Levis Cone Mill Jeans, how much shrinkage to expect?

[Atterbury Dodd]

Hey All!

Thinking about buying a few pairs of Levis rigid cone mill selvage jeans, and was wondering how much shrinkage to expect? I normally wear 30x32, so I just don't know how much larger I need to go. When I bought rigid Wranglers it seems like I went with 32X34. Thanks!

 

[EmergencyIan]

I'm not the expert, but in my experience you need to go up, at least, an inch in the waist, but not more than two. As far as inseam goes, it seems like they only shrink an inch. I think two inches would be too much, unless you're into rolling the cuffs...if so, you could be ultra safe and go two inches over your normal inseam length.

In saying all of that, I'm sure there are people here who can speak much more accurately on this subject. I have experience with it, several times over, but not in a few years, so the memories aren't fresh.

- Ian

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Ian, thanks for answering. Levis has farther confused me by saying in an email in response to this same question that their vintage line 501's will not shrink any differently from their other jeans, basically about 1/4 in. They said they do have a shrink to fit jean that shrinks 1" in the waist and 3" in length. which makes no sense because one of their people told me on chat that their vintage line has shrinkage of 1" in waist and 1" in inseam, which appears to line up with what you are saying.

 

[EmergencyIan]

Yeah, certainly not 3 inches in the inseam. I seem to remember an inch and an inch or a little over in the waist.

Give this a couple of days. Maybe another person or two with expertise will chime in. If it were more fresh in mind, I could say with certainty. As it is, I believe I’m pretty darn close.

- Ian

 

[l0fielectronic]

It depends which model you are looking at as shrinkage and sizing varies from model to model from what I've found and understand.Also depends on what kind of fit you are looking for.

There are some helpful charts and advice here and here which may help.

 

[EmergencyIan]

^Read through the denimbro thread link...While, that's my experience with the waist shrinking between 1-2 inches, I've never had the inseam shrink like that. Saying that, my more recent experience is with several pairs of new, old stock Levi's from the 1970's (517's bootcut). That was raw Cone Mill denim. I never went more than two inches longer than my actual inseam...and two inches would be a bit iffy. One inch above in inseam length was, generally, better. Waist wise, I'd usually go for 2 inches above as 1 inch was iffy. That was never a sure thing, however.

Levi's sizing is never consistent, in my experience. I've had two pair of the same type of Levi's, made the same year that were labeled the same size and they fit differently...one pair was larger than the other, either in waist, inseam or both. Not much a huge difference, of course, but noticeable nonetheless.

- Ian