Levi’s Revives Vintage Craftsmanship: 100-Year-Old Jeans Making Technique Returns

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Belt up! You’d think belts have been around forever, but the truth is they’re a relatively recent addition to guys’ everyday wardrobes. Before World War I, most men didn’t wear belts at all. Instead, they relied on suspenders or the occasional cinch stitched to the back of their pants.

At the time, waistlines sat higher and were designed to stay up without any belt, making the accessory largely reserved for military outfits. Take Levi’s 501 blue jean, for example. The iconic denim style was first developed by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis in 1873, but it spent its first 49 years without belt loops.

Things changed in 1922 when Levi’s first added belt loops to the 501. This marked a major shift not just for denim design, but for menswear as a whole. The rise of belt loops was partly driven by World War I. Soldiers returning home from the war favored simple, utilitarian clothing, which led to a decline in formal wear and tailoring. As a result, waistlines dropped and belts became more mainstream.