Trouser length evaluation (Warning- 15 photos) - YouLookFab Forum

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Trouser length evaluation (Warning- 15 photos)

Mae

Oh dear. These are the ones that made it through the first closet sweep. I fear many will need to be replaced. Or, yes, it will be a chilly winter for me. I appreciate any/all comments for those willing to slog through this with me!

I'll start with the ones I'm *pretty sure* are ok:
1. Thrift find with April- very snug- probably not suitable for work, but length appears ok
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

2. These clearly need to be ironed. They are a sort of army green; New York & Co. (Sz 4 Tall)
a. With heels: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

b. With flats: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink
Are they *too* long for flats?

Now for the ones I truly question:
3. Express, Editor
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

4. Banana Republic, Martin (yes, need an iron, and sorry for the belly peek)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

5.Express, Editor (light pin stripes, dark charcoal, cuff)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

6. Limited, Cassidy (lighter charcoal grey, cuff)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

7. Gap (old and thinning...)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

These next ones are truly embarrassing now that I see the length at this level. Angie, feel free to use these as examples of BAD length. Drum roll please... the most unfab of the unfab....

8. Besides the fact that they need an iron, the length is truly criminal. http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

9. http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

10. http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

11. Too short AND too big/frumpy.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

12. Worth lengthening (there's plenty of cuff to steal from)?
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

Ok, and here are those calf-hitting wide leg pants I posted about a couple of days ago (thread: Tried this combo today)...

13. With the shoes I wore in that photo, from a better angle:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

14. With HIGHER heels:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh.....directlink

Eeeeek. I have *2* pairs of pants that I'm "pretty sure" are ok on length. If the others are all truly too short, is there a way to lengthen them? And, are any of them *worth* lengthening, IYO?

If you've made it this far, thanks for sticking with me!

General

16 replies

Latest reply was from yublocka

marianna

Veteran

I'm not an expert so I can't chime in on the lengths (although you're clearly correct on the ones that are too short!), but I wanted to say that I'm new to YLF too and PPL has been in my head ever since I started reading the blog and forum. I never even thought about PPL before. I am 5'10" and have now realized that regular length pants are too short on me -- so all my pants are not PPL. It's a frightening discovery! Even more frightening is the fact that I have to buy tall lengths now, which seems ridiculously hard to find.

Anyway, thanks to YLF for keeping PPL on the mind!

marianna

Veteran

I'm just curious if I'll get this right, but I *think* the only ones that work are the army green ones with flats. And maybe the first black ones. But the experts will set you straight!

cciele

Veteran

Hm, I'm no PPL expert either, but here's my take:
1. Looks ok
2. Too short for the heels, too long for flats. Do you have a shorter heel to wear them with? Or have the hemmed for flats.

The rest I think are too short, unfortunately.

12. You could lengthen them, but I think the pants look a little baggy around the rear and tummy areas.

13 + 14. If anyone can pull off pants that length, you can! With your long legs and with heels. And those higher heels, wowza!

Maya

Veteran

Mae, I think all the ones you're questioning look too short to me. I wonder, though, if I'm the only one that thinks a lot of them look a little big and baggy? Maybe Angie will chime in on this.

I think the first ones are barely passable with flats. A little tiny bit short but nothing criminal. The second ones are too short for those particular heels. If you have a pair of kitten heels, those would seem to be the best option. I don't think they're too long for flats, but they're not draping so nicely. They would drape a little better with a tiny heel.

April

Veteran

Oh, dear. Yes, most of these are too short. I had similar dismal revelations about many of my "petite" trousers after reading about PPL.

I think you can get away with the thrifted jeans, the NY& Co. with flats, and you could take the cuffed ones to a tailor (most dry cleaners) to let them down a bit. I know that doesn't leave you with much in your closet, which is hard. But I would put a pair of well-fitting, correct-length black or charcoal dress pants at the top of your planning-to-buy list and keep your eye out for a great sale. And I will too.

JewelryGirl

Yes, you can have them lengthened; IF, there is enough material in the existing hem & IF, there isn't a wear line already from the existing hem if you know what I mean. You can usually pinch it out & look at it against the other material to get a pretty good idea. My tailor charges the same for lengthening as a hem - around $20. I think he might be pricey but I trust him with any of my clothes he has done outstanding work on anything I've given him!

Best of luck!

rute

Veteran

1 and 2 seems ok, all the others seem too short.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I am by no means an expert, I like the look of the first trousers but do they feel comfortable?

I prefer the second trouser with flats they look more suited to a casual aesthetic in my opinion. The others do look a little short, I would be interested to see if Angie thinks any of the pairs could be altered to clam length.

I like the short capris with the vertiginous heels and wonder if they would work with a high heeled, knee length black boot.

Good luck with rebuilding your wardrobe Mae, as I'm learning myself it takes some guts.

Mae

Bumping in case Angie has a minute to chime in here...

Thanks everyone. I was afraid that this would be the consensus. I have no dress pants that are PPL. Yikes. My first question, I guess, is whether or not ANY of them (#3-14) are worth getting altered. I am working with a limited budget, so unfortunately can't go out and replace everything right away. Thankfully I have a couple of weeks before the weather turns and the situation becomes more critical.

Here is what I'm thinking I need to strive for, in terms of pants:
1. Classic, black, well-fitting trousers (PPL, but also fitting well everywhere else)- thanks, Maya, for pointing out that many of my current pants look too big/baggy- I completely agree when looking through these photos. Most of these are size 4, yet some look positively gigantic. Maybe it's the angle?
2. Classic, cream or camel, well-fitting trousers
3. Classic, charcoal grey (with or without pinstripes), well-fitting trousers

Along with a good quality pencil skirt (also not in my closet) and a sheath, these would give me the most bang for my buck...I think.

R&J- I am lusting after a beautiful, heeled, tall black boot for the winter season. I'd love to try this look. Thanks for giving me more reason to find the perfect boot.

With a 33" inseam, I should be shooting for at least 33" pants lengths (for flats), and 34"+ for heels, yes?

Thanks for helping me through this... it's truly a journey, isn't it?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yooohooo! What a magnanimous effort, Mae. Thanks for taking the length of your pants seriously.

1 is okay and 2 is fine with flats. The rest are too short. Sorry!!! I’m not sure if the fits on these pants are worth salvaging Mae, but I can’t judge accurately from the angle of the photos. By the time you’ve altered three pairs, you’ve bought yourself two new pairs on sale. Does that make sense?

(I have those Swanns too!)

But you can shorten the cropped pants and look fabulous :0)

I say you give skirts a whirl for a while.

bella

(website)

Veteran

Mae NY&co has currently a buy one get one free pants sale. There are also tons of discount coupons here:
http://printable-coupons.blogs.....upons.html
and here:
http://coupon-codes-online.blo.....codes.html

Mae

Wow- many thanks for all the help! What a great sale, bellac- thanks for the links and the heads up.

Angie, I have one (black wool, sort of flared) skirt and that's it. Thankfully I do have 3 dresses that I've been wearing since YLF (2 with leggings, and 1 classic sheath that had been an orphan but is now in weekly circulation). I *never* even think of skirts but now you can bet I'll be checking those racks.

It might take awhile to build the foundation for a fab wardrobe, but I'm determined to make it happen, 1 piece at a time.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

That sounds like a plan, Mae. We are here if you need us :0)

Mae

Oh, it's not a question of *if*...

medusa

Veteran

Mae, here's my quick take without reading others' comments:

1. A bit snug in the hips, could be ok for wearing under longer tops.

2. Too short for heels, length looks ok for flats. Are they too loose in the hips/seat?

3-12. Too short.

13. Maybe shorten to knee length?

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

Mae I just wanted to commend you on taking up this challenge!! I haven't read through all the responses yet, but was just curious about what you are going to do with the too-short ones? Will you hem them longer? I am in the same position as you with a lot of my pants, and continue to wear the "borderline" ones, haven't yet gone for hemming!