Levi's Vintage Clothing

[erk]

slim and husky were around in the 70's too... Might even be around now for boys...

They weren't for men, but boys

yeah, i saw some for sale on amazon recently

BTW

I called the Levi's question line to ask them about the apparently discontinued US LVC line and he told me that they have been pulled from most stores but are still available in select Levi's stores like the Lexington AVE NY store and the flagship store.

but weren't people having a hard time finding LVC even at said locations? and if it is still available in the US why don't they give it any attention in marketing or anything?

[the_ming]

yeah, i saw some for sale on amazon recently

BTW

I called the Levi's question line to ask them about the apparently discontinued US LVC line and he told me that they have been pulled from most stores but are still available in select Levi's stores like the Lexington AVE NY store and the flagship store.

but weren't people having a hard time finding LVC even at said locations? and if it is still available in the US why don't they give it any attention in marketing or anything?

i (finally) saw some LVC 501s at barneys co-op on the upper west side of manhattan (on sale for around $160 i think) but they were the super distressed ones and i couldn't tell what year of LVC they were.

they were selvedge and had a leather patch and were very nice quality. the salesman told me that the main barneys has raw ones, but i have not made it there to confirm that yet.

sounds like i should hit up the lexington ave shop as well to see and report back.

[ChuckO]

slim and husky were around in the 70's too... Might even be around now for boys...

They weren't for men, but boys

Depends on what you mean by "boys". The guys in the ad look like high schoolers (15 - 18 yrs for non-US). The thing you have to remember is from 1950 on jeans were a kid\teen thing outside of the farm\western areas. You didn't much see anyone over 30 wearing them. So those jeans were what they sold in bulk. A lot of people here on the east coast weren't allowed to wear jeans. I'm 43 and I only wore jeans after school/ weekends when I was in elementary school. In the 70's we still went to school fairly dressy. The west coast I think was different. You see "Leave it to Beaver" shows from the early 60's and he lives in jeans. His high school brother mostly has on chino's though. I know guys my age who weren't allowed to wear jeans even in High school (which blows my mind) Most people I went to school with in the 80's wore a combination of corduroy and denim jeans. Every year you went to the army\navy store and got 4 or 5 pairs of Levi cords in different colors and a couple of pairs of Levi jeans. The levi cords fit just like jeans.

[Happy Hooligan]

true the guys do look older for "husky" jeans.

when I went to school in the 70's all I wore was 501 and t-shirts and flannel shirts.

But I wore my jeans till they didn't fit any more or were torn to pieces and THEN I got a new pair. But I was a poor kid. One pair of shoes and maybe 2 pairs of jeans to rotate.

I wore "Husky" jeans in my early days and "toughskin's" in my early elementary days...

Things in the 70's changed a lot in public school. I'm sure private schools had dress codes but not public...

[erk]

that'd be mighty nice of you the_ming. If they don't carry it, this won't be the first time I've gotten misinformation from the levi's 1800 number.

also

what is the deal with my cinch belt on my LVC '37 501. I know there is a fix for this that Airfrog has detailed, but why would Levi's even do this? it renders the cinch completely useless...

the part with the buckle on it is WAY too long. thats how far it has to be cinched just so its not dangling.

the most annoying thing is they're not all like this. I've seen pics on the net and my brothers pair that don't look like this.

[blm14]

I admittedly have not been to the lex ave store in eons, so if they have it there I will be checking...

[ChuckO]

true the guys do look older for "husky" jeans.

when I went to school in the 70's all I wore was 501 and t-shirts and flannel shirts.

But I wore my jeans till they didn't fit any more or were torn to pieces and THEN I got a new pair. But I was a poor kid. One pair of shoes and maybe 2 pairs of jeans to rotate.

I wore "Husky" jeans in my early days and "toughskin's" in my early elementary days...

Things in the 70's changed a lot in public school. I'm sure private schools had dress codes but not public...

I went to public schools too. It wasn't a dress code. You just didn't send your kid to school at that point in jeans in Connecticut. This was the early seventies. By Junior high it was much looser. That was the start of the cords and jeans around here. Did you buy the Levi cords in a bunch of different colors with the matching Levi shirts that were blue and white checked or green and white checked? It made dressing easy. Throw on your navy colored corduroy jeans with your navy and white checked levi shirt. LVC should put those shirts out, too. What part of the country are you from? Good old toughskins!!! That was Sears, right? Was Husky a brand? I don't remember that one. My Dad was actually a Levi salesman for a while in the 70's. He would go to sales meetings down in El Paso, TX

[ChuckO]

true the guys do look older for "husky" jeans.

when I went to school in the 70's all I wore was 501 and t-shirts and flannel shirts.

But I wore my jeans till they didn't fit any more or were torn to pieces and THEN I got a new pair. But I was a poor kid. One pair of shoes and maybe 2 pairs of jeans to rotate.

I wore "Husky" jeans in my early days and "toughskin's" in my early elementary days...

Things in the 70's changed a lot in public school. I'm sure private schools had dress codes but not public...

Yea, I couldn't wait to get home from school and throw on my jeans and a flannel shirt and my work boots in the fall and in the summer jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers. Those were the days to be a kid. There were a ton of kids around, all outside on their own. We spent every minute we weren't in school out running around. Now where I live you hardly see kids outside running around unsupervised.

[rnrswitch]

The kids now are supervised by nintendo.

[ChuckO]

The kids now are supervised by nintendo.

...and a bag of Doritos. It's sad the US has become completely neurotic. You'd think you couldn't cross the street without being molested by a pervert or a terrorist the way people behave.

[airfrogusmc]

that'd be mighty nice of you the_ming. If they don't carry it, this won't be the first time I've gotten misinformation from the levi's 1800 number.

also

what is the deal with my cinch belt on my LVC '37 501. I know there is a fix for this that Airfrog has detailed, but why would Levi's even do this? it renders the cinch completely useless...

the part with the buckle on it is WAY too long. thats how far it has to be cinched just so its not dangling.

the most annoying thing is they're not all like this. I've seen pics on the net and my brothers pair that don't look like this.

As explained by Lynn Downey its safety. The gov wont let them put the sharp points on the prongs like the originals had. LVC is now supplying instructions on how to clip the prongs with all the more recent LVCs.

I think the crappy pressed metal LVC uses on their buckles is the real problem in my opinion. I have replaced all of my buckle backs with either original buckles from the turn of the 20th century (you can find them in antique stores sometimes) or from makers of repro civil war stuff.

[erk]

As explained by Lynn Downey its safety. The gov wont let them put the sharp points on the prongs like the originals had. LVC is now supplying instructions on how to clip the prongs with all the more recent LVCs.

I think the crappy pressed metal LVC uses on their buckles is the real problem in my opinion. I have replaced all of my buckle backs with either original buckles from the turn of the 20th century (you can find them in antique stores sometimes) or from makers of repro civil war stuff.

I was referring to the length of the buckle side of the strap. it is so long that the farthest adjustment possible only slightly tightens the waist band. I've already clipped the bar in the middle so that it has 2 points.

[airfrogusmc]

Shorten it when the buckle breaks. Some are long some aren't. Be careful to much pressure on the buckle and it will break.

Heres some buckles

http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/buttons/buckles.html

http://www.fcsutler.com/fcbuckles.asp

[Dr_Heech]

I was referring to the length of the buckle side of the strap. it is so long that the farthest adjustment possible only slightly tightens the waist band. I've already clipped the bar in the middle so that it has 2 points.

I know what you mean, Erk. My 1927's had the same problem with the length of the buckle strap, so I shortened the strap.

And this was the THIRD pair I'd ordered, and they were all the same!

[Dr_Heech]

Shorten it when the buckle breaks. Some are long some aren't. Be careful to much pressure on the buckle and it will break.

Heres some buckles

http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/buttons/buckles.html

http://www.fcsutler.com/fcbuckles.asp

Nice one AF, +rep for you if I could. Do they send worldwide?

[airfrogusmc]

Yeah I think they do. Cheap to. I really like the pewter colored smaller buckles on the first site I posted.

[RRLselvageDenim]

Is this Authentic? I'll let you experts tell me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&item=290321841088

[cash]

555 button stamp makes it a repro, not original. Not sure what LVC season. Looks good.

[airfrogusmc]

Yep looks like LVC not sure what year. Early I'm think'n. late 1990s early 2000s?

[deinimology09]

I just called three Levi's stores in NYC and one in L.A., and all of them are out of stock on LVC's (and/or don't carry them any longer). Someone on this thread had suggested cultizm.com for LVC's, but man are they expensive (especially given that someone posted on here that the 1947's were being sold for 80 bucks at Levi's stores). Any suggestions other than cultizm for better pricing (and a good selection) for LVC's? Cultizm also is out of stock on a lot of stuff. Thanks.

[rnrswitch]

Dude, what are you talking about? LVCs will run you about $170 to $300 depending on the model. Getting them for $80 is almost never possible unless you find them on clearance and in that case they don't usually have normal sizes. Cultizm has good prices and the they are shipped to you in like a day if you live in the states. If you are looking for LVC at $80 you should not hold your breath.

[Johnnylazar]

The ones that were 80 bucks were the 1947 deadstock on clearance at levi's stores. Not alot of stores really have any left. So you probably will never see them for that cheap again.

[erk]

I just called three Levi's stores in NYC and one in L.A., and all of them are out of stock on LVC's (and/or don't carry them any longer). Someone on this thread had suggested cultizm.com for LVC's, but man are they expensive (especially given that someone posted on here that the 1947's were being sold for 80 bucks at Levi's stores). Any suggestions other than cultizm for better pricing (and a good selection) for LVC's? Cultizm also is out of stock on a lot of stuff. Thanks.

You also need to register to see the prices for people in the us

[deinimology09]

The ones that were 80 bucks were the 1947 deadstock on clearance at levi's stores. Not alot of stores really have any left. So you probably will never see them for that cheap again.

Thanks man. I knew I wasn't wrong about that.

My feelings about LVC pricing remind me of some comments from an old friend of my family, a tailor originally from Milan. He used to make custom suits (in the U.S.) that the average person could afford, and he's horrified by the shit (his term) that Gucci, Prada, Armani and a bunch of other labels sell at exorbitant prices. He said that it used to be the case that an average person could afford a very high quality suit, something not possible today unless you find an amazing deal (not a suit wearer here, but try pricing a Brioni or Oxxford suit and you'll see).

It seems a bit ironic to me that Levi's jeans, something originally designed for and worn by laborers, now run 200 or 300 bucks a pair for LVC's. Hey - I like the high-quality stuff too, something seemingly unavailable in current Levi's models in the regular lineup. Now spending 200 bucks on a pair of pants isn't going to bankrupt me. But I'm still incredulous that a pair of very high quality jeans isn't available at a lower price point.

Another interesting comment made to me (by one of the Levi's store employees in NYC) was that "almost all high-end Japanese selvage jeans are attempting to replicate original Levi's designs as closely as possible." Some people may take issue with that, but he's definitely much more correct than not about that.

No matter - I'll probably buy a pair of LVC's (and possibly Samurais) in any case.

[Happy Hooligan]

cars also use to cost $300.00 new...

[deinimology09]

cars also use to cost $300.00 new...

I'm talking about inflation-adjusted figures ("real", not "nominal", as economists would say).

[heflys]

It seems a bit ironic to me that Levi's jeans, something originally designed for and worn by laborers, now run 200 or 300 bucks a pair for LVC's. Hey - I like the high-quality stuff too, something seemingly unavailable in current Levi's models in the regular lineup. Now spending 200 bucks on a pair of pants isn't going to bankrupt me. But I'm still incredulous that a pair of very high quality jeans isn't available at a lower price point.

Well, considering that most of the machines and techniques utilized to make vintage denim are near obsolete, I'm not entirely sure why it's difficult to fathom the $180 asking price. Sure, some jeans are made on modified modern looms, but the finished product still instills vintage quality. If you want to pay about $80 for vintage style denim, then you could go to a local TJ Maxx or Marshall's, and look for the brand RRL.

Another interesting comment made to me (by one of the Levi's store employees in NYC) was that "almost all high-end Japanese selvage jeans are attempting to replicate original Levi's designs as closely as possible." Some people may take issue with that, but he's definitely much more correct than not about that.

Yeah, that's pretty common knowledge. Some even do a better job than LVC itself.

[deinimology09]

Well, considering that most of the machines and techniques utilized to make vintage denim are near obsolete, I'm not entirely sure why it's difficult to fathom the $180 asking price. Sure, some jeans are made on modified modern looms, but the finished product still instills vintage quality. If you want to pay about $80 for vintage style denim, then you could go to a local TJ Maxx or Marshall's, and look for the brand RRL.

Yeah, that's pretty common knowledge. Some even do a better job than LVC itself.

Ah - that's a very good point. As I said, I really like the high quality denim. And in light of what you wrote, the cost makes more sense.

Do any Japanese selvage manufacturers lead the pack in terms of using old looms?

[airfrogusmc]

Have you read any of what Paul T had to write about Cone?

Also LVC do some things like the 200 and 300 series really well. The 20 201s. 1905 209 coveralls and the 1911 333s are all outstanding as well as the 1917 501s.

http://www.trynka.net/Site/Cone.html

Scroll to #8

And LVCs 55s are about as close in a repro as you will get to 1955 originals as far as cut and denim weight and texture.

[shark jacobs]

if you want practical durable workwear you can get it for cheaper than ever before, thanks to the wonders of modern manufacturing technology.

On the other hand, if you want limited edition reproductions of vintage pieces made with obsolete "traditional" machinery and methods then yeah, its going to be more expensive than the original was.

but regardless, luxury goods are more expensive because of the basic fundaments of supply and demand