the jeans longer raw, to shrink to their tagged inseam length, instead of being raw at the tagged length (though it seems most LVC runs about .5" short in my experience) and shrinking from there.

Ahh well.. the curse of the tall man.

[josh mullen]

I'm 6'2" and have never had any difficulty finding LVC pieces with sufficient inseam lengths.

[cloudshift]

I'm 6'2" and have never had any difficulty finding LVC pieces with sufficient inseam lengths.

What size inseam do you buy? And from where?

[josh mullen]

Well, I used to wear longer inseams. I have a pair of '67s that were 39" before hemming. Now though, I prefer a shorter fit. Cultizm has long inseams, and offers amazing service (this has been commented on a million times here.) Most of what I have now measure between 32.5-33".

[cheapmuthafukr]

maybe i have short legs, but my 37s are marked 32x32 and are not too short. im 6'0" tall.