Now that the weather is turning a bit colder I decided I need to go pick up a couple pairs of khakis. Since my quad/hip surgery I have went down several sizes. I used to wear size 33/34’s and now I fit in 29/30’s (you can pick up my new book “The break your hip and lose 20 pounds Diet” at Amazon soon!). I purchased several pairs of shorts for the summer and that is what I have been wearing. A couple weeks ago I wore pants for the first time this summer–but they were an old pair of 32’s and frankly they are too big on me.
However in the past both my lovely wife and daughter have made comments that I wear my pants too high. This was mainly in regards though to Levi’s–which I think I do wear too high (I believe denim should be worn at your hip right?) I used to wear levis all the time–then switched to khakis. So lately when I wear levis I think perhaps I am wearing them too high.
Now khakis I typically wear with the waistline at my belly button or about an inch below. That seems right to me, the crotch is where it is supposed to be and it feels right.
So the question for you fashion gurus–where should the waist on pants ride for Denim and for Khakis for men?
thanks
It may depend on your build. Pants are available in different rises. See if the linked articles help you determine the best fit for your body. You’ll have to scroll through some of them to find the relevant info.
Pants have a rise (the distance between the seam of the crotch and the top of your pants). Different pants have a different rise. You should always wear your pants as high as they were cut for or you`ll look slouchy and your butt will look awful.
So if the crotch of your khakis fits then by all means please keep wearing them at your natural waist. If you decide you want to wear pants lower go out and buy new pants with a shorter rise.
As far as where they should be cut to fit - I don`t really care. Whatever you think looks good. Just wear them where they’re supposed to fit.
Thanks–those articles were helpful. It seems that if you are shorter then 5’9" then the low-rise pant is the right one. I am 5’9", so I think I will ask the wife and kid and the lady at the pant store what they think-especially if she is cute! I think I am wearing my khakis correctly, but I think the denim I am wearing them too high.
I agree that it’s very dependent on your build, not just your size.
My 18YO daughter has a couple of male friends that are very androgynous in build; in fact, at least one of them buys his skinny jeans in the junior’s ladies dept.
My hubby, OTOH, has rather larger hips and butt (proportionally) than most men. If he wore low-rise pants, it’d just look strange.
Maybe you could go to a higher-priced men’s store where they have someone to help find your fit, maybe invest in a pair of higher-end (heh) pants, and then use that information for buying less expensive pants, too.
Women’s pants, especially jeans and khakis, have the “rise” listed on an external label. Do men’s pants do this? If not, they should.
For the record I did buy pants and for my fat ass I got two pairs of khakis. Dockers Size 32 Straight Fit flat front. I could fit in the Dockers 30’s but it was tight. They met with approval with all the ladies in my life. The waist is at my natural waist which is basically the belly button.
Evidently the old khaki’s I had were size 32 large ass…er… I mean relaxed fit. So now I know that relaxed fit is just ‘vanity sizing’ for men. Size 32 relaxed fit is size 34 in men’s pants. Which means the size 34’s relaxed fit I had were really size 36! Bastards!
I also hate with a passion pleated fronts–I think they make you look fat, even when you aren’t. And if you are fat, they make you look fatter. Just saying.
Not to forget the, uh, “tenting”, that happens when guys sit down in pleated pants. Who the hell ever decided those looked good on any level?
Good on you for discovering the right fit pant! As a very short-waisted female, it was a boon to me when low-rise pants for women became popular. I could finally easily find pants that fit my waist without giving me “man-crotch.” I used to have to roll the waistband over to avoid it.
They list them qualitatively. “sits just below the waist”, “sits on the hips”. You learn where they should fit but you’d never need to learn the word rise or see a measure in inches. But that’s how the women’s pants I’ve seen are too.
