What do you do when your favorite Levi's get trashed?

[mattl]

I bet we all have some, jeans that fit just right.  I always wonder why I can buy the same style and size and they fit completely different.  Got a favorite pair of Levi's 505's that fits perfect, not too loose, not too tight and stretched just right, but the clip that hold the zipper up broke and the zipper will not stay up if I move too much.  Examined the zipper and it looks like it has a small mechanism that clicks into place when the tab is down, the broken one is very loose.  Any tips on fixing this?  Not really up for replacing the zipper as these are getting toward the end of their life, I see the knees going soon.

 

Does anyone know why the same brand, style and size of Levi's vary so much?  To me it seems that at this point in our manufacturing history every pair of Levi 505 34x36 should fit the same...

 

[circlew]

Hey Matt, I've noticed the same thing. Not just with Levi's, but with shirts of the same brands and styles. Not only are they obviously sewn by different people, but I noticed different pairs of my Levi's 505's were made in different countries.

 

[cfz2882]

zipper

i don't have a pair of levi's handy to examine,but might be able to slit some of
threads of the waistband to release enough of the upper part of the zipper to
replace the moving part of the zipper with a good one from another zipper of the
same design-perhaps from a "junk"pair of jeans.A sewing machine will be needed for
the reassembly....
I noticed the same varible fit with levi's jeans of the same size too-used to wear
a lot of levi's in the '90s when i was in my 20s;30x36-fit great at ~140 lb,still
have a couple left but they don't fit at the moment-a few pounds need removed LOL

 

[arbilab]

I switched to Wranglers from Walmart, about the only thing I buy there. They're from Mexico, not China. But they're $10 and Levis are $50. Sorry Levi, I'm not paying $50 for pre-faded dye and pre-wornout denim. Lifelong customer, lost. Wonder where your market share went? I just told you. I prefer Levis but not at 5x the price.

 

[mattl]

CFZ- sewing machines I have, good idea!  But do'nt you have to start the zipper from the bottom?

 

Been pretty much a Levi's guy most of my life, have not bought any in a few years.  I had picked up 4 or 5 pairs on ebay that were close to unworn and they were going for $6-9, looked last night and there was little if any below $20 for used!  Odds are I will have to break down and buy some, new- but will wait for a sales of sorts, $40-50 is not reasonable.  I mostly wear 505's but like 527's also.

 

[circlew]

Have never paid anywhere near $50 for Levi's; usually get them for less than $30 when they're on sale at Kohl's and I have a 20 or 30% off coupon to use with my Kohl's charge.

 

[franksdad]

Levis here also

But I have also wondered why there can be differences in fit.  I bought 2 pair of 550s at JCPenney several years ago.  One fit just perfect...the other pair just didn't fit the same.  Since about 2004 I've been buying all my Levis at Goodwill.  I have also bought several pair of Ralph Loren Polo jeans and Chaps jeans at Goodwill.  They fit well also.  

 

[perc-o-prince]

"Not really up for replacing the zipper as these are getting toward the end of their life, I see the knees going soon."

Ahem............

Like Arbilab, I go with Wranglers and get them at Wal-Mart (not for $10, though!). Levis have never fit me well, even when I was a teen and my mother was going to splurge for a pair instead of the usual K-Mart Husky's.

Matt- if you turn them inside out and use an iron-on denim patch at the knee, you'll lengthen the life. We can't have "the ripped look" in our clothes for work, no matter how in-style it may be, so as soon as the knees start to go through I pop a patch on from the inside. It stops the small hole from getting larger and I get a while more out of the jeans!

Good luck with that zipper! You could always use a safety pin!

Chuck

 

[westie2]

I like Levis but they have gone out of sight in price.  The brand I am buying now are C.E. Schmidt from Tractor Supply.  They are the 14.5 oz fabrice wheich wear as well as the Levis'a or Wrangler jeans.  To me the fit is like Levis at a lot lower cost.  Last pair I bought was on sale for 14.00.

 

Here is link to them

 

 

 

 

http://www.tractorsupply.com/

 

[cfz2882]

while on the jeans subject...

....Do any of you turn your newer jeans inside-out when you wash them?-never have
any problems in the filter flo or other top loads,but sometimes with front loads
will get creasing that shows on fresh jeans-no problem with well "worn in"jeans
though.

 

[mattl]

I do turn my jeans that I really don't want to fade too much inside out and it does seem to keep the color better.

 

[jamiel]

Funny you mention the traumas of jeans as a youth...I remember normally we shopped at Sears but one year my mother decided to go all the way (10 miles to the next mall) to Penney's for back-to-school shopping. I had to get Husky jeans at Penney's (but was OK with regular at Sears). Terribly traumatic... lol

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Remembering "Levi's", VS. "Designer Jeans&#3

Tooo bad that you CAN'T BUY ANOTHER PAIR!

I want a pair of Corduroys and they have to be in khaki, beige, brown or tan if I want to wear them to work...

I had to settle for a pair of "Nauti-Cords" by Nautica & I also bought a pair of Tommy Hilfiger cords (though I SWORE that I would NEVER buy a TH product, though I somehow got stuck w/ a bottle of his COLOGN!) just because I could get "Tommy" cheap & wanted two pairs & admittedly couldn't make up my mind, as they were lighter/darker tan/khaki/beige...

Really wish you could still buy a pair of Levi's in ANY color, corduroy or denim like "back in the day" (and once you got a free billfold w/ a purchase of Levi's Cords, but me being into Jordache, Sasson, and Calvin Klein, at the time, I paid $2 for my Levi's vinyl wallet!)

Remembering & Reminiscing...!

-- Dave

 

[polkanut]

I have several pairs of worn out, but not used up jeans that would be excellent for a quilting project.  Around 1996-97 Bev & I attended an Amish quilt & furniture auction, and I bought a beautiful quilt with the top made out of black and blue jean squares.  A few have the back pocket still intact and a piece of red handkerchief material sewn to look like a hanky sticking out.  The back of the quilt is red handkerchief pattern material.  It is wool filled.  Somewhat heavy, but very warm. 

 

[yogitunes]

Sometimes you can replace the tongue of the zipper, with the little flap in-tact, it just takes a pair of needlenose pliers to bend........

the whole idea of jeans fitting well, is how great they make your butt look!.....even the slight snug fit in the front as well.....nice eye candy.....

pics will help us decide for you wether to keep them or not....you did want our help......didn't you?.....lol