Why the 105 Became orSlow’s Most Requested Fit

Ask any denim shop that carries orSlow which style moves first, and the answer comes back the same almost every time: the 105. Retailers list it among the label’s best-selling cuts, and shops that stock the full orSlow catalog still steer new buyers toward it before anything else. The 105 straight leg jean, orSlow’s signature selvedge denim fit, earns that spot by solving a fit problem most modern denim never bothered to fix.

What Is the orSlow 105?

The 105 is orSlow’s standard fit jean, a straight leg cut built from the brand’s proprietary 13.5oz Japanese selvedge denim. orSlow models the pattern on Industrial Era five-pocket Orslow jeans, the same family of cuts that produced vintage Levi’s 501s. Founder Ichiro Nakatsu drew the pattern from pieces in his own vintage collection, then translated it into a modern Japanese-made jean without slimming it down for current trends. Buyers get a medium-to-high rise, a full top block through the seat and thigh, a curved hip, and a straight waistband, paired with only a slight taper down to the ankle.

Why the Fit Outsells Slimmer Cuts

Most fashion denim narrows the leg to flatter one body type. The Orslow 105 takes the opposite approach.

• Room through the thigh. The full top block gives thicker legs space to move without looking baggy.
• A rise borrowed from vintage denim. The medium-to-high rise sits closer to mid-century jeans than to anything cut in the last twenty years.
• A leg opening built for boots. The gentle taper clears a work boot or a chunky sneaker without bunching at the ankle, something slimmer, tapered-leg denim struggles to do.

That combination lets the 105 flatter a wider range of body types than orSlow’s slimmer cuts, like the 107 Ivy fit, which is why shoppers researching “best orSlow fit for wide legs” or “orSlow straight leg vs slim” so often land on the 105.

The Denim Behind the Demand

Cut alone doesn’t explain why this jean keeps selling out. orSlow weaves the 105 from its own proprietary Japanese selvedge denim at a lower tension than most modern fabric, which gives the cloth a soft hand and a slightly uneven, slubby texture straight off the bolt. Lower tension denim moves with the body instead of fighting it, and that texture is part of what denim shoppers mean when they search for “raw selvedge denim that fades well.”

Buyers also choose how the fabric shows up on day one, which widens the jean’s appeal across different types of denim buyers:

• Raw denim: stiff, dark, and untouched, for anyone who wants to build a fade pattern from scratch.
• One wash: pre-soaked to handle shrinkage and soften the hand, so the jean feels broken in from the first wear.
• Two-year wash: aged in-house using worn samples from Nakatsu’s archive, so new denim looks like it survived years of real use.

One silhouette, three finishes. That range covers raw denim purists, casual buyers, and anyone searching for pre-faded Japanese denim, all without orSlow needing a second pattern.

The Safer First Purchase in the orSlow Lineup

New orSlow customers rarely start with the label’s slimmer or more unusual cuts, like the Model 66 or the wide Grand Dad fit. They start with the 105, and dealers point to a simple reason: it carries the least risk. The fit sits close to what most people already expect from a classic straight leg jean, which makes it a natural entry point into Japanese selvedge denim before someone tries a slimmer or wider silhouette. Once a first pair proves out the fabric and the fit, buyers feel comfortable branching into the rest of the collection.

Sizing the 105 Correctly

orSlow sizes the 105 on a numbered scale, typically 0 through 5, instead of standard waist inches, which trips up first-time buyers searching for an “orSlow size chart” or “orSlow sizing guide.” Sellers generally recommend buying snug rather than loose, since the low-tension denim stretches with wear and softens further with each wash. Size up expecting a break-in period the way you would with stiffer raw denim from other brands, and the waist often ends up looser than intended within a month. Sizing down slightly, and letting the fabric do the stretching, keeps the fit closer to how orSlow designed it to sit.

A Fit That Doesn’t Chase Trends

orSlow has kept the 105 pattern essentially unchanged since introducing the cut, and that consistency plays a real role in repeat demand. Buyers who like their first pair know exactly what to expect from a second or third, wash after wash, year after year. Most denim brands redesign their signature fit every few seasons to chase whatever silhouette is trending. orSlow treats the pattern as a finished product, refined once and left alone. That stability builds the kind of repeat buying that turns a single style into a brand’s most requested fit. Customers don’t return to the 105 because it’s new. They return because it fits the same way it did the first time, and because nothing else on the market replicates that exact mix of a vintage-correct pattern and Japanese-made selvedge denim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the orSlow 105 true to size?

Most retailers recommend sizing snug rather than loose. The denim stretches with wear, so a size that feels slightly tight at first usually settles into a comfortable fit within a few weeks.

What’s the difference between the orSlow 105 and 107?

Both cuts share the same fabric and top block. The 105 keeps a straighter leg with only a slight taper, while the 107 tapers more through the knee and ankle for a slimmer finish.

Does the orSlow 105 shrink?

Raw denim versions shrink with the first wash. One wash and two-year wash versions are pre-soaked, so they carry minimal further shrinkage with cold washing and hang drying.

The Bottom Line

The 105 didn’t become orSlow’s most requested jean through hype. It earned that spot by solving a fit problem modern denim created, by using a fabric that improves with wear instead of wearing out, and by staying exactly the same while everything else in denim kept changing. For a lot of buyers, that combination makes it the only pair they need.