Jeff's fashion shops


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Mudgie, pretty sure we're talking about the same suede boots from Wakefields, but weren't they called Fell boots?

There was a shop on Hyson Green called Stevensons where my Levi's came from. In fact I can remember my mum buying me a Levi's jacket from there with a Provident shopping cheque as times were hard.

The only things I got from Jeffs were a pair of " Lord John of Carnaby Street " hipsters, and a check shirt similar to what Stevie Winwood of the Spencer Davis group wore.

Those army and camping type places including Wakefields often had stuff for sale that was a mod necessity, I recall getting a pair of brogues there, as well as Desert and Fell boots, Big T by Tuf were also sold there.

The "look" of a suit jacket, Levi's and brogues was particularly popular back then

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We prefer to touch, feel and try on in a shop anything that’s intended to be worn and I’m surprised my husband got me googling Levi’s. He hasn’t bothered to try them on yet either.  I did a little res

Came across this photo in Picture the Past and reminded me of something which disappeared without anyone noticing it had gone. In the 70s there were several Jeff's Fashion Centres around Nottingham -

My dad was a brickie, his standard work attire was khaki bib and brace overalls, and in winter included a donkey jacket and cap. The overalls had a ruler pocket on one side where he kept his folding

Did sitting in the bath really do anything to shape a pair of '501s'?I still buy 501s,the label says "shrunk to fit", not shrink to fit.Maybe it was a sales gimmick, that we went along with,I never noticed any change in the jeans. My old mum thought I was 'crackers' sitting in a bath full of hot water,wearing a pair of new jeans.

Well mine certainly shrank!

And do you remember in their early stage, if you sat on anything pale, the blue dye transferred over?

I have recently bought some 501's with the red edged "selvedge" line that are stupidly priced now, around £200 and up, and they are nowhere near as good as the ones back then.

Speaking of which, I have quite a few pairs of " originals" and if anyone that is still fairly slim is interested, are for sale! :)

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Two things stood out in the above posts:-

The price of a donkey jacket (albeit 2 piece) marked down from 1100+ to 640.....just as far fetched as the name of the shop and,

501 Levis at 200 pounds sterling?

I get 501 Levis down here in Oz for $AUD120 and the next I am going to buy are via the internet from the States.....$US50 a pair ($AUD55-60).

I never realised clothes were so expensive in England if the above are any example.

And here is me telling SWMBO that we don't have to pack many clothes for the trip to England as we will buy whatever we want over there at cheaper prices....Ha Ha!

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Trevor S,

The Levi 501's I mention at around the £200 mark are different to the ones sold in most retail outlets, for instance, here in Nottingham, John Lewis sell the " normal" ones at around £80.

The stupidly priced ones have what is referred to as a "selvedge seam", which involves two separate pieces of denim with a white edge and red stitching being sewn together to give them the very distinctive seam that is no longer available on regular Levi's.

In the absence of posting a pic, if you look at most of the characters in the film Grease, look at their turnups to see the difference.

Levi's claim they are much more expensive to make, hence the prices, and if you can be bothered, take a look on e bay at how much some of the original 501's from the 60's are fetching!

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The only jeans I buy are the original Levi 501, I don't see any difference to the jeans I purchased back in the 60s', same stitching, copper rivets, and dark indigo blue in colour.

The US cost is $40 for the jeans, shirt $30, and the jackets $65. The idea of paying 200 pounds for a pair of Levi original 501 jeans is incredible, that's around $300.

When my wife and I visited San Francisco, we went to the Levi museum / store, never saw any denim product that cost $300.

Next time you need Levi's let me know Craig, I'll treat you to the jeans, but you pay for mailing.

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Very kind of you!
The ones referred to as selvedge are definitely different to the ones normally found in retail shops in the States though, when I was in Florida I went to many jeans outlets and they are all non selvedge seamed......

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Craig, the 501s' you posted a picture of, are termed 'dungarees'. They are not usually found in main line stores, but places such as 'Farm and Fleet' stores, or farmers markets.

The term 'dungarees' is an old term for working jeans, not the ' bib and brace' overalls we knew in the UK.

Most of my jeans are purchased when we travel up to see my wifes', family in Rock Island, Illinois.

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Craig, the 501s' you posted a picture of, are termed 'dungarees'. They are not usually found in main line stores, but places such as 'Farm and Fleet' stores, or farmers markets.

The term 'dungarees' is an old term for working jeans, not the ' bib and brace' overalls we knew in the UK.

Most of my jeans are purchased when we travel up to see my wifes', family in Rock Island, Illinois.

How can they be dungarees when they are just normal jeans? Dungarees by definition literally do have the bib and brace you mention. :)

These have the same seam as all my 501's bought through the 60's and 70's.

No shop has ever called them dungarees in the 40 + years I've been buying/ wearing them.

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“Dungarees” is indeed simply another, now antiquated, term for what we call “jeans,” casual trousers made of denim, most often blue in color. The name “dungarees” is a relic of the British colonial presence in India. “Dungri” was the Hindi name of a particular type of thick, durable cotton cloth exported from India to England in the 18th century, originally used to make sails and tents.

Eventually “dungri” cloth was pressed into service in the manufacture of work clothes, gained an extra syllable in its name, and became “dungaree.”

It is doubtful if you were to wander into the average American department store today and ask for a pair of “dungarees” that the clerk would know where to look, but while the term has definitely faded in the U.S. of A., it seems to have acquired a new meaning in Britain. According to a draft addition to the Oxford English Dictionary dated 2006, “dungaree” now means “trousers with a bib held up by shoulder straps,” or what the US have been calling “overalls” for the past 150 years.

“Jeans,” as in “blue jeans,” has a remarkably simple origin. It’s simply an altered form of the name “Genoa,” in Italy, once an important source of the cloth. S

imilarly, “denim” is a mutation of “serge de Nimes,” referring to Nimes, France, also an early source of the fabric

(Source: Google, Word Detective, confirmation various Google sites.)

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Years ago on a visit to my wife's home town we visited a huge farmers market. There was a 'work-wear clothing' stall, a sign read 'dungarees $25' piled high were button fly 501 Levis, so 20 years ago the term was still in use, and probably still is , by the old guys.

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  • 2 months later...

I missed out on fashion I think.

Being a drab, dour, old-before-my-time youth is probably why.

All I can remember on this topic is the donkey jacket.

My stuff (unfashionable as it was) came from Wakefields, Burtons, and John Collier... John Collier the window to watch!

Sad innit?

TTFN

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Re #51, same problem with me TGC until my early 30's when I acquired flared jeans, denim and cheese cloth shirts, but I did then get into big collars and kipper ties.

Still wear denim jeans to the chagrin of Mrs C who can't believe that anyone over 30 can have the nerve so to do !!

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Re #51, same problem with me TGC until my early 30's when I acquired flared jeans, denim and cheese cloth shirts, but I did then get into big collars and kipper ties.

Still wear denim jeans to the chagrin of Mrs C who can't believe that anyone over 30 can have the nerve so to do !!

I also wear jeans today Commo - but the Primark cheapo's do for me. I just have to take care not to buy the 'slimline' ones - I'd never get into 'em!

That's another problem - me Arthur Itis does not like gettin' 'em off and on... Hehe.

TTFN

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  • 3 weeks later...

Bought my first pair of two tone stay press from Jeff, cost me a months wages!..(well that was 4 Saturdays on the family market stall) and also a pair of lime green socks..which I tried to wear at school, got to around 10.30 hrs before being spotted, knew I wasn't going to get away with it so had a pair of black socks in my bag. Wot a rebel eh....

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Well I must be an oddbod as I still wear jeans when its cooler or riding my motorbike, but mainly wear denim shorts or my current favorites my camouflaged cargo shorts.

I also have an ex army set of full camo gortex which I love but rarely wear here due to climate.

Wife hates em with a vengeance but my answer is they are comfy, have lots of useful pockets and I do genuinely like them.

My kids now with kids of there own, think its great that dad/grandad is so "with it" still.

My outlook with most things today is I've conformed for most of my 65 years so now I do what pleases me and that includes dress sense. :-))

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