vented hems on slim pants: yay or nay? (AKA should I sew them shut?)

Diana

The pants I am wearing today are actually ankle pants that I let the hem down on to be full length. They originally had a zipper at the ankle; now the part I let out forms a vented hem right below the zipper. What do we think of vented hems for slim pants in general? I like how it makes the pants sit better over my booties, but is the look dated or weird? (Or is this the kind of thing that nobody will notice but me, LOL).

ETA: Yeah, I know I should have ironed the hem after I let it out! I have no excuse except that I hate to iron.

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13 years ago

Dressing

13 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

MsMary

Veteran

I like a nice vented hem.

And may I suggest a steamer if you really hate to iron? I love mine and that old hemline really needs to come out!

ETA: Do you have a flatiron for your hair? Mine worked really well on my wrinkled shirt collar yesterday!

13 years ago

Anonymous

I don't mind the vented hem. I actually decided to close mine on a pair of pants I just tapered but I went back and forth too. Neat-o me fell betterw with it closed.

I would also make a bit of a hem, to hide the stitching, plus the crease elimination LOL.

13 years ago

Tina.b

Veteran

HAHA, I've used a flat iron for little touchups before myself. I think a vented hem can work, I see them cropping up occasionally from different designers. Just a little detail that can add some interest without being dramatic. You will have a better idea when you iron these out if if works on these pants.

13 years ago

Emily

Veteran

I was going to say no, but I hardly notice the vent in the picture. If you like them better that way I'd say leave the vent as is.

Also - I loathe ironing also, with every fibre of my being. I sometimes get around it by hanging my clothes for the day in the bathroom while I take my customary steaming-hot shower, and then smoothing the wrinkles out with my hands.

13 years ago

Kristin SF

Veteran

I have some slim pants from Theory that have a vented hem, just bought this past fall. I like them! Nordstrom had to hem the pants for me and they kept the vent, I thought it was a nice detail.

Pics: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/th.....sultback=0

I also hate to iron and so I bought a mini-tabletop ironing board and a brand new iron, so that I can iron while sitting on the couch at night while watching TV with DH. (I haven't yet done it but it seems like a great idea, lol.)

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

Thanks, guys. I think I'll just leave the vents for now. I just wanted to make sure they weren't hopelessly dated or something!

MaryK, I really need to buy a steamer! I need one for my wedding dress anyway. No, I don't have a flatiron. My hair is too straight already!

Zap, making a real hem is on the to-do list. I'm just lazy. To be honest, though, that really is something that nobody will notice unless they're on the ground staring at my feet, so I'm not really concerned. Team Polished I am not!

Emily, that's usually what I do too. But this crease (from the old hem) really needs an iron.

Kristin, my version of that is getting my fiance to iron for me while we watch TV. He actually enjoys it, and is much better at it than me. I sew his buttons back on, though, so it's sort of equal?

13 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

LOL! You can tell that I'm on team polished because the first thing that I thought was what Zap said: it needs some hem, not just the binding stitch. As far as the vent, I think it is fine. I actually just bought several pairs of long ankle length pants from Banana today and they have a short vent. It does make a slim pant sit better over a pair of boots and I think we'll see more and more of it as retailers finally give up on trying to force us to buy cropped pants and start giving us more ankle length pants. That's my prediction at least.

13 years ago

Kristin SF

Veteran

Good links:
http://www.alreadypretty.com/2.....ve-20.html
http://www.unefemme.net/2012/0.....ds_31.html

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

K, good point that the reason why we're not seeing vented pants is because they're all too short right now to need vents! I hope you are right and longer pants are on their way back in! (Would you believe that these were actually LONGS, and I still had to let out the hem to get a decent length?) Anyway, I'm relieved that you have seen new vented pants in stores though, since that means mine are not totally faux pas!

Kristin, thanks for the links! I think a travel steamer is the way to go for me. I live in a tiny apartment and would have nowhere to store the big one! (Plus I need to be able to take it with me to CA with my wedding dress...)

13 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

I don't mind the vented hems at all. I quite like them Cool pair of pants

13 years ago

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Vented hems are generally there for a reason...like being able to get your foot through the bottom of narrow pants. I wouldn't sew them shut unless you're absolutely certain you can get your foot through. I also think they look nice.

13 years ago