How do you prevent baggy and stretched out knees in pants?

Allison

I find that many of my dress pants get baggy and stretched out in the knee area from sitting down. How does everyone else here prevent that from happening?

9 years ago

General

11 replies

Latest reply was from Stephanie

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I've only had this happen with a pair of very stretchy jeggings that I passed on long ago.

9 years ago

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

This happens when fabric has too much stretch in it. Your best option would be to buy trousers with no more than 1% to 2% spandex/elastane/Lycra in the blend.

For your existing pants, wash after every wear. That's the only way to get the knees to fit right after each wear where they stretch out.

9 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

If you are talking about poly or wool blend fabrics, the kind you usually find in "trousers", my experience is that the better quality fabrics bag less than cheaper ones. I seem to remember a past forum posting about someone remembering that their dad or grandfather always lifted his pant leg up a tiny bit before sitting down to ease the stress and stretching of the knee area. That might work too.

9 years ago

Cerinda

Veteran

Hitch your dress pants up at the knee when you sit (like the guy at the next table in the exquisite suit). For skinnies, steam the legs between wears.

9 years ago

Anonymous

I hitch my pants up a tad bit when I sit. It is just more comfortable and the knees don't bag (that I notice anyway).

9 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

When I lived in suits, and often had to go directly from a red-eye to a job site, I ... pause, this might get me banned.
.
.
.
.
I wore a pants-liner I'd had made out of suit-lining material, under every pair of suit pants that wasn't fully lined. Putting it on was a fussy extra step and my grandmother, had she been aware, probably would have called me old-fashioned. But it eliminated the elephant-knee effect. A tailor had suggested it as a cheaper alternative to having RTW suit-pants lined, as I'd come in requesting.

Also, hitching the trousers up a bit before sitting down, grampa style.

9 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

9 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

Oops sorry about that double post

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

The pants liner is very clever. What sort of waist did it have?

9 years ago

BrieN

Veteran

Amy -- I remember one of the best dressed women I worked with years ago telling me that she wore either a slip or a pants-slip with everything she wore for work, even if it was already lined. She always looked immaculate...

9 years ago

Stephanie

Active Member

Start making a habit of hitching your pant legs before sitting. I have found you can prevent baggy knees by pinching the thigh area of your pants and pulling them up several inches before sitting down.

9 years ago

Category