06/17/2020
Tips for Fit – Having Your Pants Hemmed
The most common way to determine the purchase length or the altered length of men’s jeans, dockers & dress slacks (and some women’s) is the inseam. The first known use of the inseam measurement, along with other measurements, was 1886 as a means for tailors to determine the length of men’s pants. BUT unlike in 1886, today the construction of pants/slacks can differ greatly between type (Jeans, Dockers or Dress Slacks) and brand. Jeans fit closer to the crotch than dockers or dress slacks, making the actual inseam different for each type (and brand) of slacks you wear.
The Inseam measurement is from the crotch down the inside of the leg to the end of the pants (the hem), anywhere from just below the ankle to the bottom of the foot. The most ideal length is not only a preference of the person but is determined by the type of shoes being worn. Different heel height will change where the pants hit on the front of the foot. With a lower heel where the angle of the foot is not as steep, the pant leg has a greater “break” (the fold or creasing of the fabric above the bottom of the front of the pant leg where it meets the shoe)… far more than if the heel is higher, creating a steeper angle of the foot, allowing for the hem of the pant leg to hang more loosely and break less if at all. The shoe being a sneaker or other type of shoe that is bulky on the top of the foot will also have an effect on the break of the pant leg: a bulkier shoe will cause the front of the pant leg to break more. Also effecting the break will be the width of the pant leg: a narrower pant leg will hug the ankle more causing more of a break; while a wider pant leg falls farther from the ankle, shoe & foot, allowing for less fabric crunching up.
In many cases, the length and break may not matter, particularly with casual jeans. However, if you are a perfectionist (like me) or you have a pair of pants for a specific occasion (like work or a wedding/event where pictures will immortalize how your clothes fit), you may want to avoid giving a tailor/seamstress the inseam measurement. Using the outseam measurement (measuring the side seam from the waist or hip to the hem) is a little more accurate, providing the measurement from the waist/hip is exactly at the same place (like on rented tuxedo slacks). But unfortunately, you still have the issue with the shoe: heel height and bulkiness of the top of the shoe, not to mention if one hip is higher than the other. Yes! Believe it or not most people have one leg on average ¼” to ½” longer than the other, and on rare occasions as much as ¾” difference. So outseams can vary just as much as inseams.
WHENEVER POSSIBLE YOUR BEST FIT CAN HAPPEN IF:
FIRST: Have a tailor/seamstress see you in the slacks wearing the shoes you’ll be wearing with the pants.
SECOND: I personally start by marking & pinning up the back of hem, making sure both pant legs are the same distance from the floor. On one leg (at this time) I turn up the hem all the way around the foot, pinning it up the same amount as the back hem.
THEN: You look in a full-length mirror to determine if you like the length in the back, front and at the sides. Ultimately, its what YOU like or don’t like. If you prefer it higher or lower than pinned (again, the shoes you wear and the width of the hem come into play here), just raise or lower the hem until you determine the pants length that is perfect.
FINALLY: Once one leg is just as you want it, pin the other leg in the same fashion. Double check both legs in the mirror, keeping in mind that when you twist your body at the waist, the pant leg will shorten on one side and lengthen on the other. Do your best to turn only your head to look in the mirror and rely on the tailor/seamstress to confirm the bottom of the pant leg is the same distance from the floor on both legs on the back and side.
NOTE: If you’re up in the air as which of two different shoes/heel heights you may be wearing with the slacks, check with the tailor/seamstress to see if they mind you bringing both pair of shoes. Try them both on, starting with the lower shoes. You may have to compromise on the length of one of them, but you may be able to find a length that is good for both of them.
IN SUMMARY, this may seem like overkill to some (that’s ok, it’s “a perfectionist thing” not everyone get it). If time with a tailor/seamstress is not realistic, then a) try to find someone who can follow these steps, then send the pants off the tailor/seamstress already pinned or, b) at the very least, have someone pin up the back of each pant leg (anywhere between just below the ankle to the bottom of your foot) and let the tailor/seamstress do the measuring from there. Not sure where you’d like your pants hemmed or how much break is right for you… here’s some good advice from Ted’s Clothiers in Englewood Colorado: https://www.tedsclothiers.com/all-about-the-break/ OK… that’s my input… good luck… and message me if you need your slacks hemmed!
