Purchasing clothing that doesn't fit properly can be frustrating and a huge waste of time and money. Pants are crucial since they are the foundation of the rest of your outfit, so knowing where they are meant to sit is necessary.
They are less complex when it comes to fit than jackets, but attention is necessary for them to look the best. Different fits and pants cuts can impact where they should sit on your body. We have discussed in detail some guidelines you can follow to ensure your pants don't feel uncomfortable and fit the best.
Where Should Pants Sit?
Most of the pants today are worn on the hips and waist. So, where should pants sit? Pants are meant to be worn where the patternmaker has set the rise. The rise is the distance from the crotch area to the top of your waistband.
However, some trousers have a low rise, meaning they are meant to be worn at or below the hip area. Nevertheless, some are made with a higher rise and thus meant to be worn high up. Luckily, some brands will tell you in their catalog the rise and intended wearing the height of every pair.
Therefore, if you are looking for a straight-up rule on where your pants should fit, there isn't one. Most people wear trousers how they please. Regarding style, the general rule is that pants should sit at your natural waist level. This the spot on your body where your waist bends when you bend over.
For most men, this might be around the naval, but it's important to remember that every man is different, and some may have a lower or higher natural waistline.
Nevertheless, different pants are worn differently, and this depends on the rise of the specific pants you want to wear. Different rises go in and out of style, and because of the other rises, it's a matter of preference and what looks and feels best on someone's body.
However, if you want your pants to flatter your shape to the maximum, purchase a pair of pants that fit perfectly and wear them at the height they were designed to be worn. Notably, this might mean you must purchase pants longer in the inseam, but you can get them hemmed to fit you.
Types of Pants
Where pants should sit can have much to do with what is currently trending. Since it depends on the pants you wear, let's look at the different ways the pants should fit.
1. How Jeans Should Fit
Since jeans are the most popular pants, they come in a wide range of styles and can be mid to low-rise jeans or high-rise jeans, which is perfect for people who prefer vintage clothes.
Your jeans should comfortably fit around your waist without a belt and close to your body but not tight. Most guys prefer avoiding the bell-bottom appearance and a more modest lean in the leg area.
Your jeans should not be too long, and the bottom of your leg should sit on top of your shoes but have a slight break.
Below are some tips on how jeans should fit:
- For large men, it may be ideal to wear jeans at the same height as dress pants
- Jeans should fit consistently down each leg of trousers and should taper down each leg of your leg
- For jeans, it's okay to have a no break to a full break, but most men will wear them too long
- The slimmer the jeans are, the less break you should have
- If you have a large thigh, opt for tapered jeans
- Skinny jeans flatter most body types
2. How Chino Pants Should Fit
Chino pants are more versatile than jeans as they can be worn for formal and casual occasions. The key to hacking the look the chino look is ensuring they fit well.
Khaki pants are similar to chino pants; their fit should be slimmer than suit pants or dress pants, and most people prefer they sit an inch or two lower on their waist.
Below are a few tips on how chinos/khakis should fit:
- Chinos should sit at your natural waistline, which is the narrowest part of your torso, and about one inch or two above your belly button
- Chino pants should be hemmed to ensure they break exactly at the top of your shoes to create a clean and streamlined look.
- Most men choose a slight break or a medium break since a full break might look sloppy on dress chinos.
- The chino pant legs should be slim but not too tight as they should have adequate room comfortable movement of the legs. However, you shouldn't have too much material around your thigh area.
3. How Dress Pants/Suit Pants Should Fit
Loose pants can look as bad as pants that are too tight. When it comes to dressing trousers, the perfect fit is necessary to achieve a put-together and polished look. Unlike other pants, suit trousers are easy to achieve a proper fit and adjust.
Below are several tips on how your dress pants should fit:
- The waistband of your dress pants should sit at your natural waist or at the top of your hip bones, which is directly below your navel
- The legs of your dress pants should fall directly from your hips to the ground and leave no excess material bunching up at the ankles.
- Your dress trousers should have a snug fit around your buttocks and hips
- Your dress pants should be comfortable when you stand, walk, or sit down, and if too tight or too loose, the pants will be uncomfortable
When wearing your dress pants, wear the right accessories like dress shoes and not tennis shoes or driving shoes because it won't be easy to get the best length.
What are the Components of Pants?
Each of the components of pants usually affects its fit on most men's trousers.
a). Waistband- This is the strip of fabric sitting around your midsection area. The waistband should be snug enough, meaning you will wear suspenders or a belt as a style choice and not a necessity
b). Front & Seat- This is the area around your behind and between the waistband and upper thighs
c). Cut- This is the style of trousers in terms of how close-fitting it is to your body
d). Rise- This is the measurement between the legs from your waistband's front to the back. Low-rise pants should sit on the hip bone, mid-rise pants sit between the hip and the bone, and the high rise sits at the natural waist
e). Inseam- This is the finished length of the pant legs, which is measured from the inside seam
Unfortunately, of all the components above, only the length can be adjusted by a tailor. Modern pants are cut and sewn with a little extra fabric, so very few measurements can be adjusted on most pants.
However, bespoke or vintage pants may come with some excess fabric to allow you to take out the seat and legs, but you can't change the rise.
Tips on Great-Fitting Pants
1. Avoid Goal Pants
Although you may have a goal of losing some pounds, there is no reason to purchase pants that you may not be able to wear. Therefore, avoid these pants even though they might be on sale.
2. Embrace Pleated Trousers
Although pleats may not be trendy currently, they have their uses and are best suited for formal looks like double-breasted suits or morning wear. In addition, they are perfect for men with muscular thighs or a few pounds on their hip area.
Notably, if your pants have pleats on the hips, they should be cut in a large portion to cater to the depth of the pleats, where they should lay flat and not open.
3. Don't be Afraid of Turn-Ups or Cuffs
A pair of flat-fronted pants in a solid color with no cuffs is not a good look and looks plain, especially when paired with other solid materials. On the other hand, cuffs add some interest to simple men's wear and add some interest, especially when worn with dark pants.
Pants that feature a high rise with straight long legs will give you a taller appearance, while a leg with low rises, boot tucks, and other pant breaks will make you look shorter.
4. Know your Measurements
You must get the measurements to stand or sit comfortably with your pants. It's also easy to confuse your size when shopping and find pants that don't fit well.
Ensure you have all your measurements at hand when ordering online, or you can try the pairs of pants.
5. Proper Length is Crucial
Length is important since a properly hemmed pair of pants balances the proportion of your whole look and draws the eyes to other details of your classic look, like shoes or socks. Also, if you rock your high-waisted trousers too low, they will have to be shortened a lot.
Conclusion
Pants have different looks and styles that can be achieved by wearing them differently. When shopping, remember that most pants, if not all, pants can be tailored to your preference, but some tailors don't leave out enough fabric to make adjustments.
Although some men don't care where their pants lie, either on their waist or hips, some do. Therefore, it's important to understand where you should wear your pants.
Image Credit: instaloverz.com
