Vintage Denim?

[aho]

^Nigo is displaying his vintage collection in Tokyo at the Bunka Gakuen Costume Musem; I'll be sure to post pictures next month when I visit!

[Dr_Heech]

7 hours ago, aho said:

^Nigo is displaying his vintage collection in Tokyo at the Bunka Gakuen Costume Musem; I'll be sure to post pictures next month when I visit!

Yes please aho.

[silencejoe]

Got this 3/4 47s from my friend 

 

[Dr_Heech]

1 hour ago, silencejoe said:

Got this 3/4 47s from my friend 

Are you wearing them whilst listening to Club Tropicana 

What's going on with the fly buttons? Can we have some more pics of the inside of the fly and pockets area pur-leeze.

 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Dr_Heech

[silencejoe]

14 minutes ago, Dr_Heech said:

Are you wearing them whilst listening to Club Tropicana 

What's going on with the fly buttons? Can we have some more pics of the inside of the fly and pockets area pur-leeze.

 

Ha ha ha, sure dr. i will take some pics later 

[aho]

Doesn't seem to matter how long I've been into this hobby, but every time I see a pair of "classic" 47's (in ANY condition), it brings a smile to my face and a "damn..." to my mouth 

[silencejoe]

22 hours ago, Dr_Heech said:

Are you wearing them whilst listening to Club Tropicana 

What's going on with the fly buttons? Can we have some more pics of the inside of the fly and pockets area pur-leeze.

 

Here you go Dr, happy Friday 

[Dr_Heech]

^Great details there mate, thanking you. 

 

[NilsLW]

I’m eyeing a pair of almost raw Levi’s 501-0115 from the early 80’s in my size online. Is there a difference between the 501-0115 compared to the ”regular” 501?

[mstax]

On 10/2/2022 at 6:34 PM, NilsLW said:

I’m eyeing a pair of almost raw Levi’s 501-0115 from the early 80’s in my size online. Is there a difference between the 501-0115 compared to the ”regular” 501?

As far as I know 0115 is a fabric type code. The more famous code 0217 stands for Pre-Shrunk for example. I don’t know what 0115 means but it could be any of this I think: pre-washed/rinsed, non-selvedge, left hand twill (yes I had a 501 that was left hand twill, not sure if it had this code), etc.

[mstax]

Hi everyone!

New here, it's so nice to see all the vintage denim in this thread. There are really some beautiful pieces I saw come by. My name is Michiel and I live in Netherlands. I've liked 50's-70's Americana since a loooong time and hence the love for denim and workwear. Some years ago I started to get more into the history and collecting the denim garments that basically laid out the foundation for what we love to wear still. Vintage denim has it's own character. To me it's really something different from the repro models. All the quirks and details of things not being perfect are in each garment and I love that. Apart from that, the fabrics are really truly amazing and when something is worn hard it's even better : )

I wanted to share a quite unique piece I found recently which I learned a lot from. I live in Europe and therefore it is not really easy to have access to the denim garments I love so much. But, during my years of collecting and research I found out that denim was already available in Europe quite early. In the early 60's a lot of people already knew about Levi's and Lee and both brand advertised in youth magazines. Youth was buying their 501's in the early 60's. Also, around that time the first production factories were set up here in Europe by denim brands.

In 1962 Blue Bell opened their first factory in Belgium to produce Wrangler garments for the European market. Mind you, this was still the time of left hand twill and Wrangler Blue Bell branded so to me this was really a surprise. You all will definitely know the Wrangler model 11MWZ (later renamed 13MWZ), this was also made in Belgium of left hand twill denim. 

Now in the 50's jeans were basically straight, with a few variations here and there. In the 60's the shape of jeans started to diversify more to appeal to a wider audience and to shed image of workwear. One of the shapes was a more tailored, slim fit. Levi's did this with their famous 606 jeans and the 'spikes' which were available in different colours. The tailored, slim for was meant for for example school. 'Fit for school' was a slogan widely used. Because of this altered fit it was more accepted to wear a jean to school because it looked a lot more neat. 

Wrangler also jumped on this trend and came with the 12MWZ, also called Long 'n Leans, Super Leans or the Collegiate Cut. Introduced in the 60's. Apparently Blue Bell decided that these were going to be produced in Belgium as well. And this is what I found. Deadstock condition 12MWZ, produced in Belgium around '63-'65. All the classic Wrangler Blue Bell details in a lean and slim cut. Beautiful left hand twill denim (which was imported from the US I think). I found this in my size and I was doubting to wear it or not because I normally don't like jeans that slim but I think this is an amazing jean that I just had to wear. I gave it a short wash to get the storage dirt and starch out and now I am wearing it. Below some photo's. The whole album is here: https://imgur.com/a/uuawFJI

The Eclair zip was the sign this could be Belgium made:

Notice how the belt loops and backpockets shifted to the left after the one wash:

Edited October 11, 2022 by mstax
Trying to add images

[chicote]

Those are awesome, and the fit is surprising to me, the jeans look a lot less tapered and dramatic on you than they do laying flat. Thanks for sharing @mstax and welcome to Sufu!

[mstax]

26 minutes ago, chicote said:

Those are awesome, and the fit is surprising to me, the jeans look a lot less tapered and dramatic on you than they do laying flat. Thanks for sharing @mstax and welcome to Sufu!

Thanks! Good to be here! Yeah I was pleasantly surprised too, the fit really works I think. Feels a little Ivy, but rugged. The backpocket shape with the big W’s I really like.

[Maynard Friedman]

Great find and fit too. Did you remove the Wrangler patch from the back pocket or did it fall off in the wash?

[mstax]

12 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Great find and fit too. Did you remove the Wrangler patch from the back pocket or did it fall off in the wash?

I removed it. I wore it unwashed for a day and it was not comfortable with that patch. Thick piece of plastic. Figured it would damage the fabric as well if I would leave it on.

[Dr_Heech]

Here are some nice shots of the late 1880's Levis that sold for $76,000, once owned by our very own @Sansome1877

 

 

Edited October 11 by Dr_Heech
spelling

[mstax]

For me the most cool about that jean (or pants?) is how wearable it still is and how f*cking cool you’ll look in it : )

[Maynard Friedman]

You’ll look like a 19th century painter and decorator in them. I’d sell ‘em if they were mine.

[Dr_Heech]

1 hour ago, mstax said:

For me the most cool about that jean (or pants?) is how wearable it still is and how f*cking cool you’ll look in it : )

 

1 hour ago, Maynard Friedman said:

You’ll look like a 19th century painter and decorator in them. I’d sell ‘em if they were mine.

Well your both right, he did wear them for a short while and then he sold them.

 

[mstax]

31 minutes ago, Dr_Heech said:

 

Well your both right, he did wear them for a short while and then he sold them.

 

Knew it! 

[smoothsailor]

1 hour ago, Dr_Heech said:

 

Well your both right, he did wear them for a short while and then he sold them.

 

For 76000 ?

[Dr_Heech]

8 hours ago, smoothsailor said:

For 76000 ?

No Paul, although not sure what he sold them for (?)

[Sansome1877]

23 hours ago, Dr_Heech said:

No Paul, although not sure what he sold them for (?)

1/3 the price they went for- minus 7k

and that’s coming from the self called denim archaeologist- according to some dipshit writer, like I would call myself something so f-ing lame

[Sansome1877]

23 hours ago, Dr_Heech said:

Don’t know if anyone has noticed- the jeans have been altered now- the original left leg patch has been removed, for the life of me- I cant think of a good reason for this, now a hole in the left leg is exposed.

hey doc- can you email me these photos- these are from my cell that was run over in the hwy- if I’m ever to put out the Levi book…I need these pics again.

[Dr_Heech]

44 minutes ago, Sansome1877 said:

hey doc- can you email me these photos- these are from my cell that was run over in the hwy- if I’m ever to put out the Levi book…I need these pics again.

Give me your email address mate and I'll do that for ya.

What Levis book? 

[Dr_Heech]

There's been more interest recently in late 1920's and early 1930's levis jacket based repros, thinking of Freewheelers and Warehouse in particular (hey l'm really enjoying the fit on my WH 1927 model, the size 46 means l can comfortably wear it over a thicker shirt or a sweat)

Anyway, just thought I'd share these pics of one of my favourites from the Levis XX denim jackets book of #58 - a 213 which has a beautifully sewn wonky stitched pocket flap and pleat box-stitching detail.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Dr_Heech
Spelling

[Facini]

This 557xx never gots worn because it’s a tad too big for me. And since I got my size 46 transition, I don’t I’ll ever use it. I think it has excellent seam integrity, cuffs needs a small repair, no big deal. “O” buttons. 557xx label, so I’d say it’s a second gen jacket after the “Every garment guaranteed” one.

How much would a jacket like this be worth?

[Facini]

A little backstory - back in 2016 I was really fortunate to get this one in deadstock condition. It was my first vintage piece and I was really over the moon since I got to be the one who could be the first wearer of this jacket. I knew that it would be worth more deadstock, but I didn’t care - they were made to be worn after all. Here are some pictures before, during and after the first soak.

[Dr_Heech]

7 hours ago, Facini said:

This 557xx never gots worn because it’s a tad too big for me. And since I got my size 46 transition, I don’t I’ll ever use it. I think it has excellent seam integrity, cuffs needs a small repair, no big deal. “O” buttons. 557xx label, so I’d say it’s a second gen jacket after the “Every garment guaranteed” one.

How much would a jacket like this be worth?

Well if it's any help to you, l have owned three 557xx over the last 30 years (well one of them was a 559xx actually) and all three cost me between 125-150 quid to purchase and all sold back out again for 150 quid at a time. So there's a ballpark figure for you*. 

The 559xx was a 48, the 557xx were sz 46's and all bought direct from the US.

 

*however l recently enquired about purchasing a  one wash 558xx in a 46 (that's the long version) from a Japanese seller and was told $4400 so anything is possible.

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Dr_Heech

[Facini]

Thanks @Dr_Heech for giving me a reference. From what I'm seeing, the market has really become sort of a bubble - I can't even find Type IIIs without the price being way too high and in poor condition. I can't help but laugh at that 4400 $ price. Would ebay be the best place for me to sell it?

If anybody here has any interest, feel free to shoot me a PM. If anyone is wondering, the chest is about 60 cm P2P