Question: when to hem?

Liz A.

Soooo I sometimes don't know whether to hem my pants or not.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24464921@N07/

If you look at the photo, I estimate that most of my pants are about this length. All my work pants are ratty at the backs because I wear flats on my commute and keep my heels under my desk.

My jeans are always rolled up like so. I rarely wear heels with jeans, but on occasion I do. I just can't decide whether I should hem. Any thoughts and why?

12 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from Firecracker (Sharan)

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I would hem pants that are long enough that they are getting ragged from touching the ground or are flared pants that you need to turn up, like the jeans in the photo. Some of us have alterations we almost always need to do, in order to achieve the best fit; hemming is a common and easy one. I just kind of expect I'm going to have to hem pants I buy, to get them where I want them.

Here's a great collection of Angie's posts on Perfect Pant Length (PPL), a concept that you'll frequently see mentioned here on the forum. It's a great guide as you think about what length to hem to.
http://youlookfab.com/2013/02/.....t-lengths/

Wearing flats on your commute and changing to heels at work presents a tough problem, though. Maybe you could find a comfortable pair of heels to commute in, or change both your pants and your shoes when you get to work.
It will be interesting to hear others' advice!

You might also just want to get another pair of jeans, so you have a "heels" pair and a "flats" pair. Tapered pants and skinny or straight-leg jeans are so much more versatile than flared styles, since they can go with flat or heeled footwear.

ETA: Here's another of Angie's posts, on when to invest the time and money in altering clothes--to include hemming:
http://youlookfab.com/2011/04/.....rfect-fit/

12 years ago

Liz A.

Veteran

Thank you again, firecracker for the great advice. I forgot to mention that it costs $28 to have original hems done at my local tailor. The dry cleaner will do regular hems on work slacks for $15 but I don't trust them with my jeans.

12 years ago

annaj

Veteran

I'd hem your work pants and wear flats all day... but then I am a flats kind of gal!!

If you never wear heels with jeans, I'd hem those too. If you do, I'd have 2 pairs - one longer and one shorter. I'd advise the same for your work pants, but switching shoes during the day makes that more complicated. What about wearing thicker soled shoes for your commute so they have the comfort of a flat, but a little extra lift?

12 years ago

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I've seen little doo-dads that clip your hems up temporarily while you walk to work in your flat shoes. Perhaps something like this, or even just a few safety pins?

12 years ago

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

The commuting shoe has been a problem for me in the past. I've found that a little wedge is still walkable but still keeps the hems off the ground. I say hem the jeans since you don't wear heels with them anyway.

12 years ago

Liz A.

Veteran

All great suggestions, ladies. I think I will have to bite the bullet and get a pair of jeans hemmed. I have invested in a couple skinnies, but I do not like the look with less-than-low-profile shoes, which would be most of my sneakers.

12 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Hmmmm, hemming costs can add up! I do my own, so I don't think about that too much. It's not my favorite sewing, but it's not too hard. You could learn to do it and get a decent but inexpensive sewing machine, which after several pairs of pants will have paid for itself. Keep in mind, this is advice from someone who works in a sewing machine store! But seriously, it's a possibility, or perhaps it just helps put the cost into perspective if you think about the value of your time versus what you pay someone for the work. Still, it IS quite an investment, however you handle it.
I like the sound of Mander's "little doo-dads" too!

12 years ago

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