What is the correct trouser lengths for ladies? Where should pants hit with heels and flats? We haven’t talked about this in a while… so let’s discuss!

(Stay tuned for a future roundup of the correct trouser lengths with FLATS, which can be tricky as well!)

{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}

The Correct Trouser Lengths for Women

Trousers are hugely popular right now, as ankle pants have taken a back seat to full-length pants such as wide-leg trousers and flared or bootcut dress pants. Full-length pants can be problematic, though, because it can be difficult to find the correct hem length for you — and one that works with all of your work shoes.

{related: a guide to suiting alterations}

General Tips on How to Choose Your Pant Length

Before You Take Your Pants to the Tailor or Hem Them Yourself…

You may want to launder the pants first (particularly if they’re machine washable), because sometimes fabrics can shrink or expand in the wash, and you really won’t know until you launder the pants.

You should also pick out a pair of shoes to try on your pants — ideally these would be THE shoes you plan to wear with them. If you have multiple shoes with the exact same heel height then you can switch up your shoes, but in general you cannot switch between, say, flats and heels with hemmed pants.

One possible exception here: I have often found that pants that I hemmed for very low kitten heels can be worn with flats as well… but your mileage may vary.

{related: the perfect pants fit — not too tight, not too loose}

How to Commute With Pants Hemmed for Heels

Perhaps you would really like to wear 3″ heels at work with your pants… but you don’t want to commute in 3″ heels. The easiest way to deal with this is to have heeled commuting shoes — generally fairly fugly shoes that have the correct height but are much more walkable. Then, when you get to work, you can swap the fugly shoes for your office shoes. Some brands to consider: FLY London, Dansko, Eileen Fisher, Børn.

There are occasionally products like clips that can help you hem your pants on the go… but in my experience these don’t look great. (I can’t actually find any on the market right now; let me know if you know of any!) But: If you have a weather-related emergency, you can always try binder clips to help your pants avoid getting wet (or, you know, tuck them into your socks if that’s an option). Again, these aren’t ideal situations, but with some expensive or favorite pairs of pants it’s worth looking odd for one commute rather than have that one commute kill your hem.

Where Should Pants Hit With Heels?

(When choosing pants for the illustrations here, we’re going with the description from the retailer on whether the pants are wide-leg, flared, bootcut, or straight-leg, but I’ll admit at the outset that there could be some crossover here between a lot of the categories.)

Most images are linked to either the product page or the Corporette post discussing the product…

Also, as noted above, stay tuned for a discussion of proper hem length with flats…

The Correct Length for Wide-Leg Pants with Heels

This is what I would say is the correct length for wide-leg pants worn with heels… would you agree? (These images are all taken from recent Workwear Reports. I’ll try to add the links later… you can also check out our latest favorite wide-leg pants for work at the bottom, or check out the full post on the best wide leg pants to wear to work!)

My $.02: The correct wide-leg pants should hit about a half inch above the floor at the back of the shoe/heel, and it should at least cover most of your vamp / top of foot (perhaps down to the point where your toes meet the rest of your foot), with a break in the pants.

So, for example, for the pants below, the plaid pair is definitely too short because there is no break in the pants, whereas the black pair has a break but the hem is dragging along the floor. The orange pair is ALMOST the correct length, but in an ideal world I’d hem it maybe half an inch more to cover more of the forefoot (and to get a break in the pants).

Readers, what say you?

Wide leg pants, below: 1) Almost Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long

{related: the best shoes to wear with wide-leg pants}

Our Latest Favorite Wide Leg Pants

Hunting for more wide-leg pants to wear to work? We just rounded some up, and general favorites include pleated pairs like Favorite Daughter, Everlane*, Reformation*, and Abercrombie*, with flat-front pairs from Good American,* M.M.LaFleur, and Ann Taylor. (* = plus sizes; see the post for notes on petites and talls). We’ve also shared our thoughts on what shoes to wear with wide-leg pants! Our latest favorite wide-leg pants include these (as of 2024):

The Correct Length for Flared Pants with Heels

I feel like it’s much more common to see more casual flared pants (such as jeans or pull-on pants) as opposed to flared trousers, so it can be tricky to know where the hem should hit for a work outfit.

With the examples below, I think it’s very easy to see how the “too short” and “too long” examples are just that… but finding the correct hem length can be a bit more difficult. I’ve finally decided to use these Spanx pants, which I think showcase a lot of the things I would say is the correct length for flared pants with heels — the pants are not dragging on the floor, there is no huge break, and you can’t see the entire shoe… still, I might like to see these a smidge shorter, such as a quarter of an inch.

(These Gap pants also look good, but I think you can see too much of the heel and forefoot… but it’s a tricky question!)

What say you, readers?

Flared pants for work outfits, below: 1) Almost Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long

Our Latest Favorite Flared Pants for Work Outfits

Stay tuned for our latest favorite office-appropriate flared pants for women! In general in 2024, check out Spanx, Hugo Boss, Theory, Amazon seller Rekucci, Anthropologie’s Maeve line, and Eloquii.

The Correct Length for Bootcut Pants with Heels

Bootcut pants are some of the most forgiving, I think, because a lot of the lengths look OK. I think ultimately the Good American ones below look just right because there is no break in the pant, but the hem is not dragging on the floor — and I like how it hits the forefoot right at the point where the metatarsals meet the phalanges. (I’ll admit, I just Googled “toe bones” for that description…)

Meanwhile, the middle pair look too short — there’s way too much of the shoe heel showing — and the gray pair (McQueen) is going to be dragging on the ground.

Bootcut pants for work, below: 1) Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long

Our Latest Favorite Bootcut Pants for Work

There are a bunch of great bootcut dress pants — some of our favorites include Good American and the very affordable Tapata brand (with tall, petite, and regular lengths). Alexander McQueen also has a bunch right now. On the more casual side, check out KUT from the Kloth cords, Wit & Wisdom jeans, and Betabrand “dress yoga pants.”

The Correct Length for Straight-Cut Trousers with Heels

Getting the hem correct on straight-cut trousers is the hardest, I think… Looking through some of the options, though, that may be because it can be more a matter of personal style compared with the others. For example, of the three pants below, I think all of them could be a good hem length, even though Option A is just below the ankle bone, Option B hits at the top of your foot (but without a break), and Option C is hemmed to just above the ankle bone (but feels a bit longer to me than “ankle pants” or cropped pants).

What say you, readers?

Straight leg pants below, all “just right”: Options A, B, and C

Our Latest Favorite Straight-Cut Dress Pants for Women

Straight pants can be a bit tricky get the hem correct, and have a slight potential to be frumpy… That said, they are a classic because they tend to be immune from trends. Some great options in 2024 include reader favorites Nic & Zoe pants, NYDJ, J.Crew, these “perfect” pants from Spanx, and the very affordable Amazon seller Tapata (with petite, regular, and tall sizes).

Some Of Our Latest Favorite Trousers for Women

We’ve noted specific styles above… but in general, these are our latest favorite trousers for women…

The Best Dress Pants for Women in General

The best dress pants for women as of 2024: one / two / three / four / five / six (not pictured but also and also!) — also check out our roundup of the best pull-on pants for the office!

The Best Plus-Size Pants for Work

The Best Pull-On Pants for Work

The post Open Thread: Trouser Lengths for Women appeared first on Corporette.com.

What are the proper hem lengths for women’s pants? And how do you hem your pants if you commute in flats but wear heels at work?

Reader Y wonders about flared pants, but I think she brings up a great point about hems and women who commute in shoes other than their office heels.

I’m a 25 year old working in Boston, usually in nice business casual offices. I don’t need to wear a suit, but I do need to look good. I have a number of flared (not too heavily) in my wardrobe and I don’t know if I can wear them to the office. Do you have any tips on length? What shoes can/should I wear (especially since I put on other shoes for the commute from and two work that are often flat)? Will they drown my height? If they can’t be worn…can I get them hemmed or something? It feels like such a waste to have them sitting there.

Thank you for the question!

Psst: check out our latest thoughts on the best trouser lengths for women!

Are Flared Pants Appropriate for the Office?

When I first saw this I honestly thought, oh come on, of course you can wear flared pants! But then I started wondering if perhaps this is just a peculiarity to my age (35), since I grew up seeing lots of flared styles (and still think the bootcut is one of the most flattering pant shapes of all time).

By contrast, skinny trousers and capris often look inappropriate to me — too 1950s, too Audrey Hepburn gamine to be taken seriously for the office. But then I thought of some of the extreme flared styles we’re seeing right now and thought, ok, fair question — I dislike those because they’re too 70s.

My advice is that if anything is too reminiscent of any particular era other than “right now,” be careful about wearing it to the office. For example, the French Connection trousers (named “Galaxy Groove”) seem a bit too, well, galactic and groovy for the office.

Stay tuned for our latest favorite office-appropriate flared pants for women! In general in 2024, check out Spanx, Hugo Boss, Theory, Amazon seller Rekucci, Anthropologie’s Maeve line, and Eloquii.

What Are Proper Hem Lengths for Women?

I think the really interesting question in Y’s email, though, is about hem length, particularly once you factor in commuting shoes. I was just admiring someone’s outfit yesterday, but for the fact that her pants were 3 inches too short for her shoes. Sigh.

As we head into spring, lots of people will be commuting in flats — some (clutch your pearls, ladies) even may commute in flip-flops. This definitely poses problems with pants, because (for most pants) your pants should be long enough so only about an inch of heel is left showing, and almost the entire front part (“vamp”) of the shoe/your foot is covered, leaving just the toe part sticking out. 

I’ve just whipped together what hopefully will be a handy visual guide…

Where Should Pants Hit on Heels?

(It’s amazing how often I see poorly styled pants and shoes on store and brand websites — in general I think J.Crew gets it right the most often.)  I think that if the hem length is wrong, it’s very easy to make even an expensive pair of pants look really cheap.

How to Hem Pants for Heels, But Commute in Flats

So how do you solve the commuting problem? You have a few options…

Use Special Products to Temporarily Hem Your Pants

I’ve never tried them, but I’ve heard of Zakkerz (now discontinued, but they used to help you “hem” your pants on the go)… readers have also mentioned Sole Clips.

Commute in Wedges Or Heeled Commuting Shoes

My own trick (and one other people swear by!) is to commute in wedges.

Our Latest Favorite Heeled Commuting Shoes

If you’re hunting for commuting heels, as of 2024 we’d recommend brands like FLY London, Dansko, Eileen Fisher, Børn, and Miz Mooz. These help you maintain height for pants hemmed for heels — but with more comfortable shoes for your commute.

Another option: wedge sneakers.

Our Latest Favorite Wedge Pumps

As of Dec. 2023 there are a lot of wedge heels for work lately that look great for commuting or learning to walk in heels… Nordstrom especially has a ton, as does Theory, J.Crew, and Vivaia! Some of our current favorites:

Our Latest Favorite Wedge Booties

In 2024, wedge booties are hard to find, although platform booties and thick lug soles are very popular. Some sleek options for work might include these affordable wedge boots from Dream Pairs, these comfortable Dr. Scholl’s wedge boots, and these nice Anne Klein wedges.

Swap Between Kitten Heels and Flats

Another trick I used to use was to keep a pair of kitten heels at the office — the low, low heels were comfortable all day and frequently let me “keep” the same hem I wore with flip-flops.

Our Latest Favorite Kitten Heel Pumps

Stay tuned for a roundup of our latest favorite kitten heel pumps! In general, check out Sarah Flynt and M.M.LaFleur for low but sleek heels…

Our Latest Favorite Kitten-Heeled Boots

Our latest favorite affordable kitten-heeled boots in 2024 include those from Madewell, J.Crew, and Dolce Vita; for more expensive brands check The Row and Totême. (These AGL ones are a bit high, but might also fit if you’re on the hunt.)

Our Latest Favorite Low Heels in General

These are some of our favorite comfortable low heels for work as of 2024… also check out CK Calvin Klein, Trotters, Sam Edelman, and Sarah Flynt!

Readers, what are your thoughts on hems and commuting shoes? How do you deal with commuting in different shoes than you wear all day? Also, what are your thoughts on flared pants at the office?

The post What Are Proper Hem Lengths for Women? appeared first on Corporette.com.

Today’s reader mail comes from J, who is trying to keep her pants from dragging on the ground during her commute…

As a New Yorker, I walk at least a couple blocks to get to commute to work. As many women do, I usually leave my heels at my desk at work and wear more comfortable shoes to and from work.

The problem is that for my pants to look good with heels, they are too long to wear with the comfy flats/cute sneakers I wear for the commute and drag on the dirty streets. How do women who have to walk for part of their commute deal with this conundrum and not ruin their pants???

This is a dilemma a lot of women face, and there are a variety of ways to deal with it.

How to Keep Your Pants From Dragging On the Ground

First, I would suggest assessing what heel height, in general, you’re comfortable in for work shoes — and having your pants hemmed to that level.

As a reminder: your pant should brush the top of your foot, and no more than an inch or so of heel should be showing in the back. For me, that comes to around 2″, 2.5″ — which, honestly, can usually be worn with commuting shoes that have a decent (thick) sole.

How to Keep Your Pants From Dragging On the Ground: Only Wear Very High Heels With Skirts

I just tend to wear our higher heels exclusively with skirts instead — it works out particularly well in the summertime if I’m commuting in flip-flops.

Swap Between Commuting Flats and Very Low Heels to Keep Your Pants From Dragging On the Ground

Honestly, I’ve often found that I could wear a regular flip-flop with full-length pants, and then switch to a very low kitten heel at the office, without there being too many problems. I always commuted in Reef sandals (they have arch support!).

These are some of our favorite comfortable low heels for work as of 2024… also check out CK Calvin Klein, Trotters, Sam Edelman, and Sarah Flynt!

How to Commute in Pants Hemmed For Heels

But let’s say your comfort level is close to 4″. In that case, you have a few options.

Find Commuting Shoes Like Heeled Wedges to Maintain Hem Length

Find a great pair of wedge heels that are comfortable enough to walk in on your commute to maintain the height of your heels.

For example, the brand Miz Mooz consistently gets good comfort reviews for some of its higher heels, or even Skechers makes sneaker-type shoes that have a higher heel.

(See specific styles below…)

Our Latest Favorite Heeled Commuting Shoes

If you’re hunting for commuting heels, as of 2024 we’d recommend brands like FLY London, Dansko, Eileen Fisher, Børn, and Miz Mooz. These help you maintain height for pants hemmed for heels — but with more comfortable shoes for your commute.

Another option: wedge sneakers.

Our Latest Favorite Wedge Pumps For Your Commute

As of Dec. 2023 there are a lot of wedge heels for work lately that look great for commuting or learning to walk in heels… Nordstrom especially has a ton, as does Theory, J.Crew, and Vivaia! Some of our current favorites:

Our Latest Favorite Wedge Booties For Your Commute

In 2024, wedge booties are hard to find, although platform booties and thick lug soles are very popular. Some sleek options for work might include these affordable wedge boots from Dream Pairs, these comfortable Dr. Scholl’s wedge boots, and these nice Anne Klein wedges.

Hunt for Special Products to Help You Maintain Hem Length And Keep Your Pants From Dragging On the Ground

Another option is to look into the special products — for example, some of the products we like for gaping blouses might also help you create a temporary hem…)

Some of the top products to help you fix a gaping blouse include:

Above, some solutions for gaping blouses: 1) Topstick toupee tape 2) double-stick medical tape 3) Flash Tape 4) Fearless Tape 5) black & white and colorful safety pins — see more clever solutions for workwear problems in our Amazon shop!

The other obvious issue here is when the weather is bad — if there’s rain or snow, it’s highly likely your pant legs are going to get wet, no matter where your hem is. I love my Hunter boots for when it’s raining — I try to wear a skirt on those days, but I will tuck my pants into my boots if I need to). You can see all of our favorite rainboots here…

Readers, how do you deal with the commuting conundrum — how do you keep your pants from dragging on the ground?

Updated stock photo via Stencil. Originally pictured:  Pants too long, originally uploaded to Flickr by puck90.) 

The post How to Keep Your Pants from Dragging on the Ground appeared first on Corporette.com.

About a week and a half ago, we asked a pivotal question: at what point does a high heel become TOO high for work? As always, the poll is still open, but the initial results are in:

– 44% of readers said a medium heel height was most appropriate for work — 3.5″ being the absolute highest.

– 33% said 3.5″ or higher was acceptable, so long as the shoe itself was appropriate for work — nothing a teenager would wear.

– 12% said any heel height was fine, so long as you could walk in it

– 9% said low heels were the only ones appropriate for the office: 2.5″ or under.

Pictured above: Christian Louboutin’s Marie Antoinette shoe, available only in Paris boutiques.

Commenters repeatedly stressed that the heel had to be in proportion to the outfit: the higher the heel, the lower the hemline of the skirt — if not wearing pants with your towering heels. Some noted that they only wore 4″ heels with pants.

Proper hemming is very important here: your pants should almost entirely cover the heel. (We would argue that readers should trek to and from work in the same height of heel that they wear at the office, but for those who don’t agree with us there are gadgets to help you hem your pants temporarily, such as Zakkerz, pictured below.)

Psst: check out our latest thoughts on the best trouser lengths for women!

There was general agreement that platforms are not acceptable office shoes; wedges were also not popular with readers. (We would disagree with that and say it depends on the kind of wedge — the chunkier the wedge, the more inappropriate it is — but a triangular-shaped wedge that blends with the shoe would be all right with us.

Above all, though, readers noted that the shoe itself should be tasteful. As one commented, “never, ever wear clear heels to work. Never.” Another suggested readers not purchase their heels at the Hustler store. (Or perhaps, just save those Hustler shoes for the, uh, weekend.)

(Check out our guide to comfortable heels if you’re looking for more tips!)

Acceptable Wedges for Work

Office Appropriate Wedge Heels

As of Dec. 2023 there are a lot of wedge heels for work lately that look great for commuting or learning to walk in heels… Nordstrom especially has a ton, as does Theory, J.Crew, and Vivaia! Some of our current favorites:

Office Appropriate Wedge Booties

In 2024, wedge booties are hard to find, although platform booties and thick lug soles are very popular. Some sleek options for work might include these affordable wedge boots from Dream Pairs, these comfortable Dr. Scholl’s wedge boots, and these nice Anne Klein wedges.

The post Poll Results: Towering Heels appeared first on Corporette.com.