Understanding The Convoluted Quality of Levi's Denim Jeans - Watch BEFORE You Buy * Levi's *
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Today we are looking at the brand Levi's! I've been wanting to do this video for a minute because of how many options are available, and I hope this video gives you a better understanding of what to look for.
Thanks for watching!
Shrink to Fit video mentioned by Rebecca Good -
• Levi 501 Shrink to Fit...
• Levi's 501 Shrink to F...
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All of the items I liked-
501® Original Fit Women's Jeans - go.shopmy.us/p...
501® '90s Western Women's Jeans - go.shopmy.us/p...
Circular 501® Original Fit Men's Jeans - go.shopmy.us/p...
Shrunken '90s Western Trucker Jacket - go.shopmy.us/p...
Lennox Varsity Jacket - go.shopmy.us/p...
Levi's® Women's High-Rise 501® Jeans TARGET VERSION - go.shopmy.us/p...
(Avoid anything with high amounts of lycra or elastane)
Original Shrink-to-fit™ Men's Jeans - go.shopmy.us/p...
(Also available at the outlet - slightly lesser quality I'm sure, but $50)
Some of my favorite stores to shop for quality clothing -
Start at a Thrift Store!!! - Seriously so much quality is pre-loved and still in great shape.
Quince - quince.sjv.io/... - I love them for career wear and good affordable knitwear and cashmere/wool. They aren't perfect, and I have had a few misses with them - most notably on pants (if they started making pants with wool or more cotton I'd be all over them)
UNIQLO - go.shopmy.us/p... - This has been my goto for almost a decade now. They are arguably fast fashion, but I think they are very innovative and research intensive. Something most modern day conglomerate fashion brands are missing. They lead with functionality and durability. One read through of any of their Lifewear Magazine edits and you will quickly get the feel that they take this all very seriously.
eBay - go.shopmy.us/p... - I'm a bit biased on this one because I also sell on ebay, but if you don't enjoy the thrill of the hunt with thrifting...then ebay should be your main source for secondhand. I regularly go on liking sprees of designers that are wayyyyy out of my price budget because you never know when you might get a fantastic offer. Most niche designers that are making incredible quality items are severely underpriced on ebay.
Etsy - go.shopmy.us/p... - This is a tough one....the market has changed so much and the fear of getting a cheap drop shipped item is real. But if you really dig deep into the seller and what they do, you can find incredible made to fit items, natural fibers that are impossible to find in any retail store, and super rare vintage items.
Alex Mill - go.shopmy.us/p... - I love this brand, but it is very much out of my personal price point. So I thrift it and get very excited on the few occasions I've found it. They make quality items with a fun twist and pops of color. Plus following them on instagram has taught me a lot about the behind the scenes manufacturing process. I scream from the roof tops that we need more transparency, and this is a brand that provides it.
I'll continue to update this list as I find things that I think are noteworthy -
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It's been a long time since "outlet" stores carried seconds or true overstock/returns. "Outlet" has become just another level of marketing.
The Patagonia outlet in Dillon Montana (population 6k, biggest town for 60 miles) is some sort of weird fantasy time warp! Half the store is new, for the rich fly fishing resort tourists (the tourists must spend so much to keep that store open & part of the Patagonia family), half is true outlet, and it’s all things they sold at regular prices first. I don’t expect to get anything amazing for $10, but I bought some fantastic bras for $25 ea and a good cashmere sweater for $50. Im going to miss my son being in college, I used to make a trip to the store every spring, but 8 hrs RT is not worth it to just shop lol…
Yup! The only exception I’ve found is designer brands, who use outlets to get rid of past season’s inventory. I know Ferragamo and Burberry do this in Virginia
A sure sign that it's not a true outlet is if it's in a so-called "outlet" mall 😅
I gave up on Levi's jeans because they are saturated at the thrifts & bins. Plus there are competitors.
Can you please do a deep dive on Madewell denim?
Great video on Levi's! They are always just a mystery to me! I would love a deep dive on vintage Levi's if you ever had the time. Thanks so much for your content!
Yes, please!!
I adore vintage Levis!
I greatly prefer my vintage Levis to the premium label- i own both.
I have found vintage 512’s, 517’s, and 550’s fit my curvy, petite frame beautifully.
This video taught me a lot. I've been Levis girl for years but bought them either at Macy's or on Amazon. I didn't even realize they had a premium brand until I bought a pair at the Levis store recently and noticed the difference in quality right away. My premiums (725s) are 85% cotton, 7% lycene, and 7% elastene (I'm sure I'm spelling those wrong). Will definitely be paying more attention next time I buy a pair.
7% elastane? Correct me if I’m wrong, but past 3% elastane or spandex, I believe that it becomes a jegging and no longer denim. 1-2% elastane/spandex is sufficient enough for comfort and lasting power for denim, as it may become formless over time with higher percentage of stretch.
@@alisha1377Correct about the elastane.
Its been about 10 or so years since I checked out the main Levi's. My irritation with lack of standardization in the same size of the same model raged through. Its a big issues more with womens. I will buy a pair at the thrift store now and then.
The lowest level of Levi's is their Signature line, which is found at discount stores. Thinner denim but has a touch of stretch and is less than $25. I'm poor so that is my main motivation. Standardized fit in the same model is outstanding! If I order 5 pairs of Signature, all will fit the same.
I do save up and buy very heavyweight denim and sew my own jeans from time to time. They are the best of all of my jeans. I will allow up to 2% elastane if available. Multiple abdominal surgery scars dictates my choices.
Off topic but something I've noticed in general is that I get much nicer and sturdier chinos by buying in the menswear department at Wal-Mart. About three times thicker in fabric, some stretch and REAL pockets. Working in hospitality, they don't bleach out as badly either. I'm on my 5th year of wearing them and they still look good with weekly laundering.
5 years of weekly wear and wash is hella impressive. Don't they wear through at the thighs, though? That is what has killed every single pair of jeans, I have ever owned and I'm not even 'thick' in that area. I do patch them and continue to wear them afterwards, but it's still annoying.
Weirdly enough, it's a jeans specific issue for me. It doesn't happen for me with either stretchy pants like leggings nor wide legged pants (which I sew myself from all kinds of materials, depending on temperature and occasion.
@raraavis7782 no I don't have that issue. I usually buy men's pants or jeans because I have a rectangular figure.
@@bohemiansusan2897
Interesting. I might try that - I have long legs and fairly narrow hips, too. I often have the issue, that pants are either too wide in the hips and thighs or too tight in the waist. But I've never thought to try pants for men.
I am a Levi’s lover! Thank you so much for all the explanations. I agree with you the 501 100% cotton are amazing. I have my Dads Levi’s jacket from the 80s or 90s not sure exactly and compared to my women Jean jacket they are night and day, his men’s vintage jacket is so substantial heavy denim. Thank you for your deep dives! ❤❤❤
Concordo, 100% algodão não tem erro 🫡🫡🫡🫡
Just found your channel through this video, which caught my eye as I love talking about denim! Thanks for the mention, I've been really happy with my shrink to fits!
I appreciate your research! I don’t own any denim due to weight changes, and hearing your thoughts on quality has helped me feel a little more ready to begin the search for a pair of jeans.
I literally had no idea about any of this, and last Winter Solstice, I bought Levi's for myself, my toddler, and my husband. If I had known about the premium line, I would have bought from it, but even in the store, no one said ANYTHING about it. We needed the sizing range from the website, and NO ONE was like "make sure you get the Premium line!"
I was making a swap to traditionally dyed selvedge denim, but then I stopped constantly wearing denim due to a new job and I gained a bit of weight and don’t fit into the selvedge denim I have. I went back to wearing a pair of levi’s that still fit and got one other pair to rotate them. I really only buy 100% cotton or 1% estate models but I have to try on any pair I’m interested in. I’ve always had an issue with levi’s where different pairs in the same size will fit differently. In the same model, I’ve been able to fit in 1 waist size down than normal and a pair in my regular size is too tight. I do not have this problem as often with other brands so I just want to put that out there for everyone.
Could you make a video of stores/brands you DO recommend? Obviously every piece at a brand won't always be great but it'd be nice to have some go-tos. I'm not talking about like uber specific eco-friendly brands but maybe more accessible to the every day person?
A few years ago I bought a pair of cotton/tencel lyocell jeans (79% cotton, 21% tencel lyocell) and I haven’t bought from there since. I think it was right before the quality went down hill. They dont have a SINGLE PERCENTAGE of polyester in them. When they stopped fitting my hips, I resewed it into a skirt. I haven’t found that fabric at Levi’s since. They are so soft and have lasted really well
Great content as always! I never miss an upload❤ regarding which stitch I prefer I worked as a seamstress in a uniform store for years .We serviced fire department, police department, and EMS services. That being said, I won hundred percent recommend a loop stitch for longevity. we used a hemming machine which created a chain stitch. This was much faster produce. Your mother is 100% correct because if you do not cut the stitch off correctly, one tiny snag and the entire hem is lost! I can’t tell you how many times I had to re-hem a fallen Hem.
This is such good insight!!! Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️❤️
Here’s a suggestion for another video….would love to see a deep dive into the brand Tahari. I never know what’s good to pick up and what’s best to leave behind with this one. Thanks!
This was great contentabout Levi Strauss. Thank you for this information and thank you for your hard work with researching all these companies.
I love Levi’s. I worked at the GAP back in the 80’s when they still carried Levi’s. Unfortunately I lived in south Florida and did not like wearing jeans in the heat so I didn’t buy any. Would love to have some from that time. I haven’t had much luck thrifting my size. Trying to manifest. I do have a pair of my husband’s that I love. Think from 90’s.
In my personal experience I've found that Levi's Premium fabric is often much lower quality and handles wear much worse than their main line denim. My Levi's Premium jeans tend to have more elastane and Lyocell instead of being 100% cotton. The pairs with Lyocell are indeed softer and more flexible but tend to wear out much faster and fray very quickly where there is any friction. I've also found that the stitching of Levi's Premium is a lot less durable even though it might be slightly more uniform. The Premium line tends to focus comfort and soft hand feel over quality and durability and that's just not a trade I'm willing to make.
Love your content, Laura ❤ You are so right that transparency is essential from these companies. It needs to be the norm! Keep going, I'm here for it x
This is really interesting! I am struggling with jeans right now. Was loving AE jeans but their quality is dropping off so severely compared to even a few years ago. Can you do an analysis of Wrangler jeans since they are having a moment right now, please? 😊 I feel like this video was so helpful!
Maybe they use the loop stitch on women's jeans because it makes them easier to hem?
thank you for the video and an effort especially regarding the process of production, I personally go for Levis because when I am in need for a jeans (a feeling not exactly - nothing left to wear) I know - 511 mans model 34/32 and this is the ones I wear and know every single store and country they are the same - no thing material, no stretch, no short/long etc - the only reason, no need to even try it on - entered the store-took your pair-left
Levi's 501 são os que amo ❤️ mais.
Your knowledge is amazingly vast! So valuable
Just bought some levis and was afraid I was going to have to return them after this video! Thanks so much for all of the information, and walking us through the different "lines" and things to look for :)
I know that some boutiques offer the Made in Japan line in store so it’s possible to try them on in person. I do wish that they brought back the colored tabs to differentiate the brands like they used to have with the Walmart jeans having a brown tab.
I absolutely love HIGH LOOSE jeans. They fit you so perfectly. What's the name of shade, please? I'm dying to get them.
Great info. This was all new to me, so very helpful. Love your content. 😊
Awesome video! I'm so thankful to have found your channel. I've learned so much from you already!
Thank you!! Not sure if you saw the comment on my original video but I wanted to say thank you again for letting me know so kindly ❤️❤️❤️ teachable moment and I’m thankful you corrected me 🤗
Thank you for this very interesting video. It will help me greatly. I am a little older than you but was a skirts/dresses only person (religious reasons) until fairly recently. I am now comfortable in trousers but found it difficult to buy a pair of jeans that fitted and were comfortable. I am also a little nervous about "the rear view"
Congrats on taking on trousers! I prefer the look of skirts but pants are FREEDOM! You’ll find great styles that you love!
Honestly chain stitch and loop stitch really don’t make a difference on the hem. Chain stitch has stretch to it- which makes it stronger. It is extremely hard to get a chain stitch to unravel but once you get it stated the whole line comes undone. All jeans are made with a combination of chain stitching and lock stitching.
i've had the good fortune of finding some of these levi's at thrift shops in Tokyo and Seoul. But in Singapore, the outlet do carry the premium 501's. the made in japan one's are just too expensive in Singapore so what we do is make a trip out of bargain thrifting in Japan and Korea when we go on holiday. found a pair of almost new naked and famous for 33000 south korean won at one of the balbalvintage in Seoul. you cant beat 22usd!
I love the shirt/jacket you are wearing in the video too!
I own the 721 Levis you tried on. They have held up great over the years. I wear them for more than half the year almost everyday. I live in Canada so the only time I dont wear my jeans is when its hot and summer outside
Levi's makes their own dupes LOL! I love Levi's but never buy them new. I prefer 100% cotton and I prefer the heavier weight. Now I'll look at the stitching.
You can get a trucker jacket in the Premium line, it isn't always available but I find them sometimes.
would love a review of the a brand they have lyocell instead of polyester wonder if it matters
Great video! Vintage Levi is my absolute favorite and over the past 3 years, I have a pretty good collection.
The main store also does not carry the Ribcage bell. For some reason you can only get it at the outlet store and they said they have no plans to change that in the near future. because of many customers asking for the Ribcage bell, they asked corporate. corporate has not responded.
Brava for your thoroughness 🖤
Loving this series Laura A++++
This was a great video for Levis enthusiasts, really enjoyed watching.
Fabulous video can you please tell me what brand loafers you’re wearing?
Certain body types do better with some polyester in the fabric, making it have slightly different qualities. Lyocel is a better option.
This does surprise me because I always thought pure cotton would be best.
Thanks that was so informative. What is your very favourite jean???
I love this series! ❤
I’ve recently repaired three pairs of Levi’s for my son. The pair with a high polyester/stretch content hadn’t retained its stretch around the crotch area. They were starting to look very much the worse for wear which would be attractive in cotton jeans but just looked shabby.
I have mended them but I’ll be telling my son that should any more holes appear they aren’t worth my time mending
I’ve avoided polyester in my clothing over the last few years due to concerns about plastics pollution, but for what it’s worth I have 2 pairs of skinny jeans from Levi’s that I bought in high school, probably close to 10 years ago that have a considerable polyester content and they have only recently started to wear out. One pair has a hole in the crotch but the other I still wear regularly. They get machine washed and dried.
Perhaps a 100% or 99% cotton pair would last even longer, but if anyone wants a case study on the longevity of their polyester blends there it is.
Yes, you're quite correct in your assumption. Adding a bit of polyester to natural fibers does indeed make the fabric sturdier. And more colorfast, as polyester doesn't fade in the wash, the way cotton does. It's a typical case of 'too much of a good thing'. They went so overboard with adding the stuff or replacing natural fibers altogether, to cut costs, that everybody hates it now. When sensibly used, it can actually make clothes better.
And also both natural fibers and polyester come in different qualities. Fiber length especially is important with cotton, as cheap, short fiber cotton will shed a lot (that stuff you find in the dryer, if you use one) and the fabric won't look and feel and drape as nicely. It'll also wear out more quickly, to the point of getting holes.
And to some degree, added polyester (an endless fiber) can make up for poor quality cotton.
Not to mention sportswear or outdoor clothing. Polyester is used there, because it can be manufactured to have very specific properties, like being sweat wicking and fast drying or water resistant and people gravitate towards it for a reason. And the reason isn't necessarily that it's cheap (although it's cheaper than wool, for sure).
The environmental impact is a whole different discussion, of course. But also one much more complicated than many people think, once we're talking about garments that aren't your typical 'fast fashion' articles that get bought and worn a couple times and thrown away.
Arket has a brand new denim lineup, I think. I’m curious about the quality!
Great, informative content, Laura! There's so much I didn't know about Levi's! Btw, when you say "verse" do you mean "versus"?
Great Video! I've done my own search for my favorite levis too.I just want more consistency in sizing. Please Levi's?
My favorite pair was the 721 (not a denim enthusiast) for my big butt and short torso. It's getting old and I know it's supposed to have stretch so for sure not high content cotton. But I'll be damned.... I bought 5 pairs of 721s.
One from Levi main store, one Levi's online store, two from Mark's ( Im Canadian..assume like walmart/target type), one from the Bay (our Macy's type store)... and they all fit different. Same size and lenght. I put them on the floor and measured on top of eachother... All different in lenght, waist size.....
The Premium 721 from store was the nicest wash.. but felt very similar to the others, but I did see it had better stitching, but I couldn't justify double the cost, and it was still a bit tight in the calf.
Online Levi's order was my fault, it was their summer cooler line. so too thin.. had to return but fit the best...
The Bay's, was weirdly stretchy.... like soon stretchy I had to go down 1 size and it was still big... very weird.
Mark's (outlet quality) #1 too tight in the calf. Store manager ordered me another same pair, but even she said they could fit slightly different and it fit the "best" as a compromise... I kept that one.
I was considering buying a pair of Levi's but after reading all the comments in the comment section, I don't think I'll be buying any. It seems as though the quality has gone downhill, which is disappointing.
I’ve personally done my own comparisons in shopping for Levi’s recently as well. I own a couple pairs from their premium collection, all 100% cotton and great quality. I’ve had some for years and they’ve washed and worn well so far.
Just a few weeks ago, I decided to try on a pair of the Cinch Baggy fit Levi’s at Macy’s because I liked the silhouette. Though it is also 100% cotton, the thickness of the denim when compared to my older pairs is very different.
I also don’t like that for the non premium lines, they use a paper tag that has the Levi’s logo on the back that is sewn on vs. the premium lines uses a leather tag. I ended up taking a seam ripper and removing the paper tag off the back of the new pair I bought because I was afraid it would disintegrate in the wash or at the very least, end up all wrinkled and looking ugly after.
Pls tell me you got those western jeans they were so cute on you!
Can we talk about Levi’s and their environmental processes. And. FYI. All I wear is Levi’s. People have to know that fit, function are impirtant. I have softer than heck, airy flowey pants, I have shorts of all weights. I think people need to go to Levi’s and just learn.
Trend pieces that come out sell out asap, if you manage to get one, it’s only going to rise in value. It becomes a collectors piece.
But know what you’re getting, the website for Levi’s always has amazing discounts.
As someone with an international denim line, I approve as well 🎉
(One teaspoon fits are something to for sure check out too!)
This is my favorite video I’ve seen of yours! What a wealth of knowledge! Thank you!
it's crazy how quality difference in every type of store. I know the outlet would be less. but other stores like target etc?? I don't live in America, now I worried what kinda quality I actually get if I buy at different store??
I've tried multiple styles of Levi's, but none of them seem to fit me. I don't know what it is. Probably not the brand for me.
How do you identify vintage Levi? (My first time here...interesting)
I've had a pair of Silver Jeans with 5% polyester for 8 years. They're my favorite pair of jeans and are in perfect condition. So the quality of jeans with polyester might depend on which company produces them.
Used to wear Levi's as a young man and wouldn't entertain wearing anything other than Levi's. Later I was gifted a nice pair of Lee jeans for Christmas. Long story short, I now have one pair of Levi's that I've owned for years and all my other jeans are all Lee. Go figure 🤗
ive had good quality levis and levis where the belt loops ripped off when I pulled them up with them after 1 year
I recently switched from Levi’s to Nudie jeans. Nudie Jeans recommended to not wash your Jeans for first 6 months if possible.
I’ve heard nothing but good stuff about Nudies!! And the level of transparency the website has is amazing. ❤️❤️🙌
As a young guy who lives in Florida, I love jeans, but just can’t wear them is often without some sacrifices and comfort. That being said, I see tons of women wearing denim. Granted I’ll be wearing 13 or so ounce Japanese salvaged denim raw as opposed to polyester $30 jeans. Unfortunately, due to the hot climate not a lot of vintage pairs can be found easily at stores. The last 30 or so years have had denim dip and qualities so much that I am super skeptical of anything unless I touch and feel it for at least a minute.
Greetings from LA - I work in denim and the Wedgie fit jeans look fab on you !!👖
Wow that stitching on the men’s jeans at Target was slop. My husband was gifted some Levi’s from Macy’s several years ago and had to return because the stitching was literally coming undone. The quality is crap.
100% cotton selvedge is the way to go.
The Levi's I've bought within the last few years have been terrible quality and high prices, I'm done. They literally get holes around the seams and pockets on even men's jeans after less than 50 wears.
Adding polyester and spandex to jeans is so that they can make the fit size more generic therefore cheaper to produce because they don’t have to consider making true patterns. For instance women’s jeans come in one inseam and rise length typically. Rise length I do not mean how near it sits to the belly button but how long or short the crotch is
Ahhh the mystery and allure of Levi’s.
The Levi's plus size jeans are absolute trash! The cost way more than Old Navy and last maybe half the time. Also, they do not offer 100% cotton in plus size. I'm willing to pay the price for good quality!
My size goes up and down and I am SO frustrated by the inability to get 100% cotton in the plus size jeans. I think they assume plus size people want their pants to be stretchy but in reality what we want is for jeans to be designed and cut well, to be comfortable, to wear well.
I’m a short thin no waist 60 year old and the wedgie fits me perfectly (doesn’t look wedgie😂)
Why the reupload?
Someone kindly informed me of a word I used that’s offensive and I wanted to make sure it was removed. ❤️❤️ It was a learning moment for me, but not something I wanted kept up incase it offended anyone.
I buy 501 with 1 % elastane. I just can stand 100 % cotton feel. I find them uncomfortable
I have bought Levis jeans since the 1970s when they didn’t even make jeans for women. We all bought 505s then because a little roomier in the seat and we stubbornly refused to wear designer jeans like Gloria Vanderbilt or Calvin Kleins. It was gauche-or what people would today call bougie or thirsty. Always hated the “skinny jeans” phenomenon. Unless you have the very rare proportions of a 12 y.o. Scandavian boy or a 1990s supermodel, you are NOT going to look good in them. The dark wash flared jeans in early 00s was most flattering. And please, a little love for stretch denim. You’ll be happy it exists when you are in your 60s like I am. 😄
👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏
Levi’s are a NO go for me!!!!!
after 2002 the quality of Levi’s has just gotten down hill fast considering how the quality used to be “Two horses pulling the jeans” 🐎 👖 🐎 it doesn’t live up to the quality anymore. However I wear loads of jeans made from 70s to late 90s as they have lasted up to today! Just the Morden is 🗑️ 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
Levis are soso….they could do so much better.