I’m about to give up on Levis altogether. I used to have a pair of 515 stretch boot-cut jeans that I luurrrved to their inevitable end. (I am a chick BTW.) But in the last six months I’ve bought two replacement pairs of the same style, both of which fit me very well, maybe even a little tight, in the dressing room. However, after I bought them and wore them for a day, they became so goddamn stretched out that I can pull them down over my (not unsubstantial) backside without undoing the button or the zipper. And forget wearing them for a second day - they look like they’re three sizes too big.
I don’t get it, because it seems like they’re the correct size, but the fabric doesn’t hold its shape at all. I do know that I don’t feel like giving them another chance after two strikes!
The cut has indeed changed. I know that Levi’s changes the cut of 501’s every decade or so. My google-fu is a bit weak, but I’ve seen a timeline of changes to the 501 over the years. They last changed it last year to be somewhat slimmer, from the early aughties to last year they were pretty baggy. The 1947 version is somewhat iconic among fashionistas. I don’t know how they were cut in the 90’s. Maybe the 501’s you tried on were last year’s? The new ones have a tag reading 501 on the inside waist at the middle back.
All I could find was this discussion about changes to the 501.
I came across some 505 jeans this weekend for only $23 at BJ’s Wholesale Club. They are the waist size I normally wear but were 1" shorter. Unlike the last pair I bought these fit fine around the waist, and even though they’re 1" shorter they’re longer than other pairs I have that are supposedly longer.