Ask Angie: Rolling Up Pants

Anonymous

I read your posts pretty much every single day. Frequently, you will comment on rolling up the pants a bit. This confuses me because I thought we wanted to avoid leg shortening strategies. Have I missed something?

9 years ago

Dressing

10 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Aida

Veteran

Rolling the hems makes a lot of pants (jeans in particular) look more current right now, at the expense of a little lengthening flattery. You'll need to experiment a bit to find your "sweet spot" with rolling the hems, but it's a cute and current JFE (just flattering enough) look. Angie probably has more insight to share on this matter

9 years ago

Suja

Veteran

Agree with what Aida said. A few years ago the conventional wisdom was to avoid cuffs, period. Now cuffs are seen as interesting, especially if they show a little ankle. Actually, it seems like the fashion world is obsessed with showing ankle. It's not necessary but an easy way to look current without buying anything new.

9 years ago

Aida

Veteran

Suja brings up an excellent point about exposing the ankle. A lot of the current move to rolling hems and all of the ankle length pants tie in with trending shoes that have ankle straps or other ankle interest, like booties.

9 years ago

Dixie

Active Member

In my opinion it has to do more with your ankle shape, if they're thin, you can roll up and wear a shoe with ankle straps or booties, if they're thicker, you can roll up and wear a shoe with a little bit of heel and leave the ankle exposed, no straps or anything, I think that way you can avoid leg shortening.

9 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Good question, Sterling.

First, I echo, Aida.

Second, pant rolling adds structure. It tapers the hem and shortens the length - which actually lengthens the leg line and looks more flattering.

Third, not all pants look good rolled. You have to choose a style that already tapers at the ankle.

9 years ago

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

One more thing I would like to add to what was already said: that structure Angie referred to is especially importand if your top is pretty fluid or oversized: somehow it looks more flattering with rolled or cropped pants than with the full length (unless it is a bootie season but this is a whole different story )

9 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes...it is a question of proportion. And often when Angie makes that comment she is looking at a pair of trousers that are already shorter (i.e. "ankle length") but not at the RIGHT length for the wearer, to her eye. In other words, the pants are in some "no man's land" length, neither cropped enough to appear cropped on the wearer, nor long enough to look full length.

And/or the pants are not tapered enough at the ankle for their length, and Angie perhaps thinks they'd look better rolled, so they would taper more.

Another factor to weigh in the balance -- with a lower contrast pant and/ or footwear, rolling won't make the leg line look shorter. With higher contrast, it may.

9 years ago

Anonymous

Thank you to all the responders, Aida, Suja, Mimi, Angie, Sveta, and Suz. I have a much fuller understanding of this concept now. I have yet to try rolling up my pants, BUT I am more than willing to try. I will focus on WIWs as examples and I will search for that sweet spot.

9 years ago

Suja

Veteran

Angie, I never thought rolling pant hems add structure. Brilliant. I went running today in long running tights and couldn't figure out why it looked off compared to the cropped running pants I wore all summer. I remembered this thread and rolled the pant hems a couple inches. Wow, what a difference it made to the proportions! I won't be able to sport the look in extreme winter (because Ill need full coverage) but it is perfect for working out in slightly cool weather and indoors. Great tip.

9 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Glad the explanations were helpful Suja and Sterling.

9 years ago

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