This year, we celebrate a century and a half of the 501® Original (our first-ever blue jeans) and people living in Levi’s®. And in the world of 501® jeans, every person has a pair, and every pair has a story. What started with some denim, copper rivets and an American dream has become a worldwide phenom and, quite possibly, the most beloved clothing article of all time.
Our iconic five-pocket, button-fly straight fit has been loved by everyone: miners, cowboys, hippies, rockers, skaters, musicians, politicians, celebrities, unsung heroes and countless others on every kind of journey. And that’s led to a lifetime of *your* stories interwoven into the fabric of ours.
So, when it came time to throw our biggest, baddest anniversary bash ever, the first thing we did was find real people with a real love for 501® jeans and ask them all the same thing: “So...what’s your 501® story?”
“I feel like my 501®s are lucky because I met Queen Latifah in them. Can I say Queen Latifah? Is that like copyrighted? I met her in them and she smiled at me.”
—Mizan, retired ax-throwing instructor/ordained minister/ jewelry maker/painter/poet/skater all-around creative person who customizes 501® jeans and has the above gem of a tale.
“The first 501®s I got were in high school. I worked as a telemarketer and I saved up my money to buy a pair. My job as a telemarketer didn't last, but my 501®s did.”
—Marco, vintage clothing dealer/DJ whose Mexican dad used to travel across the US border with a suitcase, fill it up with Levi’s ®, then bring the jeans back to sell. Eventually, he moved to the States and started his family, so Marco considers Levi’s® a part of his heritage.
THE CUSTOMIZATION CHAPTERS
Stories of one-of-a-kind DIYs, creative deconstructions and the natural wear and tear that leads to recrafted perfection.
“I usually paint on my 501®s things personalized to me—cartoons, gold jewelry, Caribbean culture. I put them all together to create a walking art piece.”
—Emily, painter/singer/dancer who cut class in high school to thrift her first 501® jeans, and once ripped the crotch of a 501® pair hopping a fence at a music festival. (She still wears them.)
“I stole my first 501®s from my brother, cut them to shorts and started distressing them like crazy. They wasn’t my pair, so I just had fun with them.”
—Jay, model/entrepreneur who loves to experiment with new destruction and personalization techniques on his 501® jeans (Clorox, nail clippers, etc.).
THE VINTAGE CHAPTERS
Stories of beloved family hand-me-downs, jackpot thrift finds and the occasional stolen, er, “borrowed” pair.
“The 501® to me is about versatility. I think it's so popular ’cuz anybody can wear it and do anything they want with it, you know? Whatever mood you're feeling, you can wear a 501®. I have a pair that my dad gave me from the ‘70s, which is the decade that I enjoy the most.”
—Connor, actor/musician who prefers to wear his 501® jeans undersized or oversized.
“One of the best parts about wearing a secondhand pair of Levi's® is that they'll have the imprint of how the person before you wore them. You’ll be able to add your own to it. They're a visible history.”
—Alessandra, vintage clothing dealer/model whose pair here is from the ’70s. She used to hike in them before she realized they were such a treasure. As a story of the self-made American dream, Levi’s® has always been important to her family and heritage.
“I feel the most like myself in the 501®. I thrifted my most meaningful pair for this best dressed competition at school and won. It was the first time I got acknowledged for style or was considered fashionable.”
—Wanda, fashion designer/creative consultant who (with the help of a friend) has thrifted over 450 pairs of 501® jeans!
THE PERSONAL STYLE CHAPTERS
Stories of never-worn-the-same style.
“When I started transitioning, I was really nervous about leaning into more masculine clothing. I loved the idea of stepping into jeans that were literally worn by a guy before, so a friend gave me his 501®s. I put them on and they were my exact size. That was my first time experiencing gender euphoria and understanding I was trans.
This began a much longer chapter of me figuring out what actually felt good, not just looked good, to wear. In 501®s, I had this safe space while I was trying to find clothes that felt fun and exciting and affirming.
That’s what I love about 501®s: they’re a staple for a lot of different types of folks to feel confident in. You kind of take the masculinity and femininity out of it when you have this super amazing, beautiful, clean fit. Regardless of gender, so many people out there are wearing the same jeans.”
—Carter, creative director/photographer/drummer
“I feel sexy in my 501®s. Is that too much? Cause I do! I feel damn good.”
—Karl, musician who once bought Shrink-to-Fit™ 501® jeans but didn’t realize you had to be *wearing them* when you soaked them in the tub. They ended up teeny-tiny, so he bought another pair and got it right the second time.
“I feel sexy in my 501®s. Is that too much? Cause I do! I feel damn good.”
Every day more 501® chapters are being written and rewritten by characters old and new, from all four corners of the globe. There’s a reason 501® jeans have remained iconic through countless cultural revolutions and fashion cycles. Their legacy is living, with no end in sight—and plenty of space for your contribution.
Good jeans run in the 501® family, so shop the entire 501® assortment online and in stores.
