How to tell if pants (waist) can be let out?

[fashof]

Just bought a pair of khakis from GAP (Tailored Straight Leg) and was wondering if these khakis were designed like many others (made to be able to have tailors let them out a few inches if needed.) Yes I can get the right waist size but the thigh/leg taper would not be the same. I just need a few more inches in the waist for the to fit more comfortably otherwise the fit is great. Does anyone know if there is something I should look for to see if these can be let out or not? It would save me a trip to the tailor for no reason if I can find out for myself if this can be done first.

 

[ter1413]

A couple of things in no specific order(without me having seen the pants):
A) ask a Gap associate
B) buy them and take to your tailor and ask him/her. you can always return them.
C) look inside the back/seat part of the pants where the "extra" material would be.

 

[MBreinin]

You should see a V shaped strip of material where the seat joins. This is extra waist material. Often, RTW pants from places like Gap and the such do not have room to be let out.

Mike

 

[bengal-stripe]

If the seat seam is folded over and stitched down, (like with jeans) then the trousers cannot be let-out. Jeans-type construction also has the waistband in a single piece. Trousers that can be let-out, show the extra material inside, about 1 ½" on either side of the seam, they also have a divided waistband.

Cotton as material (chino or corduroy) is likely to show the previous stitch marks, (unlike wool, where you only need a hot iron and a damp cloth and the marks are gone).

I wouldn't risk to let-out cotton trousers, taking-in is no problem. If the stitch marks remain, they will on the inside.

 

[Despos]

If the waistband is one piece all around (like jeans) and has no seam at the center back seam, then there is no outlet to make the waist bigger. You will the extra cloth you need to let out at the center back of the trouser.

 

[bowtielover]

A cheap trouser liek that is usualy not made to be let out any that's why there is an abundace of sizes. If you look though in the back on the crack line you will see where the extra material if any has been left in. You can measure that to see how much room if any has been left to let out.