So on Monday the day finally came, albeit with a slight mishap from FedEx. I received my '47 501's from cultizm.com in Germany, and MAN am I excited. First off, I want to post a picture describing a bit more of the "wear properties" that I described in my last post. I was desperately searching for a picture I remembered from somewhere online but I didn't find it until today. So, note that the two jeans as they appear here are the exact same item. Well - they're the same jean, one just has nine months of wear and washing on it. THIS is what I think is so amazing and I can't wait to see how my pair comes out.
Hopefully then you can recognize the differences. In the 1st photo it is easily noted how much more shaped the 1947 is than the current one. Especially in the upper thigh you can see how much more sharply it cuts in from the top of the inseam. This characteristic of newer cuts of the 501 is referred to as "anti-fit" as in "not fitting." Whoever came up with that term deserves an award...
The second photo displays the promotions of the two pairs and you can begin to see the differences in the quality of the denim and a slight difference in the indigo as well. The cheap 501 seems to be a bit more grey while the '47xx has a really deep indigo color. Maybe "greyer" isn't the right word, but the '47 definately seems more saturated.
The third picture tries to display that a bit more clearly. The cheap 501 is place on top of the '47xx. Here you can also note the difference in texture.
The last photo shows the difference in the waist size even before washing. The '47 is noticeably smaller in the waist by an inch and a half or more. Easily explains why the '47 cut is considered so thin in comparison to modern day versions.
This is the patch of the 1947xx (as can be noted by the LOT label). Obviously the patch on these ones is not paper, which has been the case over the last 30 years or so.
Perhaps I'll try to get some pics up of the selvage 514's that I'm wearing right now to see how they're doing after about two months of wear.
This is an example of one of the selvage (or selvedge) seams on the inside of the pant. It's made with 12.5oz Red Cone Denim straight out of North Carolina.
This was the letter enclosed and included in with the jeans explaining a bit about the making of them. It's a cool vintage sort of touch, and I think shows a great appreciation for the product. It's the kind of thing that BR might take note of and incorporate in future marketing... I've pictured it here, but just in case it doesn't read through, here's a transcript:
"To the Owner of this 501 Jean,
1947: 501 Jean
The 1947 501 jean is a kind of hybrid, harboring attributes from the 1930's and World War II, combined with an eye to the coming Baby Boom years. That is, it was a jean that was embodied both a storied past and a bright future.
When World War II ended and raw materials were available again, Levi Strauss & Co. leaped back into heavy production ot meet the growing post-war 501: slimmer fitting, with no extra details like the cinch or suspender buttons, this was a jean that was ready to rock and roll. The watch pocket rivets came back after their wartime hiatus. And the Arcuate was stitched on the back pockets again, after being applied with paint during the war's duration. But it came back in a different form: thanks to new, double needle technology, the famed double arching stich was now uniform in size and design, no longer subject to the skill of the individual sewing machine operator and her single neele machine.
The red Tab with it's capital "E" had never gone away, thanks to its status as a trademark. And the red selvage, 12oz. Cone Mills denim was still the bedrock of the jean, as it had been for nearly two decades.
By the end of the 1940s Levi's jeans were being sold across the U.S., aimed at the new, emerging middle class. The 1947 501 was the jean of a new generation.
DESIGN DETAILS:
Cone Mills 12oz Red Selvage Denim (14oz after wash) - 2 back pockets with covered rivets - "E" red Tab - Two Horse leather patch - Double neelde stitched Arcuate - Watch pocket rivets returned after the war ***** - No crotch rivet
Enjoy!
Yours Truely,
Levi Strauss and Co."
Not to bad a thing. No point but really cool in a geeky kind of way.
This is the sort of stuff that makes fashion, though - the cool little stories behind why things are made the way they are.
Well, hope you enjoy embarking on this journey with me.
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