Pant Cuffs

(first published April 18, 2016)

Ankle season is afoot (ha ha!). It may not be warm enough for shorts yet, so what a great way to feel the breeze than to cuff those pants. What was originally meant to keep pant bottoms clean during rough weather, we now use cuffs to express personal style.

When I worked retail, customers often asked where they can buy denim or chino fabric joggers. Why not sport a retro 70s look instead and save some money. Pinrolling a slim pair of denim or chino can achieve the same, and I argue a better, aesthetic as a jogger. The legs taper without the fabric bunching above the cuff.

Probably the best video on pinrolling I’ve seen by GTFan712. I do it slightly differently, however.

Levi's 501, adidas Originals Green Star

Jack&Jones chino, Tretorn Nylite

Zara floral chino, Generic Surplus × Mark McNairy chukka in British Isle tweed

The key to a neat and tight cuff? A former co-worker, who had what I thought were the perfect pinrolls, told me his secret: roll only the strip of fabric between the hem stitching and the bottom of the hem. It isn’t much so roll three times to secure the cuff. The cuff should sit on top of the ball of the ankle, which is the narrowest part of the leg.

Of course pinrolls aren’t the only style of cuff. Single fold and rough, carefree rolls are casual and beach ready, especially with lighter denim washes—fold and forget about it.

Topman Ltd. Japanese selvedge, single fold; Converse Jack Purcell

Lee LCM Type Z Skinny, just fold whatever...

A more elegant cuff, for lack of a better description, works well with dark denim since they are, as far as denim is concerned, on the dressier side. That said, feel free to play around with all washes and cuff types to find what works for you.

Levi's 522, ~2¼″ folded twice

Levi's 522, <1¼" folded three times; Generic Surplus leather/suede duck boot

Permanent cuffs (or the fancier tailoring synonym, turn-ups) are a recent obsession of mine. They instantly add a bit of character to a pair of suit pant or odd trouser or anything with a crease down the leg.

 Le 31 Prince of Wales wool/cashmere, 2" no break

Topman Made in England, 2" no break; John Fluevog Archangel Robert

1½” with break, John Fluevog Twin Turbine 205 Pine Street

Points to consider when permanently cuffing:

• The break: Classical opinions favour a slight break. I prefer no break at the hem because turn-ups add weight visually by anchoring the legs and literally because of the extra fabric required, which results in a nice drape, so the break is unnecessary.
• Permanent turn-ups are best reserved for dressier pants (i.e., with a crease down the leg, or with pleats. Cuffs help secure and accentuate the crease, too)
• Cropped pants can definitely be cuffed—very chic.
• Cuff width: I opt for 2" because I like its robustness, especially with fall fabrics like tweed or flannel. Classical opinions favour turn-ups between 1¼" to 1¾", with 1½” being ideal.
• Make sure you have enough fabric to accommodate the turn-up, which is usually double your desired cuff size (e.g., 2" cuff require 4" of fabric).
• A person’s height used to be a factor in determining a turn-up’s width, or whether to do it at all. Now it’s about personal choice.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are permanent cuffs of different kind. I’m not a big fan of joggers but I own three pairs, two of which seen below, and these two I absolutely love. The black pair is a luxurious heavy wool-blend cargo with a beautiful tapering silhouette, and the palm print is a hybrid; the elastic cuff is present only on the back of the leg (and back of the waist—great continuity in design and detail).

Armani Exchange wool blend cargo, Generic Surplus Borstal Hooper

Zara floral dress jogger, Bally bit loafer

There are many ways to incorporate pant cuffs into your style that ankle season can technically run year round. Whether you choose to roll them up or permanently turn them up cuffs are an oddity that can make a pair of pants more elegant or casual; knowing how will set your style apart from everyone else.