As part of our series on the proper suit fit, this guide will discuss correct fit for men’s dress pants. This article will go over what they should look like and talk about the alterations required to get the look you need:
Either scroll down to keep reading or use the links above to jump to a specific section.
How Dress Pants Or Trousers Should Fit
Suit trousers are arguably one of the easiest garments to adjust and ensure that they fit properly. Therefore, this guide will provide you with all the full details that you will need for alterations or even buying a pair.
You can use the links above to jump ahead to each section. Meanwhile, remember that we also provide full guides on all the other garments in order to get the proper fit for those too:
Basic Suit Trouser Fit
Immediately below is a quick hit list on proper trouser fit. For a deeper dive, scroll down further.
- Waistband sits at or just below the navel, is neither tight nor loose
- Rise is long enough to accommodate proper waistband placement
- Bottoms touch the shoe but don’t puddle (slight break)
- No pulling across crotch or seat
Trousers are less complex in terms of fit than jackets, but attention to detail is still required for them to look their best.
Below, we’ll take a look at the most important aspects of trousers fit individually.
Seat: How Should Trousers Fit Across The Rear?
The fit of the waistband and that of the seat (tailor-speak for your rear end) go hand in hand. If the seat is too tight -you’ll be able to feel it and see it pulling across your derriere- the tailor will have to let it out.
If there’s too much material, it will have to be taken in. It should lay as smoothly as possible across your backside.
Waistband: The waistband of your trousers should be snug but not tight. They should feel comfortably secure without having to wear a belt. If you put a belt on and the waistband bunches up, it will need to be taken in. If it’s tight right off the bat, any trousers worth buying will have additional material sewn into it so that they can be let out and you can breathe a bit more easily.
We grouped these together because a seat alteration is often a byproduct of what has to be done to a waistband. If, for example, your waistband needs to be taken in, that will cause the seat to look like there’s excess material there. Not a good look. A competent tailor will see this and simply pin or chalk you up without you even needing to ask.
What Are Crotch & Rise & How Do They Affect Trouser Fit?
The crotch of your pants should fall smoothly against your own. Any pulling material means it’s too tight.
Meanwhile, the rise of your trousers is the distance between the top of the waistband and the fork in the crotch (for those with a deeper familiarity with tailoring, the formula is outseam – inseam = rise). Rise is a place where personal preference plays a bigger role than most men realize. Traditionally, suit trousers sit at the natural waist, which is right around the navel. Some men find this to be comfortable, others feel the opposite because they’re so accustomed to low-rise jeans that sit around their hips.
When you’re trying your suit on, be sure that you pull the trousers up to where they’re intended to sit. Look at the fly of different brands of trousers; chances are you’ll see that some are noticeably longer than others. If the rise looks longer, pull them up higher. If it looks shorter, well, you’ll find out quickly where they’re supposed to land.
This will also be dictated by your any bodily irregularities you might have, specifically whether or not your height is derived from your torso more than your legs or vice-versa. See our guide on body types if you don’t know yours!
This is important not just for comfort, but also because it affects how the length of your trousers will be achieved.
How Long Should Dress Pants Be?
First, let’s talk about some terminology.
- Inseam: The length of the trouser from the fork in the crotch to the hem. You’ll notice a seam on the inside of both pant legs, hence the term inseam.
- Outseam: The length of the trouser from the top of the waistband to the hem. You’ll notice a seam on the outside of both pant legs, hence the name.
When we talk about trouser length, we’re talking about inseam specifically. This holds true for various brands as well. A pair of trousers marked 33 x 32 refers to a 33″ inch waist and a 32″ inseam.
As you can see from above, the trouser should just touch the top of your shoe all around for what’s called a “slight break,” which we think looks the cleanest.
What’s a break, you ask? Read on!
Break
Break refers to the amount of material that sits on the shoe when you’re standing in a regular pose. Though there’s no industry-wide standardization, many places will offer a large break, medium break, slight break, or no break when finishing pant length.
While this is generally a question of personal preference, we advise that a slight break looks good on most men and should thus be what you ask for. Shorter and/or more fashion-forward men have been wearing breakless pants for years now. On the other hand, very tall men can benefit from a more generous break, as they run the risk of looking like their trousers were cut too short if they wear a slight break.
The beauty here is that as trends change, so can your break. Trousers have additional material sewn into their bottoms and can be taken up or let down as the winds of fashion blow in different directions.
How Rise Affects Length
The most important thing to do that will ensure an accurate first round of tailoring is to wear your pants exactly where you plan to wear them in relation to your waist as the tailor is pinning you up. If you wear high-waisted trousers too low, they will be shortened too much. You’ll find yourself in a pair of dumpy-crotched capri pants.
Pant Leg Shape: A Bit Of Tapering Is Good
Take a look at the three graphics below. See how from left to right they’re very tapered, somewhat tapered, and barely tapered from left to right?
Dress trousers should be neither so tapered that the hug the leg nor so loose that they flap in the wind. More traditional men will prefer a more generous cut, more fashion-forward men tend to want a slimmer cut.
Your trousers should create a flattering silhouette of your legs while neither hindering your movement nor being so large as to be mistaken for a pair of Oxford bags (unless, of course, you’re the very particular vintage enthusiast who actually wants Oxford bags).
Should your trouser legs be a bit too large, your tailor can taper them from the thigh down to the hem. This is not a terribly difficult alteration, so most tailors will take no issue with performing it. To learn how to find a good tailor, click here.
Parting Thoughts
Like anything, your dress pants should fit well. Achieving this will take trial and error and also the skills of a good tailor.
Few of us will fit the off-the-rack and ready to wear specifications outlined by retailers. Therefore, don’t be afraid to entrust your garments to a good tailor for alterations.
Finally, take your time and make sure the fit is perfect, you’ll be pleased if you do.
What Next?
Now that you have read our guide to how trousers should fit, consider reading some related content:
Ultimate Suit Fit Guide Pages
Love reading your articles. Thank you so much for educating us so much about fashion.
I had one doubt and it would be very helpful of you if could solve it. Can wool trousers 10-12 oz be worn on its own with an Oxford shirt but without a jacket? Can wool trousers replace chinos and become a part of man’s casual wear? Asking this question because i have heard a lot of people say that without a jacket wool trousers would look like an incomplete suit and that it is too formal for smart causal wear.
Would love to hear your opinion! Thanks.
Thanks, Ayush!
I think it depends on the style of trouser.
If it’s a plain worsted wool trouser with no patterns and a block colour like black or navy, I think it may look like an incomplete suit. However, patterns like windowpane or another style of check could work quite well.
Meanwhile, you could add something like a waistcoat to bring it all together to offset the trouser. Nevertheless, a suit trouser on its own may potentially look odd. I suppose that the secret it how you wear it!
All the best,
CP
Thanks for explaining what “break” is and that a slight break looks good on most men’s trousers. My son mentioned he wants to find relaxed-fit pants that are comfortable but look like trousers. I’m glad I read your article so I can help him find pants that will fit in a flattering way.
Happy to have helped!
Exactly how many inches difference should be kept between body measurment and trouser measurements at hips and rise and thigh for relaxed fit?
Hey Nish,
It’s impossible to say ‘exactly’ seeing as how body contours are irregular and, as we explain here (https://bespokeunit.com/style/body-type/irregular/) 95% of the human population has some kind of irregularity of the body which can affect how clothes fit. You may need an extra inch at the hips and two inches at the thighs if you’re a muscular individual, for instance. Additionally, increasing the measurement of one dimension can affect how the trouser fits on another part of your lower body.
Rafael
My husband has a belly . Should he be wearing his trousers below the belly or above it.
Hey Nima,
Generally, wearing trousers above the belly is going to look best.
Rafel