Levis vintage denim questions

[Vintagestyle]

I have a few questions about Levis 501 vintage .
I have some 1947 model bought a few years ago , model 47501-0136 with Cone Denim from north Carolina .
It is Dark blue color and it is not Shrink to fit as it keeps the same size after being washed, so it must be pre washed.
It seems they were made in Turkey for Europe but i saw some with same 47501 0136 ref in Japan , that seem to look the same but made in USA .

I read different names, like Rough Rinse, New Rinse , Bright Rinse and also just Rinse ( the japanese 0136 model seems to be specified Rinse alone ) and i would like to understand what model i have ( see pictures ) .
Is it simply Rinse ?

What are rough rinse and new rinse then ?

Cause i saw one 1947 sold on ebay UK with 47501 0136 as well but really different color than mine , like fakely used , much clearer ,like stone washed :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LVC-Levi...nim-jeans-size-30x34-47501-0136-/123386242315

 

[Vintagestyle]

I ask that cause i would like to buy some more as they don't shrink but i have hard time finding some in France or Europe ( most are out of stock ) and nearly only saw some for sell in Japan ( but i don't read japanese !!) .

Any advice for sizing a Shrink to Fit 1947 for they get the right size after washing them ?

Also , it seems there are different models of STF 1947 and i would like to know the difference between them :

One is the 47501-0167 ( which seem to be sold actualy ,called Rigid ) and the other 47501-0117 ( which was the one i had bought like 4 or 5 years ago maybe but might still be possible to buy new )

And last question : which model of Levis fit with straight leg like the 1947 but not as slim ( as it seems the 1947 has been designed not like the original but closer to the slim fit trend that invaded us for the past 10 years at least ) , closer to the fit of the late 90's / early 2000 ?

 

[Vintagestyle]

I had bought two shrink to fit at that time , one 1955 and one 1947 but the girl in the shop sold me the wrong sizes ( and it seems most people working in levis shop in France i asked to , have no clue what size to sell for STF !) !! When you phone Levi's France ,you get to speak with some people in Romania who don't know anything about levis vintage clothing and Shrink to Fit !

In the pre washed model , i wear 30/32 but she sold me a 30/34 for the 1955 STF ( so after one wash i could not button the top button anymore obviously !) and a 31/34 for the 1947 STF and i never dared using it as i suppose when i will wash it it will become too small as well ( i can't understand some sellers in levis shops don't even know what size to sell for some STf jeans that sell for more than 250 euros !!!)

Later i saw it is specified on some label on those jeans , to buy two size bigger for the waist and two size bigger for the length ( inseam ?) but some seller in levis have different advice ( and it seems they don't all shrink the same ,depending on where and when they were made and on the year model !) .

 

[Blackadder]

New rinse is closer to the so called one wash jeans. Rough rinse has more fading. 1947 is indeed one of the slimmest and most people need to size up. Some school suggests that as long as you can get into a pair of jeans after shrinkage no matter how tight, it will expand back after wear. The tag "buy two size bigger for the waist and two size bigger for the length" is not always true. They do depend on when they are made and it seems even Levi's don't have a clue how much they shrink or couldn't care less. The washed models are mostly made in Turkey (some limited washed models are made in USA) and only have their tags put on after the wash which is why they are quite true to size. I have quite a few LVC jeans but I don't think there is any other model that fit the same as 47. I'd suggest take a look at 44, 76 and 78. 44 is wider than 47.

 

[Mich486]

I find that +1” on the waist works for me when buying 501 STF. So normally I’m a W 32 and buy a STF in w33. With other brands things are different.


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[Vintagestyle]

Thanks for your answers .
I look for some other one wash dark blue 1947 501 cause i wouldn't like to do not be able to use it , once washed like the Shrink to fit i have been sold !

Anybody knows where it is possible to find some pre washed / one wash (or also named Rinse maybe ) 47501 0136 ,in 30/32 and maybe 31/32 as well , if possible in Europe and if not ,elsewhere ?

By the way ,Is there any japanese website where it is written in English ?

 

[Vintagestyle]

The problem with the Shrink to Fit 1947 i was sold in 31/34 ,is that it measures barely larger at the waist than the one wash in 30W when both new .
It is barely 0,5 to 1cm larger when measured flat ( so maybe about 1 to 1,5cm in total ,what is very slightly more than a 1/2 " ) .
i read on a website that for a 36/36 ,it was shrinking about 4cm at the waist ,so if mine shrinks no more ,it will be 2,5 to 3cm smaller than my regular 30W .
I know they expand a bit after that but i need a 30W that will expands a bit larger , to feel right in those jeans ( and even with that the 1947 is a tight fit !) , so i don't like to get a 30W only once it expands as it is too tight .
I saw these other models but did not know about a 76 .
The 44 might be nice but has painted arcuate and i would prefer stitched ones.
1955 makes a bit of loose butt ,tight waist ( although i suppose it is because mine is too small )and a bit too wide for me on the thigh .
Also i wonder if the waist is not higher than the 1947 .

I like the fit of the 1947 but it is too tight ,so i'd like something with similar fit but not as tight , cause it is difficult to move legs up or make some moves easily in it (i wonder if it might not tear in the crotch sometimes when i move).

The fit i look for is some straight leg ( not tapered ) might be boot cut ( but the 1947 seems ok with engineer boots ) , and adapted for someone slim but still be possible to mive easily in it .
I liked the way the late 1990's to mid or late 2000's regular 501 fitted but i don't know what levis to buy for that fit, any idea ( i would prefer in the LVC range but i would check other good ones as well ) ?

 

[Blackadder]

I believe the 78 models are the closest to the modern cut like 80s onward.

 

[Mich486]

I believe the 78 models are the closest to the modern cut like 80s onward.

Not sure about that. I have a pair of ‘78 LVC and they seem pretty low waisted (only 4-button fly as opposed to the usual 5).

Have you tried the 66?


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[Blackadder]

Modern ones not that high waist. Modern one with four buttons fly in regular (not big and tall) sizes.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Levis-50...c-straight-leg-button-fly-jeans-/182431435770
https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/jalana/item/levis_501/

 

[Sloan1874]

I had bought two shrink to fit at that time , one 1955 and one 1947 but the girl in the shop sold me the wrong sizes ( and it seems most people working in levis shop in France i asked to , have no clue what size to sell for STF !) !! When you phone Levi's France ,you get to speak with some people in Romania who don't know anything about levis vintage clothing and Shrink to Fit !

In the pre washed model , i wear 30/32 but she sold me a 30/34 for the 1955 STF ( so after one wash i could not button the top button anymore obviously !) and a 31/34 for the 1947 STF and i never dared using it as i suppose when i will wash it it will become too small as well ( i can't understand some sellers in levis shops don't even know what size to sell for some STf jeans that sell for more than 250 euros !!!)

Later i saw it is specified on some label on those jeans , to buy two size bigger for the waist and two size bigger for the length ( inseam ?) but some seller in levis have different advice ( and it seems they don't all shrink the same ,depending on where and when they were made and on the year model !) .

I hate the way Levis mark their jeans with the size that they are, rather than the size that they shrink to. I had a similar experience to yours with a pair of 30x32 1937s - they're currently up for sale on eBay!
I've since bought a pair of 1933s, got the right size this time 32x34. One wash so far and barring quite a pronounces seam twist they seem to have shrunk as per the instructions. They're a nice jean: comfortable vintage fit, a good wide straight leg that can fit over my engineer boots, and a good slubby denim, though not as nice as my Lee archives. That said, I'll be interested to see how they age with with some wear and washing. I am however tempted to snip off the cinch belt as it's a pain in the ass!

 

[Mich486]

Modern ones not that high waist. Modern one with four buttons fly in regular (not big and tall) sizes.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Levis-50...c-straight-leg-button-fly-jeans-/182431435770
https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/jalana/item/levis_501/

Yeah I believe those have 5 buttons. Look at picture 6/19. All of mine current model 501 have 5 buttons (4 smaller plus the big one).

The 78 LVC (Black overdye) I have has only 3 small buttons plus the big one.


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[Mich486]

I hate the way Levis mark their jeans with the size that they are, rather than the size that they shrink to. I had a similar experience to yours with a pair of 30x32 1937s - they're currently up for sale on eBay!
I've since bought a pair of 1933s, got the right size this time 32x34. One wash so far and barring quite a pronounces seam twist they seem to have shrunk as per the instructions. They're a nice jean: comfortable vintage fit, a good wide straight leg that can fit over my engineer boots, and a good slubby denim, though not as nice as my Lee archives. That said, I'll be interested to see how they age with with some wear and washing. I am however tempted to snip off the cinch belt as it's a pain in the ass!

What Lee archives model you have? I’m looking at ww2 model which seems nice. Unsure about sizing but they should be sanforized.

Agree on the cinch. Looks nice but if you decide to wear a belt gets in the way.


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[Sloan1874]

They were 101 B 1939s, I think. They have a horse hair patch. They're a fantastic pair of jeans. It was Ken C at Aero who recommended them to me, and he was right: they're fantastic quality and fit, and they've already faded to a really nice shade of blue. I will be buying another pair, that's for sure.

 

[Mich486]

Real McCoy’s also came out recently with their lee repro (lot 002) but £325 for a pair of jeans is when I say no.

Similarly TCB recently made a Lee repro set (jacket and jeans) although not sure how to get hold of them.

Seems like Lee are becoming more popular in the repro scene these days.




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[SimonR]

Real McCoy’s also came out recently with their lee repro (lot 002) but £325 for a pair of jeans is when I say no.

I'd just come across those as I'm looking for a fit with decent rise - but eye watering price !

 

[Sloan1874]

What I like about Lee is that they don't feel obliged to amp up the denim weight in its archive series for the sake of current tastes. I'm guessing that 12oz is probably the heaviest the originals ever reached.

 

[tropicalbob]

They were 101 B 1939s, I think. They have a horse hair patch. They're a fantastic pair of jeans. It was Ken C at Aero who recommended them to me, and he was right: they're fantastic quality and fit, and they've already faded to a really nice shade of blue. I will be buying another pair, that's for sure.

Where did you get them? Aero?

 

[Vintagestyle]

Personnaly , i don't like Left hand Twill nor broken Twill but only ( mostly at least ) Right Hand Twill like used on Levis 501 .
I had bought some Lee and Wrangler in the past but barely wore them due to that .
The only Broken twill i wore was with original Maverick jeans jackets and later copied by Wrangler ,with the vertical side hands pockets that i really loved .
That said , i admit i mostly know those jeans brands ,except that i had tried a brad i found in France in the late 2000' s which was named Freeman T porter , they had some interesting designs ( one particularly ) ,with different seams on the legs and really thick denim ( not sure how many Oz but really heavy ) but obviously they stopped making the ones i like like many of the clothes i like that i often have really hard time to find !

 

[Vintagestyle]

So , nobody knows the difference between 47501 0117 ( 1947 STF Rigid sold a few years ago and maybe still sold but not in France anymore ) and the more recent 47501 0167 ( 1947 STF Rigid as well ) both LVC 501XX ?

And also where i can find those one wash Levis 1947 47501 0136 in Europe to avoid paying huge import fees ( or if not , elsewhere and if possible ,shops/ websites which speaks english and ship internationaly ) ?

What's good with them apart the fact they are pre washed and don't shrink , is that they are a little longer ( than regular length size ( or at least don't shrink shorter ) cause some Shrink to fit 501 in 34L will shrink from 85 to 78-79cm ( so ,less than 32L ) whereas those are 80 to 81cm in the inseam .
I could buy 36L but they are much longer even once shrink and are not easy to find anyway in that length ( like in 34W/36L) and i like to have the original roping on the hems