Ask Angie: correct length for straight leg trousers - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: correct length for straight leg trousers

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

They really get me confused. I understand that they can be shorter than the bootcuts which should almost skim the ground but what is the correct length?
It is a no brainer for staright leg jeans which tend to be narrow enough on the bottom not to go over the shoe but the picture with some straight leg trousers is different.
These are my new navy martins from BR. They are straight but because of the relaxed fit the leg opening is pretty wide: mine measure 18" across! Is this a good length for them or should they be longer? How much longer? For bootcuts you gave us a formula of 0.5 inch or less of the ground: do you have the formula for straight leg pants as well? How much above the ground (or below the base of the heel) they should go?
For the reference my straight jeans measure 15" across as well as my tapered trousers. Their length is easy to determine but these straight legs? I have no clue.

Pic 2 is from BR site - would you say they are PPL here or not?

Another pair of straight legs from BR - from the front. Length is the same - is the break in the leg enough here?

Thanks!

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Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Gaylene

Veteran

I'll be waiting for Angie's response because, to my eye, those pants in the BR site look too short in the back.

I've tended to hem my wider, trouser-style straight legs on a slant so they nicely sit on the front of the shoe with just a bit of a break and then fall to about .5 inch off of the floor at the back.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

But Gaylene, these are not trouser cut, they are straight legs! They are the same width from the knee to the bottom...I am really confused. one of the reasons I want straight legs is because they can be higher from the ground than bootcuts and thyerefore easier to wear in our winters So if these ones should be the same length as bootcuts or trouser cuts it just does not make sense to me!

Deborah

Veteran

I don't know if this helps in the interim:

http://youlookfab.com/2013/02/.....t-lengths/

http://youlookfab.com/2008/07/.....be-skinny/

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Deb, I have looked through all of them! Unfortunately I did not find answer for myself

Gaylene

Veteran

I really hope Angie weighs in here because I'd love to hear her take on how to handle these wider straight legs. I know that she prefers scrunch on a narrow straight leg, 14-15 inches, but on an 18 inch width, you'd get a puddle of fabric instead of a scrunch--sort of an elephant leg look, in my opinion.

I checked some of her pins for Fall/Winter 2013 to see what the designers are showing, but you are right in thinking that some of the wide straight legs are shown higher from the ground, like the ones in the Armani pics.

Maybe we should keep bumping this to the top of the page--inquiring minds need to know!

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Gaylene, this was one of the reasons i though that maybe i should taper them a bit - to resolve this PPP dilemma!
Off to check the Armani pins! I wish they show them from the side...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Hmmm. I am watching closely. Just in from my marathon theatre performance (Angels in America) and have not even tried the trousers ON yet -- had to rush so fast i just bought on the spot, figuring I would do any needed exchange work later on!

Lantana

Veteran

Thanks for asking this question Sveta. I'm at the start of the learning curve when it comes to PPL and always appreciate the forum's wisdom on this.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

These are the looks I am drawn to - now you can see why I prefer the fit in one size up!
#1
#2 - hey, they are navy too!
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7

Diana

Veteran

If it helps, Angie said the length was good in photos 13-16 but too long in 1-4 in my post about the same pants here:
http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/kr-br-suit

Lyn D.

Veteran

Bumping for PPL experts.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Call me weird but this problem woke me up at night. It bothers me so much that I cannot figure out how to wear these darn trousers!
In the end I went to my hubby's part of the closet and pulled out his dress trousers. Imagine my surprise when I saw that his straight leg trousers are not the same width from the knee down! They are exactly the same width as mine at the knee BUT an inch narrower at the bottom! The light bulb moment!
So I will take his pants and my new pants to my mom and ask her to taper mine to the same width on the bottom. It will not make them very tapered as my other pants but narrow enough to solve the length issue I think.
Wish me luck!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting! I do think these pants from BR are a strange sort of hybrid pant. Not sure what to make of them. But mine did not fit right anyway, so it is hard to judge.

Gaylene

Veteran

Ha, good to hear that I'm not the only one who lay awake in bed this morning pondering this same question.

Very interesting, though, about the taper in your husband's straight-leg pants. Reducing the width would keep the straight legged look but turn the pooling into more of a scrunch around the shoe area. Perfect solution!

By the way, I'm loving those pins that you pulled from Angie's board. That easy, drapey fit has totally won me over this fall. I keep getting sales people asking if I want a smaller size, though, when I'm trying on pants. I think we've all become so used to wearing pants in the smallest size that we could fit into, and relying on a pant to stretch out while it's being worn, that it takes time for everyone to adjust. You and Angie are pointing the way for how to wear this newer fit!

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

High five, Gaylene!
You are right, my preferences for trouser fit have changed dramatically for the last year. I really admire the fluid look much more that the tight fit these days. One reason maybe because it is easier to have a flattering fluid fit with a curvy bottom than the snug fit which does not make you feel fat...
As for the sales people: I have to refrain myself in the fitting room from telling some ladies that these pants are way too tight, size up please!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Queen Pedantic About Pant Lengths is here. Thanks for waiting for me. My Papa is visiting and it's his b-day today so I am scarce.

My cream pants fit like these, Sveta:

http://youlookfab.com/2013/01/.....rban-grit/

Although there is no picture from the side, they are the length you are wearing in #1. A little longer than on the model. They have a little bit of scrunch, but not too much.

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unfrumped

Veteran

Sveta, I had a lot of trouble with this issue, too, Angie's photos help.
some of my new pants are also 18", which sounds pretty wide, but looks more modern when I compare to my ones that are 20 t- 21". Isn't that funny,

But I found I had to identify some shoes for this type of pant leg--I posted on that before--for me, I need either low vamp, or a smooth high vamp bootie --if too much going on at the vamp, like laces or buckes or even a slipper flat lip, the pants hang up, because as you noted, they're not skinny enough to hug the ankle--they want to fall over the shoe--but are not wide enough to fall smoothly over stuff going on.

I have not tapered mine, but that's a thought.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for chiming in, Angie! I did not know your Papa is visiting and his birthday too! Please say Happy Birthday from me to him (I wish I can see what your dashing Papa is wearing on his special day ) Did you bake your special melktert today?
I poured over your outfit pictures yesterday in hope to find an example of a similar width. I know your theory pants are more tapered and I could not see the white ones from the side...So you think that the length in #1 is fine or should I let them down? Also if it is fine would it be OK for higher heels as well or should they be one heel height pants only like bootcusts?
Unfrumped, I have the same problem with bootcuts as well! I wore them with slipper flats and it drove me crazy!

Lisa

Veteran

I think the trousers are ok as is. They are not bootcuts, which are the style I prefer to be very close to the ground. I consider straight legs my chance to show off my shoes, not cover them up. My own personal preference, is my straight legs have to have enough length on them, to not show my ankle bone, sometimes this means more scrunch than others for some reason.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks, for your sweet wishes, Sveta. I made Papa dense chocolate cake with cream cheese icing for his b-day, and he wore a burgundy and ink striped pullover from J.Crew with a checked shirt in the same colours. The pullover matched his burgundy specs.

Perhaps let the trousers down a little in #1. I think that will make you feel more secure. My Theory pants are not this shape. One is tapered and baggy, and the other a very fluid bootcut.

I wear my cream pants with one inch and 1.5 inch booties. Not with flats.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Lisa.
Angie, your Papa's outfit sounds lovely. I am so happy that your get to spend time with him now!
I think I will let them 1" down and taper them for 1" as well so they do not go too low on my shoes. They will be still pretty straight, not as tapered as my other pants, pretty much like my hubby's dressy pants which is an intent, right?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

There you go. All sorted. xo