Leepro Appreciation

[fardin]

its interesting anyway that your jacket is from 1934, the new cowboy jackets from this year are made in japan again and are 1930s. my 1937 is made in china actually.

i think last years edwin repros where all made way oversize. seems like they have changed the oversizing this year, cause the new 55 101z is not oversize anymore, as far as i can tell from the measurements in the net.

[CrashTestBrummie]

Evis Lot 2101 cowboy jeans, picked up from a Yahoo Japan auction...Cross-posted from main Evisu thread...

The jeans are in perfect deadstock condition, still pretty rigid and unmarked:

The rise is pretty high on these (just over 12) so the fit is tighter than I'd expected...Going to have to wear these in the bath for their soak tomorrow. Fit looks good though, imho:

[nemoulette]

So anyway;

I brought my most lightweight denim to South America, my awesome vintage Leepros, 1939 Hair-on-hides. I managed to scan some photos I took. So after two months of being in places like this:

Doing shit like this:

... I kind of felt that they deserved a wash. Upon arrival in New York, I thought I just might treat myself for another pair of jeans, as well.

(Fullcounts, for those who care)

Will post a better after-picture whenever I find the digital SLR that's lying around somewhere...

[Dr_Heech]

i love those, i think they are going to be my next purchase.

how are the waist measurements?

i never understood why the 28 lee dont have suspender buttons but the 1930s do?`??

should it not be the other way around?

Some more interesting pics/info on early Lee 101 jeans. Interesting to note the Lee repro 1928/1934 jeans with no suspender buttons, are shown here with 'Lee Cowboy' sus. buttons, but still no selvedge. Lee must have changed their jeans design every other year !

Cant see the label behind the leather patch though...

[Dr_Heech]

A similar pair from pre-1936, with the label on the right (behind where the Hair-on-hide patch would have been, but with no suspender buttons

Early model info..

[fardin]

as far as i know from pauls postings here lee did change their designs often. so there are some differences even within the same year. very unlike levis. we have somewhere i think in this thread a pic of some lees with the hair on hide on the right side, just like the early mercantile leather paches wich were on the right and must have changes somewhen around the second half of the 30s to the left side. also intersting in the last pic you scaned is that the inner tag is not in the middle, as in all the repros of that perios, and the chinch is lower then in the 36 repro. i have posted so many pics in the distressed thread but i have never found a pic of the 30s of someone actually wearing lees. would be nice if one would pop up someday.

thanks again for the scans

[nemoulette]

My two Leepros, one Edwin-made (bought last summer, maybe 4 months of wear, two washes), and my old WHs (bought two years ago, haven't really worn since last summer, will wear them again whenever I can be bothered to get them repaired for the fifth time).

[cash]

All the recent action in the Lee Japan thread is getting me excited about Lee jeans again. In regards to the discussion about the Frisco jean a few pages back (p.20), I have had this article archived for a bit. Apparently, Ben Davis bought patterns from Boss Of The Road when he started his workwear company.

[milosz]

I think my next pair are going to be a pair of '52 101zs (or maybe I'll hold out 'til the WH 101z releases).

I'm basically a true 36 now - would you get 36s and give them a hot wash/dry to get them down to size, or go with a 34 and wait?

[fardin]

interesting cash, cause i was thinking about the friscos too. and since warehouse does not make theirs anymore i was wondering about ben davis too. actually they make the friscos too, or their pants are based on the frisco jeens. and if one looks at the original friscos then there is realy a close relationship in the patterns.

but it also seems difficult to find ben davis stuff.

cash have you ordered with them, or do you own a pair of their pants?

[cash]

^ I do own a pair of Ben Davis Frisko from about 15 years ago (shit, I'm getting old). They were great back in the day. However, I bought them a few sized too big (as everyone was doing back then) and they are pretty generously cut to start with. I have had my eyes on their trim cut. Note: these are 50/50 fabric -- not the stuff denim heads pine over.

[fardin]

nice. as far as i understand the friscos dont exist anymore. but the original bens are also produced in cotton, so one does not have to buy the 50/50 fabric, wich is a real turn down.

[Dr_Heech]

Fardin,

just photo'd these for your consideration.

More pics to back up/further the Lee cowboy/riders discussion. I know I'm repeating myself a bit, but bear with me.

We've seen the Lee 101J cowboy jacket. This is the 2nd cowboy version produced during the war years (note: no buckle on back) - www.aeroleatherclothing.com sell the Lee japan repro version of this, check out their discription. Some have the Lee cowboy buttons, some have the Laurel leaf buttons.

Then in 1946 the NEW Lee Riders jacket was introduced.

And two more showing the details mentioned in Paul's Ad

Everthing changed between 1944-1946, Lee Cowboy became Lee Riders (on advertising AND jeans/jacket buttons). This is obviously a well known fact. Paul's book states this on P63 (top right).

The jackets on P46 (IMO from 1945) and P55 (from 1960-62) are exactly the same, apart from the blanket lining (101-J - 101-LJ).

Remember the Housemark label was used up until 1946 (P46). Both jackets have LEE RIDERS on the buttons.

Sorry I dont know how to link properly, but if you go onto www.amazon.co.uk, go: books, go: vintage denim, You will see a copy of David little's: DENIM: an American story. On the cover is a photo of the Lee Riders jacket (circa 1945-46) but with Lee COWBOY buttons (you'll have to enlarge the image). I've only ever seen one of those. It's another overlapping Cowboy/Riders version. In David Little's 'vintage denim' book there is also the same pic(inside the book)

Sorry to waffle on, but to me it's more evidence to back up our earlier discussion on the 101J, which IMO was introduced in 1932

Early 101-J label on pleated jacket.

Hope it's all clear?

[fardin]

thanks , nice dr heech.

interestign i didnt know they also had the laurel leaf buttons. i only know the repros with the cowboy buttons. the prize is killer. but the description is wrong considering the dates ( lee riders 1931). i might buy one. is there any difference in the cut, comparing it to the 1930s version? i still like the 1930s more, for the cinch and the right hand denim and the tripple stitching . but the wartime pockets are nice. do you think those are shorter?

[Dr_Heech]

thanks , nice dr heech.

interestign i didnt know they also had the laurel leaf buttons. i only know the repros with the cowboy buttons. the prize is killer. but the description is wrong considering the dates ( lee riders 1931). i might buy one. is there any difference in the cut, comparing it to the 1930s version? i still like the 1930s more, for the cinch and the right hand denim and the tripple stitching . but the wartime pockets are nice. do you think those are shorter?

I've added the other info.

I used to have one in a sz 42 (large). They are the same, size wise, as my 1934 Lee Jacket and they are early repros, from 2002/3. Yellow stitch, cowboy buttons and the UFO rivets. The denim is OUTSTANDING ! Goes well with the 1944 101B's. They are identical, to my knowledge, as the 1934 version, in length and cut.

[Dr_Heech]

I nearly forgot, two contrasting ads from DUDE RANCHER (1941), showing that even though the "lazy S" stitching may not have actually appeared until 1944, it was already on the drawing board.

From PT's book (P43)

From Denim (lightining book)

[fardin]

nice ads dr.heech

here is one i like. the same ad exists also with the cowboy wearing the 101j rider jacket.

and here a boss of the road ad.

helles cafe has a boss of the road pant from 1910 out now . check out the warhouse site

[Dr_Heech]

Thanks Fardin.

Interesting comparisons. Can you link me to the warehouse site again, just so I can have a quick scan?

BTW, I think we are both 100% in agreement of the Lee jacket history.

It's been a personal quest of mine for two decades. Did you read all the extra info I put into that post? What did you think of the Lee Riders jacket with the cowboy buttons on Amazon?

[Guest patchmb]

Here is a link for the warehouse Lee's. I wouldn't mind a pair of these for myself.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/vintage/wh101z/

[fardin]

hey dr heech. you are right i missed the part with the rider jacket. thats great. just looked at the cover of the book. must be realy from the transition time. do you have that book? is there a pic of the whole jacket?

to the warehouse site. i postete that stuff somewhere here or in the lee japan thread.

here the link to the warehouse lee part.

http://ware-house.co.jp/index.php?page=items&cc=645

and here the warehouse lee blog. lots of infos on the stuff that going to come up.

http://ameblo.jp/wh-archives/

and here is the hellers summer stuff with the boss of the road

http://ware-house.co.jp/?page=catalog_items&cgc=34&categoryc=622

and the link from patch is also great. its the upcoming 101z from the 1940s. you can only preorder now. i am realy curious about that pant.

[partytaco]

one of these transition Riders jackets with the Cowboy buttonns popped up in a size 34 on Ebay for a buy it now of $300 about a year ago. Gone before I could finalize the sale.

Also Larry from Heller's Cafe had one at his auction a few years back.

Sorry I dont know how to link properly, but if you go onto www.amazon.co.uk, go: books, go: vintage denim, You will see a copy of David little's: DENIM: an American story. On the cover is a photo of the Lee Riders jacket (circa 1945-46) but with Lee COWBOY buttons (you'll have to enlarge the image). I've only ever seen one of those. It's another overlapping Cowboy/Riders version. In David Little's 'vintage denim' book there is also the same pic(inside the book)

[Dr_Heech]

Thanks to both Patch and Fardin for those links.

Not a big fan of post-war Lee's myself as they're a bit too slim in the thighs. Prefer 1924-1942 period. I have the 1936 101 Lee 'hair-on-hides' from 2002, and Two pairs of 1930 101 Lee cowboy pants.

Maybe I'll get some pics soon.

Oh fardin, I had the 'Vintage Denim' book by david little, which had a better, more fuller photo of the transitional Riders jacket inside. But IMO the book is not worth the hype. I would have loved to have been alive during the '45-'47 period, just to see what was going on in the Kansas factories..

[fardin]

yes would be cool to see some fit pics of your lees.

[Dr_Heech]

yes would be cool to see some fit pics of your lees.

This was one of two pairs I bought in 2002. I wore the shit out of them and sold them on ebay 2 years ago. This is the only photo I have.

I have still got the other pair BNWT. These Lees wear like iron!

[CrashTestBrummie]

Slightly off the current topic, but I figured I'd share as these are Leepros too...

You all might be aware that Evisu have recently produced some LHT denim for their Heritage line, and have made a 'Lazy S' jeans that is a Leepro in all but name...

Painted Lazy S on the back pockets, in Evisu tradition:

And comparison of the labels and back pockets of 101Z 52, Evis 'Cowboy' Lot 2101 and the Lazy S Lot 0005:

[fardin]

cool. these are for sure lee repros. thanks crash for posting

[Turntabloid]

here is a pic of my 101j (edwin) last spring, back then just a month old

i like the color, but a bit to long, wish they were shorter

wowow, fardin - could you pls let me know what is your real chest size and the pit-to-pit and tagged size of this jacket?

this is the exact fit I am looking for in a lee denim jacket!

bidde bidde!

[fardin]

thats a size 38. the pit to pit size of the jacket is 113 cm

and my chest size is 108.

i still wish it was shorter. i think the real mccoys are cut different. guess i am going for a real mccoys next.

kein problem

[Turntabloid]

trmc seem to be cut shorter: a blessing for you, is a pain for me.

i have a 112cm chest, but I do not like jackets that short.

want to buy a 1101J and 101J from TRMC, but I cannot find a size which accommodates my needs. at least from what is written on rakuten in terms of sizing measurements

[fardin]

well then for you it would be perfect to get a lee repro. the jackets are great and much cheaper anyway.