How wide will you wear your trouser/jeans hem widths? - YouLookFab Forum

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How wide will you wear your trouser/jeans hem widths?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I did some experimenting in stores and at home yesterday and seeing as I can only wear low heels, am 5ft 6, and uncomfortable with busloads of excess fabric swooshing around my legs and ankles - I'm sticking to nothing wider than 18 inches. (My skinnies are 9 to 10 inches).

And you?

Dressing

49 replies

Latest reply was from LoP

PalmFronds

hmm, would have to measure the opening myself but I think I will be sticking with trouser jeans as my "wide legs"

rute

Veteran

I buy most of my clothes on the stores, so I don't pay attention to measures, I try and if it looks good and I need, I buy,
I have a wide leg trouser jeans and I'm planning to try another wider at the bottom, when i find the perfect pair, I'll measure it!
I'll post photos here for sure, because as I'm petite I don't know how far can I go.. inspite of my heels..

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Rute! Measure your hem widths for us please!

PF, trousers are my wide hem widths too.

Maya

Veteran

I will only be wearing bootcut hems when I won't be doing a lot of walking. I look back at pictures of me wearing bootcuts with flats and I did not like what I saw. I'm always open to changing my mind but for now I'm sticking to straight legs most days. Unless by some miracle I find 8 hour heels.

The hem width depends on how much I hem from the jeans. The more I hem, the narrower they get.

I decided I'll be selling my wide legs on ebay. I don't mind the FEEL of all the fabric but I do mind the look. It makes my slim legs look like tree trunks and puts all the emphasis on my torso and I do not appreciate that. I'd much rather wear a short sack dress that leaves my legs exposed but covers my waist and bust.

Beth

Veteran

I ran upstairs to measure my Gap Long & Leans and they're exactly 19" I can *guarantee* that I won't be wearing anything wider than that. And I've only worn the L&Ls with my highest of heels. I prefer not to have my feet completely covered up by my pants...it's looks like your feet have been eaten up!

Becky

Veteran

My bootcuts range in width from 16-18", and I have one pair of straight leg jeans that measure about 15". My dress trousers range from 17-18". I don't think I should/want to go any wider than that since I'm short and only wear low heels. I'd like to find a pair of trouser jeans with an 18" hem. I also don't like the sensation of too much fabric. I think that's part of why volume anywhere (top or bottom) is so difficult for me.

LeahJanes

My flares are 19.5". I'm also looking at a pair of long and leans from Gap so they'll be 19" from what Beth has mentioned.

I like wide leg jeans, I wear them with platforms.

Beth

Veteran

LeahJanes, my pair of L&Ls is probably 5 years old, so definitely double-check and make sure the newer versions haven't changed:)

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

No idea!

Mellllls

Veteran

I will measure my jeans when I get dressed later, but I think I will go pretty wide. I've always loved wide bottoms!!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

(I'm wearing Gap's "Long and Leans" right now - 18 inch hems).

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Currently at 20" in my bootcuts. I'd be willing to go up as far as 24" in theory, although I haven't tried it in reality.

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

I just measured my bootcuts- 19". I would go up as far as I can comfortably walk. I love the look and the wider the better. I have some crepe dress black bell bottoms with a sash that are 42". I am looking for a bronze fitted sleeveless turtleneck to wear with them. It will be like am outfit I actually wore to a wedding in the 70's

taylor

Veteran

Hmmm, not sure I am going to buy any new...but I have some dressy wool trousers and I will measure them...they seem about right

Lorem Ipsum

I was wondering if having your shoes covered is a requirement to wear wide legs. I have a pair of wool trousers that are 22" and you can still see my shoes.

Patience

Veteran

You know I'm a mathematician and therefore very particular about these things.
I am willing to go up to 20" with 3" heels and trouser style.
I also do not like to feel lots of fabric around my feet and I like to see my toes (I wear a size 38 shoe)
For boot cuts, I like 18"
I actually do not prefer 15"-16" hems as on me they must be hemmed as boot cut and I don't like to see the break at the ankle over the foot.
14" for straight legs (same as my calf width essentially)
10" for skinnies
I will wear 12-13" hems but I'm pretty particular about the proportions and usually require lots of scrunch so that the hem width effectively mimics a 14" proportion.
I tried 22" once and was not at all comfortable. My thighs are 20" and my hips are slender around and I think this bothered me the most-- feeling like my ankles were the widest part of my body.

cciele

Veteran

My Gap Long and Leans are 19". My AG Mona wide-leg jeans are 22"; I wear these with heels approx 2.5". I probably won't go any wider than 22".

Tanya

Veteran

I think we have a winner so far My trouser jeans that I wore yesterday are 22" (hemmed for 3" heels). My 7's Ginger have the same leg opening. But the most extreme case is a pair of wide legged jeans (Rich&Skinny Lanky, which I posted on the 70's thread) which have a 26" opening ! They are hemmed for my 4" wedges.

As you can see, I have no issue with wider legs whatsoever, and I am 5'6" with long tors/short legs body type. The trick is to wear them with heels, and for me specifically, to have higher rise too.

Patience

Veteran

Oh I forgot to say, that one reason I love jbrand so much is they specify hem width at 10,12,14,16,18,22.

Someone mentioned in another thread that straight legs and skinnies have gotten skinnier and that is true. I just tried some Paige and Joe's "straight" leg styles and they were both 13" while I used to find straight legs consistently 14-15."

Isabel

Veteran

I really don't know. I thought that I would NEVER wear skinnies, ever. Then I finally gave in in November and bought the Gap really skinny jeans and I don't remember a stylish life without them. Though I did try on a fab pair of palazzos the other day. It is honestly going to come down to footwear. I simply can't tolerate more than 1 1/2" heel for my lifestyle so I think anything wider than a regular bootcut won't fly.

Lisa

Veteran

I have no idea but I think my rule of thumb in stores will be, no wider than my thighs. If the fabric is swooshing past my thighs in width, they will be too wide for my taste. I favor bootcuts anyway.

Kyle

Veteran

My SFAM Gingers are 24 inches (which differs from Tanya's measurement, I notice) and I would go wider. I think it's a dramatic look that's great with heels. Being tall makes it easier to wear, I think.

Tanya

Veteran

Kyle, my Gingers were also originally 24", but I have had them hemmed about an inch shorter, so that they are wearable with my 3" wedges, which I wear so much more often than the 4" ones.

catgirl

Veteran

I'm happy to wear as wide as I can, if they fit everywhere else... I think my widest are probably 20", but will have to measure to be precise.

Jonesy

Veteran

Not sure I'll go bigger than my Gap perfect boot cuts, but who knows? I certainly have the height, and the platforms :)!

Debbie

Veteran

My trouser jeans are 19". After wearing them this week I know this is wide as I will go.
My boot cuts are 16".
I did notice with my trouser jeans this week that I really need to watch the shoes for it to work.

stringy

Veteran

I've got no idea - I'm interested in flares, but it depends on if they're a flattering shape on me or not. Mind you, it'll probably take months for them to reach Australia. I had a look in two denim stores yesterday and they're still treating bootcuts as slightly fringe

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I must be unusual in that I wear my David Kahn bootcuts with a 20" opening with flats and I am petite. Doesn't bother me in the least. I hemmed the second pair for a higher heel, about 1 1/2-2 1/2 inches, so I can wear Frye boots with them.

BTW, I saw that David Kahn hired a new designer from another premium denim brand that now slips my mind, and apparently all of their jeans will be new for spring.

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

I don't have any flares or wide-legged pants at the moment (mine all got worn to death in the 90s). I have one pair of trouser jeans and that's it. I would LOVE to find some replacement wide legged trousers this season however, but am a bit dubious about how these will filter down to Australian stores. I have never worn heels with any of my wide-legged pants, and wouldn't intend on starting to now.

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