There are a few minor changes for the 1955 jeans compared to the 1947: the red tag is now double-sided - this change happened around 1954. On original jeans, the rivets look different too (this is hard to fake). The leather 2-horse patch is changed for a 'leather look' patch, which still retains the 'Every Garment Guaranteed' legend, which will disappear by 1960. (what did that guarantee mean? Could you take your jeans back if they split when you attached two horses to them?) .
The shape changes too: slightly higher rise, a boxier profile, with a more antifit bum. The difference in shape between the 55 and 47 is exaggerated on the LVC jeans, because the 55 are generally sized bigger.
One feature of the LVC 1955 reissue is the 'lemon yellow' stitching - which you'll see on many, but not all, originals. I've seen original 1940s jeans with beautiful, all-lemon stitching too. Apparently the thread colours varied from factory to factory. Many original Levi's 501 from the 1950s had an off-set centre back belt loop - probably so the operator didn't have to stitch through so many thicknesses at once, you'll see this feature on Wranglers, too. However, LVC for some reason have seen fit not to include this detail on their 55 reissues - strange, as Evis made a big thing of it in the early days of Japanese repros.
Features:
Pockets: 5, modern shape.
Rivets: Read " LS&Co SF"
Belt Patch: 2 horse patch changes to pressed paper, all other info including size, 501XX code and 'Every Garment Guaranteed' is otherwise the same as its predecessor.
Arcuates; double stitched with diamond, modern shape, often in a lemon-colored stitching.
Cut of LVC version: The 1955 is a boxier, antifit shape than the 1947, less fitted, but with a very straight leg, which is wider than the 47. Worn actual size, they're a very authentic 50s cut - slightly roomy but not loose around the thighs. These can make a great skinny jeans, with a pretty good mod (or skinhead?) look – but you'll have to downsize drastically and hope the waist stretches. If you're worried that they will be too skinny worn actual size, you can of course cold-wash only, which will minimize shrinking.
Sizing: up to 2009, LVC 55 repros were sized correctly. However, I would personally wear actual size, or size up by one inch; this gives a good, slimmer fit, much like that of the 1947 version.
2009 versions of the jean, which carry a 4170 code on the top button, are made VERY oversize; a 32W jean might measure 35 inches. For these, I would DOWNSIZE by two inches. For instance, I’m a 32 Waist, so I would buy a 30 W pair, which should measure 33 inches, shrink down to 31 after a wash, and stretch out to 32 with a little wear. With all the recent changes to LVC, it’s best to try them on first, or ask your online dealer to tell you the actual, measured waist size.
55 vs 47?
People often ask about differences between the 55 and the 47. Although broadly similar, the 47 has a greyer, grainier denim, whereas the 55 is blue-er. The the 55 denim is more attractive and fades better of these two examples.
The 55 has wider thighs, and is sized larger. Look at these two jeans from circa 2006, both soaked but not washed, the 47 worn c6 months, the 55 for c2 months. The 55 is a 32 waist, the 47 is a 34... but you can see, despite being a nominally 'smaller' size, the 55 jeans (on the right) are still slightly bulkier. Note how you're more likely to get a crotch blowout with the 47 than the 55. This photo is over-exposed and doesn’t show the colour correctly, but you can still see how the 55’s denim (code-name for the fabric is XX-50) is much blue-er and less grainy than the 1947 fabric.
Here are the same jeans after two washes for the 47, one wash for the 55.
501 model guide • 1880 Nevada • 1880 XX • ‘First Blue Jean’ • 1890 • 1901 • 1915 • 1922 201 • 1933 • 1937 • 1944 • 1947 • 1955 • 1966 • 1978 •