Cream Contour Stick

Known for its button fly and a wide variety of fits, which range from the original straight-leg model to '90s-style and skinny jeans, the 501s were first designed as “waist overalls,” featuring buttons, as well as a back cinch, for customers — primarily working men — to hook their suspenders. “It was a protective outer garment, and it was originally intended for blue-collar workers who needed tough work products,” says Panek. The original patent for this design was granted to Levi Strauss — the founder of Levi’s — in 1873, yet it wasn’t until 1890 when the lot number "501" started to be used to refer to the model. Subtle changes soon followed: In 1901, two pockets were added; belt loops were tacked on in 1922.