Men's Pants

Guys, let's talk pants.  Stylistically there are many options out there, but thankfully there are numerous safe choices you can make when selecting pants for work or weekend. When shopping, simply remember a couple rules of thumb and you can run wild in whatever bottoms you choose.

Fit First

Most men's pants are sized with two numbers: waist and inseam measurement, in that order.

• Measure your waist by wrapping a tape measure around your torso wherever you want your pants to fall. Keep a finger or two between the tape measure and you, so that you have a bit of breathing room and space to tuck your shirt in.
• If you're going the classic and respectable route, measure at your proper waist, where your body creases when you lean to the side. Tip: find your belly button. That's your waist level.
• Younger and trendier men often wear their pants lower, along their hips. This is a riskier way to go, as you may show off parts of yourself intended for private use, but if it's really where you want your pants to fall, use that measurement.
• A smart man will never leave his gut hanging out over his pants. DOn't give into to pride and insist that you wear the same size jean you wore in college--let go of your delusions and buy pants that fit.
• Measure your inseam by taking a tape measure up your leg (or letting someone else do it) and running it to where you want the crotch of your pants to lie. That height is your inseam. Make sure to measure along your leg and directly perpendicular to the floor on up.
• If you're squeamish or wimpy about being measured, take the pair of pants that fit you best and measure the inseam (and waist) there. It's just the seam that runs on the inside of the leg.
• Better to purchase pants that are a little too long, rather than a little too short. A tailor can shorten anything, but said tailor can make very few things longer.
• You should end up with dimensions, in inches, that look something like 30x32. That is your pant size.
• To get fancier, if you want to calculate the rise of your pants, it's the distance from the crotch to the waist. It will dictate how high your pants sit. Many pants will come in low-, medium- and high-rise options. If your pants are above your waist, that's high rise, at your waist is medium and below your waist is low rise.

The rare exception of casual pant will be sized S-M-L-XL.  Usually this type of sizing is only used for casual pants like sweatpants  or hiking pants.   If you know your waist and inseam measurement, you should be able to tell which size S-M-L-XL to pick.

Style

• Pant bottoms should hit your shoes and "break" once. This means that they should crease slightly (due to their manly length) once before terminating on top of your lovely shoe.
• You should never be able to see your socks  peeking out of your pant leg when standing. If you can, your pants are too short.
• Your pants should look good on you. Look in a mirror. Try to find a 3-way mirror and check yourself from a few angles.
• When buying pants, check for comfort. Sit in them. Walk in them. Still feel good? Good.
• If they are too long, take them to a tailor.
• Make sure pants coordinate with the clothes already hanging in your closet. Your pants should work with your belts,  shoes,  and shirts. 
• How do you want to keep your pants up? You can have suspenders  or you can have a belt. You cannot have both.
• Your shoes and belt should complement your pants. Black goes with everything except navy (denim isn't navy) and brown. Brown goes with brown, khaki, and navy.
• Your socks should be in the color scheme of your pants, not your shoes.
• Cuffs are a mature and polished look. Cuff length should never exceed an inch and a half.
• Straight legs always look good and flatter the most heights and builds. Skinny guys can get away with tapered legs. Flared pants only work on jeans--and only on tall guys. Baggy pants are rarely a good idea unless you have your own Rap label.
• Are you happy in them? That counts. Is your girlfriend or boyfriend happy when you wear them? That counts too.
• Want to know more? Read the Men's Guide To Getting Dressed.

What Are the Types?

Prevalent Pants
Pleated Dress Pants  Timeless and practical, albeit slightly out of fashion at the moment. Can be lined or unlined, made of wool,  cotton  or synthetic fabric. Look good with dress shirts,  sweaters,  blazers.  Pair with a loafer  or dress shoe.	Flat-Front Pants  Very attractive and stylish. Surprisingly, these pants make most men look thinner--when the waist fits. Like their pleated brethren, wool  and cotton  never fail. Work with most shirts and sweaters.	Khakis  Slightly less formal and very versatile. A warm season look. Looks good with everything except light grey--but can be a little boring. Skip the sneakers and opt for loafer.	Jeans  A staple. Each guy has his own style. A dark wash,  straight leg  in a proper fit always looks good. Wear with sneakers, boots or loafers. Dress up with a blazer or wear a t-shirt for a casual look.	Cargo Pants  Not for the fashion-conscious, but great for the utilitarian. If you overload your pockets, you'll look like too bulky. Skip these at the office and only wear on weekends. Footwear options: boots or sneaks.

Less Common
Linen  Great for warm weather. Wrinkle easily and potentially transparent. Best with sandals  and a casual shirt.	Corduroy  A thin wale, where the stripes are narrow, is the most flattering. Excellent look for fall paired with a turtleneck sweater. Bad if your thighs rub together. Wear with boots or loafers.	Parachute  For those hiding something, be it fat, food or scabby knees. Often in useful, ripstop fabrics. Less flashy models are good for travel--they dry quickly and don't wrinkle.	Zip-Off  Perfect for traveling to climates when you'll need shorts and pants. Not for formal occasions, even if you love them. Synthetic fibers air dry quickly.	Leather  For rock stars and their imitators. Supposed to be tight, but make sure you can get out of them. Wear with something subtle on top like a crewneck sweater.

More Options

More Options

You may want to buy pants for the gym. Consider: workout pants,  sweat pants,  exercise pants.  Scrubs  should be worn by doctors. Even if you are a big fan of Grey's Anatomy, you can't get away with these. Elastic waists are easy to fit. Just make sure they're the right length. And Remember, these pants are only for the gym or relaxing at home. They are not to be worn on dates or to work. If you know your waist and inseam measurement, you should be able to tell which size S-M-L-XL to pick.

External Links

• Ask Men -- Clear instructions on how to measure every aspect of your pants, just in case you need to report.
• GQ -- Style Guy knows everything about how you should wear your pants.
• Hudson's Guide -- Buying dress pants for short and small men. (Written for female-to-male transsexuals, but helpful to anyone dressing as a man.)
• The Morning News -- A simple and funny guide to how to wear jeans, chinos, corduroys, slacks and shorts.