501 what?
Rivets?
“Around 1890, these pants were assigned the number 501, which they still bear today.” - From the Levi’s history page. They didn’t further extrapolate.
I think it may have been because a “typical pair of Levi’s® 501® jeans takes about 1 3/4 yards of denim, 213 yards of thread, five buttons and five rivets.”
Levi’s fives doesn’t sound as good as five-oh-ones.
“As the end of the 19th century approached, Levi stepped back from the day-to-day workings of the business, leaving it to his nephews. David Stern had died in 1874 and his four sons - Jacob, Sigmund, Louis and Abraham - came into the business over the next few years. In 1890 - the year that the lot number “501®” was first used to designate the denim waist overalls - Levi and his nephews officially incorporated the company, though by this time he had begun to concentrate on other business and philanthropic pursuits.”
We’re the old flared levis from the 1970’s (orange back-pocket-tab, no rivets, no leather patch, zipper fly),
as sturdily made as the original 501’s? It always seemed like they weren’t as well made as the straight-leg 501’s.
Lessee, they seem to make
569 - Loose Straight
557 - Relaxed Boot Fit
579 - New Baggy
501
505 - Regular Fit
512 - Slim Fit
517 - Boot Cut
550 - Relaxed Fit
560 - Loose Fit
Any theories will have to take these numbers into account, too. I’ve worn 517’s for years, and sometimes have trouble finding them.