Q&A for How to Measure Your Inseam

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  • Question
    How can I measure my inseam if I don't have anyone to help me?
    Andrea Beaulieu
    Professional Tailor
    Andrea Beaulieu is a Professional Tailor, Fashion Designer, and the Owner of MOORE, a Brooklyn, New York based storefront and apparel workshop for gender-neutral, contemporary streetwear as well as custom-tailored products. Andrea has over 20 years in the fashion design and marketing industries and specializes in pattern making, draping, and the construction of garments. She holds a BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
    Professional Tailor
    Expert Answer
    Use a pair of pants that fit the way you'd like. Lay them flat, then measure from the center crotch down the pant leg, along the inseam.
  • Question
    Is the inseam size the same as the length size?
    Fasehun Yetunde Olatofunmirera
    Community Answer
    No. Inseam is the measurement taken from the pubic bone to the ankle, while length size is from the waist to the ankle.
  • Question
    Which units of measure should I use?
    Heather Kenyon-Haff
    Top Answerer
    Use whichever system is common to where you live. In the US, people generally use inches, but most of the rest of the world uses metric units. If you use the most prevalent units in your country, you stand a really good chance of finding a tailor who also uses those units.
  • Question
    What measurements do I need to shorten my pants?
    Heather Kenyon-Haff
    Top Answerer
    You need to know where you want the cuffs on the pants. Typically that is where your ankles are when you wear the pants. You can find what the inseam is on a pair that fits to determine what size the inseam should be on the pair to be shortened. Be sure the pants are more or less similar: a pair of jeans can be used to determine where to shorten a pair of khakis. But do not use a pair of legging to do so...those pants are more stretchy and the fabric is not very similar.
  • Question
    It seems like these two methods would give wildly different results. Pubic bone to floor is different than the inseam of my current set of pants. How does this work?
    Community Answer
    You have been given a very simple answer that could cause a big problem in a hurry. Since fashion trends change often, first determine where you would like the hem edge to end. Sometimes it's closer to the ankle and other times almost dragging on the floor.
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