Understand What Goes Into Your DenimLevi's has earned its reputation as a foremost purveyor of denim partly because of the durability of its jeans. Nowadays, the brand groups its denim into three tiers: good (which is sold at retailers like Macy’s), better (styles stocked at its brick-and-mortar outposts), and best (jeans from its Vintage and Made & Crafted lines). That last category draws from the company’s archive and picks out the most beloved features of its vintage styles, according to Michael Glasmacher, a manager at Levi’s Meatpacking District store in New York City—with durability and make being the most important features in the "best" category. "These jeans are constructed to withstand wear and tear," he says. Understanding the popularity of the brand in the secondhand market, Levi’s also sells styles crafted out of its own vintage denim in its stores; these are called Lot, Stock, and Barrel jeans—and, if you want that authentic vintage feel without necessarily sifting through the infinite racks of denim at the thrift store, they’re a pretty good bet.
PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 02: Anne-Laure Mais, fashion blogger from Adenorah, wears a black jacket, a white top, blue denim jeans pants, and red shoes, outside the Alexis Mabille show, during Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2017/2018, on March 2, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)Edward Berthelot
Forget "Traditional" SizingIf you really want to find that perfect fit, you needn’t concern yourself with traditional sizing, according to our experts. “It’s very important to realize that vintage Levis don’t have stretch like most of the modern jeans and that sizing can be misleading,” says Parker. “Know that the original tag size has most likely shrunk a size or two.” (Another thing to keep an eye out, according to Sagawa, is whether the style you’re trying on is a “student cut,” as those tend to be narrower around the hips than the traditional “adult” sizes.) Maione explains that at What Goes Around Comes Around, stylists “measure the exact actual waist size of the jean to fit you properly”—so make sure to make note of that number when browsing.
