For today’s Fade of the Day, Louie Grey in Manila has brought us a well-worn pair of Levi’s Shrink to Fit 501 jeans. Louie wore these jeans nearly every day for the last three and a half years. As a result, the jeans have aged to perfection. However, there is a little controversy surrounding the pair in question.

In addition to two washes with Woolite and three soaks, Louie incorporated another method to induce fading. Before I continue, its pretty clear that with such consistent wear for the period of time given, these jeans were destined for fade glory anyways; Louie just made the process a little less organic with the help of starch.

By using spray starch on the jeans when he got the creases he liked, he was able to accentuate his fades. For those who don’t know, the idea behind spray starch in the context of fades is, when you spray the jeans and they stiffen up, the creases will be sharper, creating a surface more conducive to fading. So, when Louie sprayed his jeans, he was able to concentrate the fading areas, leading to dramatic whiskers throughout the upper thighs, knees, and back of the knees. The jury is still out on the cost/benefit of spray starching your jeans but it seems to have done wonders for Mr. Grey. Is spray starch cheating or fair play? Its up to you, our readers, to decide.

Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit (STF) Raw Denim Jeans

• Fabric: 100% Cotton
• Fabric weight: 12.5 Oz.
• Fabric source: Unknown
• Made in: Unknown
• Fit: Straight leg with high rise
• Additional details:
  • Levi’s signature model
  • Contrast stitching
  • Button fly
  • Unsanforized
• Available at: Levi’s for $64.00