# Levi 501s **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levi-501s/77869 "2001-08-24T07:18:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dave\_Stewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levi-501s/77869/1 "2001-08-24T07:18:36Z")
501 what? Rivets? ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levi-501s/77869/2 "2001-08-24T07:33:24Z")
“Around 1890, these pants were assigned the number 501, which they still bear today.” - From the [Levi’s history page](http://www.levistrauss.com/about/history/jeans.htm). 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. ---
**Author:** ![therealblaze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@therealblaze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/therealblaze)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levi-501s/77869/3 "2001-08-24T07:35:05Z")
“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.” [Source](http://www.levistrauss.com/about/history/founder.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levi-501s/77869/4 "2001-08-24T21:38:00Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levi-501s/77869/5 "2001-08-24T21:50:56Z")
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.