Leepro Appreciation

[indigoeagle]

4 minutes ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

What am I missing? Are these SOAS really that special or are they just the only western store to carry them? How do they differ from these?

https://www.jeans-neshi.com/mensjeanskan/lee/lee-vintage-menu.htm

That shop doesn't seem to offer the 30s pants for example unless I overlooked.

These seem to be sold out in Japan:

https://www.joenet.co.jp/SHOP/lee-14101-089.html

 

[indigoeagle]

The Jeans Neshi shop still has the link, but also sold out, I think.

[Maynard Friedman]

They’re not that special other than the fact that they haven’t been made for some time, assuming they’re the MIJ Edwin models. I bought (and subsequently sold) a couple of pairs of the Lee Cowboy 1937 101s quite a few years ago. They cost me about £105 each. They were nice jeans and very well made but I didn’t really like the fit, the hems were a bit wide for my taste.

[Dr_Heech]

One of 3 current wearers, my 'not that special' 1930 Lee's , bought in 2008. Worn for odd jobs and gardening. Looking to put aside soon and replace with something new or unwashed.

Love the hardware on Lee's, as it is exactly that - hard wear, not like lvc for example. But l prefer the rivets on my 1930's Lee jacket (last photo), which are more accurate being cut at the ends, rather than the jean rivets which are different. Not sure how they're finished actually.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Dr_Heech

[chicote]

Those are absolutely amazing @Dr_Heech, thank you for sharing

[Dr_Heech]

Thanks!

When l bought my first pair of 1930 Lee 101's, l had no idea what to expect with shrinkage as it was a newly released model. This would've been 2008 and although l was a only a lurker here, there was still no info on them and l didn't know they were sanforized. So I ordered a sz 32 which were massive so l chucked them in the wash and no shrinkage. Waist size was doable with the cinch so l got my Mum to home hem them (again before l knew about chainstitched hemming services if there was such a thing back then). In frustration l gave them a boil wash. The result was a high waisted loose fit jean, lighter blue denim and a slightly highwater hem. 

The new pair are a sz 30 (measured 34) and are a closer fit. They are now my replacement garden/yard jeans. These  had a soak originally after l bought them back in 2016 and have only been worn for a few months before l gained a bit of weight. Took them to be  shortened and hemmed at Soas after purchase, giving them a yellow thread to match the belt loop bartacking. Especially love the patch -

"copper riveted cowboy overalls "

 

 

 

 

Edited February 12 by Dr_Heech

[crownzip]

Went on Son of Stag website to check on the Lee Archive pieces. Kinda sucks that most sizes in many of the pieces are already sold out when they aren't even available until tomorrow.

[Maynard Friedman]

Perhaps they’re showing as sold out until they actually become available and then the correct quantities will be shown so that customers can order them.

[unders]

A very early heads up- looks like Jelado will be doing some 40’s Leepros in Spring/Summer 2024:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxX3ZacsEIJ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[Dr_Heech]

Supposed to be the remnants of storm Lee today, according to the Met Office. Bit disappointing actually, came home to a garden covered in the usual debris, but not one buckleback jacket or a single pair of Lee riders to be seen.

 

[Maynard Friedman]

^ those items must’ve ridden the storm out Charlie, especially the blanket lined jackets.

[LazyS]

Edited October 13, 2023 by LazyS

[LazyS]

 

[yung_flynn]

Not the strictest of Leepros (not even marketed as such), but the details on this pair of RRL denim feels heavily influenced by vintage Lee 101

Edited November 17, 2023 by yung_flynn

[Paul T]

Been rationalising; sent the SDA that I use for working aroubd the house off to the charity shop, and Lady T has fixed up my Riders. Off do to some sawing and routing, in traditional stylee. These are the second Euro repro, somewhere here I mention where the fabric's made (Nisshinbo?), first lot was made in Ireland, these are made in Malta. 

 

[iloveredstripe]

To anyone in Australia, Lee Archive are available from Lee AU

[LazyS]

Lee archives 1962 I purchased at the Lee store in Osaka

[MJF9]

@LazyS nice... did you pick up much in Japan?

[LazyS]

Yes, The OA and Lees were the only raw jeans. These Lee’s are from a thrift, a UK Brooklyn comfort repro and a 90s pair.  The bag in the back you can see the top of  is the Ultima Thule Tourist bag that I got at Hooisers along with some other Freewheelers pieces . Got a longsleeve tee at SDA and a Denime tee at Warehouse too. 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

Bronson Mfg 1936 

I am curios if they use cotton thread, otherwise a decent pair and who can resist these arcuates... they come in right hand rather than left hand denim. Can anyone tell, if Lee used left hand denim exclusively ?

[indigoeagle]

@Sympathy-For-The-Denim

I think, it was in 40s, that they switched from RHT to LHT.

The Lee REAL VINTAGE COWBOY 101-B 1939 model is still RHT.
The COWBOY 101 1945 one is LHT.

Edited December 19, 2024 by indigoeagle

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

@indigoeagle thanks al lot for the insight!

funnily its easier getting my hands on a pair of at last&co repros than on a real Lee archive pair in Europe... 20 years ago you could find the hair on hide pairs every now and than.

[indigoeagle]

30 minutes ago, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

@indigoeagle thanks al lot for the insight!

funnily its easier getting my hands on a pair of at last&co repros than on a real Lee archive pair in Europe... 20 years ago you could find the hair on hide pairs every now and than.

Yes, I think, in Japan Lee Archives has mostly released 40s and 50s models in the recent time.
https://ameblo.jp/barnstormer-go/entry-12867304328.html

Aero still has this one in W30:

https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/denim/lee-japan-101b-jeans-cinch-back-1934--dry/dnm025

 

 

[cultpop 0217]

On 12/19/2024 at 12:22 PM, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

Bronson Mfg 1936 

I am curios if they use cotton thread, otherwise a decent pair and who can resist these arcuates... they come in right hand rather than left hand denim. Can anyone tell, if Lee used left hand denim exclusively ?

Just picked these up. Pretty fantastic jeans and remarkably accurate for an unofficial Lee-pro. 

 

High waist, slightly fitted top block, full legs, very slightly tapered to around a 9.5 in hem on size 34. Hairy and inky but not super starchy or stiff 14.5 oz RH twill. Quality seems on par

 

As you can see pretty close to stich for stich to the Lee Archives version of the 1936 Cowboy 101b. 

It was impossible to resist these pockets. So good. 

 

Fugazi Union tag in back pocket.  

Clever lot number.  36101 B

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dr_Heech]

Hollywood cowboy 1950's.

Quite obviously a Lee Riders 101J but for some reason the Lee Riders buttons have been replaced by what looks like sewn on black buttons. Even the cuffs have two on each! But then the Lee black tag on the pocket has been removed, maybe something to do with advertising?

 

[CSL]

Could be customized by a studio tailor. Looks like the cuffs could be folded over 'French cuffs'. 

On a similar topic I recall seeing actor Jimmie Stewart wearing what appeared to be Levis type 2 jacket in a mustard colored corduroy. Must have been a custom piece, right? Or did Levis actually make that?...

[Dr_Heech]

8 hours ago, CSL said:

Could be customized by a studio tailor. Looks like the cuffs could be folded over 'French cuffs'. 

On a similar topic I recall seeing actor Jimmie Stewart wearing what appeared to be Levis type 2 jacket in a mustard colored corduroy. Must have been a custom piece, right? Or did Levis actually make that?...

^Possibly?

On your second point,  l've seen quite a few black and white westerns, usually 40s or 50s, where the main and/or secondary characters are wearing what looks to be either a light tan/mustard or brown generic type one or type two, sometimes with metal buttons but mostly with sewn on types. Your comment above reminded me particularly of Jimmy Stewart in Winchester '73.

 

[CSL]

Yes, Charlie. Could well have been that one. Wish I could remember the movie. I guess it must have been color. Late 50s probably. Maybe I'll do some digging and try to find it.

5 minutes later...So it's The Man From Laramie. Brown corduroy, and on close inspection of various pics on the IMDB site, I'm fairly sure it's a Wrangler jacket.

And furthermore...Bend Of The River 1952 he appears to be wearing a green Levis type 1, likely the same one from Winchester 73, and perhaps Broken Arrow from the same year.

Edited February 12 by CSL

[frank]

Anybody pick up one of these bad boys?

https://www.ware-house.co.jp/?pid=177217181

 

I wasn't going to buy any jeans until  WOMCOM was over but couldn't help myself. Not sure if I sized correctly because the size charts are all over the map, and Warehouse is quoting 7-8cm of shrinkage in the waist lol.

[Alec Leamas]

35 minutes ago, frank said:

Anybody pick up one of these bad boys?

https://www.ware-house.co.jp/?pid=177217181

 

I wasn't going to buy any jeans until  WOMCOM was over but couldn't help myself. Not sure if I sized correctly because the size charts are all over the map, and Warehouse is quoting 7-8cm of shrinkage in the waist lol.

No, but I definitely would have, had I not just bagged an older banner war model from Warehouse!

Looking forward to seeing some more info on them / them being worn - can't get a grasp of how full the cut is from the flat photos I've seen.

I had a look at a few size charts and was reckoning I would have gone my usual WH size if I'd grabbed some.

Edited February 14 by Alec Leamas