Should Your Suit Pants Have a Cuff? (2024)

FAQs

Should you put cuffs on suit pants? ›

Apart from formalwear, there is no rule as to whether or not your trousers should or should not have cuffs. They are a matter of taste, and neither way is more classic than the other. Some people think cuffs are too old-fashioned while others don't think trousers are complete without them.

While not everyone wears them, cuffed pants are nevertheless stylish and trendy. You may be debating on whether or not to fold your pant leg openings up or leave them long. If that sounds like you, then you're on the right page.

When to Wear Cuffless Pants. A good guideline is to wear cuffs with double or triple-pleated pants and no cuffs with flat-front pants. Trousers with single-pleats may be cuffed or not cuffed. If you are dressing in a tuxedo, you should never wear pants with a cuff.

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Dress pants have two types of finishes at the bottom – hems and cuffs. Hems are the most common and men usually recognize this kind of style. Hemmed pants have the bottom fabric folded up inside the pant leg. Cuffs are turned up on the outside of the pants.

Cuffed dress pants or no-cuff pants

Either of these options are suitable for business dress or business casual apparel. Men who are tall and lanky look better in cuffed dress pants. Shorter men should stay away from cuffs unless they are wearing pleated pants.

Men's pleated pants, and pants with pleats in general, took a hit in the 80s and 90s when they were a little 'extra' and ended up firmly in the dated pile. Yet men's pleated trousers still have a role in men's fashion today and, when worn well and tailored correctly, can be rather flattering on the right body.

Pinch the inseam of your pants, and fold it to the back of the pant leg. Then roll the bottom of your jeans up about two inches until snug. The pinroll shows off your ankle and draws attention to the top of your shoes.

Big, Baggy Pants Were the Biggest Fashion Trend of 2022.

Trousers with turn-ups ("cuffs" in American English and elsewhere), after hemming, are rolled outward and sometimes pressed or stitched into place. The functional reason for the cuffs is to add weight to the bottom of the leg, to help the drape of the trousers.

Cuffs or no cuffs, khakis should either just graze the tops of your shoes or drape 1-2 inches over, creasing a little at the hem. When wearing khakis in more professional settings, err on the side of a little longer. But they should never excessively bunch around the ankles.

Do men wear cuffs? ›

To cuff or not to cuff, that is the question

You can either hem the bottom of each leg, or you can turn them up into a cuff. For most men these days, the hem is the go-to choice. However, the cuff, or turn-ups as the Brits call it, is a medallion of sartorial excellence and a hallmark of well-made trousers.

It is difficult, but not impossible, for a skilled tailor to remove deep pleats from trousers. On the other hand, it can be a simple alteration to remove cuffs as long as the trouser legs are not too wide.

Cufflinks are most commonly worn for formal events, weddings and with business attire. They should be worn when a full suit or a blazer is part of the overall attire.

Pleats serve a functional purpose: they allow for more breathing room where it matters most. But beyond the utility, they also look particularly right in 2022, when dressing like a swagged-out octogenarian has never been cooler and appreciation for the bigger-is-better style of the '80s is at an all-time high.

Since the mid-2000s, clothing has pointed emphasis on skinny or slim-fitting clothing. Pleats simply don't look good with modern, low cut, ultra-light trousers. Therefore, it's easier, cheaper, and more attractive overall to simply offer flat-fronted styles in modern slim-fit trousers.

Pleated pants are also the best choice for larger men and athletic types with muscular legs, both of whom stand to benefit from the spaciousness and comfortable utility that pleats provide. From the style side, pleated dress pants are a more traditional look.

They are sometimes transformed according to trends but continue to be timeless. How will you wear them in 2022? Cuffed jeans are back, and in 2022 they will be embroidered with butterflies.

The must-have pants of the season have evolved once again—and it was all over the Spring/Summer 2022 runways: wide leg pants. From chic suits with extra-wide trousers to retro-inspired wide leg denim, this forgiving silhouette is replacing the reign of skin-tight pants.

(00:13) The three best types of jeans to cuff are your skinny, straight and boyfriend jeans.

With chinos, one to two cuffs is a classic look. In the summer I roll my cuff twice to show some ankle (which is a great hack if you're on the shorter side because a narrow cuff rolled two or three times with a little skin showing will make you look taller). Roll all your pants once or twice with a 1.5” cuff.

How many times should you cuff pants? ›

You want to roll at least twice to make sure that excess fabric that we folded over won't come undone. It won't stay with just one roll.

Insider asked two style experts to share which fashion trends should be left in 2022. Denim-on-denim looks and camo-print clothes are both fading, as are larger sunglasses. They also said high-waisted pants were being replaced by mid- and low-rise varieties.

2022 Fashion Trend: Regencycore, Continued

Corsets, pearls, lady cardigans, and prim florals show no signs of a slow-down. Embrace this form of head-to-toe elegance for polished occasions like work or a party.

In 2022, celebrities and fashion influencers have certainly found better ways to wear their skinny jeans. See below for a few of our favorite inspiring looks. The iconic French Girl style is always sought after, but what people often overlook is the way they style their skinny jeans.

Waist and seat

Your suit pants should sit high on your hip bone, or even higher, if you'd like to look taller. They're not jeans, which are designed to hang low. As a rule of thumb, the waist should be tapered enough to avoid wearing a belt.

When traveling, clothing tends to get super compressed, and even slightly damp from the changes in moisture when flying. It's best to pack to minimize this wrinkling, and we feeling rolling does the best job on that aspect. Rolling your clothing is also generally preferred by most frequent fliers.

The only rule is that turn-ups should not be worn on formalwear. Turn-ups have the benefit of weighing down the bottom of the trousers, which is especially useful at keeping lightweight trousers looking neat. Some people think that turn-ups aren't flattering on the height-challenged.

The search for the history on trouser cuffs leads to the story of Edward VII, who purportedly pioneered the the trouser turnup, or cuff, in the 1890s. Edward specifically designed the pant cuff to be worn on poor-weather days. The cuffs raised the pant leg and avoided muddying the trouser bottoms during bad weather.

"Cuffing" is a term based on the idea of getting "handcuffed" or tied down to one partner.

In fact, they're a must if you want to live up to true formal expectations. Even if your suit is adorned with an abundance of other accessories, such as a lapel pin and pocket square, cufflinks are still a must because they're the only decorative item to adorn the sleeves of your suit.

Do people still wear French cuffs? ›

They're the standard choice these days for the Black Tie dress code and are also a staple of business wear. If you haven't guessed it yet, double cuffs are more commonly known as French cuffs.

The cuff should fit comfortably around your wrist but be tight enough that when buttoned it doesn't slide over your hand. A proper fitting cuff is just as important as proper sleeve length to insure that the sleeve comes to the right point on the hand.

Trousers with turn-ups ("cuffs" in American English and elsewhere), after hemming, are rolled outward and sometimes pressed or stitched into place. The functional reason for the cuffs is to add weight to the bottom of the leg, to help the drape of the trousers.

French cuff shirts are the standard for black-tie eventing and a staple in men's formal business wear. That's if you want to stick to the strictest of rules. But, of course, fashion has changed over the last decades, and we've seen both a surge of interest in men's fashion (finally) and a relaxing of the rules.

Cuffing your jeans

Regardless of why you cuff your jeans, a cuff will shorten the way your pants and legs look, creating a visual break in the pant before it hits your shoe. When your legs look shorter, the person wearing the pants also looks shorter.

Pants. While jeans don't necessarily need a place in your closet, you should definitely plan to hang all your other pants (like dressier slacks). "Dress and casual pants should always be hung," says Reynolds. "You can hang them the long way or fold over the hanger."

The sleeve of your suit jacket should rest just above the hinge where your hand meets your wrist. If all of your jackets are tailored to this point and your shirts fit properly, you'll always show the proper amount of shirt cuff, which should be between 1/4" - 1/2".

A good rule of thumb is to show between 1/4 to 1/2 inch of your shirt cuffs. In other words, there should be roughly a half-inch to one-quarter of your shirt cuffs visible. Your suit jacket will naturally conceal most of your dress shirt.

STRAPPY FLATS OR HEELS

A strappy or lace-up flat or heel will pair perfectly with a crisp denim cuff. Try cuffing your jean 2-3 inches above your ankle to show off your strappy shoes. Cuffed boyfriend jeans are our favorite jean to show off our shoes.

Are pleated pants in style 2022? ›

Pleats serve a functional purpose: they allow for more breathing room where it matters most. But beyond the utility, they also look particularly right in 2022, when dressing like a swagged-out octogenarian has never been cooler and appreciation for the bigger-is-better style of the '80s is at an all-time high.