How to Measure Pants Inseam

The easiest way to measure a pants inseam is to take a flexible tape measure and measure the front from the pant’s crotch seam to the bottom of the pants or shorts leg. That distance is the inseam, normally measured in inches or centimeters.

We all have our best fitting pair of pants and they’re normally our favorite because of the fit. The inseam on your pants or pair of jeans is the length from the crotch seam to the bottom of the pant and is a standard measurement when purchasing clothes.

If it is too long, your pants will fall past your shoes and look loose. If it is too short, your ankles and the bottom of your leg will show. Therefore, when purchasing pants it is important to know how to measure pants inseam and understand the length you need.

In the following article, we will cover how to measure a pants inseam and other helpful styling information when purchasing clothes. But first, let’s cover the definition of an inseam to help inform the rest of the article and answer your original question.

What Does Inseam Mean

The first thing you need to actually measure an inseam is to know what it is. After all, if you don’t know, how can you measure it?

Simply put, an inseam is the distance from the bottom of the crotch seam in the pants or pair of jeans all the way to the bottom of the cuff of the pants or shorts. It’s the most common measurement for length and typically you will have the same inseam, however your shorts can have different inseams depending if you want them above or below the knee.

The inseam of a pair of pants is the actual seam that connects the top of the pants all the way to the bottom. You might see stitching that connects the pants waist to the separate leg breakouts.

The inseam of a pair of pants is the most common way of measuring the length of a pair of pants or shorts. If you’re looking for shorter pants that extend above your ankles, you will want a shorter inseam, maybe 28 inches, however if you’re looking for an inseam that will extend to your shoes, you might be looking at a 30 or 32 inch inseam.

And if you’re thinking of shorts, a 5 inch inseam will typically sit high above your knee, while an 11 inch inseam will sit below. Any other inseams between those will generally sit right around the knee.

Instructions to Measure Inseam

To get the most accurate measurement, ensure that you lay the pants flat on a bed or table to avoid any bunching.

Once the pants are laying flat, take a tape measure and measure from the crotch to the bottom of the pant leg.

When measuring the inseam, your first thought might be to grab any ruler or yardstick at your disposal and while that will give you an estimated distance, it won’t be completely accurate. Being the most accurate is especially important for tailors, however if you’re just trying to get an idea, then a rigid ruler or yard stick will work.

However if you really want to be accurate, the best way to measure pants inseam is to use a flexible tape measure or plastic ruler since the distance from your crotch seam to the bottom of your pant leg is not a straight line. You want to run the ruler right along side your leg and that’s hard to do with a rigid ruler. You might not have one of these paper tape measures or flexible rulers at your home, but they can easily be found at any home hardware store like Home Depot or a craft store like Michaels. Sometimes you can even find them at your local grocery store.

One thing you might find when measuring your own inseams is getting a half-size. Typically, there are no pants or shorts manufactured that come in half size inseams. That means if you measure and you get 6.5 inches on your shorts, it’s most likely a 7 inch inseam.

The minor differences can arise from exactly how you measure and the accuracy of your measuring tool, such as a tape measure (paper vs. rigid ruler), but you should be able to at least get an idea. And always remember to measure from the crotch, not the zipper or button.

Common Inseams

Most pants and shorts come in pre-defined inseams. You will almost always have sizes in complete inches instead of half sizes, ex. 6.5 inches. Below is a list of the most common inseams for both pants, pairs of jeans, and shorts:

Most Common Inseam Sizes

28 inches
30 inches
32 inches
34 inches
36 inches

It’s unlikely that you’ll find inseams longer than 36 inches or below 28 inches since at that point your pants will either be very long shorts or your pants will be scraping against the ground.

Most Common Shorts Inseam Size

5 inches
7 inches
9 inches
11 inches

Anything less than 5 inches and you might be showing more than you expected, especially if you are sitting down. Conversely, 11 inches is typically the longest you will go, which extends a few inches past the knee.

Inseam on Pants by Height

While we’ve discussed the inseam as the measurement, one important thing to keep in mind is that a 9 inch inseam on you might look completely different on someone else. That is because everyone’s bodies are built differently and the inseam actually corresponds to the length of your legs relative to the length of your trunk or pants waist. Height is one factor, but the length of your legs and your personal style preference is the most important factor.

Simply put, if you have shorter legs, you will generally go with shorter inseams and vice versa. If you have longer legs, you will go with longer inseams.

That is also be affected by your personal style choice, whether you like shorts that rise above the knee or below. And whether you like your pants or pair of jeans to rise up on your ankles or stay closer to your shoes.

Ultimately, you will have to try on different inseams to see what you like best and works for your body type.

Video Tutorial

If you’re looking for a video tutorial, you might find the following video useful.

If you’re interested in reading more articles about how to take care of clothing or other general information, below are a list of related articles on the Improving Each Day blog:

Conclusion

There you have it! The first step to dressing stylishly and looking great is to know the measurements that affect how you like to look. And to do that you need to understand how clothes are measured.

Once you know your preference inseam for both pants, pair of jeans, and shorts, you can start purchasing clothes without worrying about how they will rise up on your legs. Shorter inseams will provide a more stylish and modern look, while longer inseams retain that classic style.

In conclusion, knowing how to measure your pants inseam will be very helpful in understanding what sizes will be your best fitting pair of pants today and in the future. And as styles change, you can either go with shorter inseams or longer.