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Vintage Wrangler jeans trying to date/get info

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Locozuma View Drop Down
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    Posted: 18 Nov 2023 at 7:32am
Hello all,
 First post here, completely new to this forum, I hope I'm in the right place...!
I have an old pair of Wranglers that I bought in the early 00s. I think they were deadstock when I got them. I've only worn them a scant handful of times - they are not my usual style, but I think they are awesome! - and they are still in terrific condition. I'm fairly sure they are mid-late 1970s, but I'm trying to date them and get more info on origin, rarity, etc?
Thanks for looking!
- L.






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Sansome View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sansome Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Nov 2023 at 12:24am
I think it’s 1970’s, not that rare, but a nice pair of pants- just wear them if they still fit.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gcdrygoodsco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2023 at 6:20am
Early 70's.  They introduced broken twill in '64.  They then switched to the black/gold label sewn onto the felled yoke seam, after they dropped the Blue Bell mark from the natural colored labels in 1966.  Keep in mind, the factories didn't abide by these dates, just corporate, a common theme with any brand, so you will see wartime buttons get used until they ran out, then you'll see, more specifically, neolite back pocket labels or fly labels get used until they ran out, so even though the Blue Bell was dropped in '66, you could still likely find items for several years run out of the IN or NC or KY factories that were using them up.  Key thing to note here is that in '66 the 13MWZ was introduced, and then 1970's is when boot cut or flared leg pipes were added into the product mix.  This puts you jeans after 1970, but prior to the fly label transitioning to a vertical tape zig-zag sewn into the fly with information reading parallel with the legs, rather than your example, which reads parallel to the waistband.  This is the second iteration of the fly label reading only Wrangler, the first would have read "SANFORIZED" beside "Made in USA", then this version, prior to the last natural tape label that drops the Made In USA from the tag altogether.  The brand opened a factory in Europe in '62, and as it grew, it was likely that by dropping detail lines like this that it enabled upticks in volume of ordering, so they observed economies of scale.  

I met and knew Jim Vaughan, who was the head fabric agent for Blue Bell, who said he would switch suppliers over a sixteenth of a cent a yard, because it would save millions annually.  So, if they were producing overseas and domestically, using all the same fly labels, it would make sense to reduce the variations being ordered to get price breaks.  

Not super rare, and with the boot cut, not super valuable.  Nice example of the transitional years of black/gold label, natural/blue fly label, and neolite Wrangler pocket label, though.  

Probably too much info, but you did ask.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sansome Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2023 at 4:06pm
Thanks for explaining it in such detail^^^
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