Did Levi’s Jeans Quality Tank? 63 Year Old vs. Modern

[@drwisdom1]

Ok, I have been wearing Levi's 501s since around 1968 and probably have more than 100 vintage pairs. There are huge differences between 501s from different periods. But it mainly comes down to two things - denim quality and fit. Before the 2000s Levi's used the highest quality medium weight denim. That was because the jeans were being used as workwear and just like with rivets they needed to be durable. The cotton was very soft and comfortable on the skin. You shouldn't be distracted by redline inseams, they are for show and not related to denim quality. When they disappeared around 1983 nobody noticed. If you are searching for the best 501s you should be using 1993-1999, not the 1960s. The denim from the 1990s was the best. It was soft, heavy, flawless, faded great, and didn't twist. In the 2000s Levi's reduced the weight of their denim and began using inferior cotton that is rough on the skin. One thing in dating 501s is if the back pocket is double stitched or not. Levi's changed to double stitched long ago because it holds wallets in better and stops the pocket's edge from pulling away and getting wavy. Last thing I saw is after decades Levi's has gone back to single stitching the back pockets. The only reason I can think of is to save a little thread. 501s from before the 1990s had a higher waist and didn't fit as well as 501s from the 1990s, but all fit better than today's 501s which were loosened to accommodate heavier men. Mr. Snail needs to get his jeans at least 2 inches longer.

[@LELOVESHATERS]

Sounds like you need to make your own video about this, love to see the collection and hear first hand about the difference from someone who witnessed it too.

[@drwisdom1]

@@LELOVESHATERS People have always considered my appreciation for Levi's sort of boring. But it appears there are people out in KZbin land that are interested like me.

[@marcp.1752]

I can say that my black 501 from 1993 is the best, thickest 501 ever, and still does hold up nicely. Nowadays 501 quality...nevermind...it's the same, buying a M65 from China (no hard feelings) vs. a original one...well, the Helikon is made in Asia, and great. All others...hot fuzz...

[@LELOVESHATERS]

@@drwisdom1 definitely do it!

[@tyarnold4088]

Was the denim in the 90s selvedge denim? I wore Levi's in the 90s. I don't think it was. Maybe in the very early 90s.

[@Origin63]

I vote the Wranglers. After seeing you wear them in a lot of your recent videos, I'm getting more and more curious about them.

[@TheIronSnail]

They are BANGERS!

[@gandalf87264]

I second that.

[@manguydude905]

All I used to wear was levis until I bought a pair of Wrangler 13MWZ Cowboy Cut jeans. The difference in quality and price is major. Levis is more towards fashion now and wranglers are a true working man jean. Give em a try! You won't be disappointed

[@bryanotero123]

​@@TheIronSnailwhat is the best blank Tshirt brand

[@DenyTheZeitgeist]

I can vote wrangler. My Levi’s were all starting to get nasty and I lost a lot of weight around my legs so the legs looked bad. When I was revamping my closet I went almost fully wrangler. A couple of Levi’s and some Selvedge got added, but it’s almost all wrangler.

[@trystanfranziskus]

Just ordered some selvedge denim Levis 501 with 23% hemp hope they're nice I got them on sale for 70 bucks

[@velezzhou1323]

are those 501 STF jeans? I heard that hemp stretches out quite a bit more than cotton

[@sputumtube]

If you're young and have a 32" waist, almost any jeans are going to look good on you. However, if you're in your 60's and overweight then nothing at all will look good on you. I've always wanted a pair of the Iron Heart 24oz denim jeans, but at my age/size it'd be comical. So, sweatpants it will continue to be!!

[@NJ-wb1cz]

Conclusion - die young

[@musclebilly]

They’re shorter than the tag size because they’re unsanforized! Hence the term: Shrink-To-Fit. Typically STF 501s shrink 1” in the waist and 2” in length but Levi’s from the 80’s shrink a hell-of-a-lot more.

[@shawnflynn1713]

Bravestar denim just put on sale cone mill denim jeans. Short time only. 78.00. I ordered a pair. Very cool video. Love vintage.

[@kurtm7329]

When I was in high school (1969 - 1973), Levis where $8.50 a pair. Now most stores no longer carry the 501's.

[@marcos.g6018]

went to a store a month ago and there were a couple pairs of 501 STF's for $50, they should also be available for the same price on their website

[@TheLoneLander]

@@marcos.g6018just bought some.

[@NJ-wb1cz]

That's $73 today, which is more expensive than typical price 501 are actually sold for

[@OTBMedia]

I have several pairs of Levi’s 501s and Wrangler 13MWZs from the 1990s that don’t come close to fitting because I’ve put on a few pounds. Ones of both that I bought last year-in exactly the same size-fit great. So vanity sizing is definitely a thing.

[@JB-1138]

Right I'm usually a 36 waist, but my new Levi's say 34. I like feeling thinner. Lol

[@RibbyCribby]

excellent video, crazy thing with youtube's 1080p compression it looked like your mouth wasn't moving sometimes. switched to 4k and your mouth was indeed moving but something with the lower resolution, youtube was just guessing what you were doing in the bright light.

[@NGS93]

Genius idea, I have always questioned this myself. Really valuable to know if people are just looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses as they say. Edit: Compare vintage to modern LL Bean, especially the sweaters! Vintage vs modern Brooks Brothers would be interesting as well.

[@ringaleavo]

The 5th pocket is smaller, did pocket watches shrink? The pockets on my older Levis are 2" deeper than todays Levis Jeans.

[@levisguy53]

both front and rear pockets are about 1" shallower, annoying for those of us with big hands. they've changed this on some 551Z's

[@MoonfaceMartin88]

Well, for what it's worth, my last three pairs of 501s croaked after a bit more than a year each, coming apart at the seams and/or ripping through at around the knees. I didn't wear them for manual labour, I wasn't crawling around in them and they are actually more on the lose side on me.

[@itsbigcos]

This is a brilliantly made video. OP should be really proud

[@ManuelGonzalez-ue9vw]

Been using 501 since the 1970's and just bought 2 pairs (have at least 7 more) and the denim is not even close.

[@zacharypatterson4828]

those orange adidas look great!

[@TheIronSnail]

TY!

[@zfehnel]

Love this video Michael! I'll admit, I'm a bit of a Levi's gremlin down here; hoarding my 511s. I like higher quality denim, but I've never found jeans that work for me as well (and as easily) as my favorite 511s. So, I've historically just bought Levi's and called it a day. Good to know they're not 'total' crap! Lol Any thoughts on a video on clothing adjustments? I've heard you making comments on getting adjustments made by your tailor before.

[@JB-1138]

You might like the 502. I made the switch from the 511.

[@AmusedKelpie-tc9du]

Levis, I bought in 1965 was going for$ 3.50 for denim and $4.50 for cords. I had to cut 2 lawns for a pair.

[@DMorgan77]

Whatever you pick (next), I’m sure will be fun to watch. This was great.

[@Fumwum]

Oh man, how do you do it? It's another top 100 Vevo hit

[@TheIronSnail]

the first time i found out what vevo was it was on 50 cents candy shop music video

[@LaOwlett]

The back of the buttons and rivets are aluminum because copper not only leaves stains on your skin and clothing, but a surprising number of people will develop a sensitivity to it, and start to get a rash where rivets or the fly button touches the skin. Some people used to used small pieces of duct tape to cover the insides of the rivets before they switched to aluminum (which less people react to).

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

How about vintage Gap jeans? Gap jeans in 80s were eclipsing Levi’s for a while. The fits were more modern at the time. Back in 87 I had a thick pair of bleached washed Gap jeans that were great.

[@ChiefSnoop]

Levi’s have cheaped out on ALOT quality, denim weight, selvedge most quality went out the window when they were being fully profit focused and moved overseas. Except Japan. They still make high quality, well crafted pieces. 🇯🇵>🇺🇸

[@GoufinAround_]

I've lost 15 pounds of body fat and I still have to size up one size in Levi's in most fits. I wear a 36 waist in lucky brand jeans and unless the jeans say that they run large on their website, I have to go with a 38. The 36 waist lucky jeans are big on me btw, even after freshly washing, air drying, and flipping them right side out again

[@jonathansteele8601]

Where did you find that pen cap?

[@TheIronSnail]

private information

[@snoopycharlie8718]

Was gifted Levi's for birthday. Fit well, looked good. After a month, following instructions (cold washing, infrequently, no dryer etc.) the elastic had already gone in places, meaning horizontal wrinkly lines all down the front if the legs to the point they were not suitable to wear without feeling very self conscious. Really disappointed. Resorted to wearing them around the house and within a year, holes in both knees and eventually one knee ripped totally. Worst jeans have ever had, even had $10 budget jeans that lasted way better and longer. Never buying Levi's again.

[@yosafat4079]

Personally would love the Eddie Bauer jacket comparison to come first!

[@-CMajor-]

If you see this, what’s the best way to clean / remove a stain off raw denim without washing it?

[@-CMajor-]

For more context, I wanna get a pair of raws and wear them to work to break them in and such, but I am worried I will get dirt and potentially grease on them. I want to avoid washing them within the fist week or so of having them to keep them original and natural for as long as I reasonably can. Any help on this would be great!

[@MemeCity9099]

@@-CMajor-just wash them. They'll look worse spot cleaning because you'll clearly have clean spots and dirty spots. You're jeans will last longer by cleaning

[@ericiidx]

A veteran denimhead realizing they're getting old: don't bat an eyelash at $1500 vintage Levi's but a new pair of basic 501s are HOW MUCH NOW???

[@SlasherGuyy1]

Also random question to anybody that can help , I might buy a dead stock Levi’s denim from what I see is early 80’s . Now my question is will the indigo rub off onto leathers , or cloth in general if I wear them right away ??? Or should I wash first to avoid this ?? ( that’s if a wash helps ) 😃

[@cyber_baudelaire9962]

What pair are you wearing at 9:18 ? They look so good !

[@SlasherGuyy1]

The vintage wranglers ! Hopefully you do Video soon :)

[@barnabymailed4184]

My problem with Levi’s is that they just don’t fit me well. I have a few 511s that do, but they’re exceptions; I seldom find a pair that suits me as it should.

[@asielromo3399]

This channel is so awesome man

[@derpypalphan9415]

will the LVC replica fade into the color of the vintage pair?

[@latetodagame1892]

I live in the backwoods, so I am late to style. I really like your style at the end of this video .. when you're wearing the red Adidas.

[@JoshuaSlosser]

Really curious about the original Eddie Bauer jacket

[@Richardpasquinucci]

Ever since Levi Straus outsouced their manufacturing to Afganastan. The quality has gone down slightly. But the price keeps going up. I bought a pair of Levi's recently. And I paid $35 dollars.

[@steveboyd3455]

I have Costco "Kirkland" jeans that cost $15 and seem fine to me. What about them?

[@d05wtt]

If you like the 15 dollar jeans….great. Nothing wrong with that. There are people out there who are denim heads who know the difference between mass produced jeans and quality jeans and who are into the whole denim culture and fashion. They love to spend hundreds of dollars to get selvedge denim made with the old ways of denim making.

[@prestontylerjarvis]

Michael, I watch all your vids and I haven’t seen this jacket before, what is it? Looks so cozy

[@AardvarkAdventure]

LVC was my go-to when they were still made in the US- not really sure about spending $300 on imported American jeans :-/

[@RobotDCLXVI]

How do you even date clothes? Do they have serial numbers?

[@lukasb4901]

Your Filson Mackinaw Work Jacket really rocks! Coincidentally I bought myself one in pine black plaid just a week ago 😉

[@thetrain4250]

The vitamin ad was epic i didn’t even ff it because it was great lol

[@TJMartinek]

I've had two pairs of those 501xx's and I've loved each of them. If they weren't so expensive they would be the only thing I'd wear.

[@cosmoelbrujo7829]

Hi, do you have advice to reduce leg twist on wasing with raw denim ? Thanks !

[@mdanialzhafran]

what s the product code on the modern levis you are wearing?

[@steveboyd3455]

Also, Happy Thanksgiving Michael to you and Taylor.

[@kevinleyva3003]

The phrase “don’t make ‘em like they used to” always amuses me. Like try inserting that phrase in a hospital setting. “They don’t make catheters like they used to”

[@JB-1138]

I always seem to find good Levi's on sale. Usually $25-35.

[@Agenthoover1]

They are 100% not as good as they used to be, i remember in the 90s you would dred buying a new pair as they were super stiff and would litteraly rub the skin of the backs of your legs behind the kneen until they were broken in, its one of the reasons why we barley used to wash them, once you did they would almost stand up on their own and you would have to go through the discomfort of breaking them in again,... denim jackets were the same, they used to rub skin around your elbow/ joint area, todays jeans are stupid thin bordering on paper thin, this is why i no longer buy Levis and switched to Nudie instead.

[@1fffffdd]

I vote Carhartt. They just revamped their pants AND theyre doing a heritage custom built pant which optionally uses the old red duck.

[@gamingwitchutuu429]

Mike do a what’s in my fridge video of your diet and the rent living in NY , I heard it crazzy high

[@brunonjezic6208]

Well in Europe they are around 100e and around 80e on sale. Egyptian pairs seem to be better than other modern pairs in my experiences, non savage that is

[@Dreyno]

Could the 2” shorter leg be something to do with being sanforized? As in, “these are the same length as the 32” jeans you used to buy after you shrunk them”.

[@Dreyno]

Nope. All unsanforized.

[@yukikazewayne]

I really miss those LEVI'S jeans instead of the Levi's we have today.

[@gamingwitchutuu429]

We’re the snail theme music Michael!

[@tonysoprano4883]

My LVC 1947 have a lot of leg twist on the left leg. The main difference between old pairs and new pairs is the fit. Levi's don't look flattering anymore.

[@ekahnoman7331]

You look like a cross between Rick Astley and Frankie Muniz in the thumbnail.

[@ptuna861]

I'm sitting her watching a guy awkwardly walk through the woods, with the light shining directly into the camera, while he rants about nuances in jeans that are so minor most people who wear them probably couldn't tell you anything more than "these pants are jeans and not shorts". KZbin is a cool place.

[@Mil_Spec_Spartan_]

I laugh so hard bc Levi’s 501 jeans simply do not fit me. I am 5’ 10” tall, 180 lbs. my waist is 32” around, and my thighs are 25” around… a pair of size 31 501s simply do not have enough room for my thighs 😂 I’m a major lover of greaser style, and I literally can’t wear the quintessential greaser jeans

[@aayotechnology]

Same here with thighs being tight. Which brand works for you?

[@gilbertoflores7397]

Just size up and take them to a tailor, have them take in the waist. Pretty easy fix. A good tailor wouldn't charge more than 20 dollars to do it either.

[@Mil_Spec_Spartan_]

@@gilbertoflores7397 this is true! TBH I’m kinda lazy about tailoring… and I literally work at Men’s Wearhouse 😂

[@edwardjones3887]

The 501 93's have more thigh room.

[@barnabymailed4184]

I‘d also be interested in a comparison of vintage vs contemporary Ray Bans. Some years ago my optometrist discouraged me from Ray Bans, supposedly because they were no longer up snuff. Dive down to the bottom of this, find the truth and bring it to us to the surface!

[@Highland_Paddy]

Wranglers I got were the lighter weight but also only $40 / pr. But still haven't worn Levi's for compare them with other, cheaper pants, which maybe I will do for a month after current Holiday?

[@Highland_Paddy]

Attempt to see if they really last any longer than jeans that were about half the price, but also have stretch fabric now, not All Cotton.

[@jeffgrantMEDIA]

I'm sitting here in a pair of Levi 514 I "Santa" brought me last Christmas (He paid $60 for them on sale). By Valentines day the crotch blew out. Last year I threw out my favoritre pair of Levi, another pair of 514 that were a about 10 years old. The old jeans were worn to shreds.... because I wore them nearly every day for 10 years. The but and crotch never blew out. I have a few pairs of Levi 527's from my days selling them about 20 years ago. Still totally wearable to this day. All modern Levi jean I have bought in the past 4-5 years fell apart within 3 months. They are a far cry from what they use to be even 10-20 years ago.

[@Shivris]

You are not alone. That’s the exact issue I’ve had with the last 4 pair of Levi’s I’ve bought this year. I’ll never buy Levi’s again.

[@jeffgrantMEDIA]

@@Shivris Me either. This is my last pair. I have been working with Huckbery and fell in love with FNT Everyday and All American jeans. They have a little stretch in them, but wear like old Levi's with no stretch. Great pants, lots of wear, no blowouts.

[@MrFreeman626]

I vote Carhartt. I have quite a few pieces from them including a mid 2000s MiUSA Detroit jacket in excellent conditions, which has become something of an iconic piece for me to wear. Comparing it to the modern variant has been fascinating.

[@dogcatmousecow533]

I actually really like the mexican made levis from the early 2000s. Theyre pretty good jeans.

[@zjebeusjsbbdj6310]

I found Harris!!! Hell yeah

[@elmoonfire]

Internally, the 'paper' tags are called 'leatherlikes'

[@petercarlsson6606]

What is the actual model number of the Wrangler "cowboy cut". Can't seem to find a Wrangler model called the cowboy here in Sweden.

[@kevinklien90]

13MWZ

[@zuru__9215]

I'd love to watch a Wrangler comparison video. Love the work you put in this videos

[@giorgiobarbaro5081]

Sono un tuo fan perché conosci i 501 Levi's più di me.

[@fezontheblock467]

Now compare them to TCB’s variants

[@SinkingStarship]

The reason why vintage Levi's are so expensive is way more complex than "the old jeans are just made better!" A lot of the time, there will be wonky stitching and things we'd consider mistakes on these highly-regarded vintage jeans. The real value is in a combination of factors that play into how the jeans age over time - the grade of cotton used, the dyeing processes, the imperfections in the weave of the denim from how the shuttle loom chattered, the sewing machines that created stitches with a certain type of puckering over time, and the all-cotton thread used. This was all something of a happy accident, but it resulted in vintage jeans that aged very beautifully, with a sort of highly-detailed color and texture - right down to faded lemon colored stitching and tarnished copper rivets. That's really not going to be obvious to someone who isn't a hardcore denim nerd, when they handle a deadstock pair. So yes, a new pair of Levis or comparable jeans very well may seem "better" when brand new, based on obvious factors like the sewing and loose threads, but the difference would be very apparent if both pairs were worn for a year. (The main exception being cotton thread; which while far more aesthetically pleasing when worn compared to polyester thread, is far less durable, necessitating earlier repairs.) On the other hand, many Japanese "repro" brands match and exceed vintage Levi's in pretty much all aspects; while not exactly cheap, they're a lot more affordable than actual vintage jeans, and with plenty to choose from in terms of sizes and cuts.

[@jf7393]

Buy whatever they currently sell. Buy the new models. In ten years you’ll be like “man my old jeans are so much better than the shit they make now” guaranteed

[@1020donny]

The biggest difference being old 501s used American made denim and they were made in the USA by Union members.

[@LavendLady]

I used to absolutely LOVE and Swear by Levis ... as in, i would not care to actually spend more in their stores. ABSOLUTELY NO MORE! Their new CEO is ruining the integrity of the brand by being so monetarily driven. It's truly disgusting. The customer service is abysmal and the quality is SO BAD! It is simply not worth the price they are charging. It's beyond disappointing. They are truly losing the American Customer Market. On the other hand--Wrangler and Lee have BOTH stepped their quality game up. I highly recommend wrangler AND they actually have a customer service team who assists and still has US based agents.

[@jordansibanyoni9978]

Hey aren't you guy who played Mike Teavee in Charlie and the chocolate factory?

[@Godzillah]

There are always more popular brands wear what u have. If it fit me I wear it I have tons of brand’s jean.

[@Lucky_9705]

The denim of Levi’s has certainly declined in quality over the years, but they have gotten easier to break in and are more comfortable than they used to be

[@trinityzaku]

I go through two to three a year. Jeans don't last when you do construction no matter what.

[@craigmignone2863]

I believe both James Dean and Steve McQueen wore Lee Jeans in real life but Levi's while filming ....

[@clawsdrawn4748]

One final question: The man facing the wrong way on the port-o-potty…. Was he facing toward the door and peeing back between his legs or sitting on the toilet backwards “cool teacher” style?

[@GeorgeLathem]

I'm sitting here with thick legs and glutes crying because none of these would ever fit me. It's okay I'll just die

[@Dreyno]

Well please do it quietly. Us normies are busy enjoying our perfectly fitting 501s.

[@КаринаБальсунова-б3б]

14093 Strosin Dam

[@pearldiver7]

Levi jeans have definitely gone down hill in quality. Most of my 550's I've purchased in the last several years have torn out at the rear pocket corners. Very dissapointed and won't buy again. What happened to this once solid brand? Sad.

[@Shivris]

I don’t even need to watch the video to tell you modern Levi’s suck because I’m wearing a pair right now. The quality is gone. You used to be able to buy a pair and they’d last you years. Now if they make it through the year consider yourself lucky. I’ll never waste money on a pair of Levi’s again.

[@jbwwins]

I’d personally love to see the carahart, I have several of their modern bibs, and the modern amenities are quite nice and idk if I’m missing something but I think the modern ones are probably better. Second vote would be wrangler because they are cheaper and I’d appreciate a value offer in jeans, third Eddie Bauer cause I don’t want to look like my parents just yet, yay ranked choice voting.

[@hassanayyacch5578]

The duplicate Levis Chinese made for 10 dollars is almost the same as original one .

[@chudlas]

During that time, Levis has gone through many changes and transformations :-) but they still remain sexy and cool.😍

[@sf2explus184]

the main problem i have with regular 501 is the fact the back rise is too low for a classic jeans. all my lvc 501 have higher rise both front and back i alternate between 1947 and 1966. not to mention the fit is alot better. should they be nearly 3 times as much in price? NO

[@posypicker]

Definitely compare vintage carhartt next!

[@DrawnInk1]

Haven’t worn jeans in over 25 years thank god. Love the walking around in the Autumn.

[@trmbtrmb]

have you tried Glenn's Denim?

[@superandz]

Loving a bit of the big three here will you be doing Lee ?

[@nonyabusiness1126]

The only clothes I used to buy, and still do, that held it's quality levels is Tommy Hilfiger. Nautica fell hard.

[@joolz999]

This level of obsessions would make me extremely unhappy I’m not saying he’s unhappy I’m just like wow I wish I could engage with this and not care too much that the front rivets are different from the back

[@laurens4561]

Try Left Field they make things old schooool in Merica.

[@PotatoMan88]

Has anyone bought a pair of Deerborn Denim’s 100% cotton jeans (the only material you should be buying)? If so what’s the quality like? I’m trying to find a brand that’s got the same quality as vintage Levi’s but for under 100 bucks.

[@Ompauley191325303]

They are not the same as they were back in The 80’s they were the go to jeans rhat looked good on everyone in hs, if you were thin…..

[@alcattyman797]

Levi's ceased to exist when production was moved overseas. Mexican made are more authentic than the old mid 20th century U.S.A product as original production was by Mexican workers in San Francisco late 19th century. Essentially, Levi's are of Bavarian origin of course, Loeb Strauss being from Buttenheim as we all know. Overseas production means non authentic. Bangladesh is the new centre for denim. I now wear Marks and Spencer with pride. Their quality of construction is far superior to any of the dozen of pairs of U.S.A. made Levi's, Wranglers or Lee's I bought back in the '70's. The big three lost their credibility when production was moved out of North America.

[@innitthough712]

the LVC '66 back pockets are a total mess. super weird, long shape that just isn't true to the jeans of the period.