Turn a pair of old jeans around and look at the back pockets. If the stitching forms two gentle curves like a seagull in flight, you are probably holding Levi's. If it forms a loose, wavy line that looks a little like a lazy letter S lying on its side, you are probably holding Lee. That small mark has been quietly separating two of the oldest names in American denim for most of a century.
Lee gets less attention than its famous rival, and that is exactly why it is worth knowing. Vintage Lee jeans and jackets have their own history, their own shapes and a few genuinely distinctive designs. They also tend to sit a little lower on the radar of casual shoppers, which makes them a good hunting ground for anyone building a vintage denim wardrobe with some character.
A workwear company from Kansas
The company traces its roots to Henry David Lee, who founded a mercantile business in Salina, Kansas, in the late nineteenth century. Like several denim brands of the era, it began by supplying goods to working people and only later started making its own clothing. Early Lee garments were overalls, work jackets and one-piece coveralls built for farmers, railway workers and mechanics.
One early design, a one-piece work suit sometimes called the Union-All, became well known and helped establish the brand. Lee also leaned into advertising and character marketing, including a small doll named Buddy Lee who appeared in shop windows dressed in miniature versions of the company's workwear. Buddy Lee dolls are collectible on their own today, which says something about how memorable that marketing was.
The shift from work clothing to cowboy jeans and then to everyday casual wear followed a path similar to the rest of American denim. What makes Lee distinctive is the set of design choices it made along the way, several of which still show up on vintage pieces.
Riders, zips and the lazy S
Lee's cowboy jean, the 101 Riders, became the brand's most famous trouser. Designed with riding in mind, it had a slightly higher back rise and a cut intended to sit comfortably in a saddle. The name Lee Riders later spread across a wider range of jeans, including women's lines and more casual fits, so seeing the word Riders on a tag does not automatically mean you have an early cowboy jean.
Lee is also widely credited with being one of the first to put a zip fly on jeans, in the 1920s, at a time when button flies were standard. Many vintage Lee jeans have zippers, and the zip-fly versions of the 101 became a recognisable model of their own. That is one of the easiest differences to spot between Lee and Levi's, whose classic 501 kept its button fly.
The lazy S pocket stitch is the other giveaway. It has varied a little over the years, sometimes more pronounced, sometimes flatter, but it remains the visual signature on the back of the jeans. Together with the leather or card patch at the waistband and Lee-branded metal buttons, it is usually enough to identify the brand at a glance.
Other clues collectors use
Beyond the obvious marks, collectors look at the inside labels, the style of the waistband patch, the type of zipper, the stitching on the hem and the weight and feel of the denim. Older Lee denim is often described as having a different twill direction from some competitors, which affects how it fades. All of these are clues rather than proof. Labels changed frequently, and brands reused older features in later reissues, so build your sense of a jean's age from several details together.
The Storm Rider and Lee's jackets
If Lee has one true icon, it is the Storm Rider jacket. Introduced in the thirties as a cold-weather version of the brand's denim jacket, it combines a denim shell with a warm blanket lining, often in a striped or plaid pattern, and a corduroy collar. It was designed for ranch work in harsh weather and has since become one of the most recognisable denim jackets ever made.
The appeal is obvious once you wear one. The blanket lining makes it far warmer than an unlined trucker, the corduroy collar softens against your neck, and the denim fades beautifully over time. It is the kind of jacket that works on a cold October morning in Toronto as well as it ever worked on a ranch.
Lee's other jackets are worth knowing too. The 101J is a slim, fitted denim jacket with a clean, uncluttered front, often cited as an influence on later designs. There is also a looser chore-style coat, sometimes linked to railway workers, with patch pockets and a more boxy shape. Each one wears differently, so it helps to try several before settling on a favourite.
A good old denim jacket feels less like something you bought and more like something you are continuing.
Lee versus Levi's, without the tribalism
People love to set denim brands against each other, but the honest answer is that Lee and Levi's are both excellent and simply feel different. Levi's has the larger history, the more famous models and a more established collector market. Lee offers alternatives that are easier to overlook and sometimes more interesting to wear. Here is a quick way to think about the difference:
- Fly: Lee popularised the zip fly early, while many classic Levi's models stayed with buttons.
- Back pockets: Lee's lazy S versus Levi's double arcs, the quickest visual tell.
- Jackets: Lee's Storm Rider and 101J have a slimmer, more fitted feel than many Levi's truckers, though both brands produced a wide range of shapes.
- Branding: Lee's leather or card patch and Buddy Lee marketing versus Levi's two-horse patch and red tab.
- Market: Lee pieces are often less hyped, which can make good examples easier to find.
If you already own Levi's and love them, adding a pair of Lee jeans or a Storm Rider gives your denim rotation more variety. The fit and fade will feel distinct enough to justify having both.
Fit and sizing on old Lee jeans
Like all vintage denim, Lee jeans rarely match their tag size. Decades of washing, shrinking and stretching change the measurements, and older sizing standards were different anyway. Measure the waist flat across the top and double it, then measure the rise, the thigh and the inseam. Compare all four to a pair you already like before deciding.
The rise is especially important on Lee. Many older Riders have a higher rise than modern jeans, which looks great with tucked shirts and shorter jackets but can feel unfamiliar at first. If you are used to low-rise jeans, try a pair on before committing; the sensation of a waistband at your natural waist takes a few wears to get used to.
Leg shapes vary widely across the decades. Straight legs dominate the older pieces, while the seventies brought flares and bootcuts, and later decades introduced looser, baggier fits. Lee even had wide skate-style jeans in the nineties. Choose the shape that suits how you actually dress rather than chasing a particular era.
Judging condition on old denim
The things that matter most on vintage Lee jeans are the same as on any old denim. Check the crotch for thinning or holes, which is the first area to wear through. Look at the back pocket corners and the knees. Inspect the zipper, since a stuck or broken zip is a common issue with older pieces, though it is usually fixable by a tailor.
On jackets, look at the cuffs and collar, which take the most wear. On a Storm Rider, inspect the blanket lining for moth holes, thinning or separation from the shell, and check that the corduroy collar has not worn bald along the fold. A little wear on the corduroy is charming; a large bare patch can make the jacket feel tired.
Fading tells you about the jacket's life. Even, gentle fading is ideal. Strong whiskering, honeycombs behind the knees or fades along the seams show real use and can look beautiful. Bleach spots, heavy staining or patches of very different colour are worth thinking twice about.
Wearing Lee in a modern wardrobe
Vintage Lee jeans work best with simple tops: plain tees, oxford shirts, knits and sweatshirts. A pair of straight-leg Riders with a white tee and leather boots is a classic for a reason. Higher-rise pairs pair beautifully with tucked-in shirts and short jackets, which show off the waist and the patch.
A Storm Rider makes an excellent autumn and early winter jacket. Wear it over a hoodie or a heavy flannel when the temperature drops, and the blanket lining and layers will keep you surprisingly warm. Avoid wearing it with jeans of the exact same wash unless you like a full denim look; a slightly different shade or a pair of cords or chinos keeps things interesting.
The 101J and other slimmer jackets work well over light knits or tees in spring. Because they are fitted, size matters more than with boxier truckers, so pay attention to the shoulder seams and sleeve length.
Where to begin with Lee
If you are new to the brand, start with one piece. A pair of straight-leg jeans with a clean lazy S and a working zip, or a Storm Rider in decent condition, will tell you quickly whether Lee suits you. From there, you can explore the brand's other shapes and decades. Keep an eye out on vintage racks, including ours on Queen St and at Square One, but most of all, enjoy the process. Lee rewards people who look a little closer at the back pocket.
