Jeans or khakis, chinos or capris, dress or casual; any way you wear them, pants are a fundamental part of your wardrobe. But chances are you’ve had at least a few frustrating or depressing shopping expeditions trying to find the Perfect Pants—ones that flatter your figure, make you look taller, or just make you feel good.
Sure, we all want to wear the pants, but finding a pair that fits is no easy task. Ladies, are you convinced there isn’t one cut or style that fits your curves? Guys, are you tired of finding pants that fit in your waist, but are so short you feel the breeze on your ankles?
Here at Sierra Trading Post, we don’t think pant shopping should be a gamble. We’re giving you the tools to help you make sense of your measurements and the oft-confusing “jean-speak” to help you find your soul mate slacks.
Women’s Measurements
Women should take three measurements—waist, hips, and inseam—to determine their correct pant size. You can take the waist and inseam measurements in one of two ways. Just remember that posture is key to getting the most accurate measurement. Stand up straight, always make sure the measuring tape lies flat, and measure the area in its most natural position.
Note: You may want to enlist someone else to measure you to ensure the most accurate results.
Waist and Inseam Measurements
- Lay your best-fitting pair of pants out flat.
- Make sure the pants are buttoned or zipped up completely.
- Measure from the top of the inner pant leg seam (the crotch) to the opening at the bottom of the pant leg.
- Measure the waistband of the pants from the inside. (If you measure the waistband from the outside, its thickness could distort your true size.)
Hip Measurement
- Stand with your heels together.
- Measure around the fullest part of your hips—usually between seven and eight inches below the natural waistline.
- Keep the measuring tape level and parallel to the floor in the front and the back.
- If the tape cannot be moved up or down without pulling away from or cutting into the hips, it is at the widest part.
- The number of inches shown is your hip measurement.
Sizing
While some pants are sized according to your hip, waist, and inseam measurements, others are alpha-labeled (XS to XL) or sized numerically from size 4 to a size 20. Consult the chart below to make size conversions.
Note that many clothing brands found at Sierra Trading Post offer sizes in ‘petite’, ‘regular’, and ‘tall’ lengths. To get the best fit, order a pair of pants in the proper length for your height.
| Women’s Sizes | Extra-Small | Small | Medium | Large | Extra-Large |
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| Numerical Sizes | 4 | 6-8 | 10-12 | 14-16 | 18 |
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| Waist Size | 25.5" | 26.5" - 27.5" | 28.5" - 30" | 31.5" - 33" | 35" - 37" |
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| Hip Size | 35.5" | 36.5" - 37.5" | 38.5" - 40" | 41.5" - 43" | 45" - 47" |
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| Length | Petite | Regular | Tall |
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| Height | 4'11" - 5'4" | 5'5" - 5'7" | 5'8" - 5'11" |
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Rise
Low rise? Medium Rise? What does it all mean? The rise of the pant is the length between the crotch and the waistband. The shorter this length, the lower the pants will sit on your waist. Here are some definitions of various rises.
The rise on a natural waist rise positions the waistband, as the name implies, right at your natural waist—which is at your navel or just above. A natural waist rise will measure between 11 and 12 inches from the crotch seam to the top of the band.
Medium Rise
The waistband of a pair of pants with a medium rise will sit below your natural waist or just below your navel. A medium rise will measure between 10 and 11 inches from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband.
The waistband of a pair of pants with a low rise will sit low on your waist, generally an inch or more below your navel. A low rise will measure between 8.5 and 10 inches from the crotch seam to the top.
If you’re not sure what rise style will fit you best, simply measure the rise of your favorite pants.
Cut
Ladies, let’s face it. We want perfect pants. It’s not enough that they fit us around the waist. We want them to fit, flatter, and flair in all the right places. This means we also need to look at the legs. (Not your legs—the pant legs.)
Different styles of pant legs are referred to as “cuts,” a term that is governed by the pattern design. The cut refers to the actual shape of the pants and should be selected to flatter your own unique shape. Pant details like color, pocket placement and other embellishments are important, but they can’t disguise a bad cut.
Below is a list of cuts together with their descriptions.
- Straight Leg: Pants with a straight, narrow leg that does not flare at the ankle.
- Flared Leg: Pants narrow at the knee with an extra-wide flare from calf to ankle.
- Boot Cut: Pants are cut to skim over the thigh and flare slightly at the lower leg.
- Tapered Leg: Pants narrow towards the ankle.
- Capri: Pants that end anywhere between the knee and mid-calf.
- Cropped: Pants that end at any length from the mid-calf to the ankle.
- Full: Relaxed and full from the hips to the ankle.
Men’s Measurements
You need to take two measurements—your waist and your inseam—to determine the pant size that you will wear. You can do this in one of two ways. Just remember that to get the most accurate measurement, posture is key. Stand up straight, always make sure the measuring tape lies flat, and measure the area in its most natural position. Men’s pants are sized in inches, by waist and inseam measurements, with the waist measurement first. For example, if a pant’s size is a 32" x 34", the waist measurement is 32" while the inseam measurement is 34".
Note: You may want to enlist someone else to measure you to ensure the most accurate results.
Waist and Inseam Measurements
- Lay your best-fitting pair of pants out flat.
- Make sure the pants are buttoned or zipped up completely.
- Measure the waistband of the pants from the inside. (If you measure the waistband from the outside, its thickness could distort your true size.)
- Measure from the top of the inner pant leg seam (the crotch) to the opening at the bottom of the pant leg.
- Round that measurement to the nearest half-inch.
Rise and Cut
Thought low rise pants were just for ladies? Well, you’re in for a surprise. Fashions continually change and men’s pants haven’t remained impervious to those changes. Designers and retailers, aware of men’s new demands, are embracing the latest trends in rise and cut.
Rise
The rise refers to the length between the crotch and the waistband of a pair of pants. The shorter the length, the lower the pants will sit on your waist.
Traditionally, the rise in men’s pants has been about 12 inches, bringing the pants to sit at the navel or just below. However, men’s low rise pants are now in circulation. The waistband of a pair of men’s low rise pants will be between 9 and 11 inches.
If you’re not sure what will fit you best, simply measure the rise of your best-fitting pants.
Cut
As with the addition of new rises, men’s pants are now being produced in numerous shapes, commonly referred to as cuts. The cut refers to the actual shape of the pants and is governed by the pattern design. Differences in the cut of a pant show up in the leg openings. Take a look at the list below to compare different cuts.
- Regular/Traditional/Classic: Pants that skim the seat and thigh with a leg that tapers to the ankle.
- Loose: Pants with a full seat, a loose thigh, and a leg that narrows toward the ankle.
- Relaxed: Pants that are relaxed through the seat and thigh (i.e. not as baggy as a loose-fitting pant) with a leg that narrows to the ankle.
- Baggy: Pants designed to be extra loose in the (parallel construction) seat and legs.
- Boot Cut: Pants are cut to skim the thigh with a slightly flared opening at the lower leg.