Whether you're taking jeans to a local tailor or posting them to an alterations service, the most reliable way to get the right length is to pin them. Pinning shows the length on your body with your shoes. Here's how to do it properly.
What you need
- Safety pins (better than dressmaker's pins if the jeans are being posted)
- The shoes you'll usually wear with them
- A mirror, or ideally a friend
Step by step
- Wash them first if they're new. Cotton jeans can shrink, especially raw denim.
- Put on the right shoes. Trainers and boots need very different lengths.
- Stand up straight with your weight even. Don't bend to look down, because that lifts the hem.
- Fold the excess under (not outwards) to the length you want. A slight break over the shoe is classic; no break is more modern.
- Pin front, back and both sides of each leg, with the pins horizontal.
- Do both legs. Legs are often slightly different lengths.
- Check the pins are secure before handing over or posting.
Prefer a measurement?
That works too. See how to measure your inside leg. If you're unsure, add half an inch. A hem can always come up again, but it can't go back down.
Which hem to ask for
A standard hem is crisp and new-looking. If your jeans have a faded, worn-in hem you love, ask for an "original" or "euro" hem instead, which keeps it. The differences are explained in original hem vs standard hem.
No tailor nearby?
Postal alteration services are increasingly common. You pin, post, and get them back hemmed. Repair My Denim, for instance, offers hem shortening by post and can send an alteration kit with a tape measure and pins.