Today we discuss pants break. We explain what they are, why they are so important to your overall appearance, how you can ensure to get exactly the pant break you want every single time and what you have to consider when you have your alterations tailor lengthen or shorten your hem.
Table of Contents
- What Is A Break?
- Why Should You Care About The Break In Your Pants?
- What Is The Right Break For You?
- The Width Of The Hem
- The Angled Hem
- CONCLUSION
What Is A Break?
The break is when the front of your pants or trousers hits your shoe and creates a little dent that is elegant and not too extreme. The best way to evaluate your break is when you stand still. The no break is when the hem of your pants just hang straight and doesn’t even touch the shoe at all. The half break is if you see a slight dent in the front and the full break is if you have a noticeable dent in the front of the pants but none in the back. If you see pants that have dents in the front and in the back they are simply too long and it looks extremely sloppy.
In my experience, 80% of all men in the US wear their pants too long which creates not just a break but an excessive sloppy fold. They look like they didn’t know what to tell their alterations tailor. On the other hand in Italy, you’ll see a lot of men with extremely short pants and obviously, it’s subject to fashion. However, if you want to be classic in style and timeless moving between no break and a full break is exactly where you want to be.
Why Should You Care About The Break In Your Pants?
First of all, it really has an impact on the overall neatness of your outfit. If you wear a nice robe striped double-breasted suit and your pants are either too long or too short, it makes you look goofy or sloppy. If you’re a tall man and you have very short pants, it exaggerates your height and you look even taller and sometimes like a clown. Also if you have a certain pair of socks that you want to show off maybe a half break is exactly what you want because with a full brake your socks will be invisible at all in most situations.
What Is The Right Break For You?
What’s important to understand is there is no absolute right or wrong with pants breaks. Some men especially in US, assume that right now all young men wear their pants too short. However, if you go back to the 60s you can see sometimes even shorter pants with no break at all.
To determine what break is right for you, you have to first look at your pant hem. Is it cuffed or is it uncuffed? If it’s cuffed, or the English say it has turn-ups, that means you need less of a break. I suggest you go without break at all or just with a slight break. Never with a full break because it just looks off.
If your pants or trousers are uncuffed, you should go with a half break or a full break. If you have an uncuffed pants and you go with no break, it simply looks too short and the lack of the weight means that your pants will probably get stuck to your socks and stay further up.
If you wear cuffed pants, you already have an advantage because you have more weight which pulls down your trousers more and it just creates a cleaner line and therefore you can have a shorter pants length and less of a break.
If you prefer uncuffed trousers you could talk to an alterations tailor and add little lead weights to the size of your pants that way you have the same effect as with a cuffed trouser and you can get a very neat look.
The Width Of The Hem
The other element to consider when getting your pants hemmed is the actual circumference or the width of your hem. If you have very tight pants in the hem, you can’t have as much of a break as if you have full cut trousers in the 1930s style. Why? It’s because break means it touches the top of your shoe.
Now with a tight pair of pants, they touch your shoe a lot earlier than with a wider cut pair of pants where they touch it at the bottom of your laces. So when you have pants hemmed, you can just give your alterations tailors five pairs and say “Oh just hem them all to 31 and a half inches,” because you also have to consider how wide they are. The wider the pants are, the longer you can hem them. The slimmer and tighter they are the shorter you have to hem them.
If you have uncuffed trousers in a wide full cut style you have to cut them a little wider but keep in mind even with a full break you just want a nice dent in the front and none in the back. That being said do not rely on your alterations tailor’s judgment, because if I go to one in the US I get pants that are way too long. If I go to Italy I get something that sometimes too short for my taste so you have to decide what you want and you have to own it.
The Angled Hem
One thing I’m personally extremely fond of is an angled hem. This is something you usually only find in bespoke garments especially when it’s a cuffed angled hem. If you have a straight hem on a pair of pants and they’re long and unfinished you can simply bring up the extra fabric create a cuff of your desire and you’re done. When you angle a pair of pants with cuffs you actually have to create a faux cuff that is separately cut from something but it has the advantage that it’s always long in the back and it probably can even touch almost the heel of your shoe but in the front it’s cut higher so you get that slight break. It looks particularly elegant with a black tie or white tie outfit because you get that slight break but that long line in the back. Also, black tie and white tie trousers never have cuffs so it’s very easy to do that.
Honestly, if you have uncuffed pants I would always suggest to have them slightly angled because you’ll always look more dapper and people will not know why. So having angled pant hems is definitely one of the little tricks of the trade. If your alterations tailor doesn’t know how to do an angled hem with cuffs, you probably have to seek out the tailor or someone who is really experienced with custom clothing. Of course, you can only do that if you have a lot of extra width or an unfinished pair of pants.
CONCLUSION
My personal preference is for cuffs most of the time and I want a half or medium break. Ideally, I want the back of my pants to be longer than the front so I always go for the angle especially with uncuffed dress pants and particularly for all kinds of evening wear. It simply looks a lot more stylish.
I am a menswear enthusiast with a deep understanding of the intricacies of tailored clothing, including the nuances of pant length and breaks. Over the years, I have extensively explored the world of men's fashion, delving into the details that contribute to a polished and refined appearance. My knowledge is not only theoretical but also practical, gained through personal experience and a keen eye for sartorial details.
Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article about pants breaks:
What Is A Break?
The break refers to the point where the front of your pants meets your shoe, creating a slight dent that adds elegance without being overly pronounced. The article categorizes breaks into four types: no break, half break, full break, and excessive break. The visual impact of these breaks is crucial, especially when standing still.
Why Should You Care About The Break In Your Pants?
The break significantly influences the overall appearance of your outfit. Ill-fitted pants can make a well-put-together ensemble look sloppy or comical. The article rightly emphasizes that the right break enhances the neatness of your attire. The height and proportions of an individual also play a role, with too short pants exaggerating the height, and excessively long ones creating a messy look.
What Is The Right Break For You?
The right break is subjective and depends on factors such as pant hem style (cuffed or uncuffed) and personal preferences. Cuffed pants provide more weight, allowing for a cleaner line and a shorter length. Hem width is also a crucial consideration, as it affects when the break occurs. Slimmer pants necessitate a shorter break compared to wider, fuller-cut trousers.
The Width Of The Hem
The width of the hem plays a vital role in determining the appropriate break. Tight pants touch the shoe earlier, affecting the break position, while wider pants allow for a longer hem. It's essential to communicate both the length and width preferences to alterations tailors to achieve the desired look.
The Angled Hem
The article introduces the concept of an angled hem, a bespoke detail that adds sophistication to pants. This feature, particularly seen in cuffed trousers, involves a faux cuff that is longer in the back, creating a slight break while maintaining a longer line. An angled hem is recommended for uncuffed pants, contributing to a more refined appearance.
Conclusion
The author shares a personal preference for cuffs, emphasizing a half or medium break. Additionally, a preference for an angled hem is highlighted, especially for uncuffed dress pants and formal evening wear. This detail, often found in bespoke garments, adds a touch of elegance and style to the overall look.
In summary, achieving the perfect pant break involves considering factors such as hem style, width, and the tailored details like cuffs and angled hems. Understanding these elements ensures a polished and timeless appearance in men's fashion.
