Welcome to Brand Breakdown, a series of comprehensive yet easy-to-digest guides to your favorite companies, with insights and information you won’t find on the average About page.

In the beginning, there was one: the 501. In 1873, Levi Strauss and Co. received a patent for blue jeans reinforced with rivets and began producing stronger pants for working men. Over the past century, the brand’s jeans became a favorite of miners, laborers, rock stars and city-dwellers — a quintessential American garment that transcended all social classes. And since the advent of the 501, Levi’s has created dozens of fits for its ever-growing clientele.

All Levi’s jeans follow a similar naming sequence, beginning with the 501. But, the reason for the 501 designation is a bit of mystery. “Around 1890 is when we started calling our copper-riveted waist overalls the 501,” says Jonathan Cheung, the Senior Vice President of Design Innovation at Levi’s. The mystery surrounding the number is largely due to the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 that destroyed many of the company’s files. “The 501 was a product identification number, but we don’t know the reason why it was a three digit number beginning with five,” said Cheung. So now, as an homage to the company’s legacy, all Levi’s fits are denoted by a number: 501, 505 and 511, among others. Each number denotes a cut designed for a specific style and body type.

Throughout the 20th century, Levi’s also made jeans outside of the 500 series. The 200s in the 1920s and 600s in the 1960s were both designed to be more affordable. But for ease of use, this guide will only describe the fits that are made by Levi’s today (Levi Vintage Clothing and Levi’s Made and Crafted are not included in this guide).

Terms to Know

Denim: The fabric used to make jeans, this strong cotton twill is dyed with indigo which gives it a distinctive blue shade. In recent years, this all-cotton fabric is woven with a small percentage of stretch material for comfort.

5-pocket: The foundational design of all blue jeans designed by Levi’s. The 5-pocket design is simple: two front internal pockets, one right-hand coin pocket — originally a “watch pocket” — and two back patch pockets.

Bar Tacks: A series of close machine-made stitches used to reinforce stress points throughout the jeans. Most noticeably, this feature is found on the top corners of the back pockets.

Rivets: Another foundational feature of all Levi’s, copper rivets are placed at a handful of stress points on the jeans.

Red Tab: This small tab is sewn on the outside of the right back pocket. It is one of a few ways Levi’s are instantly recognizable.

Arcuates: These two rows of yellow stitches form arcs on the back pockets of every pair of Levi’s.

Back Leather Patch: No pair of Levi’s is complete without the back right waistband patch showing two horses pulling apart a pair of jeans — a nod to Levi’s strength and durability. For practical purposes, this patch also shows the fit number and size.

Understanding Fit

Anti-fit: This is essential to Levi’s ethos. Jeans have a slightly looser fit, especially in the top block (see below). “The back of a pair of Levi’s doesn’t really hug a guy’s backside perfectly,” Cheung said.”That is deliberate.” The iconic image of Bruce Springsteen’s posterior on the cover of Born in the USA exemplifies this look.

Top Block: The part of the pant that includes the waist and hips. The cut here defines the fit through the thighs: skinny, slim or straight.

Waist: To find a waist size, measure across the top of a pair of jeans (laid flat) and double that number (i.e. a waist measured at 16 inches is tagged as a size 32). The waist measurement is also the first number of the tagged sized (i.e. 32 x 34).

Inseam: This is the second size listed on the tag. It refers to the measurement from the crotch to the leg opening.

Rise: The rise indicates where the jeans will sit on your waist. When measured, it is the distance between the crotch and the top of the fly. The greater the rise, the higher the jeans will sit on your waist. Typically, slimmer jeans have a lower rise.

Shrink-to-Fit: While only available in a small number of Levi’s 501s, shrink-to-fit jeans are made from denim that has not been pre-shrunk in the factory. Jeans cut from this denim will shrink when soaked and will form to your body. Levi’s claims these jeans will shrink up to 10 percent after the first soak.

The Levi’s Fits to Know

Since the release of 501s, Levi’s expanded its offering to include numerous fits for different occasions and lifestyles. Currently, the brand offers well over a dozen silhouettes for men — here’s how to tell them apart.

Straight Fits

501 Original Fit Jeans


The fit of the original blue jean has changed over the years, but you can still count on a straight cut that sits at the waist with a button fly. You won’t get more classic than this.

Price: $60

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501 Original Shrink-to-Fit Jeans


This is a raw denim version of the classic 501. These have the same straight fit as the standard 501s but are designed to shrink to your body. There are a few different ways to achieve the best fit, but the Levi’s-approved method is simple: buy a pair with your true waist size, but with an inseam that is two sizes larger than what you typically wear. Put the jeans on and sit in a warm bath. Then wear them until dry.

Price: $60

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505 Regular Fit Jeans


The 505 is the first zip-fly jean by Levi’s, created in 1967. With a similar cut to the 501, they sit at the waist, offer a bit more room in the thigh and have a straight fit down to the leg opening. Like the 501, this is a Levi’s classic.

Price: $60

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514 Straight Fit Jeans


This classic straight fit is designed for those with an athletic build. The 514 is cut for comfort, sitting below the waist with a regular fit through the thigh and a straight leg.

Price: $70

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559 Relaxed Straight Jeans


A cousin of the relaxed-fit 550 (see below), the 559 sits below the waist, has a roomy thigh and maintains a straight fit in the leg.

Price: $60

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569 Loose Straight Fit Jeans


Roomy without being baggy, these are cut to sit below the waist and feature a loose, straight-fit leg. Along with the generous cut, these are woven with stretch material and have extra room in the seat.

Price: $60

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Slim, Skinny and Taper Fits

502 Regular Taper Fit Jeans


The 502 offers a little bit more room in the thigh, sits slightly below the waist and includs a taper down to the leg opening. These feature a zip fly.

Price: $70

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510 Skinny Fit Jeans


These are noticeable slimmer. Made from denim with stretch, these jeans have a lower rise and smaller leg opening. This gives you some mobility while not sacrificing the skinny jean look.

Price: $70

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511 Slim Fit Jeans


The 511 is Levi’s standard slim fit jean. These are made with denim that includes a bit of stretch, they sit below the waist and they have narrow leg opening.

Price: $70

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512 Slim Taper Fit Jeans


These are a spinoff of the 511, but with a narrow fit through the thigh and a tapered leg. They also have a bit of stretch for comfort.

Price: $70

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513 Slim Straight Stretch Jeans


The 513 has a well-rounded fit — not slim but not straight. They sit below the waist, they’re slim through the thigh and they have a straight leg.

Price: $70

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Engineered Jeans 570 Baggy Taper Jeans


The 570 is a roomy blue jean with a pronounced taper (the resulting silhouette is sometimes called a carrot cut). This silhouette also comes in a pattern that has one back pocket and front slash pockets.

Price: $98

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Boot Cut Fits

527 Slim Boot Cut Jeans


An update on the recently axed 517, these bootcut jeans are slim through the thigh and have a less-pronounced leg opening.

Price: $70

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Western Fit


The most recent update to the Levi’s lineup of boot-friendly jeans, the number-less Western Fit sits at the waist with a straight leg and a slight flare. It’s also considerably flexible thanks to a heavy dose of polyamide, polyester and a bit of elastane. Unlike many of its other jeans, these feature extra belt loops, a reverse yoke and ‘safety’ felled inseams.

Price: $60

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Athletic and Relaxed Fits

541 Athletic Fit Jeans


Made for those with an athletic build, these stretch jeans are an underground hit for Levi’s. These offer a relaxed fit with a slight taper.

Price: $70

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550 Relaxed Fit Jeans


First relaxed in 1985, the 550 was Levi’s initial take on a more relaxed fit. It is based on the 501, but features more room in the top block and thigh.

Price: $60

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560 Comfort Fit Jeans


Designed for comfort, the 560 sits at the waist, has plenty of room in the thigh and includes a slight taper to the leg opening.

Price: $60

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