In the 1950s, the leather patch was replaced with heavy cardstock to decrease the manufacturing cost per pair. [3] X Research source
The opening 5 in the style number indicates that the jeans are Levi’s highest quality. [5] X Research source The two horses are meant to symbolize the strength of the jeans’ rivets. [6] X Research source
The classic 501 is known as the Original Fit, and features a straight leg and classic fit. [9] X Research source The 505, or Regular Fit, has a straight leg and a loose fit, and are the style that Mick Jagger wore on the cover of the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers in 1971. [10] X Research source The 517 features a casual boot cut, and fits slightly slimmer through the leg. [11] X Research source
In the 1960s, Levi’s used an orange tab to label their fashion denim, including bellbottoms, shirts, hats, and accessories. Orange tabs are still sometimes used in vintage reproductions. [12] X Research source A dark-colored tab with an orange carrot is the signature of Levi’s Fresh Produce line from the 1970s. A blue tab denotes Levi’s premium line, Levi’s Made and Crafted. A silver tab was used starting in the late 1980s for Levi’s baggy jeans.
In 1941, Levi’s dropped the rivet from the crotch of their jeans because it had a tendency to get too hot when the wearer sat beside a campfire. [13] X Research source During WWII, Levi’s backed the war effort by removing rivets and decorative stitching from their jeans. The stitching on the back pockets, known as the arcuate, was painted on instead. [14] X Research source Jeans made after 1971 will have a lowercase “e” on their red tab. Prior to this, the logo had an uppercase “e. ”[15] X Research source
Search local directories to see if there are any vintage shops near you which might specialize in Levi’s denim. Check the historian archives on Levi’s website. http://www. levistrauss. com/unzipped-blog/tag/historian/ Find forums online that center around vintage fashion. Browse their resources for Levi’s-specific information or use the message boards to ask questions about your jeans.
