Cuffs

[cluelessdude]

So I bought a few new trousers (wool) and had to get them hemmed. Asked for a 1 1/2 inches cuff as well. Well tried them on last night and the pants still seem just SLIGHTLY long.

My question is that can I undo the cuff myself and make it lets say 1 3/4 or 2 inches? Perhaps this will make them the perfect length. I don't want to take them back for them to hem it again and have me pay more.

 

[johnniegold]

I don't think the size of the cuff and the length of the pant necessarily go hand in hand. It sounds like you should bring them back and just tell them to make them shorter. Depending on where you purchased them, perhaps they would do them again without charging you. Sometimes when you are fitted, you don't have the pants sitting on you where you normally would. So, although they seemed right when they were taking measurements, you may have been wearing the pants a little higher then you normally would. So a mid-break turns into a full-break. Take them back. They are brand new, why mess around?

 

[mhdena]

Why did you not try them on when you picked them up?

A 2 inch cuff sounds like something for a costume, not normal dress pants IMO.

 

[johnniegold]

The widest cuff I would use is 1 5/8"

 

[cb91710]

+1

1.25" to 1.5" is as wide as I'd go.

 

[DSB]

Cuffs will never look right if you try this yourself (unless you happen to be a tailor, in which case you wouldn't be posing the question here). Take them back to the tailor.

 

[cluelessdude]

Okay nevermind, I actually tried the trousers on very quickly the other day and I think I was wearing them too low (too used to wearing jeans I suppose) and that's probably why they seemed too long. I tried them on again today and the tailors did a perfect job I think. I want the 'little break' look and I think they achieved that. I also let out about an inch in the waist. It's very comfortable in the waist now, the shirt is just sticking out in this picture as I took it very quickly.

By the way why is cuffing manually so hard? I thought they just fold the fabric? I won't be trying it myself though, just curious! The tailor was suggesting a 1 1/4 cuff but I asked 1 1/2 instead and I like it so far I think. These are my first quality trousers (purchased online from Howard Yount, made in Italy, 100% wool). Folks on styleforum are rocking 1 1/2 inch cuff minimum, most of them have between 1 3/4 to 2 inches lol. I guess they have the confidence to do it successfully.

Here are low quality pictures of me wearing them today, excuse the shirt and the fact I'm not wearing a belt. What do you think of the fit? I'm 24 and a slim guy so going for a slim fit but something that doesn't make me uncomfortable at work.

 

[mhdena]

I would listen to the tailor not the other clueless guys on styleforum.

 

[cb91710]

I would listen to the tailor not the other clueless guys on styleforum.

+1

1.5" is, IMHO the absolute limit, pushing too much.
I just measured mine and they are 1.25"

 

[cluelessdude]

Okay good thing I went with 1.5". I do wish the rise was a little higher but other than that I think the fit is spot on for me.

 

[little Big feather]

You do know the story of cuffs, don't you?
Dumb Americans and fashion...

 

[DukeGrad]

My friend

1-1 1/2 inch.
My question why the cuffs?
For a slack, and dress slcack I never did.
Suits, formal suts, business suits yes.
I am 60 and this has been the way most people do it.
Unless you are much younger.
Again, I may have cuffs on 2 old flannel, dress slacks.
Its up to you.
But I never heard of or saw a 2 inch cuff.

Did your tailor look at you funny?
They should know!

Nice day
Jimmy

 

[cluelessdude]

Well I went with 1 1/2 inch so why would he look at me funny? A lot of people get cuffs on odd trousers, I don't think it's unusual...

 

[jhe888]

I wouldn't choose cuffs that wide, but suit yourself. Don't flat front trousers usually have plain hems, too? Again, they are your pants, so do it your way.

 

[cluelessdude]

Well I did a search and came across this thread on askandy:

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?111265-Cuffs-on-flat-front-pants

One person wrote:

Flat front trousers with cuffs is perfectly acceptable, just go ask the guys on the Trad forum. It's an American tradition. That article is misinformed. Reverse pleats are just as continental as flat fronts. You will even find Italians wearing flat front trousers with cuffs. Or watch any of the James Bond movies since 1999 and you will see Bond wearing flat front trousers with cuffs. Cuffs and pleats are independent of each other. Cuffs exist to weigh down the bottom of the trousers, something that is useful whether or not the trousers are pleated.

From what I have read, pleats = cuff for sure. Flat fronts = no cuffs but usually but not 100%.

 

[JoshuaNY]

I think they fit you great. They have a good break, not too big not too small. I cant really see the cuffs, but if you like em then rock em.
And I wouldnt worry about the cuffs/pleats vs no cuffs/no pleats.

I would just make sure that is where your pants will stay throughout the day, because if they naturally sit lower but you pulled them up for the pic then the break will be deeper during regular wear.

 

[The Knize]

J Press says 1.75" cuffs, and in my view you do not get anymore traditional, at least NE traditional, than J Press.

Nevertheless, I am pretty sure my cuffs are 1.5" for the most part and never more than 1.5".

Virtually all of my trousers are cuffed, plain and pleated front, dress and causal, except jeans, and I wear some of my jeans with bottoms rolled into the equivalent of cuffs.

I would have said that pleated suit trousers call for cuffs. Flat-fronts can go either way, but cuffs are never "improper," and for traditional NE American clothing are the norm.

Question for those who know better than I, does military clothing, particularly, say, khakis havecuffs? Does military clothing ever have pleats?

 

[The Knize]

The caveat here, of course, is: If one's colleagues, or, I suppose, one's superiors, at one's place of business believe for whatever reason that cuffs on plain front trousers are gauche, perhaps one ought to go along with one's superiors' sartorial analysis. One would think that no one would really notice or care. But judging from the amount of comment this questions gets on the internet, apparently some folks do notice and do care.

One does not ask, I would not think. One merely observes.

When in doubt, one can err toward doing what everyone seems to think is correct. That is, plain hems on plain front trousers. On the other hand, that has not convinced me not to wear cuffs on everything.

Jesse Thorn, whom I usually agree with, even though he likes 2" cuffs, posted this quote recently:

"I’d cuff my boxer shorts if I could."


Charlie Davidson, when asked if he prefers cuffs.


Makes sense to me!

 

[Tim_McD]

Cuffs, even on flat front trousers, are classic. Every one of my dress trousers and all but one pair of khakis are cuffed - and I only buy flat front pants.

 

[cluelessdude]

Good insight Knize, it is interesting that there is so much variation on this topic. I did not know opinions differed that much on cuffs. I mean there are some places that say a cuff for anyone near 6'0 should be 1.5 to 1.75 inches. Then there are others who say 1.5 would be really pushing it even. Also different thoughts on cuffs for plain front trousers.