Pants Size Numbers To Find The Perfect Fit

It’s tough finding a pair of pants that fit if you’re only buying online without the benefit of a dressing room. But there is a shortcut. If you know your pants size numbers, you should be able to buy a pair of pants that fits every time. In this post we'll walk you through pants W & L, outseam vs inseam, rise and more, so you can get the perfect fit.

Why Does It Matter?

Have you ever tried to buy pants online? It’s not always easy if you don’t know what you’re looking at. You might look at a current pair of pants, check the label, and assume that the next brand is going to get it right… and then the pants arrive.

You try them on and they’re nothing like the other pair of pants that fit you so well. They’re too tight, too baggy, or maybe they fit relatively well without being as snug as your favorite pair. With your pants size numbers in hand, however, you can enter your exact measurements to ensure the right fit.

This is especially true when you order tailored trousers from a site like Berle, because you can enter in your exact specifications online!

Pants Waist

When it comes to trousers, the waist or "W" is the distance of the main opening of the pants. If you were to take a tape measure and follow your pants around the waist, you should end up with the same number that appears next to the “W” in your trouser description.

This can be confusing, because many tailors will count the “waist” as the circumference around your belly button and lower back. In contrast, measuring your waist as it relates to pants is generally better if you measure about 1” below the pelvic bone.

Pants Inseam Vs Outseam

The length of your pants leg can be measured in outseam or inseam. So what's the difference between the two?

The inseam refers to the vertical line that travels down the interior of the pant. The inseam goes up to the crotch, on the inside of the leg. The pants outseam, however, goes all the way up to the waist. 

The inseam is generally used to measure leg length and is often the “L” included in a pants W and L size.

Getting this pants length (L) wrong could result in pants that are too short (at your ankle) or too long (covering too much of your boot and wrinkling up at the sides). You’ll want a pair of trousers that fits with an even break over your shoe.

Pants Rise

The rise is the bottom of the crotch to the middle of the waist. The trouser “fly” essentially covers the length of the rise.

Why is the rise important? It determines how much room you have when you sit down. With a tight rise, you can often get around just fine, but once you sit down, you’ll suddenly feel pressure that’s not comfortable in the slightest. A longer rise will mean more air, but generally gives off a sloppy overall look to the trouser.

Get The Perfect Fit

You can measure these pants size numbers yourself with your favorite pair of pants. Use a tape measure and record your sizes. Now you have the numbers you need to get the perfect fit.

For the perfect styles, browse Berle tailored trousers today. When ordering online from us, you can enter in your exact specifications, and we even offer complementary cuffing or hemming on request.

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