Front view of high-rise blue Levi’s jeans with five-pocket styling, a front fly, belt loops, and pronounced fading through the legs.
Back view of faded blue Levi’s jeans with two rear pockets, a red tab, worn seams, and repaired areas below the seat.
Close-up of a worn Levi’s back pocket with faded arcuate stitching, frayed corners, and a red Big E tab.
Close-up of the faded lower denim legs with rolled cuffs revealing the selvedge edges and small visible marks.
Close-up of the rear seat showing worn back pockets, faded denim, abrasions, tears, and repaired areas below the pockets.
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Front view of high-rise blue Levi’s jeans with five-pocket styling, a front fly, belt loops, and pronounced fading through the legs.
Back view of faded blue Levi’s jeans with two rear pockets, a red tab, worn seams, and repaired areas below the seat.
Close-up of a worn Levi’s back pocket with faded arcuate stitching, frayed corners, and a red Big E tab.
Close-up of the faded lower denim legs with rolled cuffs revealing the selvedge edges and small visible marks.
Close-up of the rear seat showing worn back pockets, faded denim, abrasions, tears, and repaired areas below the pockets.

Original Mid-Century Levi’s 701 Marilyn Monroe Big E Jeans – 24W x 30L

$1,200.00
$1,200.00
Save $-1,200.00 Sold out

The real thing: original mid-century Levi’s 701 jeans—the high-waisted women’s style forever linked to Marilyn Monroe—with a Big E tab, selvedge denim, and decades of fading, repair, and beautifully hard-earned character.
Description

Before women’s jeans became a fashion category, Levi’s introduced the 701—a high-waisted, five-pocket jean designed for women and built with the same working-West integrity as the company’s original denim.

This is an original mid-century vintage pair, not a later reproduction. The 701 silhouette became forever linked to Marilyn Monroe, who wore Lady Levi’s and helped turn women’s blue jeans into something practical, independent, rebellious, and unmistakably glamorous. That history belongs to the style; these jeans are not represented as having been personally owned or worn by Monroe.

The high rise, straight leg, Big E red tab, and selvedge denim are the details serious vintage collectors look for, but what makes this pair impossible to duplicate is everything that happened after they left the factory. The indigo has faded into layer upon layer of blue, with strong whiskering, softened seams, worn pocket edges, scattered marks, abrasions, and extensive repairs through the rear seat and rise.

These jeans have clearly lived a life—and were never particularly interested in behaving themselves. The original back waist patch is gone, the denim shows areas of fraying and weakness, and the repaired sections may continue to evolve with wear. That is part of their character, though they deserve thoughtful handling rather than another round in the rodeo.

Wear them with a white tank, an old Western shirt, boots, or almost nothing else. The shape is iconic, the history is real, and the denim has already done most of the styling.
Specifications

Era: Original mid-century vintage
Brand: Levi’s
Model: Lot 701
Style reference: Marilyn Monroe 701
Authenticity: Original vintage production; not a modern reproduction
Style: Women’s high-rise straight-leg jeans
Color: Faded indigo blue
Fabric: Cotton denim; exact fiber content not provided
Construction: Selvedge denim
Closure: Buttoned waistband with front fly
Pockets: Five-pocket styling
Details: Big E red tab, belt loops, copper-tone hardware, arcuate back-pocket stitching, and selvedge visible at the rolled cuffs
Waist: 24"
Inseam: 30"
Fit note: Original vintage Levi’s sizing may differ considerably from current sizing. Please compare the measurements with a similar pair that fits you well.
Condition: Heavily worn vintage condition with pronounced fading, whiskering, abrasions, fraying, scattered marks, small holes, and extensive wear and previous repairs through the rear seat and rise. Additional wear is visible around the pockets, seams, and hems. The original back waist patch is no longer present. Please review all photographs closely.
Fabric + Garment Care

Wash only when necessary. Hand wash cold, inside out, using a small amount of mild detergent. Do not soak, bleach, scrub, wring, or machine dry. Reshape and hang dry away from direct sunlight. Avoid ironing directly over frayed, weakened, or repaired areas.
Found + Chosen

We chose these because they sit at a perfect Surfing Cowboys intersection: Western utility, women claiming denim for themselves, Hollywood mythology, and the belief that the best clothes become more interesting through use.

The Big E tab and selvedge construction matter. So does every fade, repair, worn edge, and softened seam. Together, they turn an important Levi’s silhouette into a completely singular pair.

Not perfect. Not supposed to be.