When “ankle-length” isn’t: How to measure your jeans inseam before you buy

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Every pair of pants I buy is too long. Even the petite ones sometimes. Which feels a bit personal.

I found these amazing Levi’s Eve jeans in South Africa. The waist fit. My bum looked great. They were perfect, right down to the part where they kept going.

I was already running late for dinner at a friend’s place, so I got the kitchen scissors out. Snip, snip, ironed the hems flat. Did I tack them? I barely had time to put my shoes on.

They don’t make those jeans anymore (sad face). But if you’ve got a pair that hits exactly where you want it to, grab those and a tape measure.

How to measure the inseam on a pair of jeans

1. Pick the right pair. If you’re shopping for jeans to wear with flats, pick a pair that’s the right length with flats. If you always wear them cuffed, leave the cuff in place to measure the length you actually wear.
2. Lay them flat. Smooth out one leg without stretching the denim.
3. Start at the crotch seam. That’s where the two inside leg seams meet.
4. Grab a measuring tape and measure down to the hem. Follow the inside seam to the bottom edge. That’s your inseam. Save it in your phone in centimetres and inches, along with a note like 66 cm / 26 in, straight leg, hits my ankle with flats.

What to look for when you shop

Look for inseam or inside leg in the product details. Check that it’s the measurement of the jeans themselves. Some size charts give you body measurements instead.

Compare with a similar cut if you can. A pair that sits lower on your hips can hang differently from a high-rise pair, even with the same inseam. And if the listing just says “ankle length”, ask for the actual measurement. We’ve heard that one before.

This post is part of The Spirit Diary’s Guides. Explore more guides →