Levi's Vintage Clothing

[airfrogusmc]

question for airfrog: what happens to the jeans after you wash them? wont they become completely different in terms of fit and all the wear lines move?

Seriously it takes 4 or 5 wet to dry cycles how ever you do it to get 90% of the shrinkage and 10 or so to get it all out so even with the first soak they're gonna move. I've never found it to be big deal.

Heres my 1955s and they went 5 months or so with no water and now have even been in the washing machine.

and my 1933s went at least 6 months

and my 1917s were a bit over 5

[percy]

of course i understand shrinking is an ongoing process, but i mostly find they shrink the largest proportion the first time they hit water, hot or cold.

i guess as long as you yourself enjoy your jeans who cares how you treat them?

regards

[airfrogusmc]

Exactly. I have broken LVCs in in many different ways and the way I seem to get the best fades is the "crownzip method" . Go as long as you can with out soaking. And as long as you can between soaks.

[edmond]

airfrog whats the inseam on those? you fold them that high?

[airfrogusmc]

they all 38/34. I think they all measure 36+ actaully until they shrink. The 55s are almost the perfect length now. The 33s are were 555s and over sized as are the 1917s. And I'm 6'2" 250.

[edmond]

ohh got it! i cant wait for a 55 .... most of the online stores are out of it..

[Happy Hooligan]

I might be selling my first pair of 55's as I've lost weight and they're kinda big on me now. They're 555 and a rare 38x40....

I have some soul searching to do, as they're my first pair....

[edmond]

jeez man i need a 36 on those raw im a real 34

[airfrogusmc]

I might be selling my first pair of 55's as I've lost weight and they're kinda big on me now. They're 555 and a rare 38x40....

I have some soul searching to do, as they're my first pair....

I asume they're not raw but PM me anyway if you decide to sell them.

[airfrogusmc]

jeez man i need a 36 on those raw im a real 34

I usually wear a 32 but the lengths on some LVCs are long. I just roll them out as they shrink.

[electrum]

Recently an ebay seller located a pair of 555 20s 201 for me in Japan. they measured W77cm (aprox 30.24) X L93cm (approx 36.6). I wear 31 x 34 raw, but thought I'd take chance and get them then have length alltered. The tags in the pics he sent are not the same as other 555 tags I've seen. I put him on hold while I researched authenticity. He later got back telling me the jeans sold. Kinda glad the deal fell through - didn't like the idea of having them altered (might ruin integrity of fit) plus I wasn't sure how waist would fit . $400+ was too much to risk on so much uncertainty. Anyway, here are pics he sent. They look legit to me, but would like to know more about the strange tags.

[Paul T]

$400? Absolutely ludicrous price.

Given the choice, I'd go for the 555 version if they were the same price, or 10% more, but that is ridiculous. Ifd they start going for that much regularly I'll sell my pairs under the bed and buy a Nikon S2 or a guitar. They are only fuckin jeans! Look at the side-by-siude comparison in the 201 thread... I don't think there;s any sabstabntial difference between my 555 and Taylro Togs pairs. (Mine were from the year with the correct back stitching).

Oh yeah, and these are the Levi's Japan version; identical to the Euro ones, but they would sometimes produce a model independently when it was not in the Euro range for a season.

Edit: by the way, I had my 201 shortened by Big in New York, but you can get them done in London now - departmentofworks.com or Son Of A Stag by the Truman brewery.

[erk]

I always did love the details on those 20s 201s. blackened suspender buttons, linen patch, exposed rivets, really cool arcs, and the denim looks awesome. After seeing the bay-city rollers comparison I figured the fit wouldn't be so good for me.

[erk]

sorry for double post

Sometimes I like to look at the Levi's japan site just to check out their pics. they've got really nice detail pics and such.

As you may know they have both the EU and JP LVC versions for sale on their website. but within the JP collection they have 2 versions of the 1947 501; one made in japan, one made in the US.

here it is :

http://www.e-levi.jp/shop/mens/501XX+1947+Model+%28Made+in+USA%29/item/view/shop_product_id/3589/category_id/21

it looks different than the EU 1947: it doesn't have the R on the red tab (could be folded behind...I guess), it has a JP style size tag on the inside(you can barely see it on the button fly open jean pic), and it has a leather patch like the JP version.

this makes me wonder; does LVC JP have a different plant in the USA for making their jeans? am I just crazy?

they've also got a 1953 501 which looks pretty cool.

[Paul T]

I don't think they use a separate plant. They didn't use to.

When I last spoke to a big wig at LVC Japan, they would share some models, and commission others independently from the same factory. One of their unique models always used to be the 1953 - a 1955 shape with the leather tag, which was indeed a lovely jean. They would often have the smaller sized models like the 502, as well as commissioning their own finishes.

Over the last couple of years, as Levi's america got less interested, they started to make more jeans in Japan, and use Japanese fabric where they might have used Cone before. They now seem to be returning to something closer to their old approach - I would guess the Japanese consumers prefer the American-made versions.

INteresting, only had time for a quick look, but they've intorudced the full cotton duck set, which I haven't seen for years - the pants, and the hunting jacket etc. completely insane items! I hope we get some raw 200 and 300 series in Europe soon... might be time to go and chase up some of my sources.

I suspect they still use the same factory; they can order the red tag without the r, because it's not trademarked in Japan - if they did the same in the US, it would weaken their own trademark.

[airfrogusmc]

sorry for double post

Sometimes I like to look at the Levi's japan site just to check out their pics. they've got really nice detail pics and such.

As you may know they have both the EU and JP LVC versions for sale on their website. but within the JP collection they have 2 versions of the 1947 501; one made in japan, one made in the US.

here it is :

http://www.e-levi.jp/shop/mens/501XX+1947+Model+%28Made+in+USA%29/item/view/shop_product_id/3589/category_id/21

it looks different than the EU 1947: it doesn't have the R on the red tab (could be folded behind...I guess), it has a JP style size tag on the inside(you can barely see it on the button fly open jean pic), and it has a leather patch like the JP version.

this makes me wonder; does LVC JP have a different plant in the USA for making their jeans? am I just crazy?

they've also got a 1953 501 which looks pretty cool.

Tried to give ya some rep for posting that but I guess I gotta spread it around some. Man those 53s look awesome.

[airfrogusmc]

I don't think they use a separate plant. They didn't use to.

When I last spoke to a big wig at LVC Japan, they would share some models, and commission others independently from the same factory. One of their unique models always used to be the 1953 - a 1955 shape with the leather tag, which was indeed a lovely jean. They would often have the smaller sized models like the 502, as well as commissioning their own finishes.

Over the last couple of years, as Levi's america got less interested, they started to make more jeans in Japan, and use Japanese fabric where they might have used Cone before. They now seem to be returning to something closer to their old approach - I would guess the Japanese consumers prefer the American-made versions.

INteresting, only had time for a quick look, but they've intorudced the full cotton duck set, which I haven't seen for years - the pants, and the hunting jacket etc. completely insane items! I hope we get some raw 200 and 300 series in Europe soon... might be time to go and chase up some of my sources.

I suspect they still use the same factory; they can order the red tag without the r, because it's not trademarked in Japan - if they did the same in the US, it would weaken their own trademark.

Paul if they came out with a raw 1911 333 I would be all over that. I really don't mind the pre distressed pair I have cause they really did a nice job on the aging (better than most)I would just rather break'm in myself.

[fardin]

hey paul, i posted this before here, but you were absent then, so whats you opinionon these lvc japan 20s 201. the buttons are not black, how accurate do you think these are?

http://www.jeans-neshi.com/mensjeanskan/levis/xx-aitem/20201-00/20201-0005.htm

and where can i see the cotton duck stuff?

[Paul T]

HI Fardin, nice to see you again (I'm wearing my Lee Riders today).

Those Japanese 201 look lovely. THey have the flat rivets, and I wonder if they are based on an example a couple years earlier than the US ones; I haven't seen enought original Levi's 201 to know. On the 201, because it was a cheaper model, I think they used whatever buttons etc they could get hold of.

The 201 are very weird jeans. Often the cut seemed to vary illogically from the 501, for instance still an old-fashioned single stitch yoke in 1893. Some of the fabric is well made, some is fantastically slubby.

For the cotton duck stuff, including the (amazing but weird) Hunters' Waistoat, go to the site linked by Erk, click on vintage, I think it's page 2 or 3.

[akuma no uta]

i was in a levi's store in dc and i noticed quite a few delicious looking items (a denim chore coat, a few nice workshirts, some buckleback stf jeans) none selvedge or expensive (the chore coat was $90, the workshirts were around $50 and the jeans were $75) but what i noticed, is that i dont believe they are LVC, but rather the inside tag said L.S. & CO in red with a white background, is this just regular stuff that happens to be cool and all vintage inspired? or is it a sub-line? forgive me for asking so much, i have NO idea about any sort of levi's products, but this stuff peaked my interest.

[Paul T]

I think this is the red tag range - I did notice a '1901 model' in the UK flagship store that wasn't LVC, non selvage. Looked nice but overpriced at maybe £90 or so - $75 sounds a lot better.

[fardin]

hey paul, thanks, nice you are wearing your lees today. i was in my warehouse 1880s cotton duck diggers. ( very starnge pair, specially the low rize is strange for the 1800s, but i know thats not lvc related)

i was wondering about those 201s. maybe i get them.

yes i found the cotton duck stuff. they look beautiful. i wish i had the money now ( but i am getting the lee frisco jeans first)

[Paul T]

..ahhh, Lee friscos, terrific.

The duck diggers are the one pair I would really like, but they've discontinued the early models, right? Didn't know they were low rise. Sadly, I won't be buying anything for the next four months, either. In fact, I go t some Uniqlo Japan selvage jeans for £30, and took them back because our cheques started bouncing...

[fardin]

yes they are low rise. the guys at BIG didnt knwo anythign about them, and gordon wasnt there that day. ( they didnt even know they were a boss of the road repro, and had never heard of Boss either)

dealing with warehouse is a real hassle too, very complicated. hope everything works out ( didnt manage to get the cant bust em friscos , a real bummer).

the lvc duck hunting jacket looks very odd. love the pants though.

[airfrogusmc]

yes they are low rise. the guys at BIG didnt knwo anythign about them, and gordon wasnt there that day. ( they didnt even know they were a boss of the road repro, and had never heard of Boss either)

dealing with warehouse is a real hassle too, very complicated. hope everything works out ( didnt manage to get the cant bust em friscos , a real bummer).

the lvc duck hunting jacket looks very odd. love the pants though.

I wish they had the hunting coat in real man sizes.

[fardin]

lol true airfrog. i didnt even check the sizes yet.

[Happy Hooligan]

I see and occasionally pick up vintage hunting coats from thrifts. They're fairly common and come in big sizes.

I can't wear them as a normal jacket as the sleeves are always short (as you would wear it over another jacket) Plus the bird pouches would get in the way for me...

[airfrogusmc]

lol true airfrog. i didnt even check the sizes yet.

38 & 40

I was that in like 3rd grade.

[fardin]

strange they dont even have a 42. and usually the big sizes are still like a medium here. just picked uo the buzz rickson N1 in large and its more like a medium, should have gone with the xl

but airfog i know your a big man, man

[airfrogusmc]

strange they dont even have a 42. and usually the big sizes are still like a medium here. just picked uo the buzz rickson N1 in large and its more like a medium, should have gone with the xl

but airfog i know your a big man, man

LoL yeah I'm a pretty big guy.