Customer Reviews Levi's® Mens 501® Original Shrink-to-Fit Jeans

Seriously, you can't beat the originals, in my opinion. Been wearing them my whole life (used to pay $5 per which kinda dates me). Even though they are not as hefty as they were 50 years ago, they are still strong, well built, comfortable and sharp looking - especially with cowboy boots. What's not to like? I just bought 3 new pair!

Mandatory break in period reuired. Recommend washing in hot water wearing.

The Levis 501 Shrink to fit are my favorite jeans 35x38 shrink perfectly for my 34x36 frame. Levi quality I have come to expect and Zappos always has quick ship.

Nothing better than the classic. They do need to be washed in hot water first but worth the effort. Last for years and fade over time.

If you treat these properly they aren't stiff. You just have to break them in. Plenty has been written about how to shrink these the "right" way. These are just jeans, not some precious artisanal cheese. Just wash and wear. I will say though that I do follow Levi's recommendations to not wash jeans too frequently. There's really no need unless they are visibly stained or getting funky. I never put jeans in the dryer. I read a lot about these shrink to fit jeans regarding how much bigger to buy in order to allow for shrinking. After buying a couple of pairs I've realized that you should pretty much buy your normal waist size and a couple inches longer in the leg. At least that's what works for me.

I have a hard time finding pants that fit my shape. The shrink to fit process (google it) provided a custom fit that looks great. My only gripe is the pockets are a little small in today's big phone world.

Wow! Someone at Levi's should probably get fired over this. The 501 Shrink-to-fit is arguably THE item that defines the Levi's brand, and somehow, someways they've managed to ruin it! No one in the USSR or China was paying 3x their price for authentic Levi's 501's with crappy stitching and denim weighing 3-5 ounces less, c'mon! A few years ago 501 shrink-to-fit jeans were the nicest thing your dollar could get you, heavyweight denim stitched right and an icon. Well, instead of personnel at Levi's saying "we might need to charge $5-10 more for these jeans to keep them as they are", they decided to f**k them up, single-stitch inseam instead of double-stitch, crap lightweight denim instead of what they'd been using, lighter indigo dye to save some pennys, etc. Levi's wrecking the classic 501 shrink-to-fit (while still selling then as a disingenuous "original") has forced me to consider other brands that do it right because they've decided to do it wrong. Buy at your own risk, find an older pair on eBay or something if you can.

baggy fit

Got the order in a timely manner and was as I expected

These 501 SHRINK-TO-FIT Jeans are the original ones that shrink A LOT! My husband has been wearing these for years. I washed these in super hot water, twice, and added a lot of fabric softener in the rinse cycle. I then dried them in a very very hot dryer. They shrunk the perfect amount. My husband normally wears in a PRE-SHRUNK JEAN: 32 waist/30 length In SHRINK-TO-FIT: 33 waist/33 length They turned out really soft and look and feel great. The denim is much heavier than other Levi's, so they last.

Great transaction... Levi's at Zappos...great combo awesome product and awesome service

I've been wearing Levi's since my 13th. birthday in 1957. Always purchase 'Shrink-to-Fit', wash inside out with other pairs, let the bleeding of the new pair mix with the old pairs. Hang outside to dry and button-up and they'll expand in the waist with one or two try-on's. Only Brand and style I'll purchase and have been wearing for close to sixty (60) years.

Product returned.

I've been wearing these jeans for more than 50 years, but I may have to switch. The quality of the dyes or the material has gone down. I am particularly irked by the white lines down the legs left by the creases created for packaging. But, the general quality of the material including the coloring appears of lower quality, as well.

These pants look & feel great

These are almost impossible to find now. I've worn the same size shrink to fit for 30 years. They last forever, fit great. If you have a good figure, these are the best. Thanks Zappos.

Don't overthink it. I wear a 34W x 30W. Bought these Shrink to fits in rigid blue in my correct waist but 2" longer (34W x 32W.) Arrived baggy as hell and stiff as everyone says. Washed once in hot water and a little tide. Hung dry for about an hour, then put on still damp. Tight as hell at first around the waist but loosened up in about ten minutes. length shrunk up a perfect 2" as I'd read it would. Wore damp for about two hours, hung dry rest of the way. Cold water wash and hang dry from here on in. My new favorite beater jeans. Great price from Zappos, arrived in two days Thanks!

The jeans were so tight and I ordered the correct size that I always wear and have not gained weight, matter of fact I list 34 pounds.

These are definitely true 501s. I have been wearing them everyday since purchase, as per Levi's reco. They fit well already!

Lowest quality pair of jeans I've ever seen. Do yourself a favor, DO NOT BUY. These are not the same quality Levis that they used to be.

Great classic stf 501 levi fit. Sizing perfect. Arrived early. Zappos excellent service!

I really wanted the old shrink to fit. I am a woman buying these to make cut off shorts from. They are higher waisted than I thought and I remember them having four buttons not five. I wear a 27 in Lucky jeans so I bought a 30. After washing they are tight. I should have bought 31s.

I have been wearing Levi's 501 Shrink To Fit jeans for abut as long as I have had legs. They are getting increasingly more difficult to find, especially in my size. I was long overdue for a few new pairs and I went to one local box store that usually has them. They were out of my size, and the area in the store was a mess with sizes and styles all jumbled together. They said they could order my size and get them in two months! I called a few others rather than waste more time. Same weak story. I believe my wife suggested Zappos. They had them in my size and free shipping, cheaper than the local guys. They arrived in like three days. You have to wash these jeans as they have to shrink to fit correctly. For some reason, one pair came out of the wash with a open seam. I called Zappos. They sent me a new pair , no questions asked and they did not want the damaged pair returned. I am thinking this is great. If you are not a shopper, and you know what you want. just cut to the chase, get down to it and buy whatever you want here. I ordered two more pairs. I am never going to monkey around with the local looser stores again for jeans. I am very impressed.