Walking Like an Egyptian in my 501's

Abu Simbel, Egypt - photo by me.

My journey to the outlet centers went pretty well. I came in under budget. It was very crowded and there were many very hot girls shopping. I got a new pair of shoes that I love, and also some new shirts (not precisely what I was planning but nice nevertheless). I also bought my new jeans, Levi's 501's.

Now, I have been buying Levi's jeans for several years, I have noticed that quality of Levi's products varies drastically depending on where they are made. The best ones are "Made in Colombia". I have travelled extensively throughout Colombia and it is the denim capital of the known inhabited universe. The Colombians take denim very seriously and whenever you buy a pair of Levi's made in Colombia you are assured they are of the highest quality. The "Made in Colombia" label is a seal of national pride and quality; you don't even need to try them on or inspect them because they are guaranteed to fit properly and be free of defects. "Made in Costa Rica" is a distant second. If you are in a hurry, they will do, if you cannot locate a Colombian pair (there are a pretty good number of Colombian ex-pats in Costa Rica).

I even once heard a rumor that Levi's used to be made in America many, many years ago (maybe back before my parents were born) but thankfully that is no longer the case. I would never purchase anything made in America.

But, the pair I bought today was "Made in Egypt". Now, I went to Egypt this past year as part of my round the world trip, and I can verify that the country is basically the armpit of the planet, situated right beneath one of the most beautiful and important countries on the globe, and right above probably the most beautiful continent. But, Egypt itself is a horrible, disgusting, smelly country. Basically you go there to see the pyramids, as well as some historical sites in Luxor and Aswan, and then you get the hell out, and you never return. In the southernmost part of the country (the Nubian region, extending down through Sudan) there are some nice people and some hot chicks but the rest of the country is a hellhole. I have travelled all over the world and in no country besides Egypt have I ever met so many scammers and lowlives, people out to separate you from your money. Hell, you cannot even legally purchase alcohol in most parts of the country.

After all, what do the Egyptians know about denim? I didn't see any locals wearing denim; all the men were wearing skirts, and all of the women were wearing nasty ass black dresses. As it turns out, my Egyptian Levi's were made improperly. I picked up a pair of 34x34 501's, a size and model which I have worn for years. I tried them on in the store, and noticed they were very long, I'm talking probably a good 40 inches. But, I purchased them anyways since they didn't have any other 34's.

Now I must make trip to local alteration center and pay some Mexicans to correct the mistakes of the Egyptians. I'm not sure if this makes sense financially, but I believe the alteration will cost less than just the price of gas to go back to San Marcos to return them, and I know they don't have the right size anyways. The jeans are quite nice, and make me look very thin, and fit very well except for the length.

Incidentally the shirt I purchased from Banana Republic was also Made in Egypt (too bad it wasn't made in a banana republic), but the Tommy Hilfiger shirt I purchased was Made in Hong Kong. I wonder which of the two will be in better shape in six months? Hong Kong isn't a bad place to make stuff, but I'd rather my things be made in mainland China, where labor costs are far lower. I'm not sure if Levi's does any manufacturing in China; if not I urge them to close up shop in Egypt and transfer operations to China which has an unblemished record of the highest standard of quality manufacturing.