# Pants Alteration at the seat



## xero87 (Mar 13, 2009)

I just recently purchased a pair of pants that fit perfect at the waist, but being a slimmer guy, the seat tends to be a little bit baggy for me. I've been thinking about taking the pants in to have the seat taken in. However, after reading around a bit on google, I've been seeing that perhaps it's a better idea to buy pants that fit better at the seat, and then let the waist out. 

So basically, what I'm asking is, what do you guys recommend? Buying pants that fit better at the seat with a tighter waist, then having it let out? Or buying pants that fit better at the waist, and having the seat taken in?


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## paul winston (Jun 3, 2006)

It is better to purchase a trouser that fits your seat- this is assuming that the waist requires 2" or less in adjustment.
Paul Winston
Winston Tailors
www.chipp2.com


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

paul winston said:


> It is better to purchase a trouser that fits your seat- this is assuming that the waist requires 2" or less in adjustment.


I've done this both ways and I will agree with you, the initial results are better (and cheaper) when you buy the smaller waist size and let it out; however, I now usually buy large instead and take in the seat.

I have found that over the years my waist size changes more than my seat size, and it's almost always in an upward direction. Another funny thing I have found is that this increase in waist size doesn't always have to do with weight. At age 60 I weigh 150 pounds vs. the 155 pounds I weighed at age 23, yet my waist size has increased from 30 inches to 33 inches. I think that part of this is just a redistribution of the weight while another is that most of us don't wear our pants as tight when we get older.

At any rate, I don't like to begin life with a new pair of pants that have already been let out to the maximum with no where else to go. For this reason, unless I will be left with at least another one inch to let out after I have made the initial alteration, I will go with the larger waist and take in the seat.

Cruiser


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

I fit my waist as I will always have to have the seat taken in, I have no backside to speak of. So if you buy for your seat and you gain weight you have to buy all new pants, I did that awhile back and had to replace some very nice canali slacks only to lose the weight again.....I never should have parted with those pants. If you have a good tailor they can do a good job in the seat, but if I could find pants that fit the seat and did not have to be let out much that is not a bad way to go.....


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## xero87 (Mar 13, 2009)

Thanks for the responses. Perhaps later I'll get some pictures up of the pants themselves. 

I'm hoping that's all I'll need to do, which is to take the seat in . Do you guys suppose I'll need to have the legs tapered as well?


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

xero87 said:


> Thanks for the responses. Perhaps later I'll get some pictures up of the pants themselves.
> 
> I'm hoping that's all I'll need to do, which is to take the seat in . Do you guys suppose I'll need to have the legs tapered as well?


Depends on the pants. Pleated pants by USA manufacturer's maybe, Italian probably not. I do very well with Canali, no tapering necessary.


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## xero87 (Mar 13, 2009)

They are flat fronts. Being a slimmer guy, I tend to have no behind. I'm probably considered minus a behind =p

Here are some quick photos that I just took for reference. They're not perfect photos, but hopefully they'll give some idea as to what I need to have done. I'll probably also have the legs hemmed as well.


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

Chinos can be hard to take the seat in, depends on the way they were finished. I tend to buy my chinos at BR, their Gavins or even their other slim fits and they work pretty well for me as do the newer slimmer ones at the J Crew outlet. Once I wash and dry them they are pretty good in the seat. Also, for many of these I wet the legs down if I need the shorten the length and then put them in the drier never to dry them again, just hand dry. I have had very good luck this way.

To me the front pic looks ok but the back makes the legs look very full. You may simply need a different cut, I would not invest too much in tailoring chinos as they will stretch out quite a bit with just a bit of wearing them. Try BR Gavin or their Straight leg cuts, they run slimmer, or J Crew slim fit. Stay away from Polo and most other brands, even with flat front. I also wear flat front in chinos, to me they just look better.

Good luck. If you have not washed those pants you may want to bring them back. From the pic the seat does not look as bad as the leg, and that may be the length. Put on some shoes and turn the bottoms up a bit and them take a picture, it may help to see how this cut really is.


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## xero87 (Mar 13, 2009)

Well they're actually the Producer pants from Express. I've never purchased a pair from there before, but I thought I'd give it a shot, since I had a discount card and a gift card as well. So I figured I'd try and see what I can't do with them. 

I haven't yet washed them, and they've still got the tags on them. Do you suppose maybe it's just the leg that needs fixing?


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

Really hard to say, I am far from a tailor.....you need to determine if they can be altered, I would bring them to a tailor, and if they can see how much it would cost. If they are chinos i would try to find a make that fits you as close to satisfactory as possible. Mine are not perfect but they are pretty good.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

Personally, I don't like to let anything out. I'm afraid that very tightly sewn seams will leave an indelible mark in the fabric that will be noticeable. I suppose there are ways to minimize that in a new garment, but the strategy to fit the big parts and take in where needed seems a better way to go. Besides, some makers do not leave much extra cloth in the seams to let out.


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