Vintage Levi's 501s

A few years ago, we too bravely roamed the aisles of vintage stores in search of the vintage Levi's 501 jeans of our dreams. Since then, we launched Imparfaite, and these years of on-the-job training allow us to now unearth for you the most beautiful vintage 501s in France. We decided it would be cruel not to share with you this knowledge acquired over the years. What you are about to read here is Imparfaite's internal vintage 501 bible. Knowledge kept secret until now. But today, we are going to tell you everything...

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#1 Are Vintage Levi's 501s Really for Me?

We often hear “I like vintage 501s, but on others, because they don't suit me.” Rest assured, they are not iconic for nothing, they suit everyone for three simple reasons:

He makes a flat stomach:

These are mid-rise pants with a tight fit, preventing the feeling of a bulging belly in the evening.

It slims the legs:

Close-fitting through the thigh, with a straight cut all the way down. You'll never have the feeling of your calf stuck to your jeans again; it makes for beautiful, long legs.

He has dreamy buttocks:

It lifts them up and gives them an ideal shape, without the famous unsightly crease that some jeans have.

#2 What is the difference between the vintage 501 and the modern 501?

The new Levi's 501s are nothing like the vintage Levi's 501s. They have more stretch in the fabric, the cuts are more fitted, and industrial washes don't hold a candle to a fabric that's been aged for fifty years. It's simple; the new Levi's don't have a hundredth of the cachet of the old ones. And that's a good thing because a beautiful vintage one is on average 30% cheaper than a new one and 100% more eco-friendly. Combining business with pleasure, oh yes!

#3 How to choose your vintage Levi's 501 size?

1. Find your vintage size

The hardest part about finding your vintage Levi's 501 jeans is finding the right size. Vintage Levi's jeans run much smaller than current Levi's. To do this, always size up two sizes from your current size. Here's a simple size chart to keep in mind:

2. Put on your vintage Levi's 501s

When you first wash your Levi's jeans, they can feel a little stiff. Don't worry, after a bit of movement, the fabric will soften and become like a second skin.

3. Adjust the size according to the desired style

You can wear it in three different ways:

For a close-fitting fit, take a size below yours.

For a classic fit, take your usual size

For a slightly baggy boyfriend fit, take one or two sizes larger than yours.

#4 What length should you choose for your vintage Levi's 501 jeans?

How to avoid the camel toe effect?

To begin with, rest assured, a camel toe can happen to anyone. It's even happened to tall women... On Levi's 501s, the longer the leg length, the higher the fly height will be. If you want to avoid the camel toe effect:

If you do less than 1.68 cm , everything will suit you
If you do between 1.68 and 1.78cm prefer lengths L32 or L34
If you are taller than 1.78cm take from L34

#5. Choose the color that makes you swoon

White
Light blue
Medium blue
Dark blue
Black

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#6 How to shorten your jeans?

Our favorite length is ankle-length. If your Levi's are longer, you can either flat-cuff them or cut them shorter for a frayed effect, which we particularly love at Imparfaite.

#1 Turn your jeans to the desired length
#2 Cut in the height direction
#3 Draw a straight line across the width
#4 Cut along the line
#5 Pull the threads to start fraying
#6 Machine wash for a beautiful finish

#7 How to wear your vintage Levi's 501 jeans?

Romantic

Mix your favorite vintage jeans with a puff-sleeved blouse: plain or gingham, with a large collar or ruffles, for a very Parisian / falsely demure look that we love.

Blouses
80's

With a denim jacket for a total denim “Canadian tuxedo” look. With an angora sweater for a very 80s mix or a plain t-shirt for a Robert Redford meets my Calvins featuring Kate Moss look.

Denim jackets
Cozy

With an Austrian cardigan to brighten up your fall days, it's the ultimate Imperfect uniform, unique and timeless.

Cardigan
Easy

With a vintage t-shirt, this is the look you can adopt both during the day with a trench coat and sneakers, but also in the evening with a blazer and heeled boots.

T-shirt

#8 They've been wearing it forever!

Because it has been dressing the coolest girls of every generation for over a hundred years: from Cindy Crawford to Jeanne Damas, including Lady Diana and... you! Levi's released the 501 in 1890 for American workers. This tear-resistant, durable denim from Nîmes was a textile revolution. In the middle of the century, Levi's democratized the 501 and made it sexier by adding belt loops and the famous "red tab," the little label on the back pocket that catches the eye. From then on, it seduced cool kids around the world and left its mark on the silhouettes of our heroines. Wearing the same Levi's as Brigitte Bardot, Cindy Crawford, Françoise Hardy, and many others became a dream accessible to everyone. Since then, new icons have taken over the symbol. Camille Charrière, Jeanne Damas, Anne-Laure Mais and Sabina Socol swear by their vintage 501s, which they wear in summer and winter, with espadrilles, sneakers or heels... In short, the Levi's 501 is to jeans what Burberry is to the trench coat, a must-have.

#9 Can you wash your Levi's 501s?

All vintage Levi's on Imparfaite have been washed and are water-resistant. You can machine wash them, always inside out, at 30° or 40°, but tumble drying is prohibited. So air dry them; you're doing them good, and the planet too. If you like them very raw, namely dark blue, try to avoid machine washing as much as possible, which tends to make them look dull. On the other hand, for your white jeans, never mix them with colors, which would give them a grayish look.

#10 Beware of copies

As one of the most powerful brands in the world, 501s are prone to counterfeiting. The result: poor cuts, fragile fabrics, and six-legged horses on the labels (for real). At Imparfaite, we only work with vintage professionals who inspect them thoroughly to ensure you receive only the best.

#11 Vintage 501 jeans for expectant mothers

Nothing is more complicated than finding a nice pair of jeans when you're pregnant! For all expectant mothers, we recommend opting for vintage Levi's 501s. Two options are available to you: A larger Levi's or our maternity Levi's. For the first option, you can close it up until the 6th month, beyond that, a small elastic attached to the button will be necessary. For the choice of size, nothing could be simpler, opt for two or three sizes above your usual size (it all depends on your weight gain and the desired comfort). This will give you a boyfriend look, to mix with feminine tops that will highlight your pretty belly. For those who want to wear their vintage Levi's until the end of their pregnancy, we have developed an upcycled capsule of vintage Levi's 501 jeans specially for mothers. The two side bands of vintage jersey hand-sewn by the solidarity workshop 2mains in the 93 will give you optimal comfort throughout your pregnancy and postpartum too. From the front, maintaining the original buttonhole allows for a beautiful silhouette! A pair of jeans to keep preciously, and to lend between friends ;)

Congratulations, if you've made it this far, you've become a 501 pro. Now let's find your perfect pair of Levi's jeans together.

Don't know your vintage size?

Don't panic, find the vintage Levi's jeans of your dreams with our Levi's Calculator

To start

See all Levi's