Hello Blissful Style! My name is Angie Cox and I’m a Seattle-based fashion stylist. I've been in the international fashion game for 16 years, living in Hong Kong, France, the USA and South Africa. I own a style and wardrobe consulting business and co-founded youlookfab.com, a style blog and forum. I’m excited to share my professional thoughts with you.
I am known for my intolerance of pant lengths that are less than perfect. Every day I see men and women wearing their pants and jeans too short. Of all fashion blunders, this is the one that bothers me the most. So what is the perfect pant length? It depends on the style of the leg opening:
- Wide openings: Boot cuts, flared legs and some straight leg pants, jeans or trousers need to skim the surface of the ground when you stand up straight. Anything shorter is bad style. Covering up the shoe, but allowing toes to peep through elongates the leg and makes you look taller and slimmer. This is flattering for any body type, at any age and any height. That’s why it’s stylish to keep pant lengths perfect.
- Narrow openings: Tapered legs like super straight cuts and skinnies scrunch at the ankle instead of skimming the surface of the ground, no matter how long their inseam. It’s therefore fab to wear these types of long pants ankle length and with any heel height. They are the exception that proves the rule.
These pants are too short. They need to be at least two inches longer for the most flattering effect.
These pants are the perfect length. Tapered jeans are perfect ankle length because they scrunch at the ankle and can’t skim the surface of the ground.
There are three common responses to my perfect pant length rule:
- But I have everything from ultra flats to 3-inch heels in my wardrobe! There's no way around it: you need to commit to a length. You won’t be able to wear the same pair of pants with ballet flats and high heels unless the legs are tapered and skinny. Unless you wear skinnies all the time, you will need an assortment of pant lengths for your assortment of heel heights.
- But my pant hems will sweep the street while I walk! This is not a good idea for fancy slacks, but it’s fine for jeans. They’ll simply fray a bit at the bottom which is actually perfectly acceptable style for both men and women
- But I won't be able to show off my gorgeous shoes and feet! You might not see your shoes while standing; but your pants creep up when you walk and sit. People will catch glimpses of your feet and will appreciate your super shoe sense too.
From the bottom of my heart, please make sure that you sport perfect pant lengths. A few extra inches on a boot cut or wide leg style can make the world of difference to your silhouette.
Angie Cox is a Seattle-based fashion stylist. You can get the same great expertise she gives her clients daily at youlookfab.com.
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