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Are the World’s Most Popular Affordable Jeans Still Any Good?

The Levi’s 501 style has been the most popular jean since its creation in 1873. We decided to a review a new pair to see how they stand up.

By John Zientek

Published May 11, 2024

Full disclosure: I’m a longtime fan of the Levi’s 501. I’ve got a few pairs of the straight-leg style that get regular wear. My favorite pair came into my life by chance a decade ago: I wandered down a quiet street in San Francisco’s NoPa neighborhood when a laundromat owner dumped a pile of forgotten garments by a corner trashcan. On top was a pair of perfectly worn and faded vintage Levi’s 501s. I took them home, washed them, and tried them on, and, a perfect fit — noticeably better than other jeans I owned. It was meant to be.

Levi’s has produced the 501 for 150 years, and, according to Levi’s senior VP and chief product officer Karyn Hillman, it’s “the most authentic, effortless expressive item of clothing.” I couldn’t agree more: The 501 is both ordinary in its ubiquitousness and extraordinary in the way it allows people to express themselves. The 501 is a blank canvas, providing a foundation for anything from utilitarian workwear to fashion-forward outfits, and looks flattering on just about any body. Although certain features have evolved and changed over time — the brand offers the silhouette in stretch as well as premium denim — you can also choose between a tapered silhouette and a skinny fit.

New iterations aside, I’ve been curious how the stock 501, the non-stretch Original Fit jean, fares in the modern marketplace saturated with denim styles. I’m also curious how the iconic jean fares today, especially in comparison to my collection of vintage 501s, which are unique in their aging but familiar in fit. So, to see for myself, I got a couple of pairs of off-the-rack 501s to explore how the most iconic jean stands up in the 21st century.

Levi’s 501: What We Think

The 501 Standard Fit is the gold standard for an affordable classic jean that looks great on anyone, no matter age or body type. It’s not made from premium denim, and that’s just the point. It’s made from solid, serviceable denim, and it’s produced in overseas factories so it can be sold at an accessible price. As much as the rest of the fashion world changes, the Levi’s 501 stays a bonafide classic — we should all take solace in that.

Levi’s 501 Original Fit Jeans

Specs

Fit	Straight Leg
Washes	23
Waist Sizes	26 – 44
Inseam	28 to 40

Pros

Timeless style with a fit flattering for all body types
Looks as great in boots as it does a pair of sneakers

Cons

Fabric quality isn’t what it used to be
Manufacturing inconsistencies, specifically with sizing

$79.50 at Levi

501s will never go out of style

This is a classic. Levi’s has produced the design for a century-and-a-half. The straight-leg fit is appropriate for almost everyone. Being Levi’s flagship product, the style is widely available and relatively inexpensive. It’s a durable pant that should last for years, developing unique fading over time, and crafting its own personality.

The 501 Original Fit is a no-nonsense jean that is flattering on various body types. It doesn’t pander to fashion trends and has an unabashedly straight-leg silhouette. It’s neither skinny nor baggy. The 12.5-ounce denim is appropriate for a range of seasons and the jean comes in various washes to suit your personal taste.

Sizing can be inconsistent

To test the 501 Original Fit, I picked up two starkly different washes: a rigid unwashed denim and a light stonewash denim. While the soft hand feel of the stonewashed pair created a different wear experience, the fit of both pairs was spot on. A few years ago, when I talked with Levi’s VP and head of global product innovation Paul Dillinger about jean quality, he mentioned the importance of fit. “The Levi’s 501 jean is world famous, and is also made in factories in nearly every region where it’s sold,” he said. “It’s important that the fit is absolutely consistent wherever it’s sold.”

Though the silhouette is rock solid, the 501 Original Fit may have sizing inconsistencies according to various online reviews. As this is Levi’s budget 501 produced at high volume, there are more issues with sizing than with the brand’s higher-priced options. Some reviewers found that the listed waist size didn’t correspond to their actual size. My advice: buy from a site with a strong return policy. That aside, these are workhorse jeans. Don’t get them if you want some selvedge to show off or you’re looking for denim sourced from a storied Japanese mill (Levi’s has those, too, but at a much higher price). Buy these and wear ‘em into the ground. They’re your workhorse, so treat ‘em that way.

They offer one of the best values for denim

While Levi’s offers high-end vintage reproductions of different 501 jeans, they are priced at a premium. The stock 501, on the other hand, is geared at a budget consumer who still needs good-fitting, durable jeans. The front pockets are reinforced with rivets, while bar tacks reinforce the back pockets. The five-pocket style has a button fly that offers greater longevity than a zip fly.

“With more than a century of experience, we know the best place to use a chain stitch versus a lock stitch; or where to use a double-needle felled seam versus a simple single-needle straight stitch,” Dillinger says. “We know where to put a rivet or bar-tack to create strength, and what type of sewing thread is best suited to each type of operation.”

They feel like home

While not as immediately comfortable as my faded and beat-up vintage 501s, the Original Fit pants featured the same straight-leg fit that looks equally good with boots as it does cuffed with sneakers. Uniqlo and Everlane use stretch denim in their affordable jeans, but some of Levi’s 501 jeans are made with 100 percent cotton. The fit sits at the waist and has a straight leg that is regular through the thigh.

levis 501 jean review gear patrol slide 3 — Different washes are made from different materials. The more popular pairs come with slight stretch — up to 3 percent elastane, in fact.

While I wear wider-leg chinos and slim-fit jeans, the democratic fit of the 501 feels like home — it’s comfortable and allows my personality to show. The fabric quality in the Original Fit jeans isn’t what you’d find in vintage reproduction or premium denim from Japan, but that’s to be expected. And that no way means these aren’t a good option for everyday wear — they may be the best option for everyday wear — at least, for shoppers looking for classic-fitting, well-made jeans.

Alternatives

If you’re not into the straight-leg silhouette, Levi’s offers the 501 Slim Taper ($98), which has a taper from the knee to the ankle. Or, if you like the style but you’d rather have a bit of stretch for comfort, Levi’s also offers an Original Fit Stretch version of the jean. Want to invest in a Levi’s 501 that is closer to what the vintage models were like? Try one from the Levi’s Vintage Clothing line.

If you want to avoid Levi’s altogether, head to Buck Mason and grab its Ford Standard Jean ($148), a contemporary ode to the 501 with premium weight and fabrics. You could also get by with Everlane’s Authentic Straight Jean ($118), which comes in a classic blue wash.