Levi's Shirt Dating/Legit Check?

[wbh750]

A couple I've come across that seemed unique:

VTG Levis Red Tab Denim Shirt Steel Buttons Green XL* Long Sleeve Embroidered | eBay

For my inspection remarks, please refer to the "condition description". The tag and the actual measurements might not match up because to shrinking, stretching, hemming, or manufacturer error. Pre-owned jeans frequently stretch or shrink depending on how the previous owner washed, dried, and...

www.ebay.com

Vintage Levis Denim Shirt Mens XL Red White Blue L/S Striped Western America | eBay

<p>Crafted for the classic fashion enthusiast, this Vintage Levi's Denim Shirt is a quintessential piece for any wardrobe. Sporting a striking blue color with red and white stripes, it embodies a Western theme that never goes out of style. The men's extra large size ensures a comfortable regular...

www.ebay.com

 

[JimR56]

Saw those two at the top of my ebay search results today!

So, Levi's produced many design variations (all under the denim fabrics umbrella) that I haven't really gotten into in this topic. First of all, stripes, plaids, checks, etc are not uncommon at all, and there were many color and design combinations used in all of those patterns. I've seen this striped example before, and I'm confident that this particular fabric was used in great quantity (as were most other fabrics). So when you see striped variations, plaid variations, etc etc, I think you can assume that they are all part of general production, and are not unique shirts (not "one-offs").

As for the other shirt you linked, this is a bit trickier to analyze. I've definitely seen examples similar to this before, and it's even possible that I've seen this exact fabric combination (not sure). So this could indeed be a unique shirt. I think it's also within the realm of possibility that it was custom-altered by someone, as I have seen examples of that. I kind of doubt it in this case, though.

Some design variations are certainly more rare than others. Another similar design is what I call at "2-tone" (they're also sometimes referred to as "colorblock", or "color block". I own a few of these, and I see the same examples come up for sale from time to time, but they're relatively uncommon.

 

[wbh750]

Newest pick up

 

[JimR56]

Here's a shot of some of the stripes and plaids I have in my collection...

 

[JimR56]

Here are some sleeveless examples I've found. These are great for that transition time between warmer and colder temps (like with a long-sleeved tee underneath). Notice the collar difference on the light blue example. I've seen a few of these with the barstow style cut with pocket flaps and marbled snaps, but they're relatively uncommon.

 

[betterbert]

Hey jim I have a shirt I would like you to see and get your thoughts

 

[JimR56]

Hi betterbert, thanks for joining in here. I have to start off by admitting that the scope of Levi's shirt production over the years goes a bit beyond my area of primary interest (basically the decade of the 1990's, give or take a couple of years). And even within the decade of the 90's, there are certain designs and styles that have not really been on my radar. Vague, I know, but there are many designs, styles and fabrics that were used and produced.

So, at first glance, I'm getting the impression that the fabric of this shirt is perhaps a lighter cotton, and not denim. I'm also noticing that the label and the buttons on your shirt are not familiar to me. And as a sidenote, I haven't owned any Levi's shirts with two buttons (or more... sometimes I'll see three or even four) near each cuff. In your close-up photo of the label and adjacent white tag, I can't make out the printing on the tag. When I enlarge the photo, the lettering gets blurry. If possible, can you post a larger photo of that white tag? Also, please check to see if there are any labels inside the shirt, along one of the side seams. That was the standard location in the 90's for tags with info about the date and in some cases the location of manufacture. If so, a large/clear photo of that (both sides, if both have printing on them) would likely be important. Thanks again.

 

[JimR56]

View attachment 189461

I have continued to search out Levi's denim advertising shirts, like the one in the photo above (that particular design is one that I haven't seen a second time, after passing on that example due to its poor condition). If anyone comes across one with the identical design, please let me know.

In the meantime, here is the latest example of one of these Levi's logo-on-back denim shirts that I've added to my collection. This one is in the Barstow style, with marbled snaps. The inner side seam tag has lost almost all of its ink from numerous launderings, so I'm not sure where or exactly what year it was made, but it's probably in the 1988 to 1991 range, very likely made in Thailand (this example turned up for sale in England, and most of the similar examples I have came from the UK or continental Europe). I had seen online photos of this same design two or three times before, associated with shirts that had already been sold. So, it may be a bit less rare than some of the other designs, some of which I've only seen one example of. I was very happy to find this one in good condition and in my size, and I think the graphic is quite striking.

 

[JimR56]

Here's another interesting variant of a Levi's advertising shirt from the late 80's/early 90's. I saw this for sale on an online marketplace perhaps a year ago. The seller was located somewhere in Europe. I tried to contact the seller several times, but got no response. They must have stopped being active on that site for some reason, and then their account was deleted. I haven't seen another example of this design (in any color), before or since. I hope to track one down eventually.