# Why does only one of my pant legs fray at the bottom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297 "2004-11-17T17:30:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/1 "2004-11-17T17:30:36Z")
I have a couple pairs of slightly baggy khaki pants, and I’ve noticed that, over time, the back of the left leg has become frayed. Obviously this is from the material getting stuck under my heel and gradually ripped to shreds, but I’m wondering why it’s always the left leg. As far as I know, my legs are of equal length, and I have a friend who says something similar happens with her pants. What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/2 "2004-11-17T17:41:52Z")
Because you never listened to your mother when she told you to “pull up your pants”!! ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/3 "2004-11-17T19:34:16Z")
Well, your spine could be slightly bent, causing your hips to tilt, making one of your legs effectively shorter than the other. Or, you could have a walking pattern that causes you to scuff the back of your left foot. Or, if you drive a stick shift, you could be constantly scuffing the back of your left heel and tearing up your pants that way. ---
**Author:** ![smaft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@smaft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaft)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/4 "2004-11-17T19:57:02Z")
Wallet and/or keys. The weight changes the way that side of your pants hangs and moves. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/5 "2004-11-17T20:08:12Z")
Maybe one of your legs is longer than the other? Hand someone else a tape measure to measure your legs to test out this theory. ---
**Author:** ![Craneop2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Craneop2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Craneop2)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/6 "2004-11-17T20:20:13Z")
[Walter Brennan] Same dern thing happens to me![/walter Brennan] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/7 "2004-11-17T23:42:03Z")
wallet in back right pocket for me. my right leg always frays a little more then my left. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-only-one-of-my-pant-legs-fray-at-the-bottom/275297/8 "2004-11-18T17:03:53Z")
'Fraid I don’t know. :rolleyes: