• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

hemming slim fitting dress pants

BSullivan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
Messages
92
Reaction score
1
Dearest SF:

Since beginning my first real job with a legitimate paycheck, I have purchased a few pairs of slim fitting pants that I really like. I am having an issue, however. I had them hemmed how I would normally--according to the break in the leg. I've noticed that when I walk, it looks as though my pants are a bit too short. I theorize that this is because with the slimmer fit, the hem of the pants falls on a higher part of the shoe than other pants, resulting in an earlier break in the leg and a shorter hem. Is this part for the course? Should I ask for the hem to slant downward toward the back of the leg? SHould I get a longer hem so that, although more break in the leg than I'm used to, the pant bottom will no longer hover around my ankle as if I'm wearing my little brother's pants?

I understand that the short leg look on pants is en vogue a la Tom Ford these days, but I work at a law firm, and these aren't so short as to be in that realm of stylish-ness.

Thoughts? I will post pictures this evening, mos' likely.
 

mrbowtie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
How did they mark your hem? hopefully you were wearing your shoes. how many inches off the ground did they mark and did they do both legs separately?
 

BSullivan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
Messages
92
Reaction score
1
I was wearing shoes. He did one leg and marked it by pinning it up. There is, as you might suspect, about 1.5 inches of fabric folded under. I was considering using maybe half an inch of that to lengthen them? I dunno. They look fine when I'm standing straight.
 

constant struggle

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
5,083
Reaction score
112
The way I get my pants hemmed is kind of crazy, I know the exact inseam I want, I measure the pant's inseam, then I measure exactly how many inches I wnat to be taken off, I drop them off with the inches I want taken off, then take them home when they are done, this has seemed to work great.
 

kaxixi

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
1,897
Reaction score
21
Yes, you definitely want them hemmed at an angle--as large an angle as your tailor can comfortably make.
 

mrbowtie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
I wear slim fit trousers all the time and have my tailor mark 1.25 to 1.5 inches from the ground up (depending on how slim the trousers are). This will usually leave the back of the pant touch right at the top of the heel of my shoe. Also, I suggest having the tailor mark each leg independently, as some folks legs are actually diff lengths due to the way they stand, hips, etc.

As for looking fine when you are standing still, thats sounds about right to me.
 

mrbowtie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
I would say no to an angle, but tis all preference.
 

a tailor

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
2,855
Reaction score
145
the shortness is because of the narrow bottom, its par alright.
yes plain hems should be made at a bit of an angle. but not an extreme angle.
a little more break will help.
 

Toorman

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
252
Reaction score
1
Just had a pair of slim trousers hemmed and tailor recommended an angled hem as a compromise between the more traditional break he initially suggested (i.e. back of pant close to top of heel) which I thought gave to much break and my suggestion of practically no break which he thought would expose my socks as I walked so we compromised on the angled hem. They're not ready yet so I can't comment on results but in theory it made sense.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.4%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 16 10.6%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.2%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.2%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,152
Messages
10,578,806
Members
223,881
Latest member
Aitchdra
Top