A Step-By-Step Guide on Scoring Your Dream Pair of Vintage Levi’s, According to a Vintage Expert
As a vintage obsessed fashion editor, I pride myself on being able to find just about anything. A rare Stella McCartney-era Chloe top from 2001 also worn by Mariah Carey? The exact Moschino cheap n' chic dress Jenna Rink wears at the end of 13 going on 30? Any and every runway look from the 1992 Miu Miu show? I've got all of them bookmarked, saved, and mentally added to cart. But vintage Levi's jeans, arguably the most sought after vintage item, has completely alluded me for years.
Vintage denim is really tricky because you can't just look at a photo of a pair on Ebay and decide that they're the one. There's so many other factors at play. For years, I would longingly stare at photos of Alexa Chung in vintage jeans so perfect they looked molded onto her body and feel such pangs of intense envy.
After college, when I moved back home to New York City, I made a promise to myself that instead of looking at other people's jeans and wishing I had my own, I would go out and find a pair (or two...or three) that would induce jealousy in others. And so, like anyone in pursuit of great vintage, I headed to Brooklyn, where all my coolest friends had found the vintage denim of their dreams.
It was then that I stumbled upon Awoke Vintage, a shop founded by friends Liz Powers and Rachel Despeaux originally as a stall in Australia and then as a shop in Brooklyn in 2012, which has now turned into a handful. I remember first walking in and being extremely enamored (and slightly overwhelmed) by the wall of vintage jeans. Eventually, I tried a couple pairs on and found a dream black pair of Levi's from the '90s that I still wear to this day. Now, I frequent the Awoke Vintage shops in Greenpoint on Franklin and near McCarren Park when I need a worn-in Levi's fix.
But it's always easier said than done, and I'm lucky enough to live close to a shop that knows how to source the best vintage jeans so I don't have to. Founder Liz Powers though is a wealth of jeans-based and vintage knowledge, so I asked her for the very best tips and tricks.
Below, a guide on everything you need to know to find your perfect pair of vintage jeans, from a true vintage expert who has tracked down thousands of dream pairs for the coolest girls in Brooklyn and beyond.
Liz Powers: Start by giving yourself time, like, actually set aside an hour or two and be ready to try on 10 or more pairs. Vintage denim isn’t a quick in-and-out situation; it’s a treasure hunt. You might walk in thinking you’re a modern 30” waist, but the pair that makes you feel amazing could be labeled a 34”. Sizes shift across decades, so don’t shop the number, shop the fit. Grab a whole stack, head to the fitting room, and don’t be afraid to ask us for help!
