Pants & Inseam Size

The inner hem of a pair of jeans is the inseam.

American jean companies tend to size their products purely around waist sizes, creating a uniform system that consumers are familiar with. Yet other countries place a heavier emphasis on the inseam.

Inseam Definition

The inseam is simply the length of the inside of your leg from the crotch to the floor. In every pair of pants -- from jeans to shorts to dress trousers -- it is the binding line where the material meets down the inside of your legs. The bigger the inseam number, the longer the leg.

Pant Size

In the United States, jeans are not usually measured by the length of the inseam, yet it is the most important measurement for a tailor. The majority of European countries label their jeans and pant sizes by an inseam measurement along with a waist measurement. In European stores, there is a wider range in the fit of jeans since there are endless pairings of waist and inseam sizes. In Great Britain, the inseam is commonly referred to as the "inside leg."

Finding Your Inseam

It is helpful to measure your own inseam when hunting for the perfect pair of jeans. Lay your best fitting pants flat on the floor or a bed and fully zip and button it. Use a flexible tape measure to measure the length of your inseam. Place the top of the tape right at the crotch and follow the seam downward to the bottom hem. Record the length in inches.

References

• Inseam.org: Inseam

Resources

• Sierra Trading Post: Pant Fit Guide