I got this pair of Levi 501s from the very first Sid Mashburn warehouse sale way back in 2013. If memory serves, I paid $25. They had been hemmed but not tapered. I tried them on, and they fit GREAT in the waist, even though I usually wear a 32 in Levis. My guess is that these were soaked shrink-to-fits. Whatever. I took them to have them tapered, as the length was just right.
And then I started wearing them. A lot. Keep in mind that at this time, your normal 501s weren’t the most en-vogue jeans. It was heavy slevedge time. No one blinked at spending $200-$300-$400 on a pair of jeans. I did. Since I got these Levi’s I’ve probably bought 20-25 pairs of jeans. APCs, Imogenes, Naked & Famous, Raleighs, etc. I still have a few pairs of those higher end jeans, and wear them all from time to time.
What’s funny is that I keep reaching for these old 501s. They were a lot darker when I first got them, and have faded nicely. (I’m also impressed that I haven’t outgrown them…). They were a staple during COVID. In colder months, I’d probably wear them 3-4 times a week. By no means did I abuse them, but I also didn’t pamper them.
It makes me think: were they ever ‘out of style’? Or were there other fads that got some attention. I’m glad I kept these jeans. Today I wear them with everything. Loafers, camp mocs, Blundstones, and Res Ipsa clogs… And I wear them just about everywhere. They aren’t dressy, but they aren’t designed to be so. These jeans are the true style-agnostic workhorses of my wardrobe, and I expect them to be prime time players for the next cycle as well. “Style” be damned.
Nice post. Levis are great. They are currently offering a 501, no stretch, with a slight taper. I have been wearing them a lot since I picked this particularly pair up. They aren’t as good as the 501CT model that was offered 9-10 years ago (which I lost too much weight to wear), but they are solid. I can’t think of a better value proposition in denim.
I’ve been singing the praises of 501 STFs since I was inspired by your process post in 2012. I wear them regularly and do not baby them. They are rugged and hold up so well. I’m in a cycle of replacing a pair every three years and after a little trial and error, have dialed in my ideal size and shrink steps. Levis run a sale in the spring and I have consistently snagged a new pair for under $35. Can’t beat that cost-per-wear value. The new new pair takes on daily grind while the pair getting replaced moves into the “yard khakis” pile, to continue a life work. I’ve still got the original pair.
Which particular wash do you recommend to start with?
Personally, I like to start with a pair of raw denim 501 STF. There’s an old RCS post about how to treat them here https://redclaysoul.com/lets-give-it-a-try-the-tbtyh-levis-shrink-to-fit-process/
They’ll be very dark and very stiff, but if you wear them regularly, give them a soak every once in a while and eventually wash them (hang dry), they’ll become soft and will get some great natural fades. I’m wearing a pair right now that I bought about four years ago.
Jeans are like beer.
At their heart, they’re egalitarian. They can be everything and nothing. It’s cool that you can spend $300 on Japanese selvedge or $15/pint on a double IPA, but give me a pair of faded 501s and a Miller High Life and I’m good to go.
I’ve been wearing 501s pretty much every day for the past 8ish years. Some sanfordized, some STFs, in a variety of colors. They fit me well, especially after getting the legs tapered. I’m finally in the process of trying some more expensive Unbranded denim to see how they compare. I might end up back at 501s, though.