Pant Cuffs II

(Part 1 here)

When I said I was obsessed with permanent turn-ups...

Old tailored trouser from the Gap, cropped 2"; vintage Woodward's brogue wingtip oxford

I went as far as taking this old (like, 14 years old?) generous fitting straight leg double-pleated trouser from the Gap and added two inch cuffs. They have a jogger silhouette to be honest and I thought I ruined them when I asked the tailor to prepare my requested alterations but the results were satisfying after trying them on. They've become my go-to trouser both for business and casual occasions.

I committed a sartorial faux pas by manually cuffing this wool tailored trouser, but somehow... it works.

Zara Studio wool tailored trouser, 2 folds; left, Tretorn Nylite; right: Johnston & Murphy loafers

The aim is to dress down a tailored trouser, and it's something you have to play around with and get a feel for. I first saw this daring style move on the streets of fashion month but also on runways where designers play with leg silhouettes. Looser fabrics and fits with tapered legs work well. I find pleats aesthetically enhance casual folded cuffs and vice versa because they complement one another.

I'm wary of doing this with suit trousers, specifically traditional business suits or anything off the rack without some sort of tailoring done at which point you can have permanent turn-ups put in anyway. Casual suits (e.g., unlined, soft natural shouldered, patch pockets, flat front trouser, etc.) made of lightweight fabrics like linen, cotton, or wool even are preferable for this faux turn-up and dresses them down even more for a nonchalant carefree vibe. Spring wedding anyone?

Some pants are designed to be cuffed and rolled.

Todd Snyder × Gap Infantry cargo pant; vintage Eaton's toe-cap oxford

These olive drab cargos come with a button fastener at the hem that's both functional and a design feature, but mostly a design feature. The crease in the legs I folded myself because I wanted them to have a dressier appeal despite the inherently casual nature of cargo pants as demonstrated by the folded cuff on the left which looks prim and proper compared to the roll on the rough right. All things being equal small details make a difference and can affect how you style the rest of your outfit.

Todd Snyder × Gap Infantry cargo pant; H by Hudson Vale suede camo sneakers

Exact same cargo pants but dressed down further with a pair of suede sneakers. I want to illustrate the spectrum of casual dress where the shoes you wear, or how you style your cuff (if you choose to cuff at all), and other style mods like adding a crease can affect the overall feel of your look, and this is just below the knees!

Of course, I must conclude with a denim cuff. I don't know that I pulled this off as well as I could have because this is a thick cuff, and that's an understatement. Below is the logger/iron worker/proletariat cuff. The reason it's tied to workwear is because it was born from blue collar industries where durable denim or heavy cotton canvas were the fabrics of choice.

Levi's 501, ~4½", vintage Woodward's brogue wingtip oxfords; Levi's 511, ~4½", vintage Eaton's toe-cap oxford

Where I fall short, I think, is the shoes aren't chunky enough to complement the heavy cuff; the toes aren't round and robust enough, and the profile of the oxfords are too slender. Ideally the logger cuff works best with rugged thick-soled work or combat boots, or even a dress boot. I'm not saying an oxford or derby won't work but they need to match the weight of the cuff. Both the shoes and cuffs act as the foundation of the legs so if the footwear falls short the whole look becomes weak and a balance is lost.

The fit of the denim should be considered as well. Levi's 501 is the classic straight leg and demands a heavier sole whereas the 511 is substantially slimmer and actually doesn't look so bad with the brown oxford. Rule of thumb: the wider the leg, the stockier the shoe or boot.

As for length, my 501s have a 30 inch inseam and looks like I'm approaching capri territory (not good), while the 511s are a 32. The two inch difference is noticeably exaggerated by the wider leg of the 501. The 501 logger cuff would look better with a 32 inch inseam, but it's hard to tell unless an entire outfit can be seen. I frequent the logger cuff with my 501s, but it looks awkward here.

It's obvious I'm mad cuffing all my pants but that's because I've incorporated it into my style. Experimenting with what works and what doesn't and seeing inspiration on the streets gave me a lot to play around with. I'd love to see more people cuffing their pants. It's an easy way to express style with a simple fold or roll.