Why Fall’s Coolest Jean Is Nearly Impossible to Find
About a month ago, GOOP fashion director Laurie Trott posted an Instagram photo of Nineties style icon Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in a pair of cropped jeans. The style flared out slightly at the ankle and was so worn in that a natural crease had formed from the knee down. Trott captioned the photo with many appropriate hash tags: #denimgoals #carolynbessettekennedy #90snostalgia #levis.
Her bite-size observations were astute. This pair of jeans was perfect then, and, as fashion’s cyclical nature allows, they are perfect now. But where to find them?
My hunt began with Levi’s, where I learned that these were the 517, a boot cut style that was introduced in 1969 and gained traction in the 1970s. “The vintage 517 is a bit of a cult jean,” explains Jonathan Cheung, Levi’s senior vice president of global design. “Like many of the vintage Levi’s—the 501 and 505 in particular—they were designed as a men’s jean but have been worn by, and often look better on, women. They do that nice magic-triangle shape on the backside that makes your butt look peachy.”
According to Levi’s, the 517 is one of the most sought-after vintage styles. The other, of course, is the 501, which has become a wardrobe staple for fashion obsessives over the past couple of years.
However, unlike the 501, the 517 isn’t as easy to unearth. Especially if you want a pair that looks exactly like Bessette Kennedy’s. “The 517, like all the good stuff, is highly collected in Japan, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them,” Cheung says. He also suggests going for the corduroy 517s from the 1980s. “If you see any, grab them. Those are going to be envy inducing.”
So, if you can’t get to Japan, where is the best place to find this unicorn jean? The good news is that Urban Outfitters sells vintage 517s for $59. Although you’d have to hem them yourself—the cropped style is currently sold out—and you can’t choose the wash. Redone, a Los Angeles-based company that spiffs up vintage Levi’s, recently launched the Elsa, a baby bell. (However, those are also long and lean, not cropped.) Cheung also suggests trying Levi’s modern flare. “It’s vintage inspired and gorgeous,” he says.
Your best bet, of course, is to spend hundreds of hours combing the racks of vintage stores—or clicking on eBay listings—until you find your perfect pair. I know how I’ll be spending my weekend.
