Getting the pant width and length right is crucial to dress your best.
If you wear trousers that are too slim, it can make your shoes look gigantic.
And if they are too wide or too long, it can also look a bit comical.
But how do you determine the right trouser width and length for you?
That’s the goal of today’s article.
I want to give you some practical guidelines so you can clearly see what trousers will look best on your body.
We’ll start with trouser width and then move on to the right length for your trousers.
The ideal pant width for 99% of men
The width of your pants primarily depends on two factors:
- The shape of your body
- The size of your feet
Personal taste and trouser style also play a role but are not as important as those two.
It’s actually quite simple:
The slimmer someone is, the slimmer the trousers can be, and the bigger someone is, the wider the trousers can and should be.
A slim guy with very wide trousers or a bigger guy with slim trousers both look a bit comical.
However, I think that most men, regardless of their body type, look best with a straight fit or a subtle taper.
A straighter cut is versatile, comfortable, and creates a well-balanced silhouette.
A very strong taper makes your hips appear wider and creates a v-shape in your lower body, which does not look very flattering, especially for bigger guys.
And I think no man should wear skinny-fit trousers.
Even though they were trendy for a while, they just never look flattering, no matter how slim or athletic you are.
The slimmest possible option that can still look good would be slim-fit.
Ideal pant width reference ranges
Let’s discuss some ranges so you have a reference:
- If you’re a guy with a slim frame, you can go for slim or regular fit, and the leg opening should be somewhere in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 inches (ca. 19 cm).
- For an average built guy, you can go for slim, regular, or straight fit, with a leg opening of 7 to 8.5 inches (ca. 22 cm).
- A guy with a bigger build can go for a regular or relaxed fit with a leg opening of about 8.5 to 10 inches (ca. 25 cm).
These are just some reference ranges; you may fall slightly outside of them.
To measure the leg opening, lay your trousers flat and measure straight across the bottom of the leg.
Double this measurement to get the full circumference.
For example, if the flat measurement is 8 inches, the full leg opening is 16 inches.
For me, I noticed that I look better in trousers with a leg opening of 8.5 inches compared to ones with 8 inches or less.
This has been a pretty recent realization, so most of my trousers are still a bit too slim.
How foot size influences trouser width
So far we spoke about your body shape. Let’s go over how the size of your feet influences trouser width as well.
Similar to your body, the bigger your shoes in relation to your body, the wider your trousers can be; and the smaller your shoes, the slimmer they can be.
The classic rule used to be that your trousers should cover between 1/2 – 3/4 of your shoes.
But I think between 1/3 to 60% of your shoes works better for most people.
In my opinion, the sweet spot for 99% of men would be about 1/2 of your shoes.
But if you’re a slim guy, or you have small feet, 1/3 can still work as well.
Less than that, and your shoes start to look gigantic.
More than 60%, and your trousers start to swallow your shoes.
And keep in mind that you want your entire outfit to be coherent. So if you go for wider trousers, match this on your upper body as well. Don’t wear a tight shirt or suit jacket with wide trousers.
A good idea is to go to a store where they have a variety of trouser fits and just try out a few of them to figure out which ones you think look best on you; then you can note down the leg opening width.
Pant length – 5 trouser breaks
Now that we covered trouser width, let’s take a look at the right length for your trousers.
This depends primarily on your personal preference and on the types of trousers, so I want to show you five different trouser breaks and let you decide which one you like the most.
And keep in mind that if you find trousers that fit you well, but they are a bit too long, you can always bring them to the tailor for alterations.
Full Break
First, we have the full break.
This is the most classic version, which is not that common anymore.
With the full break, you have quite a bit of fabric buildup at the bottom.
If you enjoy a more classic look and wider trousers, this may be the right choice for you.
Just make sure not to have too much fabric bending; otherwise it starts to look a bit disorganized.
Half Break
Next up, we have the half break.
This is a more subtle option than the full break and is quite versatile because it works well with various trouser fits and occasions.
It’s suitable both in the office with more formal looks but also with casual trousers.
Quarter Break
The line between a half break and a quarter break is pretty subtle.
You will see just a tiny bend in the fabric here, which makes it look more modern and clean.
This may be the ideal trouser break in my opinion because it doesn’t expose too much of your socks and ankle when you’re walking.
No Break
With no break, your pants just barely touch the top of your shoes without any bend in the fabric.
This creates a clean, straight line which is very pleasing and modern.
Especially with cuffed trousers, this can create a beautiful, clean drape.
Keep in mind that though that the type of shoes you wear also plays a role here.
If your pants don’t have a break when wearing loafers, you may have a slight break on other shoes like oxfords or boots.
And remember that trouser length can affect how your body proportions are perceived.
Shorter men may benefit from a slight or no break to appear taller, while taller men can afford a fuller break.
Ankle Length
This is the most modern approach; however, I must admit I am not a big fan of this look.
Especially if you have larger feet or a bigger midsection; I highly recommend avoiding this style.
In those cases, it can make your shoes look gigantic and disturb the overall balance of your outfit.
But how do you feel about the ankle look?
Let me know in the comments below!
