Wrangler is Better than Levi's

[dieworkwear]

Ordered a pair of 3sixteen jeans based on the recommendation of @dieworkwear. They arrived today. They seem to be high quality and I have no issue with the recommendation, but I'm very confused and somewhat angry with myself. Based on my usual size in Nudie jeans, etc., and the company's indication that their jeans are true to size, I ordered them in my normal size (34). These are their straight leg (SL) jeans that are advertised as having room up top with a taper from the knee down.

I had to triple check all the tags to see if there had been some mistake. It seems as though I'm trying to put on a child's jeans. They are extremely tight with what seems like a pretty low rise, and I can't even come close to pulling them all the way up or buttoning them. No problem with my other jeans of the same waist size. I thought maybe I got the slim tapered ones by mistake. Nope. These are just comically small.

The reason I'm mad at myself is that since they were my usual size and the fit description sounded great, I paid extra to have them hemmed. So they're non-returnable. Wonderful. My fault, but wow, I didn't expect this.

That sucks to hear.

Did you check the measurements against your other garments? Are the measurements within the ballpark?

I'm a 30 waist and take a 30 in that jean, but a 32 in the kibata (unsanforized) version, if I remember correctly.

 

[clee1982]

didn't they have measurements?

 

[BPL Esq]

That sucks to hear.

Did you check the measurements against your other garments? Are the measurements within the ballpark?

I'm a 30 waist and take a 30 in that jean, but a 32 in the kibata (unsanforized) version, if I remember correctly.

Compared with my other jeans that fit well, it seemed like all the measurements should have been OK for me, but they are not. I haven't measured these to match them up with what their website says. Kind of crazy how different the fit is from straight leg jeans in the same size from other companies.

Perhaps I didn't measure correctly or something. Either way, my fault for paying to have them hemmed without getting an unfinished pair to try first. Notably, the inseam is perfect.

 

[dieworkwear]

Compared with my other jeans that fit well, it seemed like all the measurements should have been OK for me, but they are not. I haven't measured these to match them up with what their website says. Kind of crazy how different the fit is from straight leg jeans in the same size from other companies.

Perhaps I didn't measure correctly or something. Either way, my fault for paying to have them hemmed without getting an unfinished pair to try first. Notably, the inseam is perfect.

That's weird. It might be worth double-checking the measurements.

Or see if they accidentally sent you the ST-100 (slim tapered). I find those to be too low rise and slim for me, even in the same size. But the SL-100 should be TTS.

 

[TC11201]

Compared with my other jeans that fit well, it seemed like all the measurements should have been OK for me, but they are not. I haven't measured these to match them up with what their website says. Kind of crazy how different the fit is from straight leg jeans in the same size from other companies.

Perhaps I didn't measure correctly or something. Either way, my fault for paying to have them hemmed without getting an unfinished pair to try first. Notably, the inseam is perfect.

It is surprising - I’ve found the sizing advice on 3sixteen’s website to be pretty spot on. In the SL-100x I am a 34 (like LVC 1967 505s and lots of others), but have to size up in the ST-120xk to a 36. The 34 in the ST-120 was absurd - a lot like you’re describing (it felt like my legs were in a vise). The SL-100 also has a reasonable top block - not dad-Jean roomy, but not not waif-thin and certainly not comically small, at least IMO. I agree that you might check to see if they sent the wrong model or the pair you have is mis-marked.

May I ask what you had them hemmed to?

 

[BPL Esq]

It is surprising - I’ve found the sizing advice on 3sixteen’s website to be pretty spot on. In the SL-100x I am a 34 (like LVC 1967 505s and lots of others), but have to size up in the ST-120xk to a 36. The 34 in the ST-120 was absurd - a lot like you’re describing (it felt like my legs were in a vise). The SL-100 also has a reasonable top block - not dad-Jean roomy, but not not waif-thin and certainly not comically small, at least IMO. I agree that you might check to see if they sent the wrong model or the pair you have is mis-marked.

May I ask what you had them hemmed to?

I will check again but am pretty sure they were tagged as what I ordered (SL-101x - the lightweight selvedge). I experienced the "vise" feeling when I tried them on. The top block didn't feel even remotely roomy.

They were hemmed to 29.5.

 

[TC11201]

I will check again but am pretty sure they were tagged as what I ordered (SL-101x - the lightweight selvedge). I experienced the "vise" feeling when I tried them on. The top block didn't feel even remotely roomy.

They were hemmed to 29.5.

Bummer. Both the fit issues and, unfortunately, the hemmed length (I’d have taken them off your hands as it’s about time for me to start breaking in a new pair but they’re unfortunately too short for me).

 

[BPL Esq]

Bummer. Both the fit issues and, unfortunately, the hemmed length (I’d have taken them off your hands as it’s about time for me to start breaking in a new pair but they’re unfortunately too short for me).

I appreciate you considering it. I'm sure they'd be great for someone; the fit just isn't for me, I guess.

 

[Torzano]

Don’t know where else to post this. This jacket is sick. Looks like a wrangler denim jacket with no pocket on one side. Has anyone seen these before? I guess Miles was in a trucker phase.

 

[double00]

RARE VTG WRANGLER SANFORIZED JACKET WESTERN SPORT DENIM Early 70s one Pocket L | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RARE VTG WRANGLER SANFORIZED JACKET WESTERN SPORT DENIM Early 70s one Pocket L at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

looks like this might be the model ? there's a snap button version too

Vintage wrangler denim jacket Size M 40 One Pocket Snap Button | eBay

<p>Vintage wrangler denim jacket. </p><br /><p>Some stains.</p><p>Overall good pre owned</p><br /><p>20” pit to pit</p><p>21” length </p><p>22.5” sleeve</p>

www.ebay.com

it is nice , i agree

 

[Clouseau]

Got one from the « 1947 » collection they did several years ago. Slightly different : snaps, single chest pocket without flap.

 

[sajesak]

I had been a Levi's customer for most of my life having bought multiple pairs of 501s and 511s over the years. Over time, I became frustrated with rising prices, poor quality control, and inconsistent and horrendous vanity sizing. Some research on basic denim brought me to Wrangler, which would usually never be a comparable alternative to Levi's for most younger east coast guys.
I ordered 2 pairs of the Cowboy slim jean ($44 each) and 5 pairs of Wrancher permanent press slacks ($35). I was delighted to see that they run TTS and come with a higher rise than today's 501 offering. These jeans/pants are super sturdy, versatile, and affordable. The Cowboy Slim fits more like a 80s/90s pair of Levi's than anything the latter offers today.
It seems that Levi's has marketed itself as a cool fashion brand and milked its status as the original jean maker dry.
Wrangler doesn't have the marketing of download facebook video, but it produces an excellent and fairly priced product.
I wish more people would realize this!

For a variety of reasons (marketing, lesser past and current popularity compared to Levis, limited production and distribution of repro versions, etc), Lee jeans and jackets get a lot less attention here and in general than Levis do.

Growing up in Montreal in the 60s and 70s, Levis were at first entirely unavailable and later only in limited versions and models, and remained far less popular then Lee, which were THE denim brand through these decades. If you were poor or if your folks didn't understand the importance of flashing the right brand, you wore the cheaper copy Lois.

Before it was even called the Canadian Tuxedo, wearing Lee Riders and a 101J denim jacket was the uniform that crossed the generation gap and various subcultures, everyone had them in the closet and many of us lived in them; I can remember wearing them religiously for years.

Eventually I got into Levis when raw shrink to fit versions hit the shops, though I had owned a few oairs before that I would get on NYC trips, foe example to get bell bottoms before they were available in Montreal, and soon after pretty much stopped wearing jeans until decades later, when raw denim and repros started really making waves.

During this time I tried out a few different brands, mostly sticking to classic cuts and not going crazy for extreme fades or extra heavy or slubby or other extreme denim types, having always loved the way good denim would fade and become velvet and soft and change character as it would wear, I preferred to cold machine wash them occasionally and wear the crap out of a few pairs rather than do what many denim heads did, namely buying multiple pairs and barely or never washing them. This way I'd always have a pair for work, for casual wear, and for kicking around, getting dirty, etc.

I tried a few brands that no longer exist, Naked and famous, a few versions of Levi repros, but never fell in love with a pair until I stumbled across my old favorite and standby HD Lee.


I now wear vintage 101Js, Westerner and Storm Rider jackets, and the superb European 101 series jeans, mostly the 101Z regular fit and recently a pair of the very cool 50s Rider, high-waisted and straight-legged, and all in the original beautiful Lee blue and the very soft and comfortable left hand twill. They go great with my Western shirts, or any traditionally cut shirt worn tucked in, and especially cool with the short vintage jackets, which really don't work as well with modern untucked fashion.

I'd love to hear from any other fans of this special brand, whether past or present !