Men’s Pants Alterations To Improve Your Look
Buying a quality pair of trousers means you’ll never have to work hard to put an outfit together. But let’s face it: every once in a while, everyone needs a little fashion boost. Often, understanding simple men’s pants alterations is all you need to take your outfit to the next level. That’s why we put together a list of style hacks that can highlight your trousers and show off your latest sartorial investment.
Bring In The Waist
One of the best ways to accentuate your trousers is to more clearly define your waist. If you usually let an oversized sweatshirt hang over the top of your pants (dwarfing your belt buckle), you’re not getting the style points you’d otherwise get from a quality pair of men’s trousers.
Bring in the waist by utilizing any one of these tips:
- Have an ill-fitting shirt’s “taper” (the ratio of the chest to the waist) brought in by a tailor—this usually only costs a few dollars.
- Tuck in your shirt!
- Go a size down and see if that’s where your more natural fit is. Ideally, a well-fitting shirt should go just over your beltline without sagging.
Cuff Your Pants Every So Often
Cuffing the bottom of your pants—or folding up the bottom of your hem—is a bit controversial. While it is perhaps the simplest of men’s pants alterations, it is a divisive fashion move. For some, it’s an essential way to show off boots, shoes, and socks. For others, it’s an affectation.
Where you fall on this spectrum is entirely up to you, but if you occasionally want to show off a good pair of socks or boots, there’s no reason you can’t cuff your trousers occasionally. It can make for a great contrast with the rest of your outfit, offering a splash of color that you would otherwise force into an accessory like your belt or watch.
Add A Mark To Get Your Tie Knot Right Every Time
Ever struggle with your tie knot in the morning, working hard to get the length just right—so that the tip doesn’t go below the belt? Even if you tie your knot every weekday, this one struggle can be enough to throw off your entire morning’s timing.
Why is this a trouser hack? Because your trouser’s waistline will serve as the reference point here—and it’s your trousers that are going to be highlighted by a suit that looks well put-together.To complement your trousers with the proper tie length, take the time right now to get it right. Tie up your tie—then untie it, as if you were going to repeat the process again. Now, take note of where the short end of the tie and the long end of the tie meet. With a little mark—whether that’s a little bit of tape or even something sewn-in—mark where your short length should meet the long end. It’s a little bit of work upfront, but it will mean that you have a frame of reference every time you put on your tie in the morning.
Start With A Great Pair Of Trousers
While these style hacks are great, it doesn’t hurt if you indulge in the ultimate style hack and start with a great pair of trousers. Rather than seek out men’s pants alterations, why not start with a pair that fits you perfectly? Do that—and the rest takes care of itself. Plus, at Berle, we offer complimentary hemming on all trousers!