Why do I need an FAQ?
There are roughly 20 major variants of the 501 throughout its history. Along with this FAQ, I’ve added a a brief guide to how to tell them apart, aimed mostly at people who intend to wear vintage replicas.
How did the 501 change throughout its history?
The 501 constantly evolved from when it appeared around 1873. Early examples were worn with suspenders (or, if you're British, braces), and hence had suspender buttons and a cinch to tighten the waist. Earlier jeans were made of lighter weight denim. The 501 didn't assume what we think of as its modern form until 1947.
Did the shape of the 501 change, too?
Constantly. Early jeans were anti-fit, with a big top block – ie big in the bum. They had a high rise – ie the waistband was above the bellybutton – and the legs were usually slightly tapered. In the '30s, they followed fashion by becoming much fuller and baggier. By the late '40s, they had become what we'd describe today as a classic, vintage cut; in the '60s, the 501 was more of a drainpipe shape. For more info, see the model guide.
Did Levi Strauss invent the 501?
No. The inventor of the 501, and the concept of blue jeans or 'riveted work pants' was a tailor named Jacob Davis. He had the idea of reinforcing work pants with rivets, and made several dozen in white cotton duck, and blue denim. He bought all his fabric from Levi Strauss, whom he trusted. Jacob wrote to Levi to suggest he fund a patent application in both their names, which was granted in 1873. The XX model was launched around that time, or shortly afterwards, and was later renamed 501XX.
What denim is the 501 made from?
From 1873 to circa 1922, the 501 was made from natural indigo selvage denim made in Amoskeag, New Hampshire. Around 1922, LS&Co switched suppliers to Cone; the new fabric was synthetic indigo denim, and had a red line on the selvage, to identify the denim. In 1983 the 501 changed to a non-selvage denim made on wider looms, still produced by Cone. Cone still produce the red-line denim for today's Levi's Vintage replicas; most of the denim for the pre-1927 versions is made in Japan.
Weren't the early jeans made from 'Serge de Nimes' made in France, or using canvas?
No. That's an urban myth. All the denim came from mills in the US; the brown cotton duck used on some early jeans vaguely resembled canvas, hence the confusion.
Which is the slimmest model of LVC 501?
That's a close call between the 1947 – which has a straight leg, and slim thighs – and the 1966, which has slightly wider thighs and is slightly tapered. For more info, see the model guide.
When did Levi's start producing replicas of classic models of 501?
Levi's Japan started producing vintage reissues around 1987, and Levi's US produced their own Capital E, a generic vintage-style model in 1989. LVC started producing a vintage range from 1996.
Where is/was the 501 made?
The very first 501s (or XX, as they were first called) were probably made by out-workers, who'd sew the jeans in their homes. But Levi Strauss & Co (aka LS&Co) soon opened a factory on Battery Street, San Francisco. Much later, as production expanded, LS&Co opened many more factories; their first overseas production of the 501 was in Scotland, in the early '80s. Sadly, Levi's closed its last US factory, in San Antonio, Texas, in 2003, moving practically all its production off-shore. Current LVC jeans in raw finish (unwashed) are made by non-LS&Co factories in the USA.
How do I get the right size of 501?
Levi's 501 was traditionally a Shrink to Fit jean. This was because all early denim shrank, hence the customer would simply buy jeans one size (two inches) up from their actual measurements: eg, if you need jeans with a 32 inch waist and 32 inch leg, buy 34W 34L jeans, which will shrink to the approximately correct size. However, LVC models from Spring/Summer 2009 onwards are sized larger, so in most cases it’s best to buy your actual waist size. To elliminate doubt, measure the waist of the actual jeans, and size up by one inch.
Does anyone else apart from LVC make 501 replicas?
Many Japanese companies make jeans influenced by the 501; Sugarcane jeans are especially good, although personally I prefer other models, like the SC40400 Hawaii, to their Levi's copies. I also like Samurai, which fade in a very attractive way – which is different to how Levi's fade. I've not had a chance to try out a pair yet, but it's obvious that Warehouse are also among the most creative Japanese vintage-influenced jeans. For more information on other Japanese brands check out the denim forum at www.superfuture.com
What's the best way of shrinking the 501?
Most people will soak them before wear. Cold water is fine; for more shrinkage, use hot water. For maximum shrinking machine-wash inside-out at 30 or 40 degrees (without detergent) before wearing. Many people wear them as they dry, so they'll assume the wearer's shape. If you put them on wet, then squat and run around before hang-drying, it will 'set' the creases, and perhaps help achieve better wear patterns.
How do I get a good-looking or vintage-style fade?
General consensus for a high-contrast is to keep washing to a minimum for the first six months. When you do wash, use a mild washing powder or liquid, without bleach; Dr Bronners, or Eco products are highly regarded by denim aficionados. But miners in the '20s, cowboys in the '30s, and bikers in the '40s seemed to get great fades without obsessing about it too much.
What does 'antifit' mean?
The first jeans were based on very simple patterns; on the very first Levi's, the pattern is less curved around the ass, which in cross section is less fitted, so extra fabric can bulge around the bottom of your ass. Sometimes, as on the 1955 Levi's, this bulge looks triangular, as opposed to round. It's a classic look, which is why it's popular, but is has a different effect depending on the style of the jean. A classic antifit cut would be a Levi's 1955, or an 1880s cut. On the 501, the most fitted are the ’66 and 70s cuts, plus the ’80s and ’90s ones.
What are Sanforized jeans?
Some Levi's, mostly models with zippers including the 551ZXX, are Sanforized, which is a process which shrinks fabric before it's made into a garment. Most Lee jeans are Sanforized. With these models, you can buy actual size, and there's no need to presoak them. However, remember that there is some residual shrinkage, at least 3%, and that some current Lee reissues are badged as Sanforized, when they're apparently not (they're usually made over-size to compensate for this).
What are the ‘button codes’?
All early LVC have factory codes on the fly button which indicate the factory the produced them. They don’t have huge significance, but they will tell you whether the jeans were made in a Levi’s factory, and will also help identify 2009 jeans, which are sized differently. I believe the correct coding is: 555 (Valencia St), 554 (San Antonio), 822 an unknown Levi's factory used for LVC around 2001. 643M, denotes a non-Levi's factory, probably Taylor Togs in N Carolina, (sometimes the buttons are blank but you'll see 643 on the inner tag), R overlaps with the same time frame of 2004-2007 and around 2008 we get 233M. Spring/summer 2009 jeans are sized differently from their predecessors and carry a 4170 code; I believe this signifies Caitac in California. These jeans look to be sized larger than their predecessors; we will need more reports from wearers before it’s possible to say if the shapes vary, too.
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