How to hem/alter these plaid pants?

These plaid wool CM pants have been languishing unworn in my closet for quite some time, and with plaid being on trend the upcoming fall, I decided to fix the situation. The wool is beautiful and the pants are lined. I have realized that the main reason I was not wearing them was the big, dramatic cuff they used to have at the hem - it was both unflattering on my short legs and it would collect dirt. So I have undone the cuff which makes the pants ridiculously long. In the photos I am wearing them with 3.5" booties and had to fold the material under for the proper drape. They definitely need to be shortened.

I am wondering if I should also alter the cut from bootcut into straight/skinny. This would prevent soggy hem issues, allow for more footwear options and therefore make them so much more wearable in the cold weather. However, I also own the plaid Kut Mia skinnies (attached the photo in finds) and fairly similar color scheme, so i wonder if that would be sort-of-duplication.

As I see it, my options are:
1. Leave them bootcut, hem for the higher booties in photos - the most elegant but probably the version I would wear the least.
2. Leave them bootcut, but hem for my SW wedge booties with a small heel (also attached in finds) - more wearable then #1, but still not wearable in wet weather.
3. Shorten and turn them into straight legged cut - most wearable, but close to the skinnies I have.

What would you do?

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Amazon

KUT from the Kloth Women's Mia Toothpick Skinny Jean

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6PM.com

Stuart Weitzman Fineline

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9 years ago

Suz

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Veteran

Really great question, Tanya. These are lovely pants. And they look great on you.

Question: Does the weather typically prevent much bootcut wearing? If so, you might want to alter. Another consideration -- how snug are your plaid Kut Mias? I remember I ordered a size down and mine are snug like on the model -- so it is a very different vibe than a straight leg pant would be. I tend to wear mine tucked into my boots because I don't like the calf-sucking aspect all that much. But if yours are looser then they might feel more similar to the CM pants as straights.

CocoLion

I vote for option 2. Or purge the pants, the double alteration of hemming plus slimming the bottom sounds like too much work for a pair of pants that you haven't reached for in the first place.

Sorry - tough love !

Tanya

As always, you raise excellent points, Suz, thank you..
I am attaching of photo of my Mias. I did not size down so they fit like regular skinnies, neither skintight, nor slouchy. I have worn them last winter both tucked in the tall boots and untucked with shoes/booties like in the photos.
As for the weather, well that is tough one. Our winters here in MD tend to be on the milder side, nothing like yours in Canada. Last one was unusually long and snowy though. If you had to estimate very roughly, and ignore the last winter, I would say that we have dry=bootcut appropriate weather 50% of the time in the fall and 33% of the time in the winter.

ETA: Denise, we posted at the same time! Thank you very much for your input. I do not want to purge them yet - if I end up not wearing them this fall/winter though, then I will. I am also leaning towards option #2, but am not quite sure.

Alexandra

I'd go with option 2. It is the more wearable option that still gives you a silhouette different from your skinnies. Plus you could always shorten and narrow them next year if option 2 doesn't work as well as you'd like.

UmmLila (Lisa)

I like them as the boot cut, and they make your legs look very long that way. I am not a fan of cuffs on pants, either. If you don't want to go for full professional tailoring yet, maybe you could use the iron on hemming tape temporarily.

I don't know about the wedge boots with them in wider mode, though. I think a heeled boot would be better.

Thank you Alexandra and Ummlila! The longer I think about it, the more it seems that option 2 is the best solution.

JayS

I think 2 is your best solution also. They look amazing on you and CM trousers are very well made.

Thistle

These are gorgeous trousers on you, and they sound well made. Not sure your winter commute situation, but I would go with #2. Different enough from your skinnies, but more wearable than requiring a 3,5 inch heel.

Sveta

I go for option 3 with my wider leg pants lately as with tapered hem they are much more wearable in our cold weather. They won't be close to skinnies in style at all because they are not tight. If done right they will be tapered looser pants which are very on trend now.
See attached picture - these microcheck trousers were widish straight legs and we tapered them. They are very different from skinnies!

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Option 2 is going to be easiest and will give you a different silhouette to the Mias (which look great on you, BTW). Option 3 would be interesting but you need a seamstress that you trust. Which is not always easy.

Jaime

Agree with option #2. I think they look gorgeous on you long and give a totally different vibe than the Kuts.

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