Bathing with my jeans on?

[djgo-cat-go]

I bought a LVC Levi's deadstock-dry (?) 501 jeans, model 1901.. I'm wearing it for a week now but the fit is pretty oversized because I ordered it two sizes bigger. The reason for this is that this jean is unwashed and will shrink considerably. Now, my question is, how many of you actually took a bath wearing this kind of 'shrink to fit' jeans, and were the results satisfying to you? According to the washing instructions one should step into a warm bath, jeans on, and stay there for 10 minutes.. then step out and let it dry while walking around the house.. Apart from dripping blue all over the place, will the jeans shrink desirably, I mean, I like my jeans baggy, not fitted.. I don't want this pair to turn into skinny-jeans if you know what I mean. Or should I just leave it alone, just wear it, never wash it and let it shrink to fit after a downpour outside? lol

Any opinions/experiences appreciated!

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Hallo DJ, alles kits?

I have a pair, very nice, let them soak in boiling(at first) water for an hour, than dripdry. They don't shrink too much...
Bought my right size, which was baggy when unwashed, now they're just fine.
Don't believe the hype, I have a bunch of LVC stuff, always boil before wear, never see amazing shrinkage.

De mazzel, M.M.

 

[djgo-cat-go]

Hallo DJ, alles kits?

I have a pair, very nice, let them soak in boiling(at first) water for an hour, than dripdry. They don't shrink too much...
Bought my right size, which was baggy when unwashed, now they're just fine.
Don't believe the hype, I have a bunch of LVC stuff, always boil before wear, never see amazing shrinkage.

De mazzel, M.M.

Ha Mose, alles goed hiero! Met jou ook? Vergis ik mij, of heb ik je welleens contrabas zien spelen bij deze of gene rockabilly-formatie?

Thanks for the tips, I have to fire up a big pot to put those jeans in, but you gave me some confidence 'bout the shrinkage-issue..

Later,
Diego

 

[High Pockets]

I've been wearing jeans almost everyday for the last fifty-some-odd years,...
the "shrink-to-fit" Levis are not ever going to shrink to fit your body like some custom made pair of jeans.

"Shrink to Fit", was and is a tricky way of saying:
"In order to keep the cost down on these jeans; YOU wash 'em! The size printed on the tag is our best estimate of how big or small they're gonna be after washing a few times in hot water and a few trips though the dryer"

 

[djgo-cat-go]

I've been wearing jeans almost everyday for the last fifty-some-odd years,...
the "shrink-to-fit" Levis are not ever going to shrink to fit your body like some custom made pair of jeans.

"Shrink to Fit", was and is a tricky way of saying:
"In order to keep the cost down on these jeans; YOU wash 'em! The size printed on the tag is our best estimate of how big or small they're gonna be after washing a few times in hot water and a few trips though the dryer"

lol I could have guessed that myself.. thanks!

 

[High Pockets]

I have never heard the "boiling" thing,....cool!

Nice looking jeans by the way.

 

[Gijoe]

A mont h ago i take a bath with my Levis 1933.
It shrunk about 3/4 inches in the waist and 3 Inches in length.

 

[blethook]

I bought a LVC Levi's deadstock-dry (?) 501 jeans, model 1901.. I'm wearing it for a week now but the fit is pretty oversized because I ordered it two sizes bigger. The reason for this is that this jean is unwashed and will shrink considerably. Now, my question is, how many of you actually took a bath wearing this kind of 'shrink to fit' jeans, and were the results satisfying to you? According to the washing instructions one should step into a warm bath, jeans on, and stay there for 10 minutes.. then step out and let it dry while walking around the house.. Apart from dripping blue all over the place, will the jeans shrink desirably, I mean, I like my jeans baggy, not fitted.. I don't want this pair to turn into skinny-jeans if you know what I mean. Or should I just leave it alone, just wear it, never wash it and let it shrink to fit after a downpour outside? lol

I would say you should've gone with one size bigger, not two. Or even get a pair with usual tag size but with larger actual waist measurement (you'll have to try them on, of course).

From my experience, with the exception of the LVC 501 1947 model, the other LVC shrink-to-fit models do not actually shrink all that much in the waist area. The inseam tends to shrink a bit, but not the waist.

 

[djgo-cat-go]

I would say you should've gone with one size bigger, not two. Or even get a pair with usual tag size but with larger actual waist measurement (you'll have to try them on, of course).

From my experience, with the exception of the LVC 501 1947 model, the other LVC shrink-to-fit models do not actually shrink all that much in the waist area. The inseam tends to shrink a bit, but not the waist.

Ah, oh.. well I don't know if a step up from waist 36 to 38 is considered one size up or two sizes?when I come to think of it, I don't remember ever seeing a waist size 37 available, so could it be possible that I have a pair o blue jeans that's considered one size bigger than size 36.?


Good to know by the way, thanks blethook.

 

[blethook]

Ah, oh.. well I don't know if a step up from waist 36 to 38 is considered one size up or two sizes?


Good to know by the way, thanks blethook.

Well going from 36 to 38 would be one size up as far as Levi's is concerned since they wouldn't have size 37 (Sugarcane would, however). Most of my W34 LVCs are still a little too big for me on the waist (my actual waist: 32-33).

 

[Mysterious Mose]

HaDiego.
Yep, Tinstars.

Blethook summed that up pretty good. LVC uses some weird sizing and different types of denim for their jeans. There's an elaborate thread on LVC on Superfuture's Superdenim forum.One of their members Paul Trynka, from "Denim-From cowboys to catwalk" is an expert. They discuss the models' sizing and shrinkage.
With boiling I meant I bring water to a boil, dump in the jeans, turn off the heat and let them soak. I don't keep it boiling all the time.

Basically I find that if I want something to shrink it won't and if it really shouldn't it will.[huh]

 

[RP McMurphy]

LVC

Hey all...

Not sure if this helps, but I have two pairs of Levis 501 1947's, both sized 34X38. I tried two different methods for shrinking, here's what I got:

The first pair felt rather close-fitting out of the box, despite the fact that the non-shrunk jeans are a 34, and my normal waist is a 32. Nevertheless, I did things the "old fashioned way". Denim afficianados, stop reading now... I threw 'em in the washing machine, no soap, cold wash, right side out. Lottsa blue in the water... After one cold cycle, I pulled them out and put 'em on to check the fit. At first I thought they were WAY too tight, considering I had never owned a pair of 501's, and the 1947 is a slim cut... Looked awesome however, and fit nicely at the waist. Now, 5 months later (and no other washing besides a soak in the sink), they have faded quite a bit, but perhaps not as much as I would have expected... Ahh well. Maybe the cold wash pulled out too much color, or set the colors in the fabric?

My second pair were given a kinder treatment. I soaked them in the sink, folded (right side out, but not as much indigo was lost), then hung them to dry. Did that again a few weeks later, I believe, this time inside-out. These I have not worn yet, but they DID shrink to the same size as the other pair. They do still have a bit of indigo sheen, I believe...

Soooo... Hopefully your jeans should work out. I know the older cuts have a wider fit, so you might want to consider a different size? I'm not honestly sure, since I've only owned the 501's... Hope they turn out well.


RP

 

[djgo-cat-go]

HaDiego.
Yep, Tinstars.

Blethook summed that up pretty good. LVC uses some weird sizing and different types of denim for their jeans. There's an elaborate thread on LVC on Superfuture's Superdenim forum.One of their members Paul Trynka, from "Denim-From cowboys to catwalk" is an expert. They discuss the models' sizing and shrinkage.
With boiling I meant I bring water to a boil, dump in the jeans, turn off the heat and let them soak. I don't keep it boiling all the time.

Basically I find that if I want something to shrink it won't and if it really shouldn't it will.[huh]

Yes, Tinstars!

Thanks for the link to superdenim, lots of info there.. I really didn't know there's so much diversity in the makes of LVC-repros..

I soaked the jeans in warm water, I'll see what happens. If that don't work I'll put up a big kettle and throw them in hot water..

 

[djgo-cat-go]

Hey all...

Not sure if this helps, but I have two pairs of Levis 501 1947's, both sized 34X38. I tried two different methods for shrinking, here's what I got:

The first pair felt rather close-fitting out of the box, despite the fact that the non-shrunk jeans are a 34, and my normal waist is a 32. Nevertheless, I did things the "old fashioned way". Denim afficianados, stop reading now... I threw 'em in the washing machine, no soap, cold wash, right side out. Lottsa blue in the water... After one cold cycle, I pulled them out and put 'em on to check the fit. At first I thought they were WAY too tight, considering I had never owned a pair of 501's, and the 1947 is a slim cut... Looked awesome however, and fit nicely at the waist. Now, 5 months later (and no other washing besides a soak in the sink), they have faded quite a bit, but perhaps not as much as I would have expected... Ahh well. Maybe the cold wash pulled out too much color, or set the colors in the fabric?

My second pair were given a kinder treatment. I soaked them in the sink, folded (right side out, but not as much indigo was lost), then hung them to dry. Did that again a few weeks later, I believe, this time inside-out. These I have not worn yet, but they DID shrink to the same size as the other pair. They do still have a bit of indigo sheen, I believe...

Soooo... Hopefully your jeans should work out. I know the older cuts have a wider fit, so you might want to consider a different size? I'm not honestly sure, since I've only owned the 501's... Hope they turn out well.


RP

Hey thanks! I'm not really worried about the size, I like 'm baggy.. I just wondered about the amount of shrinkage..

 

[jdbenson]

Blue behind

I did the whole shrink to fit thing with a pair of 501s back in college. Bought 'em at my size since they were a bit oversized to begin with, put 'em on and sat in a hot tub for 15 mins. Then wore them the rest of the day, dripping blue water everywhere I went.

This process yielded three results:

First, they didn't shrink much, but because they were only a little big to begin with, I really did get a custom fit.

Second, because they were brand new unwashed jeans, they bled a lot of color in the tub, and the tub took on a light blue haze that took weeks of scrubbing to bleach away.

Third, I was blue from the waist down! Again, it took weeks of scrubbing to return me to my natural color.

 

[djgo-cat-go]

I did the whole shrink to fit thing with a pair of 501s back in college. Bought 'em at my size since they were a bit oversized to begin with, put 'em on and sat in a hot tub for 15 mins. Then wore them the rest of the day, dripping blue water everywhere I went.

This process yielded three results:

First, they didn't shrink much, but because they were only a little big to begin with, I really did get a custom fit.

Second, because they were brand new unwashed jeans, they bled a lot of color in the tub, and the tub took on a light blue haze that took weeks of scrubbing to bleach away.

Third, I was blue from the waist down! Again, it took weeks of scrubbing to return me to my natural color.

lol lol lol