This is Part 2 of a very popular article I wrote last year on how to shrink your Levi 501 XX Shrink to Fit jeans. For more on Levi’s 501xx Original Shrink to Fit Jeans, please see my other articles on the subject.
The first article I wrote on this topic was after a few tries with Levi’s Shrink to Fit Jeans. I achieved the best pants I had ever owned and wore them exclusively for almost a year (the picture shows newly shrunk ones with my old faithfuls. No one believes me when I tell them that they were once the same color). 501′s by design feel roomier then they look which is the reason they are so comfortable and stylish.
Heavily worn 501's and almost new ones
A button fly and $40 a pair seals the deal. If you haven’t tried them I’d highly recommend it. It is fun to do and you get jeans in the end that feel like they were made just for you. I recently did another pair and just love the results. This is what I did:
- Buy your new raw jeans at your normal waist size but with long length
I am a tall skinny guy and I like jeans that fit comfortably with minimum bagginess. I bought the new un-shrunk jeans at my waist size and the longest leg length they had; this left me with 31-36 (told you I was tall and thin). The final fit is snug and probably perfect length although I would have preferred a bit longer (if they sold 31-38′s it would be perfect in my mind they do make 38′s! here’s a ideas on where you can buy them depending on availability). I buy my jeans at the Levi’s store so that if I don’t like how they come out after shrinking I can return them for my money back. Pretty sweet. Try the sizing tool. - Wear your new un-shrunk jeans for a few days before shrinking them
I don’t think I could quantify the benefits of doing this, but wearing them with that deep navy color and cuffs is just darned cool. They are a bit stiff at this point but you’ll be surprised how quickly they adjust to being worn (or you adjust to them?). - When you are ready to shrink them, draw a hot bath and get in wearing your jeans
One time when I was shrinking my jeans I made the bath too hot an scalded my legs. Not fun! It’s not necessary to make the water that hot. In fact I hear you can also shrink them by going swimming (something I’d love to try in Lake Michigan this summer) Just draw a comfortable bath and sit in it wearing your jeans for about a half an hour. You can also shower with them if you prefer but I haven’t tried it. - Keep them on for the rest of the day while they dry
Before I actually tried it I thought this step was full of problems. It was actually quite painless.The key learning was that they dry much faster on your body then they do hanging up in the bathroom. I sat in the tub with no water in it for another hour or so then walked around the house and went about my business. They had stopped dripping constantly by then. If you want to sit down and feel like they are still wet enough to leave marks on your furniture, try putting down a dark towel first. If it is warm weather, take a walk outside or sit in the park! More practically you can use these few hours to clean your tub which will certainly be blue after soaking in it with your jeans. Try to keep them on for four or five hours, you’ll be surprised how dry they are by then. If you can’t stand the dampness anymore at that point go ahead and hang them up. If I could do it in the winter so can you. - Keep wearing them for a week or two
Don’t do anything else to them until you’ve worn them for a week or two straight out of the shrink tub. This will help them mold to your body even more. If they get too baggy to stand move to the next step. - Back to the shrink tub
I choose to do the shrinking again at this stage. I’m not sure how much it helped but it certainly didn’t hurt. In fact you can repeat these last few steps as many times as you like. Your jeans will get lighter every time which is good if you are going for a lighter look quicker. If you just love that deep deep navy and they are fitting well, I recommend skipping the subsequent shrinking after the first one. - Wear them until they need to be washed then hand wash them
Wear them a lot which won’t be hard cause you’ll probably be in love with them by now (does that blue dye go to your brain? maybe…). Since I like to keep the color dark at first, I hand wash them in the tub inside out with warm water and just enough detergent to get them clean (surprisingly little…that stuff is potent). I hang them up to dry which takes at least over night for me sometimes longer. Using a dryer at this stage is ok if you are in a rush. If you are going for a lighter look, make the water hot, wash them right side out, use more detergent and rinse them in hot water a bunch of times. Drying them outside in the sun also helps to fade them quicker.
I love the results I got with the above steps. Thanks to all the commenters for helping me perfect the process. There are a few things I’d like to try in the future:
- I’d like to try a size 30 waist to see if I can get a nice tight look. 501′s tend to feel roomier than they look and they tend to stretch comfortably in the waist so I think this will be a good plan to skinnier legged jeans. I think I’ll also really research to see if I can get longer legs with these small waist sizes. Anyone have info on custom sizing or getting out of production sizes?
- I’d like to try shrinking some 501′s by swimming in Lake Michigan and lying on the beach and biking around Chicago afterwards. Sounds like a perfect summer day!
- I’d like to see if I can get a hold of the different color and weight 501 XX jeans that are now available. Please comment with information about good online or brick and motor vendors for Shrink to Fits.
- I’d like to try denim therapy to repair any holes so I can get more life out of the jeans I put all this effort into creating.
I hope I’ve inspired you to go and buy a new pair of Shrink to Fits. Have fun with your custom jeans and report back in the comments on any experiments or tips you come up with.
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Excuse me, I have a pair of 501 STFs and soaked them twice. I still consider them a little bit baggy, would a third hot water soak do anything at all?
Thanks for the comment, Francis. It’s unlikely you will get much shrinkage by the third soak. I’d recommend wearing them and washing them a lot (they will shrink over time), or starting over. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Ned – thanks for letting me comment. It amazes me some of the comments and excuses these guys use for buying and wearing 501 stfs. We all know why we wear them – to show off our body in the best possible manner whether it be our ass or our crotch or our thighs or what ever. There is nothing you can put on that is more comfortable or more flattering if worn the right way, ant that is tight, but not extremely tight in all the right places – so you get gals and guys to turn around and look I have worn them everyday in everyway for every occasion from weddings to the hottest clubs around and I have modifies the look with add ons, like leather straps, polished copper, sequins, and hand bleached designs. Maybe I am an exhibitionist, but I am comfortable in my own skin and stf’s are my skin. I live in Iowa and I wear them as a farmer or to the hottest club in KC or Minneapolis or Omaha or once in a while Chicago. Cruisin’ in STFs, what is hotter. I hope you get this rant, I just seem to be tired of all those wimps out there afraid to say they love the fit and why. Do I need to get some membership to be a full time “rantter” Thanks for listening.
hi rantter, I have some 501′s you might like and other stuff also, in minn. e-m me @ “[email protected]” interesting how you wear those 501′s. we all have reasons for the fit we want to get into in 501 stf’s. I’ll give you mine.
I’m sending an e-mail to your address. I’ll be anxious to hear your story.
have new e-maill address: [email protected] ranter want to hear from you about your style & how you wear 501′s.
Hi Ned. I almost totally agree in your method on how to properly shrink 501XX jeans, for an attractive personalize fit. Go to sheplers.com so you can buy 31X38 indigo 501XX jeans for $31.99. As for the black 501XX jeans, I only see up to 31×36. On orders of at least $50., you can get a $10 discount using coupon codes 0191 or 0249. How about this for a new subject, jeans, especially levis, as fetish clothing? Actually, jeans, mainly levis, are the most popular fetish clothing. You can feel it in your 501XX jeans.
Try Zappos.com they have pretty much every size every color as far as I know, I just bought a pair of Black 31-38′s for $36.99 and no tax, and free overnight shipping. pretty solid deal if you ask me.
Steve, awesome info! thanks for hipping me to Sheplers it looks like an great site for 501 XX. Fantastic range of sizes. They appear to have a generally good return policy but nothing specifically about already shrunk double ex’s. It looks like right now there is a sale on shrink to fits $5 off at $31.99 regularly $36.99 with shipping at around $9. Your coupon code is basically free shipping on two pairs. Now no one has an excuse not to try it out. I think I’ll try these guys for my next pair.
Hi Ned.Sure, Sheplers has ‘already shrunk’, 501′s, it’s called prewash. Sheplers has your prewash size of 31×36. I’ve avoided prewash 501′s since early ’04 when levis changed the inseam from a double-stitched to a single-stitch. Sheplers is showing pics of 501 prewash with the double-stitch inseams but I’m betting that these are pre-2004 pics. Are you rocking in your 501XX jeans today??
Steve, good info. I have tried pre-shrunk before but they seem baggier than the shrink to fit ones so I haven’t tried a pair in a while. You obviously know a lot about the history and changes made to Levi’s jeans throughout the years; where do you do your research? have you read books about it or is it all from your personal experience and attention to detail. You bet I’m rocking them today, as I am sure you are too.
Ned- Yes, I rocked in my levis 501XX, all day long & tonite. For my 12th birthday I got my very first levis, it was 505 rigid with lots of indigo dye. By my 13th birthday, I totally ignored all my whimpy chinos and was only wearing levis. A year later, I saw & bought my first 501′s, it was black and $15. Since this was still several years before the www, my jeans education was all from personal experiences.
Oh yeah – I was 15 before I got my first pair of Levis (My mom tought they were overpriced.) It took about 3 months to pay for them, but I thought that they were worth every cent.
BTW I wrote Sheplers 3 years ago about their pics and they said they were old.
When I realized Levis were radically changing the 501 I bought up a supply so I’m lucky to have a stock of the pre 2004 cut.
There’s just nothing like a pair of Levis that have molded and been worn in to the perfect fit for your own body.
In early ’04, it seemed that suddenly all 501′s changed to a single-stitch inseam. Levis defended this change by claiming that a single-stitch is more durable than the double stitch!!!! This caused an uproar with the 501XX lovers that in early ’06, the 501 shrink-to-fit’s changed back to the double-stitch inseam. Of course, the 501 prewash/preshrunk/sanforized line continue to be made with the single-stitch inseam, so I have no idea why most levis continue to be made with the double-stitch inseam except for the 501 sanforized models.
I buy my STFs two inches larger than my actual size (35W label for 33W actual). I always try the stiff suckers on at the shop before I bring them home. I wear my rigid new STF 501s out of the store with my trashie old 501s in the bag.
To bust them in I jump into a bath of luke warm water. The 501s tighten up on my bod, the blue dye fills the tub. The cooler water reduces the immediate shrinkage. I strip off and let my crisp new 501s dry in the sun.
How do you guys feel about the new off shore 501s- we call them Mexs (Mexican), Guats (Guatamala), Doms (Dominican Rep), Pols (Polish), SAs (So African)? My conclusion is that each pair of STF 501s fits differently, that’s why I always slip them on before I buy. The imported Levis are no better or worse than my old USAs. STF 501s have just increased from $30.99 plus tax to $36.99 plus tax. I’m keeping my trusty old 501s longer than usual.
Recently, levis started making again it’s famed 505 rigid jeans. The 505 rigid’s have 14.75 oz. denim. 501 shrink-to-fit is made with 12.5 oz denim. The 505 rigid is made with a denser denim weave than the 501 STF, believe it or not. I believe the jeans with the thickest denim is Iron Heart, at 21 oz. Does anyone else know of any other model of levis made with denser denim beyond the 505 rigid? Denimheads prize jeans with a thick denim weave.
naked and famous makes a 30oz jean. it’s pretty much insane.. the rivets have a hard time holding, because the denim is so dense. tried em on..could barely walk.
I got 32x36s from Sheplers, soaked them in hot water, line dried, they shrunk a bit after this. I wore them for a day, then cold soaked them for 10 mins, spun them out and put them in the dryer inside out for an hour, now they fit perfect, are still just as dark as they were when I first got em, and fit great. The denim isnt soft or anything even after the dryer. I too would like to try a size down, but my waist hasnt stretched on these, even after a week of solid wear. We shall see…
Hey guys. I was checking out some 501 XX today and I’m really considering getting a pair. I really liked them because they have the longest inseam I’ve seen on a pair of jeans. I’m 6’4 and ALL legs so its hard to find a good long pair of jeans. My only concern is that I like my jeans on the skinny side. I want to keep the length but shrink the thighs. Would sitting in the tub and keeping the bottom (knees down) out of the water do that?
Stiv, I cannot comment on the 1/2 soak you recommended as I have no such experience in the matter. Still, wouldn’t you eventually have to wash the jeans?
I can tell you that on the official Levi’s site, the 501 STFs go to size 38 (sometimes 40) as an option for most waist sizes. If you don’t see what you want on the official site (sometimes they sell out of a size), you can check them out at the Amazon site, where if a size is out, it’ll be shown in blue (you won’t be able to purchase it, but at least you’ll know it’s an option offered).
I’ve never seen so much intelligent information in one place re how to break in Levis 501s. This site is the mother lode of information re breaking-in Levis. I was starting to think it was a lost art. Absolutely, the best way (and to me the only way) to break in Levis is in water.
I have always worn mine in a spa, hot tub or pool brand new and let them dry on. I’m a lifeguard and scuba diver so water is always near. You can adjust the fit of your Levis by doing a couple of deep knee bends, and also by providing lift in the crucial areas for good athletic support. Levis and Wranglers are the only brands that provide good support. Divers and open water guards wear Levis for protection from stings, abrasion and cuts uw. I live in Texas so the hot summer sun allows you to swim in Levis every day if you want and have them dry on. Some people will say that ‘jeans are heavy wet’. Not for intrepid swimmers. And, if you want to swim and free dive just add good dive boots and fins and you’ll become a fish uw. I do this all the time. In fact, dive shops carried Levis 512 Slimfit Jeans modified for aquatics and embroidered and labeled them ‘Levis Diveskins’.
Stay Wet. Dive Levis! – Joe in Austin, TX
The divesikns sound really hot – Ihave never seen them in Iowa, do they have the same cut as the 501 stfs, and how are they as crotch support without a jock? With summer coming on maybe I should order a pair.
Hi, i must say this article has been extremely informative and i’m really excited to try it out when i get my STF.
anyways, i’ve always worn jeans slightly below my waist at a size 28. the smallest size for a 501 rigid indigo i’m going to buy online is a size 30. i was wondering if it was going to be possible to shrink a size 30 down to a 28?
just to add, also, if i was planning to do this process more than 3 times, should i get the SFT more than 2″ longer, which is recommended? i don’t want the jeans to end up too long.
(my usual lengths are about 32/33)
I’d say really your best bet is to experiment; I’m not sure the exact look you are going for. The 30″ waist will probably be more like a 29″ when your done, but if you let them dry on you, it will be a true fit to your waist. I always like to get the length longer than recommended for two reasons: I don’t mind cuffing if I have to and I don’t like them too short (they get caught on the top of my boots when i sit down). A good starting point for you it sounds like would be a 30/36 pant. when you see how the first one goes you can make a better judgment for your next pair.
thanks for the prompt reply and the advice. i guess i would only know after i experiment it. i’d probably get the 30/34 one. i couldn’t find anything longer than 34 but i think it’d do fine. does the whole jean shrink proportionately if i tried to shrink it without having it on? my concern is especially to the rise and back rise.
Hi nich. Breaking in raw denim (a.k.a untreated denim or shrink-to-fit) is not an exact science. Personally if my regular jean size is 28×33, then I would be experimenting with 501XX 28×36. I would put my new 501XX on, hop into a full bathtub or a body of water, then keep the jeans on ’till dry. By that time, you’ll be making very good friends with your new jeans. Sheplers.com has 29/36, 30/36 and Langston.com has 28/36, 29/36 and 30/36. If you google it, discount codes may be available for these two companies. For the money, 501XX is the least expensive raw denim jeans on the market, which makes it the best jeans value on the market. You can experiment without going broke.
Soak your new 501XXs in hot water for maximum shrinkage, cool or lukewarm water for gradual or lesser shrinkage.
Also, if you really want to shrink these suckers to the max, put them in the dryer. For less shrinking and abuse, dry them in the sun.
As I want to keep my STFs as neat as possible for as long as possible on the job, I shrink mine gradually in lukewarm water and sun dry. Sometimes, I just turn the garden hose on my new 501XXs for a gentle breaking in.
For hot water washing, you can expect at least a three inch shrinkage in the waist.
I never buy my 501s by mail order. I buy my STF 501XXs in a store and try them on first. No two pairs of 501XXs are alike. Some begin tighter than others.
Ned, how are you doing with your 511 Levis? Still have some 501XXs in your closet?
@Tim: I recently threw away the old faithfuls in the picture above. it was sad but i had completely worn through the seat. The new pair are by far my favorite pant right now and I wear them almost everyday. I’m going through a bit of a minimalist phase right now so i don’t have any on deck but when i do have to buy a new pair i’ll most likely use shlepers since they have my weird size (31/38).
I never throw away my blown-out jeans. If the fabric on the seat or the knees is getting thin or torn, I take a denim patch, my sewing-machine and I wil patch the seat wit a big round denim patch (that’s my favorite way of repairing the worn-out seat) and than wear it with pride (my friend 501).
Ned, Thanks for your comment. I’m still not clear on your answer.
Does this mean that you’ll be swimming in Lake Michigan this summer in your 511s, not 501XXs?
What the hell! You trashed that ole pair of 501XXs without giving us a chance to bid on ‘em? That was thoughtless. I for one would love to have a pair of used Ned jeans, even if they’re not STF 501s.
@Tim, haha sorry I miss read. Yeah I have a pair of 511′s in black that I like but the 501XX are the ones I wear daily. Hmm, well if i thought my ratty old 501xx stf’s were of any value to anyone i guess i wouldn’t have trashed them. funny! seriously though, you guys do anything special with your old ones? proper burial? i just chopped the legs off some experiment STF’s and they work quite well as shorts.
That’s what I did ones with my favorite Wrangler jeans back in 80′s:
I washed ‘em, iron ‘em and nicely folded. Sprayed with gold spay paint and placed in the deep presentation picture frame under the glass on the deep red velvet background. Then I hanged it on my wall .. It looked like descent tribute to my favorites that I spent years of my life in..
Hi Ned, Ever hear of duct tape? Instead of sending that old faded holey pair of STF 501s to the shit can, you could’ve put duct tape on the most objectionable holes and get years more wear outa them.
All that effort to break them in, and all the fun times you spent in your “Old Faithfuls” and you just toss them in the trash.
Guys where I live wear their Levis with the knees ripped out, and the seat too. Nobody would trash their fav jeans cos of holes. Old STF 501s just get better with age.
New crisp dark blue SFTs are gr8 when brand new. Just love the smell of raw unwashed denim. But 501XXS get even better as they fade and wear out.
When I was a little kid and new to wearing 501s, I did experiment with giving my Levis a decent burial. I buried a pair of destroyed STFs in the back yard. A week later, they had rotted away. Then I “immolated” some throw-away 501s and burned them. Reduced to ashes and only buttons and rivets in a few minutes. I don’t do this sort of thing now. Just that your question brought back memories. Glad that you’re still into STF 501XXs, hope you shrink ‘em skintight.
Tim, My method for dealing with any holes in the bathing suit area of jeans is to throw on some long johns and use them for winter “house jeans.” The long johns prevent any embarrassing surprises (or exciting surprises depending on someone’s point of view). They still provide comfort and are usually good for a few winters before the hole(s) stretch to unsightly proportions.
This may not be an option for those in warmer climates. I’m writing this from the Midwest, and our winters provide many opportunities for throwing on some long johns under jeans.
hey, I just bought a pair of levis 501 STF that are 34W and 32L, and the length is just a little bit longer than normal (maybe only 1′ more than my normal size) so im scared that after I shrink them the length will be too small. Do you guys know anyway to minimize the length shrinkage when shrinking your jeans?
btw im 6’0 tall which is why I really don’t want the 32L to get any smaller and I can’t refund them because I bought them when I was visiting another city.
Jason, if you can’t return the jeans and they end up too short, one option is to use them for summer jeans and wear them with sandals/barefoot. What looks too short with shoes can look just fine with the sandals or barefoot look.
That is, if you don’t eBay them or turn them into shorts.
@Jason, did you buy them at a Levi’s Store? If so, I’m pretty sure you can send them back since they have the satisfaction guarantee (even after you shrink them and then decide you don’t like them, cool huh). They are likely going to be short on you; I’m about 6″ too but it all depends on the style you are going for. I don’t know of any way to keep them from shrinking lengthwise; in my experience they shrink the most lengthwise. Anyone else? Any experience with stretching during drying?
oh ok, thanks for the help. What length/inseam do you normally get since we are about the same height?
@Jason, I usually go with a 36 which is probably perfect. Since I wear boots and I like cuffing every now and then I’ll probably try 38′s next time.
when I was little and still growing my pants were always too short for me; i hated it and i thought it made me look like a dork. So now i always go for exactly the correct length erring on the side of long. the 36′s on me are exactly the right length. remember all 501xx shrink slightly differently!
Hey Jason, With 501XX, buy your regular waist size, and if your normal inseam is 31, your 501XX inseam will be 34. The inseam will shrink more than waist. Put on your new XX jeans, fill up the bath tub or go swimming in your jeans, then don’t take your jeans off, let your XX jeans dry on you as you are wearing ‘em. At the end of this process, the jeans will mold to your form. About 75 percent of the shrinking is done after the first wetting. It’s better to have your jeans a little too long than to short. Even if the jeans were to be an inch too long, stacking or a turn-up looks good.
My normal jean size is 33/34, following the normal size recommendations my STF size would be 34/37. Unfortunately though only a 34/36 and a 34/38 are manufactured by levi. Im leaning towards the 34/38s but Im a bit wary of coming out with jeans that are to long. What would you do?
If you buy your STFs in your actual waist size and do the break-in that you describe can you still machine wash/dry them down the road? What I mean is does wearing them until dry/molding them to your body prevent the waist form shrinking farther? I hope that makes sense.
Hi K. Your STF size can be 33/36, 33/38, 34/36 or 34/38. This is not an exact science, but you may have to experiment what’s the best size for you. Levis 501 STF is absolutely the best raw denim deal in America, so @ $33, you should be able to afford to experiment. If your inseam is a full 34, then I think that a 36 STF inseam may come up an inch short on you, and with a 38 inseam, you may have some slight stacking or a small turn-up. A little stackng or a slight turn-up does make a favorable fashion statement. You’ll have to experiment. Once your new STF jeans is molding to your form, these jeans be your your best friend. Getting back to the shrinking process, the lenght will shrink alot more than the waist, and denim does stretch. If shrunken properly, about 75% of the shrinking will be achieved after the first wetting, and over 90% after the third wetting. Personally, I wash my STF’s in the bath and let air dry, maybe a washer may be okay so long as it’s not hot water, but I would avoid the dryer. Remember, it will take weeks, if not months, for all the indigo dye to be rinsed away. If I was you, I would try the 33×38 first. Does anyone else have an opinion what size K should buy?
Hi, this seems like a great idea and I really like the idea of just jumping in the river this summer with jeans and custom fitting them in this fun way, but I was just wondering how you guys like your jeans to fit and if it’s much different from my taste. i like my jeans pretty tight. not like super-skin-tight rockstar style or something but pretty tight and without any stacking around my shoes. (ialways wear just really thin-soled plimsoles) i am not even averse to sort of high-waters. hehe. so just wondering how i should buy them to fit before the shrinking. any help is appreciated and have already enoyed the site. thanks
Wonderful guides you’ve written here.
I’m new to the world of shrink to fit jeans, and after getting my size right in a Levis store I ordered a cheaper pair online.
I ordered them quite long as I plan to turn them up, and my question is, should I turn them up before or after the shrinking process?
If you like the current style & fit of Levis 501XX, shrink-to-fit jeans, perhaps you should think about stocking up on ‘em. In time for the back-to-school season, Levis will be introducing new 501XX jeans, one style & fit for the whole world, under the “live unbottoned” campaign. What I do know is that the new 501XX jeans should have a tighter fit, like of 10 years ago. This should be interesting since Americans are fat. The best 501XX deal is at bargainsavenue.com, in Calif, they are offering 2 501XX jeans, indigo & black, for $65.98, shipping included. Even levi.com is offering 2 501XX jeans @ $75 or 3 pairs @ $105, only indigo, shipping included. To sum it up, if you like the current 501XX jeans, you better think about buying a couple of spare pairs, they will be suddenly harder to find come the autumn season.
Hi DogEyedBoy. Congratulations in your decision to buy levis 501XX raw denim jeans. If done correctly, this will be the most flattering, best fitting jeans you will own, and at such a modest price. If you want to wear your 501XX jeans with turnups, and that is good fashion, my best guess is that you should buy your XX jeans 4 inches longer than your usual inseam length. When a purchaser is walking around in his new XX jeans, before the first shrinking, it’s normal to have about a 2 inch turnup or stacking. To your question, the key is in the inseam size you purchase, in which initally you should start with a 4″ turnup that should shrink to a 2″ turnup. Due to the variance in jeans sizing, my numbers are approximate, and not an exact science. Good luck, and rock in your levis 501XX jeans. NED– where the heck are you? Your silence is deafening!
@DogEyedBoy, thanks for the kind words! I’m glad you found it useful and you are taking the plunge (all puns intended) with your new shrink to fits. To answer your question, I’ve cuffed my 501′s before and after shrinking and see no difference in either approach. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Thanks for the wicked site!
I recently shrunk my first pair of jeans in a local lake and dried myself/them on the sun drenched dock. No bath tub cleaning for me.
People first shrunk their shrink-to-fit jeans in the creek, pond or horse trough. Many American households lacked full indoor plumbing as late as post World War II/ cold war era. In the ’50′s to ’70′s, it was not unusal for a Californian to break in his shrink-to-fit’s in the Pacific. Friends would break their shrink-to-fit’s together in bath tub, like in the ’60′s into the ’80′s, while levis was very much in vogue. In those days, shrink-to-fit jeans had more indigo dye to rinse off. Levis 569 line is getting more some interesting variations, such as a crotch rivit, rivets on the back pockets and thicker or silk screened accurates.
Hey guys i just bout a pair of preshrunk 501′s 31 x30 ive been breaking them in lately but it feel a little bit to loose. If i do the hot soak method will they become shrink as in length or as in width. im not trying to shrink the length but make them skinnier. im new to the denim thing asking help from the experts
Julius, the 501 model is pretty loose these days. You may wish to look into the 511 and 514 models. They’re both slim jeans (they’re advertised as skinny but that’s only relative to the loose fit of “normal” jeans). The 510 is Levis skinny model and is really a true skinny jean. The 511 is tapered a bit at the bottom and the 514 can fit over a pair of boots (but is still slim fitted throughout the seat and thighs). Both 511 and 514 are sit lower that the 501, which may or may not be an issue to you.
Hi Julius! Preshrunk won’t change much but if it does it’ll affect length and width. My recommendation is to try it and buy a new pair if they don’t turn out how you like. I like making shorts out of failed experiments. Good luck and let us know how it turned out!
Hi everyone, this thread has been extremely helpful. At the risk of being unpure on this purist denim site, I was curious if anyone has seen the Levis 501s in the Iconic Rigid “wash”? I put ‘wash’ in quotes because I just picked up a pair and they do not seem washed at all…and if so, very lightly. They are a very stiff rigid denim and very much resemble what I would think a pair of Shrink-to-Fits would look like after wearing unwashed for about a month – light crumpling on lap and back of knee. But no fake, white brushing, which i like. Just pure denim with a little crinkling and give in them. They are also a darker indigo than the normal shrink-to-fits, which is nice. They look very similar to the new 1947 501xx shrink to fit jeans which go for $175 bucks…which is outrageous. I picked these up at Macy’s for $36. I like them a lot and would consider them a sort of “head start” in the breaking in process. I even bought them the slightest bit bigger because i am pretty sure that they probably have a bit more shrink left in them. So still a chance too personalize.
Let me know if anyone else has discovered these.
I also found them on this website for sale:
http://www.tillys.com/tillys/variants.aspx?prod=137331811&ctlg=010_Guys&ctg=060_Guys_Jeans&nav=brand&bid=30&kw=levis&size=-1&source=3
nice one. not knowing about this article i bought a 501 that was a bit too long. got out of the tub about half an hour ago and they’re getting tighter and tighter. but not shorter somehow…
Hi Shambles, there is 501 preshrunk/sanforized denim jeans and 501XX shrink-to-fit/raw denim jeans. The 501 preshrunk jeans have a single-stitch inseam & the 501XX jeans have a double stitch inseam. From what you are explaining, I suspect that you purchased the preshrunk model. The preshrunk model shrinks maybe 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch in length. The shrink-to-fit model shrinks 2 to 2 1/2 inches in length. The current best deal for 501 shrink-to-fit jeans is at bargainsavenue.com, 2 pairs for $65.98, shipping included. If you actually bought the correct 501, it can take a couple of hours for the jean to fit on you properly, remember, keep the jean on until dry, them immediately begin to rock in ‘em. After the first shrink, about 75 percent of the shrinking process is done. What type of 501 are you trying to shrink? Explain.
Hey Gill, Levis has expanded it’s 501 line, but it’s all preshrunk/sanforized stuff. The colors are ‘etched indigo’, ‘iconic black’, ‘iconic rigid’, ‘medium iconic’, and ‘tidal blue’. These are all preshrunk, and the wording of the colors can confuse a person if he is actually purchasing 501XX shrink-to-fit, or not. Since early ’04, all 501 preshrunk has had the single-stitch inseam, and these do. How about it Ned, what do you think of the new line of 501 preshrunks?
Ned nevermind they were shrink to fits haha. i just did the hot soak method at first it was uncomfortable sitting in the bath tub but eventually got used to it. Its been 2 hours since and im lovin my jeans already there startin to mold into my body form and all that great stuff. thanks for the steps there really convenient. i will be buying shrink to fits more often =D
@Gill and Steve: I’ve tried a couple pairs of preshrunk and have never really liked them. They always feel too baggy to me. There is definitely a difference in my mind in fit between 501 preshrunk and 501 after a custom shrinking. I would probably spend my $36 on another STF pair.
@Julius: I am so glad you are enjoying your new jeans! the dark ones in the picture above are showing a very nice worn look now: still good enough shape to wear to work, but also casual and cool enough to wear out afterwards. I’m sorry to say, but it sounds like you’ve been bit by the STF bug!
Ok, I am convinced. I am definitely going to go ahead and get a pair of true shrink-to-fits and give this a shot. Here is my only question, and I apologize if this has already been addressed:
Is there a difference between Levis 501 Original Shrink-to-Fit jeans (like the regular ones on the levis website and that you can find at most department stores) and Levis 501xx?
Are they the same thing?
I was at Macy’s flagship store in New York City. Macy’s now has several varieties of Levis exotic Red Line, with sizing up to 36/34 and 38/32. The Red Line features ZIPPERED pockets and pocket FLAPS, front & back, mostly in dark indigo. The price is $68, but if you are an out-of-towner, Macy’s has a visiter center which will give you a 11 percent savings pass, good for 5 days, at any Macy’s store across the nation. In NYC, there is NO sales tax on clothing under $110, and 4% over that amount. Ned, take a look at Marshall Fields, to see if the Red Line is there, too. Watch out for that sales tax, it’s a killer.
great info fron the guys. been wearin 501′s for many yrs. Have many worn out pairs, going back 20 yrs or so. does any one want to buy some midwest farmboy levis? reasonable. replys good if possible.
What size and how much -
bill, thanks for the kind words. I bet some of the folks here would definitely be interested in some worn levi’s. what’s your size?
Steve, i’m pretty sure Marshal Fields is Macy’s now as well so there’s a good chance they are carrying them. thanks for the heads up! i don’t know if it’s a fact but it certainly seems like we’ve got the highest sales tax around. geesh!
i am looking to try this whole shrink to fit thing but am worried about just how much they shrink over all. i like my jeans pretty skinny (currently rocking the 510 super skinny) and am wondering if i am gonna be able to get the 501s down that small. i really want to try this, but even though the price isn’t much i am not sure i want to waste my time. any ideas?
Hi Mark, you are never going to get to the level of the 510 super skinny. plus if you did it would be pretty uncomfortable i’d imagine because the 501′s have no spandex fibers in it, it’s all raw denim. You can get pretty skinny, but closer to say a 511. what i really like about the 501′s is that they look much skinnier than they feel – as Steve i think quite astutely pointed out. My quite subjective thought about them is they have a tougher look rather than an edgier look (skin tight).
hey, thanks for the input and i realize what you are saying about the comfort factor without the stretch aspect. i think i am gonna try it anyways because the more i think about it, the more it sounds like fun rather than a waste of time. any suggestions on how to really slim them down? try starting at my waist size or below? and repeated dunkings perhaps? this is a great source of info.
hey markb, thanks for the kind words! I think it is quite a fun process so definitely go for it. I’d definitely recommend going an inch or two below normal which makes it very necessary to let them dry on your body. If you do more than one shrink session be sure not to wash them in between. Also try wearing them stiff before and between shrinkings. Best of luck and be sure to let us know how it goes!
Sometime back I noted on this board that the 501XX shrink-to-fit jean will be changing it’s fit. I think that the new stuff is starting to show up. The current fit is relaxed & boxy, based on the 1955 XX model. The new fit will be based on the 1947 XX model, slim & straight. If you like the relaxed & boxy fit, perhaps now is the time to stock up on ‘em. Ned, do you think my info is correct?
i ended up buying a pair of shrink to fit 501′s in size 33×36 (my normal size being 34×32) partly because i was afraid of going to small waste wise and partly because the store did not have a pair of 32×36. the jeans fit new and after taking a bath in warm water and wearing them dry in the sun (i live in sf) there was no real shrinkage around the waste area and the jeans are quite comfortable but still baggier than i would like. and, of course, still a little stiff. i would recommend anyone looking for that 80′s 501 look size down at least two inches. which is what i may try next time.
stressed 501′s, some back to 80′s. size 32-34-35-36, lng 32-34-36. I’m not a dealer, these are just to interesting to toss. tears, rips,holes seat crotch and knees. not to wear to see the boss.e-mail me. price is cheap.you pay postage.
What about the stressed ones – do I understand you want to sell or by – I have striped, bleached, grey and black from the 8o’s that are all soft and well worn but still have a lot of hours in them. Do I want to part with them , I cant decide
I generally wear pretty skinny jeans. I recently purchased a pair of the new 511 trouser jeans from the Levi’s store. They fit a lot like 511s, but are baggier in the lower leg. I’m pretty sure they’re raw denim, and I haven’t washed them yet. Do you think I could shrink just the leg? If so, how?
Is there a difference between the indigo 501 STF made in Mexico and the ones made in the Dominican Republic? I also noticed that the ones made in Mexico have 501XX on the tag and the Dominican Republic ones just have 501.
Well, it’s happening, if you look on the store shelves, you will see new labeling on the 501xx shrink-to-fit jeans. The 501xx, with the new labeling, is suppose to be a tighter fit, being compared to the 1947 model fit. The 501xx jeans with the older labeling is more relaxed and boxier, like the 1955 fit. If you prefer the more relaxed & boxy fit, now it’s the time to stock up on ‘em. There is very little fanfare about this changeover. Ned, it’s your job to buy a pair of the new 501xx jeans, and check out if there needs to be any adjustment to our shrinking strategy!!
Steve, good thinking and thanks for the heads up! i’m very excited about this development and i have a feeling folks like george m above will too. stay tuned!
I went to the Chicago Levi’s store today and they have the 1947 501 shrink-to-fit jeans, as well as, the regular 501 shrink-to-fit. The 1947 501s are labeled as such, have a slightly different color, are made in Poland and have a list price of $98. The guy at the store told me they were a specialty item and that they only go up to a 34 inch length. Currently I wear a 36 x 36, so I tried on the 36 x 34. The 1947 jeans are much tighter in the waist and much longer in the length. The 38 x 34 were a little roomy in the waist and definitely longer than a 34 length, but I have to say that I prefer the regular 501s, so I didn’t buy the 1947 ones. Steve are these the 1947 501s you heard about?
So, what’s the difference between the new labeling and the old? How do I make sure I’ve got the new STF?
jessie, The 1947 501s that I saw have a tag on the inside of the waist that reads 1947 limited edition jeans. I found some photos of them on a UK site.
http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/servlet/imagepopup?cat=5014730&p=0&logo=levi.jpg
I think those are the $200 1947 501s. Red label, or something. I don’t remember off the top of my head. I’m talking about the $40 501s.
And it’s Jesse with no ‘i’.
Hey Guys I bought a pair of levi stfs..and i was wondering if i shrink them how much will they shrink inseam wise? my normal measurements are 32-32″ and i bought them in that size, they are longer on me then usual so i cuff them but i worn them a few times already and if i soak them how would they turn out? will the inseam be high?
Hey people, just bought my first pair of STFs and went to get in the bath with them when I realise there was no plug (I always shower, never needed it before). Is the bath bith essential or will a long shower suffice? Should be able to a plus easily enough. Want to get it right
Hi all. Hello Mike H., I was referring to the new 2008 501XX shrink-to model, retailing between $32-$50, with a snugger fit, often compared to the 1947 fit. It should be noted that the 1947 model is not the 501XX’s tightest fit. Levis is making sooo many different models, it’s easy to get confused, and I know of no site that lists all the different levis that are being produced. Hi Jesse, the new snugger 501XX’s have a 501 cloth label sewn into the waist panel, and continues with the double-stitched inseams. The older 501XX, with the relaxed fit has a small label of only content & country of origin. The paper label stapled to the back pocket is also different between both models. Hi Daniel, if your regular size is 32×32, then your 501XX size should be 32×34, based on the older 501XX model, which is being phased out. I cannot say for sure concerning the new 501XX model, we are waiting for a report from Ned. Hi Jimmy, congratulations purchasing your very first 501XX jeans. You’ve found a new best friend. I hope you got the right size. Take a very warm shower in your new levis, and wear your wet levis until dry. Repeat the process if desirable. People will admire your new fashion choice.
Thanks, Steve, as always for the excellent insight!
Jimmy, the shower should work just as well as a substitute for a bath. Let us know how it goes!
well that was an experience! Showered for half-an hour and mainly directed the spray at the jeans, then wore them for three hours. Winter here so they were clammy and very cold and I couldn’t stand it no more! They don’t seem to have lost much of their colour and while they have shrunk a lot I would still like to see them shrink more (maybe got a size too big). That said they are a lovely cut already. Can I get them to shrink more? How long should I wait before trying the process again?
I got the new 501 STF 2008, made in Dom. rep.
There is a new design of paper label, new white 501 label in the waist panel, but there is no black XX on the patch. Interesting.
Six months ago I posted that there will be changes in the 501XX, though not earth-shattering. The XX that you got is the newer fit, being compared to 1947, a snugger fit. If you prefer a more relaxed, boxy fit, look for the older XX, being compared to the 1955 fit, which is still around, but not for too much longer. 1947 is not the XX tightest fit. The patch can say 501 or 501XX, depending which country it is made in. What the purpose of that is, I do not know.
Can you all please post pics of what to look for in the new models? I’d like to purchase one of these new 47 fits.
501 STF new fit pics:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=120319462755
Hey, I just got my first pair last weekend. They were only $35 at Macy’s so I thought I’d try it out. They are made in the D.R. and I think have the same labeling as the ones Peter just posted a link to, so if anyone has info on this model, please let me know.
Today is the first day wearing them raw. I haven’t shrunk them yet, but probably will a little later this week. I am surprised that, despite being a bit long, they aren’t as baggy raw as I thought they would have been. I’m pretty excited to see how much tighter they’ll get in the tub.
Ned, this article has been a great resource and thanks everyone for your helpful comments. I’ll be back to let you all know how it goes.
Hi Grant, Congrats for buying your very 1st levis 501XX shrink-to-fit jeans. I’m sure that you’ll become good friends with your new XX jeans. I hope that you bought ‘em at your true waist size, and 2″ longer in length. What you should do next is to do turnups and wear your XX jeans raw for a couple of weeks before you do your 1st shrink. Start rocking in ‘em now!! Here’s an upside to the current recession, sheplers.com has a great price for XX jeans. Their XX jeans are on sale for $29.88, but if you use code US16, you’ll get 20% off, making the XX jeans only $23.98. You can get 2 pairs of XX jeans for $56.91, shipping included.
Bill // just received my sheplers 501 stf, ordered indigo, got black w/bright gold stiching. I haven’t seen these before. Has anyone tried these for stf and color fade? I returned them and wait for the indigo pair,
Hey JimmyF – You are on your way. Re more shrinkage – wear them in water as much as you can. Plug the tub or find a hot tub or pool. Then they’ll shrink more. Sounds like you are in a colder climate. That said, summer outdoor swimming and diving, etc is optimum for shrinking 501s. Or add dive boots and fins to make an incredible day of it. Laying out in the sun speeds the shrinking and achieves an amazing fit. FYI – its best to buy you waist size, but add 3-4 inches to the length on 501 STF. They shrink and draw up. Let me know how you are doing by posting here.
PS – I left the above post on June 12.
hi guys. im 17 years old and i love levis!!! and have wored the preshrunk levis all my life. but now im thinkin of buying some 501 STF but i dont know what size i shoud get them…and my reg size is 32/30 but i get 34/30 so i can sag my pants alittle bit .what size do u think i shoud get so i can still sag aliile bit?
Adrian, you may wish to forgo any STF jeans as wearing loose jeans pretty much nullifies the STF experience. If you like you jeans loose, shrinking them won’t make any real difference with fit or comfort. STF is more for people that want fitted jeans (or skin tight in some cases).
Hi Bill. Sorry to hear that Sheplers screwed up. Be sure the company pays for the return postage. The levis that I’m aware of that’s black with gold stitching is either the 501XX shrink-to-fit black or the 569 tuxedo model with the thick gold stitching. The indigo XX has 12.5 oz. denim and the black XX has 11.5 oz. denim. The threshold for heavyweight denim is considered to be 14 oz. You must had received the black 501XX, as Sheplers does not advertise the 569. Earlier this year, levis tried to raise the price of the 501XX, but it’s not holding. — Hi Jimmy F., your 501XX jeans will shrink about 75% of the way after the 1st shrink, but your jeans will continue to shrink over time, but at increasingly slower rates. This is why I tell people to buy shrink-to-fit levis at your true waist size and 2-3″ long at the inseams. —- Hi Adrian. As I’m sure as you’ve found out, levis makes an excellent fashion statement, even if most teens aren’t smart enough to realize it. If you wanna sag your 501XX shrink-to-fit levis, buy your true sag-size waist. Try 34×32. And remember, you must shrink your levis while wearing the wet jeans as it dries on your body. By the end of this process, you will feel that you are getting a personal fit. When you buy your new XX jeans, wear ‘em raw for a couple of weeks before 1st shrink. Keep us posted what’s going on with your new XX jeans. —- and Ned, it’s time for you to test the new XX cut.
i just got a pair of 501xx 1966 and 32/32 & want to make these as skinny as possible? will the bat mehod be better than the washing machine?
Hi lilman, Congrats on your purchase of ’66 style 501XX jeans. I would try the bath method first. Putting your new XX jeans in the washer with hot water, then the dryer will really shrink those jeans. As is, the 1966 model is suppose to be one of tightest if not the tightest XX models ever made. Where did you purchase those jeans? Cultizm? Do you know the weight of the denim? I think that the original ’66 model was 14oz denim, which is the border of mid-weight/heavy-weight denim. Do those XX jeans have a single or double- stitched inseams? The originals would have double-stitched inseams. Today’s XX jeans is 12.50oz denim, so today’s XX jeans is made of mid-weight denim, which is a shame. The biggest reason why denimheads dislike levis is because levis usually do not produce their jeans in heavyweight denim. The heaviest weight levis I know of that is in current production is the 504 model coming in a 14.75oz denim. Imagine if levis had the foresight to produce their current XX in 22oz denim.
Steve, do you know the brands that denimheads purchase to get the heavy weight denim. Are they also shrink to fit? thanks!
Ned, the folks at Styleforum seem to think highly of selfedge.com for premium raw denim. Beware for sticker shock as these jeans tend to run on the pricey side. Some of their denim is pre-shrunk but the ones that are raw/rigid/unwashed will have estimated shrinkage provided by the very experienced Self Edge staff. They can even tell you how the denim will fade, streak, etc. Really cool stuff for hard core denim fans that are interested in taking their STF experience to another level of luxury (or sheer insanity depending on one’s point of view and bank account).
Hi Ned, the heaviest denim I know of is from ironheart.co.uk at 21ounces. 21-22oz denim seems to be the top, anywhere’s. You can order jeans from that site. Their jeans are selvedge, button-fly, you can even choose if you want copper or silver rivets and even a crotch rivet, and back-pocket hidden rivets. From the photos I see, their jeans have a single-stitch inseam, for which I would insist on a double-stitch inseam with exposed back-pocket rivets. This is one example of true heavy weight denim jeans. Denimheads love Ironheart, and think that Ironheart make better ‘Levis-like’ jeans than Levis does itself. Google, ‘heavyweight blue jeans’ and some variations to that, and you’ll come up with more stuff. Many of these heavyweight jeans are made on the same old looms that smart Levis got rid of. You’ll definitely pay a premium for heavyweight denim. These jeans still look like levis from the front.
excellent info Steve, thanks! maybe i’ll do some googling and do a roundup…
i love these jeans, but i have a question. after you shrink them, do they lose their rigidness?
hey Patrick! When you buy them they have a silvery tinge to them and are quite stiff. After your first soak they will become dark blue but will still be pretty stiff. Further soakings will soften them. but to answer your question directly, after the first wash they will become as soft as a pair of pre-shrunk you buy from the store.
If you want to keep some rigidness I’d recommend wearing them for a while before the first soak, then not wash them for a long time after the first soak.
Let us know how it goes!
Today I am wearing my ‘dress pants’, triple-dipped black levis 501 preshrunk jeans. I’m wearing the European model, which has 14oz denim and double-stitched inseams. The American model is 12.5oz denim with a single-stitched inseams. Here’s the ironic point of my posting– my European 501 preshrunks’s have 14oz denim while Levis iconic 501XX shrink-to-fit indigo jeans has only 12.5oz denim and the 501XX shrink-to-fit black has only 11.5oz denim.
Hey. I bathed by 1966xx for about an hour, let them dry & put them on a hot wash. They where 32 x 32 – now the lenghth s just right & waiste is right but they didnt get as slim as i thought they would have gone, i have seen them slimmer too. anything i can do to make them slimmer without losing anymore color? would i of been better off getting a 30 x 32?
cheers
RE: changes to 501s.
Just got off the phone with Levis toll free customer service line. According to Levis, the style of 501s and 505s has not changed since 2005. In 2005, they lowered the pockets and made the seat and thigh looser on 501s and 505s. They said the would be changes in January 2009, including lower on waist and more regular -to-slim fit. However, I heard 2 different stories from 2 customer service people.
Change would be good, because Levis aren’t what they used to be: worse fit by design, lower quality workmanship and wild variations in fit depending on country of manufacture.
Are the 501 XX “Regular Fit” still shrink-to-fit, even if they are pre-faded to a lighter color?
BH: Thanks for the research, I really appreciate you sharing the info here. I’ve been looking into the LVC line which is more expensive but appears to maintain the high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that the regular ones lack. It will be interesting to see what 2009 holds for the STF’s!
Don: I’m not sure that STF can be prefaded and the pants you are looking at are likely pre-shrunk. If you have a link I can check it out for you. Thanks!
Steve: The 14oz double stitch sounds really nice. Did you order them or get them on a trip? Also do you mean that the outseam is single stitched or the inseam? Also, the single vs double stitching is that the 2 rows (double felled) or is it a double stitching over the same row for extra strength. Thanks!
lilman: honestly I’m not sure you can change the fit of the jean (esp since it sounds like you’ve washed them) but i do have a couple thoughts. First, if there is any stiffness left in the jean it will wear slightly off the body which should reduce with wear. Also the 501 STF feel baggier than they actually look. Especially as they gain character they begin to look slimmer as well. I’d recommend wearing them for a while and getting some feed back from a couple people you trust about how they slim they look on you. Let us know how it goes…i’m very interested in purchasing a pair of the 1966xx’s as well!
thanks for the info, what do you think is the slimmest selvedge denim by levis? has anyone had a pair of skulls by an alchemist?
Ned -
If you are looking into the LVC Line which is pretty pricey I belive around $300 plus for a pair of jeans, Try the Capital E….they are the only Levi’s that are Handmade here in the US and are about half the cost of the LVC’s that I have seen….
Also someone mentioned that their 511s stretched out in the first article, they are meant to stretch (hence the stretch on the tag). so after some time they don’t go back to normal shape after washing them.
The 501′s are the only jean that Levi’s makes that is 100% cotton the others will have at least 1% spandex in them to give them some play to help make them more comfortable.
oh and lilman the slim straight will have a machined selvedge where the edges of the selvedge are stitched where as the iconic cuff or the selvedged 501′s do not have the stitching…
Hi everyone! Its great to see so many people interested in demin in one place
I’m going to sound a bit silly but i’m a bit confused about the process with STFs, am I right in thinking that if I get STFs, wear them for two weeks, then give them two or so tub soaks, they will remain raw?
What i’m wondering is if I can still maintain not washing them for a few months to get some nice fades? Or is the demin then washed and the colour set after the tub soaks?
Also, how do I achieve a less contrasty, lighter blue fade when I do come to machine wash them please?
thanks very much for any tips or advice
I’m enjoying my new, raw, pre-soaked, black stf’s. Just trying to get them a little broken in before I go through the shrink process.
I’d like to purchase a new pair of indigo stf’s and I’m wondering if you have a new discount code from Shepler’s? I used “US16″, but it is no longer valid.
Thanks
Ken
Thanks for the info Tippgirl!
@I want one so badly: so my understanding of the terminology is thus: when you buy STF new, they are raw denim. After you soak them they are rigid demin (like if you had bought rigid wranglers). Levi’s also sells a Pre-wash 501 that is already as soft as any regular jeans you buy at the store. I believe the purpose of wearing the raw STF is to break them in to get a better/closer shrink when/if you soak them. I think wearing the rigid post-soak without washing is to get maximum contrast in the fade. Does that make sense? If you want less contrast, wash more often (and at higher temps). to keep high contrast is all about keeping as much indigo dye as possible (ie. no washing, cold soaks, dry cleaning, etc). Make sense?
@Ken: let us know how it goes with the black pair! I don’t have a code. Steve? you got one?
How much of a difference will it make if I just wash the 501s in hot water and dry them hot? Is the purpose of the bath/dry- on- the- body technique so that the jeans shrink less? And if the jeans are eventually going to be washed and dried anyway, will the final outcome really be all that different if I skip the dry-on-the-body step?
@Brendan: I’m not sure exactly the technique that you are asking about so I will assume that you are asking about washing the STF’s with soap and hot water in a washer machine and drying hot in the dryer. If you do this they will certainly shrink. The purpose of the bath and dry on body technique is to shrink them to fit your body specifically. If you take the technique you are describing I would recommend buying the Pre-Washed version of 501′s which will be a similar result to what you’ll get. The dry on step is totally optional of course. In my experience, yes it does make a difference. Thanks for your questions!
hi ned, thanks for such a quick response
yeah, thats just what I was wondering, if the indigo stays ‘loose’ on the fabric
what I was worried about was that bathing in the jeans may set the colour in a very dark indigo but I see they still behave like a good pair of raw jeans despite the soaking
I think to really set the colour on them you need to give them a few hot washes not turned inside out, then next time dry clean them but of course thats for a different kind of result I suppose.
I’ve been interested in raw demin for a while, i’m currently working on a pair of cheap mondays but I got very impatient about two months in – I like a nice even fade on the colour, with some very slight fading marks, they’re getting there but they aren’t as impressive as they could have been
does anyone know where the best place to get raw denim jeans in new york is please?
there are 4 levi’s only stores, one in times square, one in soho on broadway near spring st, one in union square on 14th st and one on 59th and lex. provided that you live in nyc
Hey folks! I’ve published a new article on our favorite jeans: Levi’s 501xx Shrink to Fit FAQ! I am going to leave the comments open here as well but I hope you all will check out the new article and let me know what you think. Thanks!
hi, I’ve been working on a new (nov) pair indigo 501′s for 2 mo. couldn’t stand hot enough temp to shrink much. I bought 1 size too lg. 36 waist/36 long. needed 35/34 for snug fit. after 2 -30 min. showers and 6 weeks constant wearing. result- 34 length, tight 36 waist,baggy seat and loose crotch, high rise in back and high rise in front. color med to dark blue.I have slim rear and slim thighs, avg crotch. I’ve machine washed them 3 times recently in hot water and hot drying, little change noted. I have a pair of prewashed 501′s from around2002, made in USA. 34/32. perfect fit,perfect fade, can’t be replaced, yet! I’ll keep washing/hot/drying hot , butt not shrinking.
@BD: I’m sorry to hear your experience hasn’t been the easiest. I would highly recommend buying your waist size and +2 or +3 in the inseam. In creating these articles I’ve made at least 3 pairs of shorts — 3 pairs of STF’s that didn’t turn out how I liked (mostly not getting the size right to begin with). I find that not starting with the right size will be an issue — 501xx will shrink but will not create miracles. The nice part is that they are only about $30 so starting over doesn’t break the bank (compared to other raw denim starting at $200+). You may want to check out my newest article for more info and be sure to come back and let us know how it goes. Thanks for the comment!
So I have rocked pre shrunk 32×34 501 for 10 years now. Just bought my first pair of shrink to fit 501s, 32×34. Think I should go 32×36? It is good to know other people obsess too!
Hello!
I’ve been a 501 freak since the early 90ies. Thanks to mailorder companies and ebay I was able to purchase the 501XXs although I live in Europe. I have boycotted the 501 style after the 2003 makeover, but I returned to them because they are the only true jeans. I’ve had some STFs, but never shrunk them on my body. I recently bought a new one (post-2003 style) and wanted to shrink them in the lake in summer. As I do not want to wait that long, I am glad to have found this site and your description of doing it in the bathtub. I am concerned about making all our house indigo blue while wearing them and getting a cold while letting the jeans dry on my body. I shrunk an LVC 501 in the tub but let them dry off my body. You wrote that the drying process will take some 5 hours, I expected that, too. But what to do for such a long time with wet, dripping jeans on? I’m happy to have found somebody who shares the STF passion, too!
Kind regards,
Klaus
I should’ve read all posts before posting. So there has been another change in fit after 2003? I recently bought a stonewashed 501 in a 29″ waist and the thigh fits almost like a 517, so tight. I reckon this is the newest fit. Production date on the inside tag is 0708, which would by July last year. Also this prewashed has the arcuate design put on lower on the back pocket and the belt loops are wider than usual, I saw such style on European versions lately.
Thanks for the kind words Klaus! I’m not sure about changes made to the fit of the jean; it’s one of the things on my list for research and future posting! 5 to 6 hours is quite a while I agree! In the good weather your options are greatly increased: shrink them and go out for a walk, or to a bar, or the beach, or shrink them before going out on a saturday night (by the time you get home they’ll probably be dry
). In the cold weather I tend to sit on a towel and watch and movie then do chores around the house. I guess you could also try taking a nap, but i think some movement during the drying is a good thing.
Ned, the recent changes in fit I gathered from Steve’s posts (thanks, Steve). Other changes in fit in the small e era are (as far as I know and have researched, but this may be wrong): 1978 (close to a 1947 fit), 1983 or 1984, and one in 1993. And I’ve heard that the European 501s in the 90ies had a different fit than the US jeans, but I cannot confirm this since I had both and they were about the same.
By the way, what is it with the red tabs without the Levi’s name on them, from time to time I stumble across jeans that have only the R (registered trademark) on the tab.
Thanks for the info Klaus!
Hopefully this link will be helpful for you: http://levisguide.com/redtab/redtab.html. Apparently the (R) tab is pretty common.
Thanks for the website, Ned! A helpful site, with some mistakes, though. Vintage denim is great, but I still would prefer any mid-80ies to late 90ies 501, they were just perfect.
Hey Ned, it has been a while, but I just wanted to let you know that I finally picked up a pair of 501xx. My size is normally 32 waist, 32 length, but after reading about your ideas for future shrinkings I decided to get a slightly smaller waist size to see how tight a fit I could get – I got them in a 31×36 and they are already very tight.
They are mainly very tight in the waist and thighs, just very long.
I have been wearing them cuffed and like them this way a lot. I was actually thinking of just wearing them raw for a while….maybe a few months or so. Has anyone tried wearing their 501s raw without washing for a long period of time? I am curious how they would look over time
P.S. Thanks Ned for keeping an american tradition alive…in these hard economic times I think we will see a resurgence in good old cheap jeans again – and what better uniform for the recession than a pair of Levis 501s
Gill, I know a guy in Swiss who wears his jeans without washing until they fall apart. He wears raw denim only, though not only Levi’s. After the farewell his junked jeans stay in his house, which he transformed into a little jeans museum with several thousands of pairs plus jackets. He would be always thankful for some retired jeans, so don’t throw away yours and consider contacting him.
His name is Ruedi and here’s the homepage (in German language):
http://www.jeansmuseum.org/index.html
@Gill: Congrats on your new jeans! I think it’s a great idea to wear them raw. I’m considering that for my next pair: dry clean only. I just love the look. Let us know how the fit works out for you if you do decide to soak. Thanks for your kind words! I’m so glad to be spreading the joy of raw denim.
@Klaus: Thanks for the link! I’ve been to the site before and really enjoyed it. I ran the page through google translator for our english only audience so here a link to the translated version. Feel free to pass along this site to him and let him know if he would ever like to write an article for us that I would gladly publish it. Danke Klaus!
Gern geschehen, Ned! I just mailed Ruedi about your site. Of course he doesn’t live in Swiss but Switzerland, the denim in my head sometimes inhibits brain activity, I guess, lol.
Hey all,
Quick question: On my new raw 501s, there are some kind of unsightly creases along the sides of the legs from the way the stiff jeans were kept folded in the store for so long – I was wondering if anyone else has had this on their new jeans? Will the creases eventually go away on their own as I continue to wear them or is their another way to get rid of them? (Remember, I don’t want to wash these at all – I am trying to keep them raw for a while) I thought about ironing the creases but I don’t want to risk ruining the jeans or messing up the color…plus I don’t think ironing dry fabric will do anything anyway.
Any thoughts? These creases must be common, as all 501s are usually sold folded this way
thanks
Hey Gill! Personally, I’d stay away from the iron and definitely no steam — maybe a dry hot iron? I have the feeling that with a few wearings they should reduce or go away. I’m not sure that i’ve had a similar experience but I have a pair on the way in the mail right now so I’ll let you know if it happens to me too!
OK, the latest from 1-800-USA-Levi is that 501s fit WILL NOT be changed, except for new finishes. This is according to 2 different customer service people.
In the Levis store, customer service folks claimed that 501s with new tan tags were different from previous 501 with orange tags.
Add to this the random sizing, decline in workmanship, decline in quality of material, etc. due to off-shore manufacture.
Conclusion: No one at Levis knows anything about their products. The company has given up on maintaining quality. Cheaper off-shore manufacturing has led to an inferior product.
Pitiful.
BH, I’m completely with you. From my experience, every 501 fan knows more about the jeans than the people working for LS&Co. The questions I asked have been either completely ignored and I have been sent a general blabla, or answered in a non-satisfying way.
I recently bought the first Levi’s jeans not produced at Levi’s production plants, but sewn together in random factories. The stonewashed 501′s sewing is not too flattering, the fly buttons are weird placed (they start way upwards), the length is about an inch short. The fabric seems okay. The STF pair seems to be okay from a first inspection. I usually don’t like used clothing, but for my future supply of 501s I might even buy them second hand on ebay.
Oh sorry, one thing about non-US manufacture: As I live in Europe, I had and have a fair amout of European produced 501s from the 90ies. They show quality and tidy sewing, I’ve never come across a bad pair. The problem are the sewing plants in third world countries, they are not owned by LS&Co, there they make all kinds of clothing, even shoes. So no exclusive jeans sewing and low wages show in inferior products.
Agreed, Klaus. Compare a pair of pre-shrunk 501s from Mexico and Egypt. Ridiculous.
It’s sad. Levis should be superior to Levis imitations.
I would be willing to pay double the usual price if they were made in the US and of the quality they used to be.
Here’s an idea: put out the 1947 style as a standard instead of a $200 rarity. After all, those are made off-shore, too.
By the way, thanks for this space to post my Levis rant, ned.
Thank you BH for the info! it’s what makes all this possible
I know that from a business standpoint it isn’t possible as Levi’s uses the 501 as their power horse, but here’s what I’d do:
Make the 501 as a STF only. No prewashes. Prewashed jeans for other styles, 505, 550 and so on. No expensive LVCs. The prices are ridiculous. Put some limited vintage 501 models out at a little higher price that the standard. This would created higher value for the 501 in general, IMHO. I think the marketing strategy behind Levi’s jeans should be the “Made in the U.S.A.”. Use the seamstresses that have sewn them half of their live, use Levi’s only production plants. That would be doable commercial-wise. Ask people about the origins of jeans brands. I am pretty sure they won’t know about Guess, Lee Cooper, Pepe or Mustang. But almost everybody knows that LS&Co is an American company.
A word about the LVCs produced in Eastern Europe: I know exactly how the work conditions there are, how little the seamstresses get paid and how cheap the material is. Such jeans should cost even LESS than standard ones.
Hey dudes! Having purchased STF 501′s since high school, as well as a too-small pair my dad bought me in grade school, I’ve tried several different methods of machine washing. However, I have not done the ‘bath tub and wear ‘em dry’ technique, mainly because in Seattle one could only do this in the warmest and driest part of summer (August) and even then it might take days, literally, for them to dry while wearing. Here it is January and I’d have to plan on taking a few days off just to make sure the jeans dried, and that to me is more than a bit obsessive and high-maintenance. I also don’t want to risk my skin and furniture turning blue. No pair of jeans is worth all that to me. And mine look ‘rockin’ as is. For me, having washed new pairs in Hot, Warm and Cold water in my high efficiency front load washer, Warm works best, and inside out every time. I used to wash them the way I was told to by a Levi’s rep at the Bon Marche (now Macy’s) back in the 80′s/90′s when they had a wall of them that sold for $14.99 each. Back then he said to wash and dry them hot, 3 times, by themselves or with other jeans, before wearing. I now wash all my non-Levi’s jeans – over 30 pair, in cold and inside out, and dry medium for as long as it takes to get ‘em dry. I size my 501s according to the label instructions after trying on a pair of pre-shrunk, which for me becomes 34 X 36 from my normal 33 X 32. And did everyone notice that at some point in 2008 the care tags, sewn into the inside seam just below the left pocket, changed from “Machine wash hot….Tumble dry hot,†to now saying “Machine wash cold….Tumble dry medium.†That’s on a pair I bought last month that have a manufactured date of 0508 (May 2008) on the back of the tag. So, I’ve never done any of the non-machine methods, but I have learned to turn them inside out – which prevents the noticeable fade lines up and down the legs that sometimes show where the fold lines were on the store shelf, and Warm wash , Medium dry. Hot fades them too much and often makes them blotchy or ‘marbly’ in appearance. Cold doesn’t fade them fast enough, and I never see anyone in my area wearing really dark 501s, so it’s reverse fashion. People tend to notice how weird my dark Levi’s look, rather than how cool. The only place I’ve ever seen anyone wearing unwashed 501s is Internet photos of rap stars, never anyone in person. I’ve never seen a TV or movie star wearing them, in a ‘latest fashion’ way. I have seen stars like Greg Kinnear wearing American Eagle, and they start affordably at $30. Tonight I’m off to Kohls or JCPenney to search for my first pair of black STF.
Hi Eric! I have shrunk all my STFs in the washer, with the exception of one LVC, which I did in the tub, but not letting it dry on my body. Like you, I live in a climate where it is only advisable to wear wet clothes on hot summer days, but I cannot wait that long. So in the near future, I will do a bath tub shrinking. I am pretty sure having the dye on the body is not too healthy, but I won’t need that often new jeans, do it won’t be a problem, I guess.
About fading: I always admired the colour and fade the jeans in the USA turn into. A friend of mine told me, that the American washing powders have some bleach in them or another, more aggressive ingredient than ours over here in Europe. My jeans simply stay too dark for too long. I love new, deep indigo jeans, but after some years they ought to get lighter. I wash my jeans at 40° Celsius, which would be 104° Fahrenheit.
Eric, Thanks for the comment!
Eric and Klaus, I too wasn’t convinced of letting the jeans dry on me until I tried it with a pair; now I’m hooked and would never let them hang dry. I often shrink them in the winter time which is pretty harsh in Chicago and they still dry in 5 to 6 hours. It takes much less time than hang drying (over night or more) i think because the heat of your body helps them dry faster. Also, I can’t imagine why the dye would be harmful to your health but maybe I just don’t know something. Thanks for the comments guys!
Detergent: try Woolite Dark if you want to keep them dark. Funny thing, though the Levis Vintage 1947 501 are popular, they are currently not to be found anywhere on the Levis website. Not to mention the other version of the 1947 501, called Limited Edition. More “genius” marketing and product design from Levis.
Ned, the chemicals in the dye are not healthy, but one wouldn’t be ill by them, of course. Perhaps people with sensitiv skin may run into problems, I don’t know.
BH, the Levi’s website is a joke. You won’t find the 505 rigid and the 512 slim fit, but they are currently being made! Somebody should check a major Levi’s store and then compare the products to their website, I bet there are a lot that ain’t on the web.
I found a 539 vintage eco model on ebay, which looks very cool in rinsed black with green seams, but after searching for my size I realised that all the other black jeans I found have different back pockets. I wonder how often LS&Co changes designs for their line up. Here’s themodel with the non-traditional back pockets that I like: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NWT-Mens-32×30-LEVIS-539-vintage-straight-dk-JEANS-58_W0QQitemZ220330013690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_CSA_MC_Jeans?hash=item220330013690&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177
The only one in black on ebay in the whole world, I checked it!
I have worn Levi’s shrink to fit button fly jeans for at least 44 years. No matter what method I have used to shrink them I have always been satisfied with the fit. Some methods for shrinking them are admittedly more fun. I wear them sans underwear both dry and for swimming and love the feel of denim against my skin.
Thanks for the comment and for sharing your experiences, Bruce! Welcome!
with you on how to wear 501s. the older they are the softer and form fit you get is great. you can even wear them when the rips & tears start, until to much shows for public. than finish them off at home & w/close friends or solo. the newest stf’s are tricky for the right end result. I think body shape has an effect on end result. the leaner guys seem to have good luck in all thr right places on fit. BD
Bill, depending on the climate conditions where you live, it’s still possible to enjoy jeans after they’ve started to expose a bit too much of the bathing suit area. My method with “immodest” jeans is to wear them with long johns underneath during the winter months around the house. You can still get a winter or two out of them and with the long johns underneath, you won’t be exposing too much.
Some people can just throw a pair of jeans out when they get a bit of crotch and/or seat tear, but for me it’s like putting down a dog. Does anyone really want to just let their good buddy die after all those times they’ve shared together? Not me. I let my tore up jeans retire to the home front where they can live out their golden years with a pair of long johns.
Klaus
the levi’s only store sells pretty much what is on the website, 512 levi’s are sold in retailers like macy’s… so the website is not a complete joke
Tippgirl, have a look at the site, you won’t find 505 and 517 rigid jeans and the 512 silm fit is missing, too. On ebay I found grey shrink to fits, they are probably brand new, and the LS&Co site doesn’t show them, either. If some of theses mentioned jeans have been added to the site recently (which I doubt), I apologize.
Hi folks! I really love watching and being a part of all the great discussions on this thread! Unfortunately, since this is a blog format, there are certain limitations that need to be considered. I’ve decided to close the comments on this thread at about 150 comments (we’re at 135 now) which means we can move the discussion to either of the new articles: the FAQ, and/or the Soaking article. I look forward to continuing the discussions there (don’t forget to sign up for email alerts on replys)!
Also, we have a good crew here on the comments, so I’d like to gain some feel of the level of interest in a forum dedicated to these topics. It would be easy for me to set up and manage and may provide a easier place to discuss 501′s than blog comments. Please respond or email me if you are interested. Thanks!
The reason why I know that the website and the Levi’s only store carry pretty much the same things is because i work at a Levi’s only store. the levi’s store is not going to carry all of the jeans that they make. as i have stated before jeans like the 512′s and 517′s are usually carried in a retailer. in the levi’s only store you will only find their core product. The website tends to match what is carried in the store, i did check it out and the only jeans that seemed different were some of the cap e jeans, the store wasn’t carrying the matchstick. also remember the spring collection is coming out as well, but the store will not carry 512 or 517′s.
What an awesome group of people to talk to! And Ned, I definitely suggest creating an interactive forum like a Google or Yahoo group for the many interactions people want to have, and the volume of replies. In fact as a follow up, I’ve read every post on this site but I’ve only read about the dye on furniture, not on anybody’s skin. I’d like to ask who, if anyone, has had their skin, legs, feet, manhood, etc. turn blue from the dye in the soak and dry process…not just for health, but appearance sake. I’ve got a partner and family who would notice. To save space on this blog/board, I can be emailed at [email protected]. Thanks to Ned, and everyone.
Thanks for the response, Eric! I hope there is enough interest in a forum as well; i’d be excited to participate in something like that. My legs have turned blue when soaking jeans. After a shower or two they are fine though; no worries about becoming something out or willy wonka or something
I don’t know if this comment still lands here…
Bruce Bryant, I admire your loyalty for ths STFs for such a long time, respect!!
Tippgirl, it is good hearing that somebody working in a Levi’s store is caring about the products they sell. I like that. But don’t you think that a company’s website should show all of the products it produces? On the site aren’t 505 rigids, 517 rigids and 5he 512 slim fit. I couldn’t find grey STFs, I saw them on ebay. (Sorry if they are the verde color and the ebay seller stated them as grey, verdes are on the site.) The mentioned jeans are the only ones I am personally interested besides the 501, so the list might be longer. The items on ebay could be older stock, but I don’t believe that, e. g. Sheplers sells the 517 rigid permanently. Imagine Ford not putting the Mustang on their website, well, Levi’s’ Mustang would be the 501 and not the jeans I mentioned, but you’ll get my point, anyway.
Ned, I’ll shoot you an e-mail tomorrow or so, I’m a little busy right now.
Thanks Klaus! don’t worry about your comments going through or not, I’ll be sure to let you know if/when i’m closing them here and where you can continue. Last think I want to do is stifle the conversation!
Hi Guys, update on my recent (nov. 08) STF’s,Indigo from Sheplers. made in mexico w/Levis logo on inside of left pocket. tried 2-30 min. shower jobs, but couldn’t stand the nessary water temp for shrinking. after 3 hot washing machine runs, waist went from 36 to 35 and l-36 to 34. using Tide original soap for the washings, the fade is about 33% done, going to that light blue color we seem to go for here in the working midwest. a snug fit means nothing between jeans and body and this pair dosen’t fit like a old pair, made in USA, hangs in there. the seat is just to full and the front likewise. I’ll still wash hot and dry hot but I think the shrink is about over. next time I’ll buy actual waist size and legnth 2″ longer than normal, do a hot wash and dry on body, about 5 hours. (3 times) its a turn on if you can stay warm.. wearing them for a few weeks before washing is good. beware the cuffs show fading wear when walked on before shrinking, but that can look ok for most. Button holes are evenly spaced and far enough apart to have plenty of room to get your fingers through to open. I had a pair made in indonesea,sent to me by mistake, and I needed to cut the holes larger to unbutton, which destroyed the hole stiching. sent em back. I have numerous old pairs 1980- and newer, all USA, so I can make a good comparison of the new style. I like the idea of an older 501 stf or even preshrunk made in usa to come back again. the 12.5 oz denim might help the 501′s to shape to body parts better than the heaver denim, like carharts, ect. I like the info on this blog,feels like I know you all.
I am going for the rockabilly cuffed look. If my regular inseam is 30 how long should I go to get a good cuff, i.e. 3-4 in.?
Hi Dane! Honestly I’d go for as long as possible. I usually wear a 32/33 inseam and a 36 in Shrink To Fit leaves no room to cuff. Right now i’m rocking a new pair of 31×38 unsoaked that have a nice 3 inch cuff. I’m expecting them to be long after soaking giving me the option of cuff or no cuff. Let us know how it goes and what works best for you!
The blog comments seem to have gotten the attention of someone connected to Levis. Wonder if any of the less than positive customer feedback on 501 and others will make it back to Levis Inc.? There’s room for improvement.
BH, how do you know the comments have gotten back to Levis? Please email me with any contact info or people you are talking with. I’d love to invited them to participate here. Thanks as always. Please consider joining the forums!
Ned, see the comments from tippgirl above.
ah, gotcha. for some reason i read your comment like there was something else as well. my bad
Hi, I recently got myself a pair of 38W x 36L STF 501s, would of got 37W if they were available. I’m normally a 36 W, but after soakingthe jeans in the bath a couple ot times and then 90 degrees in my washing machine. The jeans are a really loose fit, should I try a pair of my actual size 36W? I’m concerned they will be too tight around my thighs as I’m a bit on the chunky side. Would I be risking it going for 36W? Thanks
Tony Tee,
I had the same problem. I wear a 36 x 34 so I bought 38 X 40 and did the bathtub shrink. They barely shrunk so I washed them in the washing machine with hot water and they still didn’t shrink very much. I tried again with 36 x 38 with a bathtub shrink and they turned out great. Good in the waist, long enough for a cuff, and plenty of room in the legs. There was no need to wash them again. My method for the bathtub shrink is to fill the tub with the hottest water I can get out of the faucet. Soak the jeans for 20 min in the tub so as not to scald myself. Put the jeans on and soak in the tub for another 20 – 30 min. Drain the tub and sit in the bath until jeans are dry enough not to get the whole house wet. I also use part of this time to clean the tub and move around to break the jeans in a bit. I then work at the computer until they are dry. I cover my computer chair and floor around the chair with towels so as not to get blue dye all over everything. This works well for me in the winter since I live in a cold climate and can’t go outside while the jeans dry. Good luck.
Tony Tee, the new change in cut put the 501′s thigh in 517 country, which means tight! If wearing the new ones a whole day they really start to bother me, especially when sitting. I have to say that my legs are athletic, but not massive. So have a look when your jeans have been produced. It seams the new, tighter fit originated somewhere in mid-2008, probably even earlier (have a look at the forum).
Tony-
I was in the same position. I’m a 36/27w…I first purchased a pair of 38w x 36l and soaked in the tub. The length was perfect, but the waist was too baggy. I took the shrunk jeans back to Kohl’s and exchanged them straight up for a pair of 36/36. The first pair (black) came in a little tight in the waist, but still fit better than the first baggy pair. The second pair (indigo) fit great! I’m glad that I stuck with my correct waist size and soaked in the tub. My vote is to go for the smaller pair.
kstew
Hello Tony Tee & Mike, If you had carefully studied this blog, it has been strongly suggested that when you purchase Levis 501 shrink-to-fit jeans, you are suppose to buy your true waist size. Tony Tee, you should had purchased waist size 36 and Mike should had also purchase waist size 36. These are my best educated guesses. As for the inseam, add an additional 2 to 3 inches to your normal inseam length. In other words, if your normal jeans size is 36×33 or 36×34, then your shrink-to-fit size should be 36×36. That was part one. Now for part two. You may want to wear your new shrink-to-fit jeans for a couple of weeks, very raw and unshrunk. When you feel it’s time for your first shrink, have your jeans on, cover the seat of your favorite chair with plastic & newspaper, fill up the bathtub with very warm water. With your jeans still on, slide into the bath water, stay in the water for 10- 15 minutes. Get out of the water, keep your jeans on, go sit down, and keep your jeans on ’till it naturally dries on your body. As the jeans are almost dry, I do some stretching exercises. By the end of this process, you should have the best fitting pants of your life. This should account for about 75% of the shrink. Your shrink-to-fit jeans will continue to shrink, but at progressively slower rates. Personally, I never use the washer/dryer and my jeans. The both of you were mislead by the label stapled to the back pocket, with it’s wrong information. As most raw denim jeans go for $80 to $300, the good news is @ $35, you’ve learned an inexpensive lesson. In fact, if you were to phone Levi Strauss customer service, explain your problems the way I pose it, you may be able to get free replacements. Okay guys, get your proper size, follow my instructions, and let us know how it turns out. Good luck.
Thanks everyone, the information on choosing the correct waist size was great. I had only discovered this forum after buying my too large 38W. I’m in the UK and it was after my attempted shrinking, I realised something was amiss. I had bought my 501s STF from ebay, the seller was in the US, the jeans were made in the Dominican Republic. I think I’ll be going back to him for another pair, this time in a 36W.
Thanks
Since 1999, Levis has made several changes, mostly unwelcomed changes, in their 501 prewash & shrink-to-fit lines. One of these changes is using less indigo dye. I think the proper way to put it is that the denim threads are not being as saturated with dye as the way it was up to 2000. Back in those days, when breaking in new levis, dye transference could be a considerable concern. As a teen and young adult, I had indigo dye on my thighs, hands, bottom of shirts, undies, socks and sheets. The dye smell was also noticeable in small rooms. The dye would remain on my skin for a week or two. It’s just not the same experience today. I still say that indigo dye transference onto the skin is not as dangerous as smoking.
Hi Dane dude. If your regular inseam is 30, I predict that if you would to buy XX jeans with a 34 inseam, you’ll probably end up with a 1 to 2 inch rollup. This is an educational guess. I think that I’ve notice that Levis has been adding some extra length to it’s inseam. Has anyone else noticed this? Dane, rock your 501′s with that rollup, it’s a good fashion statement.
Dane, Do try the 36 inseam. It should give you 3 to 4 inches of rollup. 501′s are very versitile, you can do a cuff, no cuff, or stacking , belt, no belt, a chain, and a choice of how to break in your jeans to show stress or fading.
Hi all, I was wondering, while soaking your STFs on your body in the bathtub do you cuff them or leave them uncuffed under water. Just curious if the cuffing would interfere with the shrinking process or leave any unwanted markings. Also, I was wondering the same thing about during the drying process – cuffed or uncuffed? I know that wearing them uncuffed may create extra long stacking creases at the back of the knee since the legs will be more wrinkled. But again not sure if having them dry with cuffs would alter them strangely too.
A small detail, but just curious if anyone has any opinions on the matter – thanks!
Gill, interesting question. I would probably go with uncuffed for shrinking but may decide to go with cuffs for drying if I was planning on that being a more permanent look for the jeans. I would say dry uncuffed to be safe.
That’s what worries me, too. To be safe I will do it uncuffed.
Most definitely UNCUFFED.
Any news on the forum or how to join?
Hey BH, there’s a group of us already using the forum and we’d love it if you’d join! (and anyone else reading here is welcome too of course) All you need to do is register and start responding to posts. See you there!
Thanks! I will definitely go uncuffed when i finally shrink. Also, while on the topic – i was wondering what part of the process actually truly causes the fading and contrast. Is that caused by wearing the raw unwashed jeans first for a while which breaks them in at the stress points? Or does the fading happen after the first soak as they dry on your body and are stretched back out at the stress points?
The reason I ask is because I have been wearing my raw unwashed STFs for a while now right out of the store – it has been nearly a month. Is there any point to wearing them this long before the first soak? Will I get better fades if I wear them longer before shrinking? Just wondering if I am wasting my time….i guess I am getting anxious to try shrinking. But I am willing to wait if I can get better contrast fade results by wearing them raw longer
Hey Gill! I don’t have any personal experience to share with you on this for at least a month. I am currently wearing my new jeans raw and i’m shooting for at least 200 hours of wear before the initial soak. My theory is that they will shrink in a more form fitting fashion and will show some fading after the initial soak. Nothing earth shattering but a bit. We’ll see if this theory is correct in about a month
I would love you hear your experience with it as well.
I also like to drag it out a bit because i think they look good raw and I enjoy wearing them that way.
fading comes from wear and washing. the wear loosens and rubs away the dye in certain areas and the washing washes away the dye all over the pants. Minimal washing will give you the greatest contrast because the fading from wearing will happen more than the overall fading. Also if you wait for a long time between the initial soak and the first wash, the contrast will be much greater.
Ned, I definitely agree with that theory! I’ll be there right with you testing it out. I also came across the "break-in" instructions for Nudie’s Raw jeans. I have never owned a pair, but they seem to be very popular and turn out really nice with these directions. Nudie’s instructions advise wearing the raw jeans for 6 MONTHS before water ever touches them! So I wonder if the same would work out well for a pair of Levis STFs? I am going to try to hold out until the summer or at least until the middle of spring – that will be better shrinking weather anyway
Hello!
I fell upon here because I did not know how to shrink my new Levi STFs
I got a Khaki color, and I’m wondering if there will be any difference from the regular indigo shade ones.
I got 32×32, when I usually wear 32×30-32.
I hope these will be alright when I shrink them.
From reading the two articles + comments, it seems like I should just hop in a warm bathtub with them on so that they do not shrink in width.
They seem pretty long for sz. 32, so I’m hoping that they’ll shrink just to my liking.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I’ll tell you guys how these go, and if there are any differences from the indigo-shaded 501xx’s.
Hey Val, Welcome! Congrats on the Khaki color, I’d love to see some pics and hear how they turn out for you. Where did you get them? If you are usually a 32×31 my size recommendation would be 32×34. They will seem long because most of the shrinking that goes on is in the length although they do shrink a bit in width as well. Check out the newest article on fit and sizes for more on this. Let us know how it goes!
Hey All, new article about sizes and fit. Check out the new tool for finding the right sized jeans. And we’re going strong on the forums, so come join the discussion there!
Oh, man. I already started breaking them in.
I wore them casually yesterday and today.
I’m thinking about shrinking them later today, so I can wear them more comfortably tomorrow.
Would this be a bad idea?
Thanks!
Hi Ned
I recently bought a pair of Rigid Levi’s 505 (o217) i been wearing them for about & month & are still rigid, the colour is a dark navy (almost grey)
Can i expect much shrinking when i bath these? & will the colour go more blue?
Thanks
Lilman, how is the recent 505′s fit? 0217 will shrink about 1 inch in the inseam, the waist perhaps a little less. Don’t worry about the colour, it will get blue.
The new 505 are a great fit but i’m hoping they will be a skinnier fit once bathed & the drk colour is awesome, dont wnat to lose much of ot so no sure f i should bath them ? One thing that differant is the sevedge seems to be much thinker than previous LVC jeans i’ve had
I’ve just got a pair of 501 stf’s on ebay for $35.00 – i’ve not had a pair of these before – i’m 30/30 but bought 30/34 to wear turned up with gather – looking frward to seeing how these turn out
Val, where did you purchase khaki 501? For anyone interested, J.Crew is now selling a 1947 501 on their website.
Great find BH! They have a whole selection of selvedge jeans including some LVC’s.
BH, I bought my khaki 501s at Sears for $34.99.
They’re great. Pretty much what I expected.
I took a soak in them and they shrank to my liking.
However, I’m hoping the width stretches so that I do not have to squeeze as much.
The length I got was perfect (+2 my regular size); some nice honeycombs formed, and it is not so short on bottom.
I’ll definitely be rocking these casually.
Val: On the label, does it say Shrink to Fit on those khaki 501s? Or does it say Pre-Shrunk?
I am getting angrier then ever about the people working at LS&Co. Their U.S. website is upper garbage, you won’t find khaki STFs there. Bargainsavenue has the new STF in sky blue, good luck looking them up on Levi’s site. The pictures are old, e.g. the 501′s photos show the 2003-mid-2008 style which is gone by at least half a year. Add to this unsatisfactionary to idiotic answers to questions you ask the, the bad marketing and lower quality and you’ll be asking yourself why you’re still a loyal customer.
I hope they don’t completely distroy the brand. I’m sure someone good will come along in management eventually and turn the ship around….but when is the question
I keep my fingers crossed. There should be working dedicated people who love the brand. I would start right away, even as the clean-up guy…
lol
No kidding…but not with their current policies.
Last autumn, at Macy’s Herald Square store, I saw 501 STF jeans in light blue & khaki, but in sizing for thin & small adults. At Bargains Avenue, I see the light blue being offered up to waist size 42, but still for people under 6 feet tall. I bet ya that it will only be in 11.5 oz denim, the same as black.
great find Steve! thanks!
A too long thread to read completely, but nice to see…
I bought my first STF’s in the end of 80′s But since I live in Finland and they do not seem to sell STF’s in Europe (perhaps for more than 15years now), I’ve had to rely on my friends visiting in states and have asked them to bring me a pair every now and then.
But as here seems to be so many people with a lot of history info, does anybody have any clue… What is the true reason they do not sell STF’s in europe anymore… what is the business reason, how is a ‘no sale’ policy supposed to increase companys profit or… ???
I’ve been wondering for the reason of this for a looooong time and just cannot understand why a company chooses not to sell some of their products to some customers.
Who knows what’s going on in the heads of the guys running LS&Co….I guess they want to separate the US, European, Asian and Australian divisions. And it would be hard to explain why the jeans cost about twice as much over here than in the US. STFs were never available in Austria, but the Austrian headquarter told me that an official Levi’s store could order ANYTHING available in the US, I doubt that when seeing what jerks are working there. Thank God there is ebay and friendly US-based guys who can send over what we are longing for….
Welcome pale! thanks for sharing! I agree that Levi’s could use some rethinking when it comes to how they market and sell their jeans. They’ve definitely made some strange decisions!
Yeah, I heard of the durrent 505′s relaxed fit as opposed to the slim fit of their 90ies counterparts.
Yeah relaxed fit was always a bad idea. If they would just stick to the basics. And do some quality control. If the 1947 501 is popular, and people will shell out $100-$300 for it, and it’s the ‘original’ modern version of Levis … then make that the standard fit.
But noooo … we got to have baggy, skinny, stonewashed, relaxed fit randomly sized and stitched depending on what country it was out sourced from.
hey guys
first off thank you for posting this plethora of STF info. this is down right awesome!
i first heard of STF from a DC rapper named Wale on a few of his tracks. so that prompted me to check em out. i became interested in finding out more. thus landing on this dogpile of quality insight! so a friend of mine and i went to kohls to find some dark 501 STFs. sizing was killer… i have a pair of 511s 32×32 which fit perfectly and a pair of twill 510s 32×32 which are huge in the waist. so i ended up with a 33×34 shrink to fit, hoping for my a shrink to 32×32 end result. we did our thang (another story all together) and our result was ok at best… as you can tell by my previous jean selections i am a fan of the slim to skinnny fitting jeans… so my question to all of the connosiuers is “can i shrink 501s to a skinny to super skinny fit?”
any help would help
thanks so much
Hey Alex, welcome thanks for the great comment! Definitely go an inch under in the waist and 2-3+ inch in the length. They will feel tight for a couple hours after you take them out of the dryer, but they will stretch into a comfortable tight fit. i’ll be sure to check out wale!
okiedoke so i will put them in the dryer.. i havent yet but have put them in the bath tub 3 or four times… will this cause any problems?!
ha the expereince is what matters right? well im going to try ut because the Kohls lady said i can return them no matter what i do with them… lovely!
Hi everyone,
I work for Levi’s and I always wear LVC 1950′s rigid but I usually wear it on size and never shrink it or wash it. Now, however, I need your help…I’ve recently bought a pair of STF 1947 501xx (along with 20 or so other colleagues) and we’re having a bit of a competition to see who can break theirs in to a really nice and interesting finish by June. I’m going to wear them constantly then shrink them in the sea or the bath around May time but do you have any tips on how I can create an interesting finish on them? I’ve heard that using oil, burying them in the garden and even putting them in the freezer can change the colour and create interesting finishes! Any other suggestions? I don’t want to do anything too drastic as I still want to be able to wear them to work. Thanks!
Use a stiff scrub brush while in the ocean or tub. Also highlight them with some cotton swabs on a stick and clorox. Color or bleach the button fly, or back pockets or wherever you want the “HIGHLIGHTS”. Get the point? They are still wearablt in the office. They are also hot when rubbed with a ruff clothe or sandpaper and some bleach just before you soak them on your body. lol Bill
Bill, like your idea of fading with spot bleaching. saw a construction worker with 501s, he’d got spots and lines of bleach from his crotch down one leg to below his knee, looked cool on the job. a few rips/holes in a few special places keeps interest also. checkout Ned’s forum site on when to wash 501s. log in to send direct replys to the person. lol r.
Ranger -Since you liked the spot bleaching it can be a little edgy if you just bleach the crotch. Or even better if you have a stressed pair, or even one that is not, cut the button fly off and let those buttons shine over yourr bulge. I know some guys that even polish the buttons some. Sexy and still wearable everywhere. Just do a good job o cutting off the fly and clip off the few strings that may be left. Send me a picture.
WOOT WOOT!!! i was about to give up on STFs but i just got them out of the dryer and the fit beautifully! thanks agian for all the help duders i will be back for more advice
Hi kj! Decades back they put the jeans into the creek, holding them down with small rocks. After a few weeks the retrieved the jeans with a nice fade. This method fascinates me most, I’ll probably try it someday.
@AlexP: congrats! be sure to come back and give us updates!
@kj: You don’t have much time! i like klaus’ idea. also anything that will beat them up fast: keeping them outside, hanging them out your car, something like that. The only other idea that sprung to mind is experimenting with bleach. I strongly believe bleach an acid jeans will be making a come back within the next couple years…i plan on experimenting with it myself soon. Whether you want to do that with a pair of $300 jeans is entirely up to you…i know i wouldn’t
be sure to let us know how it goes and post some pics in the forum!
Thanks guys! $300 dollars? Wow now I feel bad for experimenting! I get them for much less through work thankfully. Acid wash is going to be hitting stores this summer, certainly in the UK anyway…so maybe I should give bleach a try. I love the idea of leaving them in water and letting the colour fade but it’s not the best idea around here and there aren’t many creeks in London! Would sand have much of an effect? Going to drive with them hanging out of my car this week for sure…when I’m not wearing them of course! Any other ideas would be very much appreciated. Thanks again!
i’d say a sand blaster or water power washer would certainly do the trick. sunlight also has an extreme affect (insert rainy london joke here). you can boil them too which will also change the fit as well as the fade. can’t think of anything else at the moment. keep us up to date on what you try and how it worked out!
I like the “natural” way using sun and water a lot. As you live in London, you could leave them on the clothesline for a few weeks, turning them around every odd day and let the sun and rain do the trick.
So there will be 80ies acid washed again? I cannot wait!!!!!
Hey, I have two pairs of 501 that i bought from sears. Are all 501 jeans consider Shrink to fit (STF) ??? or do they have to be more specific? Also, one of them i got as a gift and are size 38 but im more comfortable in a 36. Would this shrinking technique work nicely?? their pure black 501′s also from sears.
Oh also, How would i make that wave effect around the pocket areas like the same wave textures found in prewashed jeans?? do i keep shoving my hands down my pockets?
Hey KJ, The answer to your inquiry is that you have to live hard in your 1947 XX jeans. You have to exercise in ‘em. You have to hike in ‘em. You have to bicycle in ‘em. You have to work in ‘em. You have to sleep in ‘em. You have to bathe & swim in ‘em. You have to have sex in ‘em. You have to sweat in ‘em. Rub your XX butt & knees against hard dirt. Climb up some rocks and trees. Some even actually consider urinating in XX jeans as part of a time-honored breaking-in process. Don’t do anything that may be considered artificially pre-aging your XX jeans, that mistake will show. Make your XX jeans your activity partner, your lover, they want to be abused as part of everyday hard living. By June, your XX jeans should be considered dark-worn with creases & fading in the right spots. Do it. We are rooting for you!!
those are some crazy ideas Steve! well done!
Hi Congee, It sounds like to me that there may be a possibility that you bought preshrunk 501′s. What does the label, that is stapled to the back pocket, say? Do you have 1 0r 2 lines of stitching running down the inseams of your new jeans? What is your normal pants size? Answer these questions, then this forum can guide you to a very satisfying conclusion.
Congee
Not all 501s are shrink to fit…they will say stf on the batwing tag along with some guidlines on how to size as well as how to shrink them.
STF jeans are the ones that are really stiff when you buy them.
as for the acid wash jeans… i have seen a few in the levi’s store where i work..but that was in the fall haven’t spotted any this spring.
I ranch for a living and have worn 501′s all my life, but have been wearing the pre-shrunk 501′s. I decided to get a pair of STF cause the pre shrunk ones are getting baggy in the legs. I am short and stocky and wear a 38X32 in pre shrunk and tried on a pair of STF and found that a 36X32 fit me better. Should I have bought a 36X34 instead? How can I keep them from shrinking at all besides not washing them?
Hi CP
i work at a levi’s store and when we get the occasional customer who doesn’t want to shrink the stf 501s we tell them either to dry clean them or wash in cold water and dry on low heat or air dry. most people opt out on the dry cleaning thing cause that can get expensive. hope that helps.
I am just nervous to go 2 inches bigger in the waist and 3 in lenght. I am afraid they wont shrink that much since they seem way to big on me when i tried on the recomended size. I would hate to be stuck with a baggy pair. Should I just keep the same waist size even though it fits me fine and just increase the length. So I would be getting a 36X35. I just hope the waist doesnt come too tight when i shrink them.
Thanks for the Comments CP! I understand your hesitation at experimenting with the STF’s. What’s nice though is once you do find the right size you can just go pick up a new pair no problem. One thing that helped me was Levi’s return policy is quite nice; they’ll accept returns on 501′s even AFTER they are shrunk. Look into it if you buy from a different reseller but most will accept returns of soaked STF’s.
to answer your questions more directly, STF’s shrink A LOT especially in the length. I would discourage buy true size in the length. If the STF’s get wet they will shrink which means you can never wash them or get them dry cleaned if you don’t want them shrinking. after the first soak they change much less dramatically so you can get an idea after the first soak if the size will work for you or not. If you are normally a 38×32 I would recommend 38×34 minimum or a 38×36. They may be a bit tight in the waist at first but they do have a lot of give as you wear them. Be sure to let us know how it goes for you! good luck and have fun!
Ned thanks for all the instruction. Currently on my quest for the perfect pair of jeans, also currently bathing in my first pair of STF Levis 501XX jeans! I’ve never worn Levis before, and so far I’m loving the experience. But i do have a couple of questions:
i’ve bathed in them once and worn them dry, only most of that time was spent at work – sitting down … The result- the knees, are now preformed, and when i stand they stick way out, any ideas? I’m gonna try another soak,then just no sitting, like you, i am tall at 6”6 and just want a damn jean that fits! thanks again for your contribution, and here’s my two cents, not only are these great jeans, but as an artist, THESE ARE AN ART PROJECT!!! Keep making great art
Thanks for the comment! I know that quest well, and i hope your new pair of 501′s work out well for you
I know what you mean about the knees, it’s happened to me before as well. I don’t know how severe they are for you but they have always relaxed for me with wear. if you are concerned you can cold soak them not wearing them and let them dry flat on a towel. Keep us up to date and feel free to drop by the forum to chat!
Wonderful to read all those comment how to personalize your Levi’s 501xx STF.
I live in Holland and in april 2003 I got a Levi’s 501xx STF (made in Guatemala onfortunately) from a friend, bought in New York. I immediatele started wearing it day in day out for half a year. In october 2003 I took a swim in the sea at Tunisia for half a hour and than let it dry on my body in the sun and sand. Wearing it again for a long time without washing it. Sometimes I gave my ‘friend 501xx’ a bath with cold and salty water and than again dry it on my body.
Now my ‘friend 501xx’ is still with me, but it has been altered with a lot of denim patches everywhere. It has become a new friend for me, heavy with all those patches, but still a very great feeling to wear it (photo’s are available on request).
A real Levi’s 501xx STF-lover
Arie van den Berg
Rotterdam
the Netherlands
Well, I have won a price with those old heavily patched 501xx, from a denimshop in Amsterdam. They gave me a brand-new Denim-Demon jeans (a Scandinavian jeansbrand), also rigid and unwashed like the 501xx.
They were impressed about my story and pictures of all the alterations I have made on it and put an article and pictures in Blend, a Dutch fashion-magazine.
You can find the denim-shop at http://www.tenuedenimes.com
Arie van den Berg
Rotterdam
the Netherlands
Really enjoyed reading all the posts here. I was a huge 501 STF fan when I was a teen in the early 80′s. I don’t know why I started buying the pre-shrunk versions, but they were never the same, and I don’t think I realized that was why. In the 90′s I moved to the 550′s and 505′s, which were okay, and over the past 5 years wore a pair of the loose 569′s around the house, but had moved to Banana Republic or Lucky Brand Jeans for my nicer pairs.
Now, I just picked up a pair of the 501 STF’s classic indigo, and a pair that are very dark, but seem to have a heathered effect — there was no color name. I was surprised to also see that Sears has stock of the 501 STF in a khaki color (still made of denim) and two kinds of black. What other colors are out there? Also, can someone call out whether the LVC’s are available in Europe only, or also here in the States?
I have been wearing stf and pre-shrunk for years. There is no comparison to the fit, stf gives you the best by far (sexiest) fit, but the pre-shrunk, in my estimation, can be worn more discreetly to work and daily on the street. The stf are for the parties and clubbing, and bars and to cruise for gals or whatever. The only thing I do differently is brush them down with a stiff scrub brush after soaking in the tub or in the shower. I have some old collectables in white, white-wash, striped, grey, and had some old browns but sold them. Some of them do not fit me well, but they are great to have around and wear them anyway.
Im planning to get my first pair of 501 STF Verde Rigid. I know that this question has been asked so many times but I find it difficult to choose the right size of my STF.
My usual size is 34/32 but when I tried pre-washed 501 on the were too small, so the right size for me is 36/32.
I dont want my STF to be too tight I would prefer them to be a bit loose.
There`s no size 37 so shall I get them in my true size or two sizes bigger?
Some guys say that STF shrink no more than two sizes in lenght the others recommend to get STF 3 inches longer but theres no inseam 35 so shall i get 36 ? Are they not going to be too long?
Hi Arkie,
Read through here, but my recommendation is as follows:
1) Get a size that really fits you well in the waist before they shrink.
2) Get the legs about 2-3″ longer than normal, so you should either get the 34 or the 36 depending on how long you want it.
3) Wear them dry. For a long time. I’m a full month into my dry pair, and they look and feel great. The waist has stretched a bit so they feel roomy, but will tighten up just right when I finally wear them in the bath.
4) I’ve gone through two other pairs and in my experience they don’t much in the waist at all, but they really do shrink about 3″ in the length.
5) Try them on, try them on, try them on. Everyone carries them, so visit your local Sears/Penney’s/Macy’s. Each pair is indeed cut slightly differently.
6) Because the seamstresses are hurried, there are often small threads that are left dangling. It’s amazing at how much sharper the pants look if you simply take a sharp pair of small scissors to all of the small dangling threads inside and out.
7) Have fun! For crissakes, they’re only $35-40 – get a pair and if you screw it up, get another. Or, take advantage of Sears’ unlimited 90-day policy, keep your receipts, and exchange them if they’re not the right size after shrinking. Sears is very cool about this.
Great luck, and have fun!
Arjkie, just read Flatcat’s reply, we seem to agree pretty much. Hope you get over your questions and “JUMP RIGHT IN” – bill
Thanks a lot guys for your help.
Did anyone of you have STF Verde Rigid? I would love to see some pics coz I haven`t seen a lot of them in the Internet.
So If I get them in my true size they are not going to be too tight?
I want them to shrink to about 32 in lenght, so If I get 36 inseam they wont be to long? I dont like to have cuffs.
Sorry guys for all these questions but I cant try them on as I live in UK and I cant get them here so Im planning to buy them online. If you know any good online stores that can ship STF to uk post the links.
@Arkie
I haven’t seen the Verde Rigid, but I’m going into the San Francisco Levi’s store today, maybe they’ll have them, and I’ll report back.
Regarding length – There are two ways to go. If you plan on wearing them dry for a long time (that is, before washing), and then never, or almost never drying them, then I would go with the shorter length – for you a 34. Since you don’t like cuffing, this would be the way to go.
From my direct experience, I can only tell you this: I am a true 31″ inseam, I buy the 34′s and after two washings and one drying, I wear them cuffed while barefoot around the house and uncuffed, but a little stacked with shoes.
Okay, I was in the SF Levi’s store on Union Square today. The only STF’s they had were the rigid, light blue, and gray – not even any black. So it looks like the Verde is online only, or maybe at certain retailers. They did have two Selvedge 501′s – I think it was chipped rigid, and the other was selvedge, but heavily “pre-stressed”. I also looked at the 514 imprints. They looked pretty good overall, but are Made in China, and I don’t love the finish, which is like rigid, but not quite. Hope that helps someone.
Hey I’ve been meaning to try the whole STF thing for a while because I love the classic vibe of the regular 501′s but they don’t fit me right because I am a girl and I have pretty wide hips for someone my size. I think that these may just work for me because I will finally be able to have a pair of 501′s that fit me right without having to sew them at all. I usually wear a 27 or 28 in men’s jeans, but I have to wear a 29 in 501′s to accomidate my hips, and they’re still a little tight on the waist! Even though they are super-tight around the waist, they are super-baggy everywhere else. I am curious how much these shrink in the rise because men’s jeans have a slightly higher rise, and how tight the legs shrink. With my regular 501′s I usually have to taper the legs and take in the rise a bit to get them to fit me right. Hopefully these can do the job with less hassle. I am not sure what size to get because I don’t think the waist is going to shrink that much while I’m wearing them. The length doesn’t matter because unlike everyone else I am the complete opposite height standing at 5′ tall! I need these jeans to shrink as much in the length as possible since my true inseam should be about 27”.
Hey Britta, thanks for the comment! It’s a great topic and I’d love to hear how it goes for you. I’ve gotten emails with this question as well and I would like to write a post about it at some point. My wife wears the shrink to fits and she is hip-y as well. This topic on the forums may be helpful for you: http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/stfs-for-the-ladies
Let us know how it goes!
Hi Britta,
as every pair of STFs is a little different, this whole process will be trail and error, am afraid. However, I could give you my experience and hope this will help a little (I am talking about the mid-2008 cut and later):
A lot of guys around here recommend buying them true to waist size. I would do that, too, if you really want well sitting, tight jeans. Perfect if you don’t want to wear a belt. I got my last pair as recommended by LS&Co, that is waist plus one inch for the small sizes and I am satisfied. The pair sits well after two soaks and one machine wash. It should shrink some more after numerous washes, but bear in mind that the cut isn’t too consistent from the factory (unfortunately) as the quality went down this decade.
The rise may be a little problem. Compared to my 501-0193 (prewashed med. stonewash), the STF’s rise is somewhat higher. I like the rise classic medium high (as with the 501s and 505s up until 2003), my stonewashed 501 is the lower limit for me. The STF’s rise is comfortable for me, so t-shirt and shirt stay well in the jeans when squatting down or lifting the arms. This is my preference, though, but I’d say the rise is medium (for a guy).
From my experience the inseam sould be 3 inches longer than your actual inseam if you’ll be washing the jeans in the washing machine as usual. So go with a 30″ inseam.
If you are going to use the classic method for shrinking, that is sitting in the bathtub, ocean or else and letting the jeans dry on your body, they will turn out fine and hip hugging with a perfect, custom fit. They jeans will mould around your body. Don’t fear that the men’s pair won’t fit the ladies, just have a look at Ned’s wife (pictures in the forum), they fit her perfectly.
I gather you have some experience/profession in sewing. If you want the otherwise straight-to-the-ankle leg tapered, do so before shrinking. I have had rigid boot cut jeans altered to straight leg jeans by my girlfriend and after washing they will look great, not like altered jeans (which you can tell as the wrinkles, threads and look is different). In the 80ies, girls usually tapered 501s before shrinking. I have some crazy ideas about this, but that isn’t the topic…
I am convinced the STFs will fit you better than prewashed 501s and are much more fun! They will be one of a kind. If you live in the US, it would be best to try them on in the store to see how they fit, as each and every pair is different.
Klaus
Hi Flatcat
Thanks a lot for your help.
It would be nice to find out some more about Verde Rigid.
I think I`ll go for 36/34, I hope they `ll fit me alright.
I planning to wash them a few times, but I`ll try to wear them for some time before doing first soak.
Have you got any photos of the pair you are wearing now?
One word of caution. They really don’t shrink much in the waist. I own a pair of 35/34′s that are now my “fat pants” Great for working around the house because they’re loose and comfy, but a little too baggy for going out. Good luck, Arkie!
ranger where are you/// I can’t find you
Bill, go to Ned’s forum site, register/login, reply there. Its a neat site w/ private messaging & interesting coments. I’ll see you there.
Ranger – I can’t find that other site of ned’s – the forum site. Tell me more Bill
Bill, you’ll have to give me your e-mail address so I can reply directly to you about the 501′s. you have my e-mail address?
Hey
Ive been buying LVC stfs for a while now, ive tried 505, 1944s, 47, 67s & cant get a slim enough fit. does anyone know of any other companies who make heavy weight, dark indigo, single stitch inseam & chain stithed hems? also at a good price?
Price is definitely the issue. Truly hand=made quality anything costs more up front. Of course, if you’re buying the LVC jeans, you may be willing to pay more than the whopping $35 USD that I pay for my STF 501′s from Sears.
The best list I’ve seen for quality denim is the American List on the blog/site acontinuouslean.com . If you live near either SF or NY, you should also try the folks at Selfedge http://www.selfedge.com/. I haven’t been there myself, but I’ve heard others recommend them, and their site is inspirational.
Best,
Flatcat.
Mis-typed earlier…The 501′s I received last month don’t have the “XX” on the patch. The tag does say “Levis 501 Shrink-To-Fit”. Do you think there’s a difference? They came from one of the big western wear mail order places, either Sheplers or FortWestern. I noticed that they don’t shrink much at all in the waist, so next time I might go from a 34-36 to a 32-36. You are right about the STF being better than the others, I like them a lot. So I will go to the actual levis store soon and try on the smaller size, and either way get a couple more pairs. I hope that the store 501′s have the “XX” on them.
Tom, the “XX” designation for the STFs has been discontinued. However, they use up all waistband patches they still have in stock, so if you are lucky you’ll probably find a “XX” pair. Personally, I think that STFs should wear the double X.
Ranger, do you have a comment on the Forum site. I still can’t find you
I have posted comments on ‘new 501s for Ned’ (rangers). you register onto the forum, than you can reply to the individual in a PM (personal message). I’ll reply to your e-mail address & let you know about my 501s . after you log on and post a coment, I can reply direct to you. this is a cool place for sharing ideas about stf’s.
You are right. Little things like this should not annoy me, but sometimes they do. I asked Shepler’s who said the same thing–the XX tags just happen to be in some plants and not others–”501 STF” designation gets the same product. Seems I have the real thing after all. Thanks.
Tom, everything concerning our favorite jeans is important. I have to admit that I am very picky about details on my jeans, lol.
How can I find “501 STF’s” near Kalamazoo, Michigan to TRY ON.??? My old ones are rags.
According to Google Maps, there’s a Sears in Portage, only a few miles from Kalamazoo. Penney’s usually carries them, too. Good luck. It’s worth trying them on.
I have two very old Levi jackets that I have owned since the 1950′s and 1960′s. One is quite worn, but no holes, and the other is just well broken in.
Can anyone tell me where there is a source to sell both of them?
Hey Martyy,
There does seem to be a healthy market on eBay for Levi’s vintage – but I would hope there’s someplace better than eBay- anyone?
Flatcat
I’m also looking for a place to sell/trade old 501′s. Some of mine have rips/torn/holes in them, in all the places 501′s give up first. Fun to contact guys who are into this, from all over the world too. I’ve got pics to share of everything. LOL
I highly recommend you guys use the forums to buy and sell jeans. If there is enough interest I can put together some software to make it easier. Let me know how it goes and how your experience with buying and selling goes.
I just picked up my first pair of of STF’s at Macy’s for Black Friday! List was $48, then the were on sale for $35 and at the counter I asked the guy if he had any discounts I could use and he knocked off ANOTHER $10! So for $25, I’m a pretty freaking happy camper. I usually wear 33×31′s, so I picked up a pair of 34×34′s. I’m a little nervous about the length, I guess I could just cuff them if they don’t come up enough. Ok, off to hop in the tub!!!
Congratulations on the bargain! Expect the jeans to shrink 3″ in lenght, mine always do. They won’t shrink that much after the soak, though, but after a few machine washes afterwards they should be at a 31″ inseam.
Great blog you guys got going here. Martin here hailing in from Chicago. I’d like to ask everyone’s advice. It’s really cold to sit for hours waiting for the jeans to dry here in Chicago, so I like getting your advice before I start on mine. I got some specific things I’d like to do, they are: A nice low rise, and to have some “room” or “definition” left in the crotch. I bodybuild so I have very thick thighs and previously all my fitted or tight jeans just gets me all scrunched up, or my looser jeans are too big and baggy all over! I just have a real hard time getting a nice fit, so I am posting here. How do you guys shrink jeans to fit without getting the crotch too tight? assuming that you guys are regular sized and not pornstars, I am sure I am not the only guy here who goes the occasional commando, and would’nt mind showing some off’ thanks in advance for the honest replies.
Hey Ironman, Just saw your post today, welcome to denim country..Waist size,rise & length all go together. I’d get your regular snug waist sz, or one sz smaller. (the waist seems to strech out a bit after worn a few days) A smaller waist gives a smaller crotch area and maby a lower rise than bigger sizes. The newer cut 501′ seem to have a wider thigh, so you might look perfect there. Crotch bulge is something thats either there or it isn’t. One guy suggested using diluted bleach on a q-tip stick to highlight certain areas there, haven’t tried that, I’d be careful about that. check out forums. Lots of good info there on how to STF, you can show pics there.
You have def assured me that the 501 STF was absolutely the best pair of jeans to purchase. Thanks in advance for this post on how to wash the jeans. I was
baffled on what to do with them when they came in the mail extra big. I just hve a quick question for anyone, I purchased the khaki color STF and I want to know if the color will fade to the point where they come out white since the color is already pale?
I have never seen a Sears, Macy’s, JC Pennys or any other store that has these to try on, even though they advertise. That must be a regional thing. I found that waist size 34, which worked ok for my rigid ProRodeo Wranglers, is way too big in these stfs. The store websites are all liars. You don’t get a size bigger in the waist, you get a size smaller in the waist, and two sizes longer in the length. After you get the size right, though, you find that it’s worth the little extra trouble.
Well I’ll be darned. 501 STF’s are in plentiful supply at Macy’s, Penney’s and Sears here in Northern California. Maybe Kohl’s, too. Mervyn’s used to stock them, but they went under. Good luck.
The important thing is that you get the right size. Even if your like me and don’t have a store that keeps the stf in stock, it is still worth ordering twice. And they really aren’t all exactly the same, either, since Levis moved to other countries. Everyone has moved to other countries. But STFs are close enough. Still they are better than anything else out there, unless you ride.
But do NOT hang them in the closet or fold them up damp. My first pair came out smelling like old terds after lI left them hung up damp for a few days. Had to run them through the washer and dryer. So with these new ones I am wearing them raw until it gets warm enough to get them wet and wear outside till they dry. Thanks.
I just soaked my first pair of stf’s a few days ago. I have been looking forward to this process, treating it as training wheels for breaking in a more expensive pair. I refered to your posts as the most complete guide for the shrink process. The jeans are great, but I implimented a few techniques you havn’t mentioned here. I purchased jeans in a comfortable waist size, 32 for me, and at the longest length I could find, 38. I like stack and have heard of up to 4 inches of shrinkage. The only jeans available were made in Haiti, I don’t know what the difference might be, but I have heard those made in Mexico are best. I wore the jeans for a week prior to shrinking, maybe this helped, it definately looked good. For the shrinking, I added about a cup or so of regular white vinegar. I was given this hint by a manager at a retail outfit I used to frequent. The vinegar is supposed to reduce indigo loss. Because I havn’t soaked stf’s before, or any jeans for that matter, I don’t have any comparative results. By the end of the soak, and after a few blasts of hot water to keep to bath warm, there was a slight film on the surface. After a beer and the end of a good book, about 45 minutes (Adorno has changed my life), I slowly drained the water hoping this might reduce indigo loss and dry the jeans out quicker. There was a slight smoky trail in the last of the water, but the water never turned blue, no blue on my legs either. I live in a cold climate, and had a cold to boot, so I used a hair dryer to expedite the process further. I sat crosslegged for about four hours till they were mostly dry. I felt like this set in the start of some great whiskering and honeycombs, but stretched out the knees too much. After a few days of wear, I decided to try to shrink up the knees a bit. A little vinegar and some warm water to soak the problem areas, and a steamy iron and the dilema was solved. I wanted to see what your readers thought of the vinegar and why using a hairdryer might not yeild the best results. Also, are these same concepts applied to heavier, higher quality denim? (I love Levi’s. They are the only jeans I own. I have a pair of once drycleaned LVC 47′s, and some Cap E Matchsticks. I don’t mean to bag on Levi’s, but the Japanese have done some great things with denim, and, let’s face it, Levi’s quality has significantly declined in the last 20 years.) I have heard of cold soaks and regular washing after. Is the anticipated shrinkage equivalent for better denim? Just a few questions. Please comment, and thanks again for the advice.
Hey Jonathan,
Nice post – I had to respond based on your name. I post frequently under the name “Flatcat” – but my real name is John Dark – so it’s a pleasure to meet someone named Jonathan Light.
Cheers,
John
I agree–that was a great post with interesting new information. This white vinegar treatment might help me out soon. 2 pairs I got earlier turned out a bit to large in the waist, and I would like to shrink them a little more without having them lose any more color than they already have. My problem was finding the right size. As I said earlier, it was a little work and some expense, but for me it was worth it. I wear them everywhere now. After these 2 pairs which were too big (to me when you can pull them down while they are still buttoned, they’re too big), I tried an odd size, 33 X 36. This is only the second day of wearing these new stfs raw, but already they are taking some shape! Somehow they look better then the other two –these were made in Mexico, if that means anythng. And the denim appears to be a bit darker. These 36′s have a three inch cuff and some stack, so there may not be a need to go to a longer length next time.
This site is useful because NOBODY I’ve seen wears stfs. When you go to the big box stores, you see hundreds and thousands of Levis stacked to the ceiling. But they are almost all worn out looking, torn or baggy and dyed with a washed-out looking grey/blue. The fabric feels as thin as a bedsheet. Looks like they bought out a hundred yard sales. So I had to order rather than try on, and that’s why I have four pair now, counting one pair of real old ones I got 5 years ago when they were made in the USA. What else can I say? Hey, what is honeycomb anyway?
Hi,
I finally took the plunge and decided to give raw denim a time. My gf is out of town this weekend so it was the perfect time to try. (For some reason I don’t think she’s understand me sitting in the tub for half an hour wearing my brand new jeans). I haven’t taken them off since I bought them and they are mostly dry now. I think I may sleep in them tonight to enhance the fit. I went pretty much true to size and so far I like the fit, not super snug but it looks fitted.
Thank you for writing such a nice guide and FAQ. Thanks too to all the comments people posted. Those helped as well.
I have a levis 501 raw denim how ever it doesn’t say stf on it. Could I bath in it and get the same results and if I only soak the leg opening, will i get a tapered affect ?
Any help is appreciated Thank you ! =)
Andy, if they are raw they are almost certainly STFs. If you don’t have the pocket flasher cardboard, just look at the inside tag located in the left leg: the LS&Co colour code should say 501-0000 (sometimes 501-0117) for indigo STFs. For the new colour STFs I don’t know the exact codes (as I don’t care much for non-indigo STFs), but look up ebay listings, they often provide this information.
As for the tapering, I don’t think soaking only the leg would work. The best thing to do would be taking the jeans to a tailor or seamstress and have them slightly tapered before shrinking. They will look like stock tapered leg jeans after the water treatment.
Depending on the year and where they were made the tags will say different things. I’ve never seen or heard anyone successfully shrinking only one part of the jean per your question. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
hey dudes thanks for the information! i am currently sitting in my empty tub after just bathing for about 45 mins in my Levis 501 STFs. i bought this pair about 6 months ago from Goodfoot in Vancouver, Canada for $70 CDN. i had just moved to the city and had been meaning to buy a pair for awhile but couldnt find them locally until i moved here. i didnt start rocking them until about 5 weeks ago when i took a trip to Vancouver island and decided that it was the perfect time to break in the jeans. i wore them for about 5 weeks straight, only wearing a different pair about once a week. they got some decent fades started because i work at a fairly physical job involving alot of lifting. i was just going to hot soak them but after reading this and especially Steves comments i decided to bathe in them to achieve a true personal fit. they are still wet so i cant tell you how my results have come out yet haha. when i bought these i was about 20 pounds heavier (damn healthy west coast lifestyle has ruined the fit of all my clothing.) and i got about 2 sizes smaller than my normal which is what is suggested when buying raw nudies to achieve a tight fit. i am sure glad i sized down. when i first started wearing them they were so stiff that they sat at my belly button. since then they have sagged to a comfy lowrise height. but have also gotten kinda baggy in the legs hence my decision that now was the time to shrink them. i figure that i am currently a 30wx32L and these jeans are a 31×34 so they should end up fitting perfectly. i can definately tell they have tightened even tho they are still soaked. i also decided to soak my Warhol Factory X Levis 606 Redux’s which i got sans button for 7.99 at a Salvation army. they are a very skinny fit and may be a girls cut for all i know but they are 31×34 aswell and are Selvedge with 1% polyurethane for stretch. they had been machine washed and dried when i got them and were a little bit effed but after a good soak they fit great and got some GREAT fading after only a few wears. however i felt they could benefit from a good soak with a fellow Levi, they have double X’s on the tag but i dont believe they were raw to begin with. the soak got me sweating but i finished off a bit of frozen whiskey i had left and that definately helped. i did burn my toes when i got in tho hahahaha. i have never been a levis guy until these 2 pairs which i have been rocking exclusively. i also have a pair of faded out 505′s that i got for aproximately $2 at a fill-a-bag sale at a thrift store. anyways just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration and advice and share my story. happy shrinking!!!
great, great comment Marc, thanks so much for sharing! please consider joining our discussion on the forums.
Jonathan is right. I tried it and it works. Perfect size, perfect color, all is right with the world.
Wow!
Although I am 41, I never owned a pair of Levis STF jeans until this week. I purchased a pair online (ordering a 31×34…since I am a “normal” 30×31) from Shepler’s. I figured none of the kids would understand daddy needing to “soak his jeans” in their tub (the only tub in the house), so I got a soak in this morning (they’re all at school, and I’m just grading papers).
The jeans are now almost dry, and I cannot believe the fit! I have NEVER had a pair of jeans fit this well (yes, they fit like a glove).
Thanks for all the tips and advice! (And I’m already thinking my next pair will be “fitted” during a summer swim in one of Kentucky’s fine lakes.
Chiming in here.
Per this sites recommendations, I just got out of my first STF soak about three hours ago.
This is my first pair of STFs so I’m a complete novice.
I bought my waist size plus 3 inches for length.
Wore the raw pair only for a day before soaking.
Today, I got the tub nice and warm, dipped in and and sat for a half hour.
The tub water turned mighty blue unfortunately.
Now, 3 hours since I drained the tub, I’m nearly dry although I did use a hairdryer to supplement the process. I was also using the dryer to see if I could further shrink some baggy areas. I don’t think I recommend this approach for the hair dryer does soften the denim and I’m not sure it greatly increases shrinkage.
Overall I’m very pleased and grateful for this site’s advice.
Next time I may try cooler water in the shower to see if I can achieve less bleed and more even shrinking.
I welcome all new posters and thank them for sharing their experiences! It’s great you are into denim! I can only second Ned’s post to invite you to the forums to discuss and share our denim passion.
Just like many others, I stumbled upon this site about 2 months ago. I too, was quite intrigued and had to get in on some of this STF fun!
Scouring different sites to find the colors I wanted… Verde Rigid STF / Light Blue Rigid STF / Knight Rigid STF.
My normal size is 32 x 34. Opted for the 32 x 36.
Before any soaking, I wore each pair dry for a week straight. I guess this is kinda like bonding with your denim. heh!
Light Blue: 30 min hot soak, 30 min drip dry, 2 days hang dry in the shower.
Fit wise: Perfect in the waist. Length shrank a bit, still require .5 to 1 inch of a roll.
Knight: 30 min hot soak, 30 min drip dry, 2 days hang dry in the shower.
Fit wise: Perfect in the waist. Length shrank hardly at all, still require 1 to 1.5 inch roll.
However, these look awesome with my new Abington Guide Boots though!!!!
Verde: 30 min hot soak, 30 min drip dry, 2 days hang dry in the shower.
Fit wise: Perfect in the wasit, PERFECT in the length department too!!! No need to roll these badboys!
I am tempted to pick up a Grey Rigid STF pair next…
Anyhow, I plan on wearing each pair on heavy rotation for the next year. I can’t wait to see how they are going to turn out!
Note: When getting into the tub with jeans on, lock the door, otherwise you may fall victim to someone coming in and snapping some incriminating photos of you!!
so i just got another 2 pairs of 501 stf and like my last pair i got them 2 sizes over because i love having the extra room, that and i have 2 pairs of tightish 501′s and a pair of levi’s skinners that hide nothing. but the biggest question i have that i have yet to find an answer for is what do i do with the extra long inseam while breaking them in before getting into the bath???? my last pair i tried the reverse cuff where you fold the ends in and in the few weeks before i shrunk them the bottom got worn and now they have an white line going around each leg about 2 inches from the bottom of the leg. i wear 501′s every day of my life and i really am dying to wear my new ones i got in the mail today but im afraid that even with a normal 1 fold cuff it might result in those ugly white lines on the legs and i cant wear them without cuffing them because they will drag on the floor and fray the bottom. i would really love any advice anyone can give me because until then im just going to sleep in them so i can break them in a tiny bit with out worrying about damaging them.
Are you buying them too long? I find that my hot soak leaves them long enough that they stack but don’t drag. When they start to loosen, I cuff them–out not in. An outside cuff looks pretty cool, in my opinion, and even if you get a crease and wear from that, I think that just adds to the character of a well-worn pair of 501s.
It’s taken some experimentation for me to find the right size. I’m normally a 34×34 in other jeans and trousers. I bought a pair of 501 STFs in 34×38 and did the hot soak, wearing in the tub. Result: Much too tight in the crotch and the waist, with an “okay” length (had to cuff about 1.5 inches). Even unwashed wear didn’t help. I bought two more pairs, one 35×36 and one 36×36, and did the hot soak–this time just by placing the jeans in a sink of hottest tap water. Result: Perfection. The larger waist will be a slightly looser fit, but I don’t mind this.
You’re advice about this not being an exact science is spot on. I suggest people experiment to find the fit that works best. I also advise not to go too long on the inseam, and to not be afraid of going up an inch or two in the waist. Experiment with 2 or 3 of them–they’re only 40 bucks!
i got the gray 501 shrink to fits, and they were really light. i washed them and now they are a dark gray, something i did not want. how do i fade them back?
Just found out about the 501 STFs and have a pair on the way. Can’t wait. Does anyone know if this will work at all on the 514 Slim Straights?
Just did my first pair of STFs. Sat in the bath for 30 minutes, then another hour in an empty tub. Easy peasy since most movies are 90s minutes give or take. Got tired of walking around in wet jeans after about 2 hours so i threw them in the dryer with a load of whites and they came out just as dark and a good deal tighter, especially in the waist. I want to shrink them a little more. Considering what I’ve already done does anyone have any suggestions? I guess more specifically does anyone know the tensile strength of these bad boys?
First of all, this site i AMAZING! have never seen so much information at one place.
I bought a pair of LVC 501xx’s, a reproduction of the 1954-model, also called 501z, a slimmer model than the modern 501. They are of course STF.
I have been wearing them for a couple of weeks without washing or shrinkking, just to soften the material. i dont have a tub, so i used the shower, and i was very suprised how well it worked. I was in the shower for around 15-20 minutes, and i did not see any bleed at all. I wore them for 1,5 hour afterwards, and hanged them to dry. They did not loose any color at all, but they shrunk nicely, and the fit perfect now. So, the shower is a very good way to shrink – you loose a minimum amount of indigo.
thanks again to everybody who shares their experiences.
christian from denmark
here’s the model, be sure to check out the site, by the way.
http://caliroots.com/system/search/product.asp?id=17086
Hey guys,
I’m from Germany and good old google brought me to this amazing site, so first of all, thank you very much, mighty personal-information-collecting google
I really love Levi’s jeans, especially 501′s. Over the years I got around 15 501′s and one 751 which are all in use.
So far, they are all pre-shrunk but during the next few weeks I’m going to try my very first shrink-to-fit (I will definitely report my succes or failure).
I really hope some of you can answer me a question (just got back an “answer” from Levi’s via email, they seem not very competent).
So here it is:
During the last year I got 4 or 5 501 from the US, (all pre-shrunk) each of them had the papertag on the right rear pocket that said in the middle “STRAIGHT LEG BUTTON FLY”. Bought them in two different sizes 31×32 for the looser look with cuffs and 30×30 (perfect fit for me, laying on my hip not on the waist).
Last week I got again two pairs from the US, both 30×30, one of them had the papertag on the right rear pocket that said “STRAIGHT LEG BUTTON FLY” (pants fit PERFEKT, definitely my new favorite pair) BUT the other one had a papertag that says “PRESHRUNK JEANS” instead of “STRAIGHT LEG BUTTON FLY” and it is MUCH tighter, can’t really wear them on the hips like I love it. For better imagination, normally 30×30 501′s, I can put off WITHOUT opening the buttons if I’m pulling hard enough. Here, no chance.
If I’m reading the care-tag right, the jeans was manufactured in 9/2007 (first number on the care-tag 0709).
So does anyone know if there is any difference between jeans with the first or the second papertag I described? And whats the deal about the different papertags? Did they just change them some time ago from “PRESHRUNK…” to “STRAIGHT LEG…” or are they still manufactured with both papertags?
Do you think I just had bad luck with my latest 501, that it is that tight? (Both are manufactured in Mexico, btw.) They did not change the 501 since 2007, did they? Awkward coincidence that my first one (or at least the only one I can remember) with this “PRESHRUNK…”-tag is the only one in 30×30 that does not really fit.
So, I hope I’ll finally receive answers to my question, so far people answered to anything but not to the things I asked (especially Levi’s staff or people from Levi’s selling onlystores).
Sorry about the book I wrote here, but I tried to point out clearly what I need to know
Already thank you, because I think I’m right here
Good night to all who live in similar time zones than I do (2:00 am right now).
Adriano
Servus Adriano,
I’m from Austria, great to get to know European guys who are into American Levi’s models. There has been a change of cut for the 501 in mid-2008, the fit is much straighter and tighter than the 2003 cut. Therefore the cardboard pocket flasher changed. As an easy rule of thumb you could say that everytime a change in cut occurs, the pocket flasher’s design changes, too. This happend in ’84, ’93 and then in 2003. And don’t mind the staff at Levi’s, they don’t know anything about the products they are selling.
Klaus
Servus Klaus,
I have to say, I like the cut AFTER mid-2008 much better because in the waist, the older cut seems to be much tighter, like I said, “my” style of wearing them is simply impossible because I can’t pull them down to where I want them to be. I’m glad I only once received one with the older cut, all with the newer paper-tag are great, without exception. Are you sure they made them tighter in 2008? Because, like I said, my experience is the other way around, even at the end of the leg, the jeans made after the change seem to be slighty wider, but probably just around 1cm or so, not to mention the waist.
Btw my next 501 will be STF in brown and, if I had the size right (can’t decide right now between 30×32 or 31×32) the following will be verde.
I have to say I like the brighter colours more, my absolute favorite is my 501 light indigo. Can you tell me the difference between light indigo and light stonewash? I can’t really find any differences between these colours, according to pictures in online shops.
What do 501′s usually cost in Austria? In Germany, they’re around 90 €…
Viele Grüße,
Adriano
Servus Adriano,
501s are 85 € and up, depending on the wash. I’ve seen artificially aged ones for more than 110€. I have to admit that I don’t know too much about the European 501s as I only buy US models. I just don’t care what’s available over here.
There is a thread in Ned’s forum about the differences in cut: http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/changes-to-501s-sizes
Check it out, it may answer a lot of your questions. The models considered are 501s sold in the US, so there might be differences to the models sold in Europe. As for the 2003 cut I cannot say to much as I boycotted it completely, they were simply awful. From time to time I have a glance at Levi’s in Austrian stores and they are just horrible. It’s almost impossible to find classic washes like rinsed indigo or stonewash. They often use three-coloured stitching and the denim on some pairs feels like flanell, believe it or not! Sales personell is mostly big-headed without knowledge, and with being able to buy Levi’s off ebay.com I have no intention to go shopping for them in Austria.
Light indigo (501-0134) is the same as light stone. Besides the rigids and rinsed indigo colours I like dark stone (501-0194) best.
About sizing: Expect shrinkage to be more than 2″ on the inseam, so a 32″ might be short after several machine washes. I wore 30/30 for quite a long time, now I am a 29″ waist and a 31″ inseam fits me best, some 30″ are a little bit short.
Schöne Grüße nach Deutschland!
Klaus
Servus Klaus,
I now also went to the american models but I’ve got a few european left in my closet.
I read the thread and it helped me a lot but I think I have to correct your post from back then a little bit. You called the changing fit from 2003 the anti-form. With my experience in mind, anti-form was available but not exclusively. I have 2 pairs of them (don’t know if they are from the US or from Europe, because got them NEW but kind of cheap from ebay – around 45 euros) but I have also 501′s from back then with the “normal fit”.
I’m very confused about the whole thing, because I can’t really figure out yet what the hell happened^^.
Short look through my closet:
30×30 501 ANTIFORM 2 pairs > REALLY wide legs and waist, kind of saggy at the butt
30×30 501 with holes (manufactured) 2 pairs> slightly wider legs and waist than my older, tighter ones but no comparison to the anit-form (don’t really know why I bought jeans with holes in it, have not worn them for around 3 years now, I think
30×30 501 2 pairs > tight, that’s what I would describe as the “classic 501″ in my opinion
they all are purchased during 2005 – 2007 but I cannot exclude that here are US and EU 501′s mixed up. I just wanted to say, that I think the anti-form wasn’t the only fit available at this time (at least in Europe) BUT I got confused back then because they just had the anti-form fit or not but it was not named on the papertag.
The problem about the shrinking size is, they don’t sell 30×33 or 31×33. 34 in the inseam may be too long, 32 may be too short. But I’m relatively sure that I’ll go with W31 because I think most of you guys wear them tight above your waist and therefore you would prefer your real inseam size, but like I said i prefer them a bit lower (perhaps I’m just too young for the tight and high style
)
Thank you very much for your answers.
PS: Klaus, wenn du Lust hast würde ich ganz gerne mal mail-Adressen oder ICQ oder so austauschen, wäre schön sich mal mit jemandem (auf Deutsch) zu unterhalten der ein wenig mehr Ahnung von der Materie hat als “Ja, Jeans sind Hosen” -.-
Also wenn du Lust hast, gibts da einen weg die auszutauschen ohne alles öffentlich zu posten ohne sich direkt 347234 Spammails einzufangen? Hab mich mal im Forum angemeldet, aber habe da auch keine PN-Funktion gefunden oder so.
Viele Grüße,
Adriano
Well, I am a really Levi’s 501xx shrink-to-fit lover for over more than 25 years from the Netherlands and I tried other brands (e.g. de Dutch ones G-Star, Blue Blood, the Italian Diesel and Replay), but I will never deny Levi’s 501xx, the real mother of all jeans in the world.
In all those years I have never thrown away a pair: I have patched them on every imagenable place and some of them are more patch than jeans.
I only love the made-in-USA ones. I have worn also made in Columbia, Mexico and Guatemala, but I don’t like those fit. And of course Levi’s is a USA-brand and should be made there, what a pity they are not USA-made anymore.
Also in Europe you cannot buy the STF Levi’s in the stores. You should by them at Ebay or when you are in the States (or ask friends to bring them for you from the USA).
I wear them for a long time without washing (at least 6 months) and than take a swim in the Northsea or take a bath with 501 on my body (the classical way for shrink-to-fit).
Let them dry and wear them for another 6 months. The fade and whisker really perfectly
I have bought my last Levi’s 501xx stf USA-made three weeks ago by Ebay.com. Started to wear it directly and because this is my really last USA-made, I will never wash it, only air it outside or hang it in the mist for some freshness.
I will take care of this 501 as if he is my lover.
501-regards from Bram, Rotterdam
the Netherlands
Ive owned a pair of black levis STF for aboutt 1-2 months and i followed everything. But last week…. i finally dried them in the dryer for the first time and its just not the same. The roughness isnt there anymore which sort of ruins the wrinkled look around my lower legs. Anyone know how to fix this?
Matt, I hate to say it, but dryers are not good for jeans, especially STFs. I don’t use the dryer until late in the process, meaning several months of wear and after at least a couple more soaks and air dries. In other words, I only machine dry them after they’re good and broken in. Too early in a machine dryer and I think you tend to lose a lot of the results of wear, e.g., wrinkles, whiskers, honeycombs, etc.
They’re cheap. Buy another pair and start over?
Ya i gave them a bunch of good soaks and air dries. I wore them almost every day i could to break them in further. But i wanted it to be tighter and the air drying method wasnt strinking them as much any more so i fell back to plan b. I used the dryer =/.
Also im a poor college student so…. i rather not spend my money like that yet.
So right now, im still air drying these guys hoping that they’ll get rougher. This is the second time im air drying, im hoping that it’ll get rougher than last time.
you could try starching them, awhile back that was what alot of guys in the japanese raw denim circles were doing to get higher contrast fades. i have done it to a pair of overwashed raw grey Freshjive jeans and while i wasnt inlove with the end result they were definately stiffer. what i did was when they are about half air-dryed i just sprayed both sides until they were thoroughly starched and then let them finish air drying. another few coats after they are dryed, allowing the starch to dry between each coat, should get you the stiffness you are looking for, and for gods sake stop washing them because you wont get them tighter really than the second hot soak will get you. and even then they stretch back out in a day, my 501′s have some decent fades now aftert about 3 months solid wear and 2 hot soaks (one of them drying on body, other hang drying but i have kinda not been rocking them so much as i got a pair of Cheap Monday tight unwashed that are starting to fit like hot sex. will post some pics soonish
Is there some sort of specific type of starch i should buy? Could i go to my local grocery store and get it? thanks marc
yea just goto your grocery store or whatever, but get the more expensive one if they have a couple diff brands. i find the cheap stuff really doesnt work as well. wore my STFs today and i forgot how boxy they are. they are definately the 1966 cut. the fades are sick on them but i want to get a new pair soon i think in a 29×36, if the ankle will be small enough to keep them from slipping off the back of my shoes the stacking would be wicked
Adriano, mail me under [email protected], I’ll answer your questions in German and via e-mail, this is easier to do.
B/c they’re still on sale at Sears, I picked up another pair. This time I’m sizing down 2 in the waist, from 35 to 33. Gonna see if this gives me a skinnier fit. What I love about 501 STFs is the versatility in the sizing. You size according to what kind of fit you want. For example, my normal 35×36 gives a regular straight-leg look. Going to 36×36 gives me a relaxed fit. I’m gonna see if going 33×36 is more if a slim look.
W/ 501 STFs, it feels like it’s all good.
Hey all,
came upon this great site and i got a few questions:
1) i measure a 32 waist, and i wear nudies in 32. I was told to size up 1 for 501 stf’s, since they are unsanforized.
2) I want a slim fit (not skin tight), but i am not sure how much i should size down.
3) I’m located in asia right now and there aren’t any stores that have stf’s here, so i can’t try em on.
thanks
Hey slimdj,
Depends on how much you plan on washing them. If you’re going to wear them without washing, or only with soaking, get your real size, they shrink a tad after soaking, but stretch back out. If you’re going to wash and dry, then size up 1 inch, or 2 for a more relaxed fit.
They’re cheap here- $35.00 USD. So I have two pairs:
One I have worn dry for the last 6 months as my “dress” jeans for the last 6 months. They’re just about ready for their first soak. I air them out, and they look great. They are 33/34. They are now slightly big in the waist, and need to be worn cuffed or stacked.
The other pair I have I treat as my beater pants – I wear them working on the house, mowing the lawn, gardening – and I wash and dry them to oblivion. They are 35 x 33. The fit perfectly in the waist, but look like they’ll get too short if I keep drying them so much.
Both fit great – so here you have two extremes between never wash/dry, and always wash/dry: 2 inches.
I”m 5 11, 185 lbs. (sorry, you’ll have to do the metric conversion) and pretty fit after doing 2 rounds of p90x with a true 33 inch waist in most dress pants, if that helps you.
Hi Flatcat,
I also wear my shrink-to-fits for at least for 6 months day-in-day-out, hanging it once a week outside and sometimes in the fog for some freshness. Then I take a bath or a swim in the sea.
Three weeks ago I have bought my last USA-made 501xx STF (made in 1998) by Ebay.com. and I have not changed for another older 501 until now.
I am intending to never wash this one, for a real perfect look and very slow fading. After 3 weeks now, the first signs of wallet-wear are visible in the left back-pocket: great!!
Cheers from the Netherlands
Bram
Flatcat,
thanks for the detailed explanation! I’ll probably do an initial hot soak, then hold off on the first wash until i’m satisfied with the fading. p90x is killer btw.
Just wanted to let everyone know that I have a new post up:
One Year Jeans and Washing Tips
It’s an in depth post showing progress of a pair of jeans over the course of a year and will answer all your washing questions when it comes to levi’s 501′s. Be sure to leave a comment!
I love this website!!! I have been trying to get good ideas on how to shrink my 501s. I finally soaked my first pair a few nights ago after about 4 months of wear. I wear a 33×32 in preshrunk Levi’s and got these in 34×34. But now after shrinking, they are a bit too short!! So should I try again with another 34×34 or up to 36? And then any ideas on what to do with the pair I have? With boots they are ok but with converse, way too short.
Hi Scotty! You could stretch your short 501′s legs when the jeans are still wet, this may help a little. Go with a 36″ inseam for your new pair, always expect them to shrink 3″ on the inseam. Back in the 90ies I bought my first pair of STFs from Sheplers, who recommended to buy them only 2″ longer than your usual lenght which in my opinion is bad advice. Go with the factory recommendation, that’s a plus 3″ inseam.
Thanks for the quick response Klaus. I hate to wet em again so soon but at this point I might as well try the stretch when wet as you suggest. Can you stretch while wearing em wet waiting for them to dry?
first of all, thank you very much for helpful information guys!
second, i wan’t to try this shrinking method. but i can’t find any 501 STF in colors that i like.. so what i’m wondering is if i buy a 501 STF in indigo, would i somehow get it to look something like a stonewash after a couple of washes or shrinkings?
when i look on ebay, i find used 501 STF in the lighter colors, so i wonder if some of them is actually indigo or knight, and that they’ve bleached or so during washing or shrinking?
Hi haakon, i think that you would have to wash a pair of 501 STF’s (in indigo) in hot water, many, many times before you would get the results that you are looking for so i would not suggest you do that. Have you tryed levis.com? The last time i looked they had colors in 501 STF besides indigo. I hope this helps.
Well, i didnt jump into a lake with my jeans on but i did soak them two days ago. I was planning to wear them unshrunk for a while but i only lasted 4 days before i lost my patience and was eager to shrink them down. And shrink down did they ever – wow, these 501 STF’s completely transform after a good soaking, even in cold water.
1. Before soaking my STF’s(tag W33 L31, no XX, made in Haiti)the measured W was 35.0″, the R outseam was 106.7cm and the L outseam was 106.4cm.
2. Soaked ‘em for 22 min in cold water, inside in.
3. Layed them over the toilet to dry.
4. Post soak measurements: W – 33.3″, R outseam – 100.3cm, L outseam – 100.4cm
5. Shrinkage: W – 1.7″, R outseam – 2.52″, L outseam – 2.36″
I am delighted with the results and everything went as expected but one has to wonder if these pants are made from cotton or cardboard – man, are they stiff !(luv it!). The length is now almost perfect, they are on the short side but i like them that way and the W is still a bit big but i dont mind a looser fitting jean. The next pair i buy will be at least 1″ longer and the W, 1″ or 2″ less. I now plan to wear them as long as possible – maybe 500+ hours, without washing(I dont think i can go the 2500+ hrs you did with your One Year Jeans, Ned! – that’s quite a feat). Can’t wait to start seeing those high contrast wear lines and tres cool natural fade spots!
Thanks for sharing, Kane, I’m glad you are enjoying them. The longer you go the higher the contrast…I think you may be surprised how long you can really go. Keep us updated!
My 2cents:
Brought home a pair of STF jeans from the SoHo Levi’s store last month. I’ve found most of the suggestions on this site range from somewhat impractical to completely impractical.
-Wearing them in the state you buy them is basically not an option living on the Lower East Side of manhattan. They may as well be Jncos.
-Wear them while they dry? In the winter? Cover my furniture in plastic, and walk around my apartment in yucky wet denim for 6 hours? No.
-They STINK! After the first soak in them, I walked to SoHo on a warm day, went to the Verizon store, standing at the corner I notice this disgusting smell, like someone’s been smoking tires. I’m standing in between 2 girls and they are both giving me this look and I realize that it’s ME that smells. It’s my frickin jeans.
Mortified, I walk straight home, start feeling a pain on my thigh. By the time I get home…
-The inseam had rubbed off the skin on my inner thigh in one spot. So now I have to wear a bandaid on my thigh every day.
Looks-wise, smell-wise and comfort-wise, it’s just not practical to take your suggestions. I’m about to throw them in the washer/dryer and finally rid my room of this disgusting raw denim smell. Thought I’d share.
Brian, thanks for sharing, I enjoyed reading your perspective! It doesn’t sound like shrink to fit are for you. I’m not sure what you mean by them looking like JNCOS. In Chicago, I see a lot of urban black and white youth wearing raw 501xx’s low and it looks very stylish. I’ve been seeing them show up a lot more online as well in hip hop and urban fashion. If you do ever try again, you may want to try and sit on a towel instead of covering your furniture in plastic, it’s way easier. Denim certainly has a unique smell that I guess could be unpleasant for some people. I’ve never really considered that it would be but it sounds like it is for you. I think you’ll find most of your complaints can be solved by washing them in the washer and dryer. You may want to look into pre-soaked in the future. Thanks again for the comment!
Hey Brian,
Thanks for the post. Here are my thoughts:
One of the reasons I love 501 STF’s is that there are so many ways to wear them. I currently own two (plus a pre-shrunk selvedge pair).
The first is a 35×34 that I wear casually and while gardening, doing chores, running around, anything, really. I then wash and dry the hell out of them. They look good, but not really different than well-fitting jeans any guy would wear. They just feel good, and look good enough for picking up the kids from school.
My second pair is 33×34. I bought six months ago and have simply kept wearing dry. I wear them about every other day and have never washed them, though I leave them to air out by putting them on top of the dryer while other clothes are drying, and the heat rising helps keep them fresh. I wear them around the house, running errands, while teaching Sunday School. They fit really well (though they are getting a little baggy, but I’ve also lost a little weight,) and because they are dark, but not navy, they look dressier. I wear them with my Brooks button-downs and sweaters, but also with black t-shirts and converse and they always look great. Now that the weather is getting hot, (I’m in California,) I don’t think I can wear them dry much longer. I’m getting some really nice fading, and the jeans always look good.
My point is – while there are a lot of suggestions on how to wear 501 STF’s, but you can just do what works for you. Maybe put on the jeans while they are still damp, wear them for 5-10 minutes and then take them off to hang dry. They’ll still look great.
Too bad that the 501 STF’s didn’t work out for ya, Brian…maybe you just need to give them another try. And Flatcat, you are right – the 501 STF’s are very versatile, ie- they are cool all the time whether they fit tight or loose.
An update on my STF’s, after about 88 hours of wear (post soaking) they have settled in and the overall L (outseam) has come back by 5mm and the waist has come back to within 1/2″ of the original measurement (pre soak). My jeans are two sizes too big for me (love that look) so there is no stretching but when i do manually lightly stretch them, that 1/2″ is taken up.
So from my experience, soaking in cold water for 22 min, the waist shrinkage was zero and the overall L (outseam) shrinkage was 2.3″ (label W33L31)
They are still stiff but not uncomfortable, still uniformely dark blue and no white in the creases yet.
Like some others here, the soak-while-wearing method seems cumbersome to me, so I simply soak mine for 45 minutes in a kitchen sink filled with hot water, then hang them to air dry. Softens them up enough to wear and shrinks them to the right size. Then I just try to wear the hell out of them before the next soak or first wash.
Hello to All …
there are so many good suggestions here for shrinking Levis 501 to fit. I get mine at Sheplers. They have the largest size selection that I am aware of at really good prices. I am an avid scuba diver and lifeguard – and always break-in Levis and Wranglers in water. Two years ago I also bought Resistol – traditional five pocket western cut in slim fit. They proved that not only 501s shrink. These molded to a perfect fit with good athletic support… like 501s. So do rigid Wranglers. And, if you want slim fit and can’t find your size in other brands, you might like to know that Wrangler 936 fit like Levis 511-512, except that they have a 16 1/2 leg opening – great for boots or high tops – or you can have them tailor – tapered. I also have my 501s tapered to a 13.5-14 inch leg opening to wear with dive boots/fins. I wear these on patrol on the highland lakes – after about 2 – 3 good swims, they fit like a second skin – very snug but not restrictively tight. And, you swim and dive like a fish. If you scuba dive deep – 100 feet, etc know this: the same principle of pressure at depth that causes a wetsuit to constrict, will mold
your jeans to a tremendous personal fit. We refer to Levis/wrangler/resoistol jeans worn with a neoprene or rash guard top as ‘top and levis’ – or ‘skins’. This protects you against cut, scrapes, stings during a rescue or training. On cooler or cloudy days you can swim/dive with the jeans and top; on hotter sunny days just swim in your jeans. We have to respond to emergencies quickly – so this allows no ‘suiting up’ prior and no unnecessary changing after swim or dive. In Texas we see ‘Texas Tuxes’ at weddings – this is where the guys wear a tux jacket with jeans and boots. After the reception, shed the jacket and swim till dawn.
Summer is around the corner – for me it starts in early May… lifeguarding in Levis. Enjoy the water; be safe. And know that your summer memories will be preserved forever in the personal fit of your jeans.
Thanks, this is such a great site. I hve so many jeans, old and new and would never have another brand of jeans.
However, I can’t find my size of jeans again. I recently got a new job where I can wear jean so I need some new ones without holes.
However, I can’t find my size of jeans.
Does anybody know where I can get the size 35/40′s?
I bought a couple a year or so ago but I just checked the same site and can’t find them.
I have checked Levi’s site, langstons and Army surplus where I used to find them.
Hey Phil, Rocky Mountain Connection have W35 L40 (indigo) in stock (rmconnection.com). Price : $40 bucks + $9 shipping (in US). Thanks to bretto for this link. They also have a pretty cool pair of burnt red STF’s as well as other rare colors. Hope that works out for ya.
Hello Ned and others!
I just bought my 501′s 24 hours ago. I definitely would recommend going to Zappos. They are $25 dollars cheaper than the Chicago Levi’s store after tax. They also include next day delivery free of charge and have many HARD TO FIND sizes and colors. I’m wearing the jeans now to get them ready for shrinking. I’ll let you know how it goes over the next couple of weeks. Thanks for your help!
Attn STF fans : Don’t do a hot water soak !
On the care instructions label inside my STF’s it says shrinkage approx 10%. This may be if you follow the washing instructions of machine wash (bad idea) cold and medium dryer (double bad idea) if needed. I am sure you’d get the same high % shrinkage using one or two hot water soaks or washes and only hanging to dry. I, on the other hand, have so far only done a cold water soak of 22 min. This produced a reduction rate of only 5.4% based on the overall length shrinkage. The waist reduction was zero as all the initial shrinkage has come back. I can see three advantages to soaking in cold water; you can order a shorter length/smaller waist, less dye will bleed out and its a more efficient use of resources. More shrinkage may occur after my STF’s first hand wash in cold water (months down the road) but I suspect this will be minimal – less than a 1/4″ overall.
Do 501 Shrink-to-Fits come in more than one color, or is the indigo pair the only true stf?
Levi.com lists indigo, black, light blue, grey, and green cast rigid, and under the 501 Shrink-to-Fit sign at my local JCPenny, they have dark, regular, and light shades of blue. I bought one dark and one light (they were buy one, get one half off), and since the classic dark was what I was most interested in, I decided to experiment on the lighter pair with sizes and shrinking. My measurements for pre-shrunk levis are 32-32–though they could be a bit longer, so I figured I should get a 34-36 stf. I took a hot bath in them and let them dry on me but to no avail–they remained a size too wide and two too long! Then I read about keeping the same waist size, so I exchanged the two pairs for 32-34s. (I figured if I was only going to shrink them a little in the waist, I would shrink the length only a little as well. And yes, they accepted the return, confirming only that they were the wrong size.) This time I tried them both on before getting wet, and to my consternation the dark pair fit almost perfectly–the exception being the dreaded wedge of too tight jeans (perhaps with wear and fitting, however, the seat would fill out?); the regular colored pair (yes, dear), however, fits loose on my hips and long in the legs.
I’m a 501 novice, so forgive me if my conclusion should go without saying, but AM I TO ASSUME THAT ONLY THE DARK 501s ARE SHRINK-TO FIT?
If so, I might go with a 32-36 and a 34-36–one to keep dark and slim, and the other to be my everyday pair.
BTW, the dark are Egypt and the regular are made in Mexico. Would that explain anything?
Thanks for this blog and for your feedback!
The shrink to fit come in different colors. The original color was only dark blue but the light blue pair you got should have shrunk the same. I wear the same size as you and had the same issue with mine. I ordered 32×34 and the waist was great but the length was too short. So the next pair I got I actually tried on at the store so the length would be good and have not washed them yet. I think they will be ok after the first wash. Mine are made in Mexico , btw. I am very happy with my Levi’s!
In praise of spray bottles.
So, I’ve worn my 501 STF’s for about 9 months now, no washing, sort of babying them. Wearing them an average of 3 days/week. I got caught in one rainstorm, and wiped wet hands on them a few times, but otherwise, totally dry.
They kept stretching and were a little too loose to really look good. I still loved them, the color, the wear marks. I didn’t want to do the tub soak for fear that I’d screw up all the good stuff.
Solution? A spray bottle with water. It allows for perfect control of shrinkage. Spray a lot where you want them tighter, leave them alone where you like the fit. I’m happy as a clam with the fit now. They no longer have the totally new dry look, but are finally getting that perfectly customized fit and look.
Hope someone else tries it, too and reports back.
great tip! thanks for sharing! if you ever want to write up a quick post on this or other jeans related topics I’ll happily publish it.
Updates from my Dec 29th Post:
(scroll up to read if you need to)
I call this my $100 dollar STF experiment- each pair was like 33 bucks or so. I originally bought 3 pairs of 32×36 STF in Verde Rigid, Light Blue Rigid & Knight Rigid (I normally wear 32×34 in Non-STF jeans).
Light Blue Rigid pair got accidentally washed and put into the dryer 3 months into wearing them. They were rendered useless (waaaay too small to fit, both the waist and the length) Plus they had weird fade lines resembling their crumples as they were crumpled in the washer. To the donation bin they went!
Verde Rigid was just a bit too baggy/loose after wearing them for 6 months. The fact that I could not roll/cuff them on the bottom kind of upset me. At first I thought it was cool that I didn’t need to roll them, but then over time I wanted them rolled! To the donation bin they went!
Knight Rigid came out and are still wearing perfect! They cuff perfectly at the bottom (about 1-1.25 inches) and fit great in the waist. 6 months of wear with these badboys and they are definitely in for the long haul! Their color is quite unique and gets compliments all the time!
Anyhow- originally I wanted to wear my Verdes for the long haul… Their color and feel is amazing, but after they got too baggy/loose I just could not commit to wearing them.
So I went out and scoured the internet and found them in a 31×38. (Remember, I am 32×34 Non-STF)
Started the hole shrinking process all over again. However; this time I did not sit in the tub with them on, I just submerged them in the hot bathtub for 30 mins followed by 2 days of hang drip drying.
Been wearing the Verde Rigids for 3 weeks now, gotta say, these are super dang AWESOME!
Perfect in the waist (they were really quite tight for the first 4 wears) and they are cuffed about 1.5 inches on the bottom. They came out EXACTLY how I wanted them.
Well that is my update to the STF world.
If you’re new to the whole STF thing, you may want to buy a couple pairs as ever pair will come out a bit different!
So is the Knight Rigid a different kind of denim similar to the Global 501s that are in the 11.5oz style or are they the same as the heavier dark denim STF (501-0000) 501s? I have always been curious about the Knight Rigid look.
Well all I want to know from all of you is, if the blue dye stains the bathtub forever. What did you use to take it off? How much with what?
I’m curious about the Knight denim too. I want to order a pair but some report they don’t shrink as much as other STFs so I wonder if I should order them in a shorter length. Any anecdotal advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I’ve been wearing Leivs 501 Shrink-to-fits for a few months now, figured out my size, so I went and ordered a pair of selvedge from Levis.com. advertised as “501 Shrink-to-Fit Rigid”. Another retailer called Sam Mashburn in Atlanta adevertised 1966 rigid STFs for about $200., made on the Cone Mills looms, but these from Levis. com were only a little less than $90.00. (Did I say only?) I figured since this was an experiment, I would rather lose $90. than $200.
Well, they are great, but THEY ARE NOT RIGID. These jeans arrived soft and wrinkled, and were smaller than the same 34 waist I had. Fortunately, the 34′s I had were too big, even after shrinking, so this 34 (which is actually a 33 or maybe even a 32) was right. But the length was shorter than I wanted.
The thing about selvedge Levis is that nobody makes them in many sizes. The longest I could find anywhere was 34. Having said that, the denim is better, and they are completely identical except for the strip of white fabric inside the cuff, with a thin red line of thread on them.
If they made a 34 x 36 selvedge, I would buy several pairs. Since they don’t, I am wearing 33 x 36 regular STF, which works okay. BTW, my review citing these facts doesn’t appear on the Levis site. They may not know much about their product, but give them credit for this–they sure know when they are being sharply criticized!
Has any tried either soaking or washing their jeans with a dechlorinator like you would use to treat water for a fish tank. I really think that it is the chlorine in the water that takes out so much of the indigo. Its also probably the reason why there is so much folklore about shrinking them in a lake or the ocean. ch
Or you can leave the water in the tub overnight to let the chlorine outgass.
This may not be the right place to as but whats the best way to clean the tub after sitting in your 501STFs?
I tried a suggestion that appeared here a while back. Vinegar. I poured vinegar in the tub and there was very little blue water left. I don’t know how it works but it does. But no more tubs and pools for me. Too much bother. For my last pair, I just turned them inside out, put them in the washing machine on a short cold rinse and spin cycle and took them out and put them on. They shrank to fit as good as the full soak. And cold water reduces the color loss.
Just some info on dye setting and cotton shrinking…
First what a great site, tons great info thanks a bunch to ned and all the posters!!!
I did not take the time to read every single post so hopefully I am not repeating someone else! I have years of experience dying carpet fibers and have studied fabric dyes, I am not a clothing dye person but I think most of the info applies here.
vinegar and salt will NOT help set dyes that are applied to natural fibers ie cotton. To make a long story shortish this has to do with the process of dyeing and what types of dyes are used on what fabrics. Cotton is dyed after the sheet goods are manufactured and the dyes that run off in the tub are not only the excess dyes but the dyes that are not set. To properly set the dyes in 501s you would need to use a fixative product like Retayne, The MSDS for this product states in summary that it is known to cause cancer and can not only be bad for your eyes, mouth and nose but also for your skin. I would not recommend using this product without thoroughly washing your 501s after, which kind of defeats the purpose. Also my guess would be that after using a product like this you are not going to achieve the desired wear marks as the dye will be set hard throughout the jeans.
So what brought me here is to learn different methods of fitting 501s, and even though I have not tried anything to set the dyes I would have to say the the best way to do this is to minimize the amount of warm tub soaks and maybe try to do a boiling soak for a few minutes then cool them down quickly, put them on and do a cool tub soak a few times. Heat will help set some of the dyes but it needs to be hot, like beyond tolerable to wear on your body hot!
Shrinking is also somewhat of a misunderstanding. Cotton does not shrink, the fibers expand. And what helps them expand is over wetting, ie soaking, and slow drying. When the fibers expand, because of the weave, the are pulled tighter to one another therefor “shrinking.” This also explains why raw denim shrinks much more in length then in width, there is more fiber to expand in length so it seem more dramatic even though if the weave is the same the amount of shrinkage per square inch would be the same. Soooo, contrast to what would logically make sense if there are places you would like to be looser than others I would try to speed up the drying process in that area(hairdryer) where the places you want to fit tighter let them slowly dry while wearing them.
This all just suggestions, I haven’t tried any of this as I like color and size that 501s give me from a hot tub soak and long wear with none to minimal washing. I might play around with some of this and will update if I do so.
Awesome awesome awesome comment, thanks! I’d love to hear about your experiments please let us know how it goes!
you need to have then dyr clean after the 1st. washing.
Hello, I know this is off topic but this thread has a lot of helpful people. I was looking for a white levis jean jacket for men but can’t seem to find one. I would like one exactly like the one in this video (the one the singer is wearing [dave gahan]) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x63nwg_depeche-mode-strange-love-vh1-week_music but not sure where I can find it. I did stumble into this website: http://www.openingceremony.us/products.asp?menuid=1&designerid=303&productid=14173 but I am not sure if it is an exact match or if the jacket is cords..if anyone could help it would greatly be appreciated thanks.
ok, i bought a pair of 501 stf’s….
super excited but worried i bought them too big. i normally wear a 30×30 for 514′s (slim/straight) so this is what i based my 501 size off of. since they do not offer 33′s, i went with 31×34 because i wouldn’t mind them being a little long. i wore them for a few hours but could not stand the feeling even cuffed, so i wore them to bed (which i love doing) and soaked them in a cold water tub for 15ish minutes. they did shrink up a bit but maybe not enough. they are still a tad stiff but definitely bearable and i wore them cuffed for another 5 or so hours.
- i know youre not supposed to wash and dry the life out of these, but could i if they fit better?
- or should i just bear it and wear them for a few weeks and soak them again?
i love the 514′s but am all about old stuff (wayfarers, classic rock, muscle cars, converse, that sort of thing) so 501′s had to be my next purchase…i am just afraid they won’t shrink up to what LS said they would
Nick, just wash and wear the STFs the way YOU like them. There is no rule about how to wash or wear jeans. Jeans are probably the most customized garment in the world. I wouldn’t care if 99% of all wearers avoid to washing the jeans. My STFs are washed after a few days in the machine as everything else is (I have to admit that I don’t like too a big contrast fading on my jeans and I definitely don’t like dirty clothes). However, here in Austria we are not used to using driers (most people even don’t have them) and this shows in a long garment life (my oldest pair of jeans is from ’94 and is still wearable). Just throw the STFs into the washing machine (inside out, of course) and see if they’ll fit you better afterwards.
From your post I guess you are an 80ies guy? Back then wearing bluejeans for ages without washing to get contrast fading, anyway. With the right care (regular washing with 110° maximum and no artificial drying) even nowadays’ jeans should last for years.
ok. how faded will these get? I have quite a few pairs of lighter jeans and really like the color. I ended up machine washing them and drying and don’t mind how they look. they had some funky lines but some of the fade marks were already there from the wrinkles I put in! I am going to keep wearing them without washing to see what kind of fading I can do then wash them to fade the rest.
lets see how it goes!
Ned has/had a picture of a quite faded 5o1XX lying next to a brand new one on this blog. He stated that people cannot believe that the faded pair once looked like the dark indigo one. From my experience, the jeans can get to a light stonewash colour. It’s difficult to compare, as jeans that have been rigid and then worn and washed for a very long time will ALWAYS looks custom. Even if washed often, you will get whiskers and fade marks that will distinguish it from factory faded jeans. While I love the colour “stonewash”, which is called a classic nowadays, nothing can top a pair of jeans I have worn for ages. You can simply see it in the colour, especially near the seams, pockets and waistband if the jeans have been prewashed or have gotten their fade by years of wear. I would say that even a kind of bleached colour is possible with enough washes over the years, but my jeans with the washing and detergent they get from me start to look like dark stonewash jeans (I’m talking about the colour fade, not the marble pattern, a pattern you won’t get to this amount on STFs) after some 3-4 years. I gotta admit that I have so many jeans that they may sit in the closet for a while until they got worn again, therefore they stay dark longer.
i may soak them and line dry them, i think i may have trouble getting some higher contrast fades now.
my next pair may be the black ones, and keep them ridged for quite a while to get some sick fades
ok I believe I have found another match to the white jacket I was talking about in my previous post http://caliroots.com/realdeal/product.asp?id=20263 actually this might be a better match since it is a red tab not white like the other jacket…only thing is that in the video the jacket has 5 buttons and this one has 6…sorry just really want that jacket in white lol
hi their well i just did my first shrinkage,two soaks in the bath,as the 1st time didnt take,2nd time was ok but still not enough so straight in the washer on a long hot cycle,when that finished in the dryer and bingo! they fit amazing although the stiffness has gone a little but yep well happy so thanks fellas
what color did you order and how much did they fade? i’ve been wearing mine for the last few days and they have some nice creasing but i’m afraid i may lose them all in the dryer. i may just run them through the washer inside out and then dry them…
i bought a pair of 30×36, i like to wear them slim. i got them at a western store..and they (like a lot of authentic western wear stores) have a tailor on site. i had the tailor bring the top of the legs in, making them entirely straight leg.
this is simple to do.. just bring the tailor a pair of jeans that you love as a template, and he follows the shape. now i’ve got a regular waisted, slim fltting straight legged jean that’s not baggy anywhere, and doesn’t taper off at the bottom.
I was thinking about doing the whole tub thing but getting into a sauna with the wet jeans. Any thoughts? Would it even make a difference?
Zappos has every size 501s you can think of.
I recently bought gray chalked levis 511tm 61% cotton 36 waist… i ended up wanting a 34 waist but it was too late 2 return., i would like to know what is truly a good method to make my jeans less baggy and more tight on me and possibly make the waist shrink 1 size down.. please help me and thank you!
i recently purchased some 501 STF levis and well i gotta say im not too happy with the results..so far.. so i soaked my levis in hot water in the tub twice, hung dry and wearing them now slightlyy damp. i wear 34×30′s so i bought 35×33 (just like the tag on the levis suggested) well after two soaks n drys the fit just feels so baggy =[ i was hoping for more of a straighter fit? the butt part feels huge and boxy and the rest of the pant down the legs are baggy too. maybe ill wash em n dry em?? im a little discouraged to buy more now, although im thinking about buying my true size and not shrink them and rarely wash em. suggestions?? thanks, i love the look of these levis too!
Hi!
Anybody knows about old us-made STFs?
I need to buy they on my exact size or size up according Levi’s suggestion?
Paul.
i was reading that wearing this in a lake was a good idea in shrinking them what about in snow?would the indigo color stay?somebody let me know plz
What is the procedure i should take, if i want to “shrink-to-fit” my new normal levis 501s?
Ethan, if you have “normal” Levis that are not the STF variety (or any other brand of jeans), you can wash them in the hottest water possible then put them on and walk them dry. I don’t recommend sitting down while they’re drying, as I ended up with excessive knee bulge doing this and had to wash them again.
Note that if the jeans are baggy, none of this matters and a simple wash and hang dry will suffice. Heat shrinks the denim (to a much lesser degree if they’re pre-shrunk) and wearing it dry “molds” it to your figure.
I’ve done this with non STF jeans and have had good results. Nothing spectacular, but if you have a few hours to kill on a hot day and want to go for a walk, it’s worth the experiment (in my opinion).
Can I shrink 501 White levis without messing them up ?
I have to add some information that seems like a pretty obvious question… most, if not all, of the shrinkage happens during the soaking portion of this process, not the drying part. I like about 4″ of cuff on my 501s, rockabilly-style. And because of my height, it was recommended that I purchase jeans with an inseam 4″ longer than my measurement. I bought jeans with an inseam measurement 8″ longer than my actual inseam! So I was a bit concerned about walking around with ridiculous 8″ cuffs while waiting for them to dry and shrink. To my delight, when I took the 501′s off the stove and put them on, they had done most of the shrinking already. Gotta admit, I was VERY skeptical that these jeans would shrink 4″, but they did almost entirely. Actually, they shortened up about 3.5 inches… I’m expecting to finish the job on subsequent washes.
They are still drying (on me! right now!), and I’m not so sure I like the tight-fittedness of the STF. I may swing by my local Sheplers and pick up a pre-washed pair to compare.
Rockabilly? I guess that’s what I am too! See I hate short jeans–my newest pair of 501s is 32X38 (used to be 34 x 36 but I lost a lot of weight this last year) and I wear them raw with a cuff.
After the first soak, the cuff gets a little smaller as the leg shrinks and it begins to stack somewhat. I don’t wash them much at all, but over time they soften, and the look works–that is, when I wear these 501s I ALWAYS get what Im after.
Levis STF 501s are my favorite jeans too but I also like to keep a good pair of wrangler 13mwz cowboy cut jeans in my closet. Has anyone tryed this process with a pair of rigid wranglers? How did that work?
Reggie, I have done this with with 13MWZs and 936 DEN (the “slim fit” version of the same jean). Used to wear Wranglers all the time. Effect is similar–they do draw up a little, although not as much as Levis. I got totally soaking wet (by accident) and had to keep them on all day. The length pulled up a little, and the waist drew in only slightly. The size stayed the same more than my Levis do. Most guys like to wear Wranglers “stacked” or several inches too long and piled a little over the boots. That way, when one is seated or in a saddle they don’t look stupid and dorky–with high-wader jeans pulled up their legs like a pair of cheap polyester slacks. Wrangelrs wear like iron, they shrink good, look good, and I have nothing to say against Zs–it’s just that I’m more comfortable cruising in my 501′s.
Hey Ethan, great site and great advice, however, I have one question for you. Like you, I’m a tall slender guy (6ft, 155ish) and I recently got a pair of 32x34s that fit perfectly after the first bath. If I machine wash the pants now, will I get any more skrinkage in the length? I worry that if I wash them again they’ll get too short. What’s your recommendation?
Thanks!
Sam
I bought a pair that were 2 sizes larger in waist & 2 sizes longer than normal. The bathtub process is not necessary. Wear them in a warm to hot shower. Watch the indigo dye run down the drain as you do a few stretching & crouching exercises. Take them off and allow them to almost dry overnight. The following day, put them back on while they are still damp and wear them around the house for a while. Repeat this 2-3 times over a few days, then wash them alone in the machine. The transformation is quite amazing. Big, over-sized, blue canvas pants suddenly become custom fitted jeans. Remember, of course, that the shrinkage occurs in the drying, when the fibres contract, not the wetting.
I have a pair of 501s that I bought at J.Crew, I have been wearing them without washing them for almost 4 months. This is the first pair I have started to wear without washing and I really love it, they completely loosened up and became so much softer. I like the wear patterns that I’m getting and they really look good with my square toe cowboy boots. I haven’t tried the soak yet but I am thinking it will be good for a rinse and also to break them in even more. May try the bath tub for that one. I have noticed that my jeans shrunk about half an inch vertically, I would have never thought that would happen. This is is such an interesting post, thanks!
Hey, I was just wondering how the STF’s fit after shrinking. I’m a really skinny person, who wears the skinny jeans, but I can’t stand the low rise of the 511′s and others. How slim do the legs get after shrinking? If someone could give me like a leg opening measurement that would be awesome.
Not sure what the love affair with the hot and warm water shrinking is all about. I’ve done several trials and errors over the years and I have found that a cold water soak works just fine. Might be a little slower process as it usually takes me 2-3 soaks to get it to the fit I like but hey, who is in a rush here. I think the cold water helps preserve a darker color (I like’m dark). I also throw in a cup of vinegar. Not sure if the vinegar really helps preserve the color but it seems to be a popular suggestion of lore so I figure it can’t hurt. I soak’em in the tub with just enough water to keep the jeans soaking wet for about 20 minutes. Again my thought is less water less loss of dye. I then hang them after the soak till they stop dripping then put them on while damp and let them dry while wearing them. I wear a waist 32, length 32 in a pre-shrunk levis jean. However, please note that I could easily get away with a 31 waist, but I don’t like any resistance when I button the top button. A pre-shrunk 32 waist gives me about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of slack in the waist. I like to know that I can go out to lunch or dinner and eat a full meal (and have a few beers) and still feel comfortable in my jeans. On a personal note, to me there is nothing wierder or grosser than a guy wearing tight jeans. I’m sorry but those “urban cowboy” dudes I see at my local country bar wearing the skin tight Wranglers is about as uncool as it gets! I also feel the skinny jeans are cool for my high school son but not for his 47 year old father. So when I buy STF 501′s I go with the same 32 inch loose (1/2 to 3/4 inch of slack) waist. I will try a few on and go with the loosest 32 waist (they do vary, so I highly recommend trying a few on) I can find on the shelf. I find a 34 length is perfect (I’m not into cuffing. If they ever bring back the narrower leg opening I might try cuffing again and go with a 36 length). Now, here is the kicker, I never, repeat, never use warm or hot water when shrinking or washing and I never, repeat, never use a dryer. I cold water shrink and wash and air dry exclusively. Heat in the water or in a dryer will shrink them beyond my comfort level and make them too short. This method gives me a comfortable yet form fitting jean in the legs and seat with breathing room in the waist and for that ever most important part of the male anatomy. I have a pair of STF 32/36 that I have put through the dryer that fit, but too snug for my comfort level. Everyone is going to have their own trial and error process and their own desire for the perfect fit. I hope my post is helpful. My suggestion if you are new to this is err on the side of too loose rather than too tight especially if you are a man. As for the long run when they need freshening up I wash in cold water with 1 cup vinegar. If they get really dirty or stained Woolite Dark really works well. Always air dry. Have fun and remember, your mileage may vary.
Ive got a pair that fit me well in the legs but not at the waist, they are too small. by doing this could i make the waist bigger?
Question to ned and anyone else who has advise: I’m a natural 30×32 when it comes to buying 501′s original fit (basically the ones that dont say they will shrink). Im not sure if I should buy 31×34 or 32×34′s so that I can wash them in my bathtub or washing machine in cold and let them air dry and shrink them down to 30×32. I do like my jeans to have a bit of a baggy rigid look to them but at the sametime a nice fit so that i dont look like im in a big potato sack. Any suggestions???
Sorry, forgot to mention that I want to shrink my STF’s not the orginal fits. Also is there a way to buy a natural size STF and prevent it from shrinking when washed?
How much bigger do you suggest I buy my STFs if I don’t want the skinny look?
Charlie, if you want them to fit a bit loose in the waist, go for one size up in the waist. Keep in mind that if when they shrink, they’ll stretch out (in time) to about an inch. The 501 model isn’t a skinny fit from Levis, so you won’t have the skinny look no matter what.
I would get them 1″ smaller on waist and maybe 1″ on the inseam. The 501s already have a particular cut. If you want your jeans to be baggier, you should look at some of the other Levis.
It would be great if Levi’s would issue STF jeans in other styles. I like my jeans to fit like the 569′s but I also really like the idea of the raw unshrunk denim of the STFs. So for now I’m trying to size the 501 jeans in a way to give that baggy fit.
I was wondering if you knew the weight in oz on the levi’s 510 canvas trousers. It’s the super skinny. I am referring to. I just want to know the weight or the thickness of the material. Thanks
that is better model what I wear it in my life ……………LEVI`S 501 Jeans for men.
I just received a pair of raw 501 stf in indigo. i’m kinda big at a 42×32 so i got a 44×36. I’ve read every post about how to shrink these jeans that I could find. After reading all these articles, I did the opposite of what people said I should do: I washed them immediately in the washing machine in hot water, no soap. Then I placed them in a hot dryer for 20 minutes. When they came out, they were still damp, and then I put them on and moved arounf in them…so far I am pleased with how they fit. The length is slightly longer than I like, but if I repeat the process I think it’ll work out. I might wait a month or two before I wash them again. Just letting you know that a dryer may not be the death of your jeans if you time it correctly.
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i usually wear 28 waist and i ordered a w28 501stf but they are a little tight, if i go for a tub shrink, will they still fit me?
I just got my first pair of 501xx’s in over 25 years. I’m wearing them in, pre-shrink, and was wondering if they have to be shrunk in something large, like a tub, or can I put them in a 5 gal bucket w/ hot water…and would it matter if I ran them through a spin cycle before wearing them until they are all the way dry?
Great site by the way…lots of great information!
Just got my first pair of 501 STF …I ended up soaking them folded in the kitchen sink in very hot water for 45min then i put them on in the shower and wore them until they were no longer dripping
I’m a big guy and i don’t wear my jeans at my waist because i would never be able to buy pants that weren’t well into the big and tall range ….so i got a pair of 46/ 30 hopeing to get down to like 44/29 ….so far the length seems like it is close but i feel that overall they may need another soak …i may try cold water from now on as i like the dark blue and don’t want to lose the color
Does anyone know if hand washing in cold water and then hanging to dry will help preserve the color ?
Already eyeing my next pair but i want to see how these come out before i spend anymore money
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