Levi's review

Levi's is the default answer to the question of which jeans brand to buy in the US, and its own history explains why. Levi Strauss & Co. was founded in San Francisco in 1853, and in 1873 the company and tailor Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent for adding metal rivets to work pants, the garment that became blue jeans. The Red Tab has sat on the back pocket of the 501 since 1936, and the 501 turned 150 in 2023. Levi's also sold the first blue jeans for women in 1934 and relaunched its women's denim in 2015 as the 700 series, which adds stretch to a fit inspired by the original Lot 701. For tighter budgets, the company sells Levi Strauss Signature through mass retail stores. The gap in our research is price: levi.com blocked our requests from our location, so we could not confirm a US starting price or the size runs, and we scored value conservatively.

Who it is for

most shoppers who want a proven, classic jean

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending).

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• Levi Strauss & Co. and Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent in 1873 for adding metal rivets to work pants
• The Red Tab was first added to the 501 back pocket in 1936 and is still placed there
• Lady Levi's, launched in 1934, were the company's first blue jeans for women
• The women's 700 series, launched in 2015, adds stretch and is inspired by the 1934 Lot 701
• Levi Strauss Signature, launched in 2003, sells the company's jeans through mass retail stores

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The longest documented history on this list, back to the 1873 rivet patent
• Strength: Covers men's and women's jeans, from the 501 to the stretch 700 series
• Strength: Levi Strauss Signature gives a lower-priced option through mass retailers
• Weakness: Levi.com blocked our requests, so we could not verify a current US price
• Weakness: We could not check fit measurements or size runs on levi.com from our location
• Weakness: With so many lines and fits, picking the right one takes more research

Key facts

• Founded: 1853, San Francisco
• Rivet patent: 1873, with Jacob Davis
• Women's jeans since: 1934 (Lady Levi's)
• Signature style: 501, with the Red Tab since 1936
• US price: Check pending

Where it ranks

Levi's is No. 1 in our Best Jeans Brands verdict.