I recommend 501s all the time because of one reason: they are incredible jeans. Not because they are the highest quality denim, not because they have the ‘best’ fit, and not because they are high fashion. I love them because I feel good when I wear them. They are an archetype of American culture, and for ~$50, you can be a part of that story.
Like most garments, they don’t fit that great off the rack. I get the ‘ease of use’ argument: it’s preferred to find a style that works off the rack, but it’s likely they absolutely don’t have the cool-factor of 501s.
I get asked quite a bit about tailoring 501s, so with that in mind, I’ve created this post to give my advice, and encourage any of you to post your tips and tricks in the comments.
There are two types of 501s that I recommend: Shrink-To-Fit (STF) and Original Fit. Both are great options. This post does not apply to any 501s that have any sort of stretch. The STF jeans require a little more upkeep vs. the Classics mainly because you are getting raw denim that hasn’t been exposed to water, ergo hasn’t shrunk at all. Classics have been put through the wash, and from a sizing perspective, what you see is what you get.
The STF process has been documented (I did this post about 10 years ago) and largely I still agree with it all. What you get out of STF jeans is a tougher, thicker denim that will show wear a little better than the Classics. I recommend buying STF jeans about 1-2″ bigger than your normal waist, and about 2-4″ longer in the length. STF jeans should never touch a dryer and honestly shouldn’t touch a washing machine either. They need to be soaked to be cleaned.
The Original Fits are basically the washed version of the STF (same cut), which means they’ve already shrunk. I recommend buying these in your normal waist size and a couple of inches longer than your normal length. They should fit snug around the waist (NOT tight), as they’ll stretch out after wearing them for about an hour. I recommend turning these inside out and wash them in the washing machine in cold water, then put them in the dryer for ~5-7 minutes, turn them right-side out, and hang them to dry.
At this point, both pairs are ready to take in for tailoring, and the advice below is the same for both pairs.
There are three areas you should tailor 501s:
- Waist: Honestly, try to avoid having the waist tailored. You should buy 501s that fit snug in the waist.
- Length: Depending on your preference, the length should be tailored to either a very slight break to no break. Too long and they look frumpy. Even with boots.
- Width: This is where the work happens. 501s are a straight cut, which makes the tailoring pretty easy. I prefer the 501s to be a slimmer fit, but not tight. I ask my tailor to start the slimming along the outside seam just under the copper rivet at the pocket. This tightens the calves, and keeps a consistent width to and below the knee. This creates a more polished look. From a leg-opening perspective, I ask for 7.5″ wide if I’m wearing them with loafers, and an 8-8.5″ leg opening if I’m wearing them with taller boots (Tecovas, Russells, etc).
Generally speaking, this will cost anywhere from $20-50/pair depending on the tailor. Remember: with tailoring, you get what you pay for. The recommendation is don’t look for the cheapest option. Take them to a local men’s store or a reputable tailor and spend the money to do it right.
Any other advice from General Population?
I might suggest Levi’s 502’s. Not as many color/wash options as 501’s but a nice option you don’t have to tailor. They have a little taper from knee down but not a slim/skinny fit in the thigh.
They’re good but also much more difficult to find without stretch.
I wear 501s that I’ve had hemmed and tapered to work typically five days a week. I like the higher rise and doing so has allowed me to take the guess work out of trying to find the perfect pair that fits the way I like in the top block and in the legs. And the price allows for experimentation without feeling like you wasted a ton of money if they don’t turn out perfectly.
I found a local tailor who pretty much nailed the first pair that I took up there and since then have probably taken 7-8 pairs. Finding a tailor who understands exactly what you’re trying to achieve is critical. I no longer tell them what leg opening I want. I just try them and trust my own eye for what looks good when they’re pinning them up.
The only problem is have with this strategy is that I feel like you basically have to decide if you’re going to wear a pair of jeans with loafers/low top shoes, or if you’re going to wear them with boots. It’s hard to get a pair tailored for one type of footwear and have them work equally as well for the other type.
Ya, I hate this too. I wear jeans and khakis with my boots all the time. I’m the type that gets them starched with a crease and likes to have them stack at the bottom. This is how I wear pants most of the time, but it makes it almost impossible to wear with loafers or something similar. q
As always, the right tailor will make any garment fit and look better.
I have two types of 501s- the knockaround pair for yard work and running chores and a slightly dressier option (think fall oyster roasts/ backyard parties/worn with loafers). My knockaround pair I wear off the rack and tbh I wash them (but not dry) frequently. My dressier option, I’ll wash twice (per RCS directions) before tailoring, and I only tailor the inseam to no-break, hitting right at ankle bone- anything longer and you risk pre-mature fraying. I can’t get behind the never wash or put in freezer options, so I’ll wash this pair after every 3rd wear.
I highly recommend the garment dyed 501s from Sid Mashburn if you’re looking for a color other than blue, just following Sid’s sizing advice as the dying process does affect the fit.
I did (briefly) stray to the 505 and 511, but they were too baggy and too low of a rise, respectively.
I’ve had numerous pairs altered over the years, mainly because the 100% Cotton versions no longer exist. I’m old school and like my inseam to ride up my butt. If this creates a problem with the length, you can find a Taylor that will add some length to each leg by sewing used denim on -inside out, so you can roll up the bottom of the legs to create the appearance of a faux cuff, you can get an extra 2 inches in length this way