The right pair of pants can make or break an outfit. Don’t believe us? Recall your unflattering, but probably favorite, pair of jeans growing up. Did they pool at the seat or drag past your shoes? Or even worse, tent up at the crotch when you sat down? With age comes wisdom. Here's the research on how to find the perfect fit in pants, let’s get into it.
Measuring Pants
What you Need:
- Measuring tape
- Your best fitting pants
Step 1
Lay the pants face up and flat on a hard surface. Make sure they are zipped and fastened. Once the pants are zipped and fastened pull the front and back together so that the waistlines – front and back – run parallel to one another. Now simply measure the line from left to right. Once you’ve got that number, double it and you’ve got your waist size.
Step 2
Now, with the pants in the same position, measure the inseam. Do this by finding the stitching that would normally sit on your inner thigh. Measure that line from crotch to cuff.
Step 3
To measure the thigh width, all you need to do is choose a pant leg. Any leg. Then measure two inches down from the crotch. Got it? Great. Now measure from left to right on that point. Voila. Thigh width attained. Repeat this step at the knee and at the leg opening.
Measuring Self
If you’re looking for a complete tear down to start over from scratch, then never fear. You can absolutely measure yourself to get the same information.
What you need:
- Measuring tape
- A partner
Step 1
Put on a light, close fitting layer. This is so that you can get the most accurate measurement without bulky garments getting in the way. Once you’ve got your close-fitting piece on, put on a pair of shoes that accurately represent the type you’ll be wearing most with the pants you plan to use these measurements for. For instance, if you’re measuring for custom dress pants, put on your favorite pair of dress shoes. If you’re outlining jeans, then your trainers or casual sneakers may be more apropos.
Step 2
Stand up straight. Are you doing it? Fantastic. Good posture is important. Now, have your partner wrap the measuring tape around your waist. Usually this is about two inches above the navel for women, but for men you’ll want to measure the general area where you like your pants to sit. Be careful not to pull the tape measure too tight.
Step 3
Next, have your partner measure the inseam from crotch to cuff. Where the cuff sits is up to you, but this is why we started with putting on a representative of the type of shoes you’ll likely wear with the pants you’re measuring for.
And that’s it. You’re done. Mission accomplished. Fin.
At Original Stitch we offer a fully customizable collection of premium quality dress shirts, blazers, and pants. Use them to create a wardrobe that is completely unique to YOU. Our high-quality yarns are hand-selected from – and tailored in – Japan to be extra resistant to wear and tear while maintaining a softer feel than their off-the-rack counterparts.
