whats the deal with women's pants?

[audreyinalbany]

Unlike our friend Karen, I'm not adverse to occasionally donning a pair of women's pants. Here's what I don't get: I'm not a terribly tall guy, around 5'10". I wear a women's size 12 pants comfortably. But they're so gosh darn long! I buy average, but, even then they drag on the floor. I bought a new pair of 2 3/4 inch boots yesterday and, with pants on, the heels barely show. I tried a pair of petite pants once and they were too short. I thought women had the reputation of being shorter than guys. So why are their pants so long????

[MackenzieMarigold]

I find most women's pants to be horribly uncomfortable.

But jeans? Don't even get me started on those..

[AllieSF]

I have the same problem. I think that the women's pants are longer to accommodate the wearing of high heels. It seems that the off the rack pants in my size 6 almost drag on the floor with flats and almost perfectly cover and reveal the shoes when worn with heels. One thing to remember, at least to me, is that most woman have a larger butt than men do. When holding a pair of pants on a hanger up to your body you may wonder who has legs this long. However, when a woman wears then the extra material in the rear and hips fills out the upper part of the pants and lifts the pants so that they fit properly. I have tried a pair of women's pants on in drab mode and they touched the floor. Then I tried them on in femme mode when I am wearing all my butt and hip padding and those same long pants fit perfectly. I just wish that they would size them like they do men's slacks with waist and length, like 30x31, instead of petite, regular and tall.

[ReneeT]

I have the opposite problem. When i wear 8 regulars, i can only wear them with flats. Any heel at all makes them flood pants. I have resigned to buying pants i like a lot in both regular and tall. I wear a 32" inseam in drab but idealy wear a 34 en femme. In some brands thats a tall, in others a 36 is tall

[Annajose]

I tried them once, but they look funny on me and wearing pants for me defeats the purpose. I like skirts, pantyhose and heels. When I wear pants they are my male pants.

[marlaNYC]

it may be a curse to you, but that extra length has been a blessing to me as i'm 6'4". the Express Editor pant is a perfect fit for me but they're always way too short, flapping around my ankles. unless i can find the long...and those aren't so easy to come by. i'd suggest trying a pair in regular, or (if you like jeans), the Gap 1969 'perfect boot' regular - even the long in those was too short for me in 1 3/4" heels.

[kimdl93]

Its not that the pants are too long - your legs are too short! Just get them hemmed.

Allie GG is right - relative to height women have more inseam. I'm 6'2" and wear 34/35 inseams.

[Maddie22]

I also believe it is the way women wear the pants. If you notice that women wear the crotch of the pants at their crotch. Men's pants sag, and have more room between the crotch area of the pant and their actual crotch area.

[Karren H]

If it's 20 below zero I'm not adverse at all! Pants just have too many measurement variables. . Where as skirts have considerably less... Less being one... Waist. And everyone knows less issues is better! :).

[Vickie_CDTV]

You will have to find a tailor/seamstress and have the pants that are too long hemmed. I always have the same problem with male pants, and with some skirts too (the average waist to length proportion is wrong for my body.)

[Michelle James]

Petite is just a little too short for me and average too long. My routine is 1. buy the pants. 2. Wash the pants twice. 3. Take them to my seamstress to be hemmed. I just got used to it. I found out the hard way to wash them a couple of times before taking them to be altered. I ruined a pair of pants by altering first. once they shrunk nothing left to do but make capris out of them.

[sissystephanie]

I do the same as Michelle. Buy the right size, wash them twice and have them hemmed!! I am a size 16, but have legs that are only 31 inches if I want my shoes to show at all. So hemming is the only answer!! And I do wear ladies jeans when the weather is cold enough!! I also have some ladies dress pants that I wear occasionally!! Sorry Karren, but ladies pants are part of the big picture!!

[Christie ann]

petite pants are perfect! Personally I would rather have more skirts than pants but that is not where life is right now...

[BRANDYJ]

Its not a matter of height - generally women have longer legs than men. I take a 34" inseam at 5'9".

I have heard this too. I am also 5'9", yet my inseam is only 30 inches.

[Cynthia Anne]

I love all of my size 10regular! Perfect size, perfect!

[SweetPea_GG]

I have heard this too. I am also 5'9", yet my inseam is only 30 inches.

yep I agree its a matter of gender.. I am 5'10 and I have to buy "longs" otherwise they are too short and i feel like I am waiting for a flood lol.. I really doubt as stated above that its cause women wear heels so they adjust the pants according to that

[sandra-leigh]

If you look on the Community Forum at Long Tall Sally, you will find quite a number of posts from women complaining that the 36" long pants or leggings are too short, that they need 38". And a number ask for 42" skirts. Some of the women asking for these were taller than I am, but a number of them were shorter.

My inseam is somewhere between 31" and 32"; in some stores I have to resort to buying "petite", even though I am 6' tall. This was especially true at Tabi International (which, unfortunately, is now bankrupt.)

[Jodi]

Hemming a pair of pants is not rocket science. I learned to do it years ago. It just takes the will to do it and practice.

Jodi

[Vanessa5]

I am lucky enough that the size I buy will fit my shape. I fit into most anything size 20. I have found that different brands don't size the same i.e one size 20 is anothers size 18 or less. As far as length, well most cover all to my feet and just enough to expose my heels. It's the tops for me that seem to be all over the place.

[StephanieC]

I think it also depends on the waist and hips. For instance, low-rise pants wit lower on the hips. Plus, a woman's waist line is usually 1-2 inches above a man's. Generally, I consider the rise and the in-seam measure to help determine the length I need.

Ultimately, though, you'll probably need to try on the pants.

There are a number of websites that help you determine the best brands and styles for your body type and wearing preference. This might get you "in the ballpark".

[Ann Thomas]

I love skirts and dresses, but I also love wearing pants. I wear them pulled up tight like a girl would, and wear something underneath, usually a bikini bottom, to be less noticeable. I found that my size varies by the brand, but usually from 9 to 12 fits me fine, usually regular lengths. I guess I'm blessed with very feminine looking legs, as I get good comments on them from women now and then.

Ann

[cdsara]

I have wanted to find a nice pair but I am 6'5" and finding them might be tough.

[Eryn]

I was pleasantly surprised when I found that Levi's 505s in 8 long fit my 31 waist 34 length body better than men's jeans. That bit of spandex makes all the difference. When I have to wear men's jeans now they feel so baggy and uncomfortable!

[Steph.TS]

I'm 6'2" I wear size 10M but thinking I can fit into 8M, I find women's jeans quite comfortable, more pleasant then men's jeans.

[Babeba]

Especially in stores which are less expensive, there is a good reason for the long length: anyone can hem pants, but you can't piece fabric on to lengthen them. The super long legs mean that more people can buy the same design. Of course, then you run into other problems, like what part of the pant is designed for knees?

[Carmen]

My last shopping trip for jeans, I ended up with denim stretch jeans in size 8-9. I'm also 5'10". I always try them on first.
Womens jeans are cut much higher in the crotch (no package). For me they will fit perfect only when I tuck and pull those jeans on high and snug.
I also use a belt to keep them up.
Form fitting jeans are my favorite but I also wear relaxed fit ones.

[erickka]

Don't forget that women's waists are at or above the navel, thus when pants are worn there, the length will be more to your liking. I buy longer slacks or jeans because the hint of a high heel peeking out from under the slacks looks nice, and if you observe many GG's, that is the style.

[Laurel B]

I think they are made longer to take into account that they may wear heals with them. I know that my wife complains all the time that she can't find the longer inseams because they are always sold out, she is 6 ft, because women who are average height or short even are buying tall to accommodate the heal.

[jillleanne]

Its not that the pants are too long - your legs are too short! Just get them hemmed.

Allie GG is right - relative to height women have more inseam. I'm 6'2" and wear 34/35 inseams.

The other secret to getting them to fit properly is get yourself some hips, you know, those things women don't want and we don't have. The hips draw the pants up on women and not us. I wear womens pants/jeans primarily because they just feel better, particularly the stretch type jeans. Remember, unless they are hipsters, pull them up to where they should be worn on a woman and be sure to add a belt that matches the shoes/purse/accessories.

[Cheryl T]

The key here is to know your inseam and take a cloth tape measure with you when you shop so you can buy the right length.
It varies quite a lot from brand to brand and even style to style within the same brand. I am 5'12" and wear a 33" inseam I can get away with 34" if I'm wearing heels.

I'm not against slacks or jeans either and actually have 5 pair of jeans and 6 pair of slacks. I don't find them unfeminine at all and actually can be quite sexy with the right blouse and shoes.

[suchacutie]

For me it's just a bit more complex. I'm 5'10" as well but since my waist is not yet 10" less than my hip measurment, I can't buy "regular" pants. But, I buy low-rise size 8 pants (37.5 inch hip measurement) with a 33" or 34" inseam, and everything fits terrifically in either gender!

tina

[sometimes_miss]

I think that the women's pants are longer to accommodate the wearing of high heels.
There we go, we have a winner.

[Cdnikkita]

Gotta love girls yoga pants ( lululemon) the way they fit and the feel is amazing

[Stitch]

I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm so small in height I always have to take my trousers up, or buy them from the petite section. Damn short legs! :doh:

[Claire Cook]

Yes, it's about both inseam length and waist length. Soem women are long-waisted, some short-waisted, some are short legged, some are long legged. Like everything else about women's clothes -- sizing is mysterious! Bottom line -- I try it on first. BTW, I prefer higher waisted slacks -- then seem to de-emphasize my shoulders.

And Karren and I will never agree -- I LOVE women's slacks (and jeans, and shorts, and skirts, and dresses, and... and...)

[lynnhaven]

It is pure hell sometimes getting it all to work where its supossed to work and fit...wish I could afford a tailor! LOL

[McKailah]

I absolutely love women's pants, slacks, jeans, and every other article of women's clothing. I find that if you understand how women's sizing got started, you may find it easier to correctly judge your own size. Without padding in the hip and buttocks, unless you are already built just like a GG, you will never completely fit women's jeans or slacks properly. My advice, find a GOOD gaff (to add some empty space to the bottom of your crotch area so you can pull the pants up to the natural waist instead of the top of the hips), and invest in a few pair of GOOD hip and buttocks padded undergarments.

Women's sizes used to be measured exactly the same as men's. 34x36, 32x28 and so on...but the sizing difference came to be when women wanted to feel less self-conscious about their measurement numbers. Petite, Average, Tall, and Long were used in place of the second number, but thrown into non-standard ranges. The waist measurement was changed to the distance in inches between one side of the waist and the other when the pants are laying flat. This is why a male who wears a 38 waist in jeans usually wears a 16 or 18 waist in women's. The best thing you can do to get the proper fit is to buy the slacks or jeans with the slimming panels inside to get that extra hug in certain places, and find a good seamstress or alterations shop to hem them up those extra few inches.

A cheaper alternative that can be used on every pair of jeans, slacks, pants, and other legged garments is the "As seen on TV" style snaps. These things attach to the inside of the leg of any pants and allows you to customize the amount of hem from one pair to another. You can also let the hem out for higher heels and take them in more for flats.

[Sophiewouldbenice]

Women pants for real women ;) - I go with skirts and tights ^^.

[Tracii G]

9 reg in Jrs fits perfectly or 8 Misses short.

[Aprilrain]

Its not a matter of height - generally women have longer legs than men. I take a 34" inseam at 5'9".

I dare you to have longer legs than me! : P just kidding, damn girl your leggy!

I am so happy woman's pants are long because I'm long!

[Jenniferathome]

Women have longer legs and men longer torsos. So, while my wife and I are the same height, her legs are much longer than mine, probably mor Ethan 3 inches. The fix for this is to buy petite sizes.

[ReineD]

Its not a matter of height - generally women have longer legs than men. I take a 34" inseam at 5'9".

Hey Allie, you and I are the same height and inseam length! :)

Audrey, I agree, given the same height, maybe men's torsos are generally longer and their legs are shorter than women's.

[TommyII]

Hmmmm, I wear the 8 longs and love the fit and length. MY thing is to find the at waist with guy pocket depth. Womens jeans are popular with a low rise waist and the pocket depth is only 1/4 of guy jeans. Rider used to have pockets, but not now! The stretch fabric of womens jeans is great and feels smooth. I have way too many pair.

[Jilmac]

I must be an exception to the rule, I'm 5' 8" with a 29 inseam, a woman's size 8-10 petite fits me fine with flats or heels. Also I'll never buy anything I can't try on first because I know how womens sizes and styles can vary between manufacturers.

[LeaP]

I like the fit of women's pants, in my case because I have the hips (and, unfortunately the thighs) so they look correct. My waist could be smaller and higher, but you work with what you have! A bit of extra inseam looks good with a lowish heel to add an impression of longer leg length - at 5'10" I'm never going for high heels.

Lea

[joanna marie]

THats what great about skirts, no inseam to worry about

[Stiefelchris]

I noticed the same and simply wear little higher heels :-)

[BillieJoEllen]

I've seen some gadgets at Walmart that will allow you to affix first one side of your pants and then below that affix another thingy below that and then fold the cuff up to where you want it. They're reusable and works both on skirts and pants.I don't use them myself and I've also seen them advertized on TV.

[Ms Victoria]

I'm 5'10" and weigh in at a 160. I wear 32x34 Levi in drab. I love my Gap and JCP stretch jeans in 8-long. Women's pants run in Petite (short28-30"), regular (30-33") Long (34-35") XLong and Tall are usually 36+ inch inseams. I wear Gap Perfect trouser in 6-long and the hem falls around 1/2 of my 4" heels with no platform. I love the look of just a little toe box showing and 1/2 the heel. I think it is sexy! Besides, it makes my size 10 or 11 look smaller :) I like being able to throw a nice pair of stretch jeans or slacks on and not have to get all dolled up. Stretch jeans and slacks feel wonderful while wearing silky panties or thongs. Either way, I suggest trying them on before buying them. That will save you time and money.

[jillleanne]

Usually the deal I get on womens pants is, 'buy one, get the second pair for half off!' So I do. Don't you just hate the length of them though!!!! he he he Actually they always seem to fit me perfectly lengthwise, but I always wear heels also.

[IngeInCO]

I wear a size 6 and found that the petite works well. I only have a 30 inseam. I have noticed that I don't fancy boot cuts as much, they make me look shorter.

[JiveTurkeyOnRye]

Women's pants generally fit me just about right, which only of course further confirms my suspicions that I'm meant to wear women's clothing. However I think most of the points people have made on here are pretty spot on, women's legs tend to be longer than men, I'm somewhat tall so for me it sort of evens out, but also, unless they're cut to be hip-huggers, women's pants are designed to sit higher up on the waist than men usually wear them, so if you're wearing them at the same waistline you would dockers, they're a little low-slung. Also, the heels are supposed to disappear under them a little bit if they're flared at all, thats kind of the idea.

[SandraAbsent]

Men have the option to buy pants by waist size and inseam. Women have the option of Petite, Misses, Women's cuts all if which will have an effect on the inseam cut. Woman do generally have longer inseams. To further complicate things, women's pants are design to fall differently on the heel line because we wear shoes that are different. Men typically only wear one type of shoe...flats, and there is a pretty well established rule on where the cuff should fall. Conclusion? I have different pants that I wear with flats, different pants that I wear with heels, and different pants that I wear with boots. Isn't being a woman fantastically complicated?

[Sarah_sarahcd]

Proportions are a funny thing. I, personally, wear women's pants all the time but have to order talls in order to have the knee in the correct spot (they fit better too!). I find what little sewing skills are actually more handy with men's clothing but they are a skill that are incredibly practical. I hope that you can get your pants to fit, there are some super cute cuts out there that are totally fem and look chic in an androgynous way with the proper boi clothes.

[Kelly767]

Every pair of women's pants I have bought are a little different from each other. I have the length adjusted for whatever heel I am going to wear with them, so that limits me to only one or two different shoes/boots to each pair. It's not easy.

[karanne]

I'll say that I rarely wear women's slacks, as the shortest inseam I can find is 30", and I take a 28" in guy's jeans (which are also hard to find!). I'm 5'6", but short, so I tend to wear skirts and dresses (and leggings) more often than not. However, a seamstress isn't a bad idea - I should have thought of that!

[calebsmithxd]

I'll say that I rarely wear women's slacks, as the shortest inseam I can find is 30", and I take a 28" in guy's jeans (which are also hard to find!). I'm 5'6", but short, so I tend to wear skirts and dresses (and leggings) more often than not. However, a seamstress isn't a bad idea - I should have thought of that!

Karanne dELiA's has shorter inseams, but they're more of a teenager's store, which is one of the reasons why I personally haven't gone in there. I'm going to get a few pairs of pants hemmed though. I bought a cute orange pant at H&M as well as boy's blue pants at H&M, both of which I love.

[Shananigans]

There are jeans for shorter-legged girls. I have the opposite problem, I'm 5'10" and pretty leggy. I have a 35" inseam, so I usually search for 36" inseams. But, sometimes they need to be tailored. It's real cheap to get your jeans hemmed. I usually have a problem with sizing because I have a big a$$ and smaller waist, so all of my jeans have to be tailored because the bunching fabric looks real funny under a belt. But, now, I just buy a size smaller and wear them real tight haha. You'll find a brand and stick to them...I usually look for jeans that stretch and are designed for longer legs. But, still, most of them end up tailored anyway.

[teri222]

I'm 5'81/2 and wear a 32x32 in men's jeans. My women's jeans are 8 long. A little tight around the
waist lately but the length seems to fit right with heels or flats.

[Shananigans]

Oh! And, I meant to suggest skinny jeans over boot cut. I've found that I can buy skinny jeans that are a lot shorter than boot cut. They're also Really in now...boot cut is kind of yesterday. So, look for those. They need to cover your ankle and not bunch up...other than that, they are good. Also, they are mostly a stretchy material so they handle people of different shapes better. Idk if you use padding or not, but stretch denim might be an option if you are considering it in the future. If you like boots...skinny jeans are a MUST.

[Natalee]

No Joke. It is FAR easier for me to find a 32"(size 10-12) waist with 34" inseam; than it is to find in men's sizes. (I'm about 6'3")

I put my wife in charge of buying mens pants for me.. I've almost given up.

[Ayame]

I'm 6 foot and wear a size 5 in women's pants and don't usually have any length problems =p