# Suits wearing out in the crotch



## phs1828 (Dec 29, 2010)

So this is kind of a weird question, but...

all of the suits I bought between 2003 and 2009 or so, all off the rack, about 6-7 suits total, wore out in the crotch. These were all off the rack suts from Jos A Bank or Today's Man (!) or some place comparable. All wool suits. And they all wore out completely between the legs, becoming more and more threadbare over time and eventually getting to the point that there were actual holes. What could cause this?? Is it something weird with me? It's not like I'm wearing metal underwear or something! Is this common? Am I just strange? Is there something I should ask for them to do when I get custom suits to prevent this in the future? 

(Note, I got two custom suits in 2009, and this does not seem to be an issue with them, at least not yet.)


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

While each man's body is different, because of the way some men's legs rub up against each other, this is actually a typical wear pattern. Different fabrics have different wear characteristics, if your pants are Harris tweed they may last forever, on the other hand, cashmere wears quickly. Because pants wear out before jackets men often used to order an extra pair of pants with each suit. Today that can be done when buying separates off the rack.


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## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

phs1828 said:


> Note, I got two custom suits in 2009, and this does not seem to be an issue with them, at least not yet.


It may just be because the trousers fit better and not as tight
The cloth was could have been low quality and very thin; hence, more prone to wear

How is the fit on the custom trousers compared to the rtw purchases?
What about the cloth quality and thickness, how do they vary?

From my experiences, the first issue was fit; my latter purchases had more room around the crotch area. Comparing RTW from the same brand and price bracket, I found the cloth made a difference too, thinner clothes wore out sooner.


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## Moondance (Jul 18, 2011)

*I experienced the same problem*



phs1828 said:


> So this is kind of a weird question, but...
> 
> all of the suits I bought between 2003 and 2009 or so, all off the rack, about 6-7 suits total, wore out in the crotch. These were all off the rack suts from Jos A Bank or Today's Man (!) or some place comparable. All wool suits. And they all wore out completely between the legs, becoming more and more threadbare over time and eventually getting to the point that there were actual holes. What could cause this?? Is it something weird with me? It's not like I'm wearing metal underwear or something! Is this common? Am I just strange? Is there something I should ask for them to do when I get custom suits to prevent this in the future?
> 
> (Note, I got two custom suits in 2009, and this does not seem to be an issue with them, at least not yet.)


I experienced the same problem but this is what I discovered.

The suits I owned were bought while I was still in the Marines and so my body and muscle shape was different. As I stopped all the activity I used to do when i joined civilian life, the upper leg muscles relaxed and started to touch, imperceptively, and this caused friction to the upper portion of my pants. It was my tailor who noticed this before me and before there was too much damage to the garments.

The solution was to either go back to the gym or to have my tailor produce pants which did not have a long rise.

Shortening the rise of the pants is not easy, and so in most cases I had to stop wearing the offending suits and purchase suits with a higher crotch and slightly slimmer fitting pants.

The result is that I now wear tighter pants around the thigh and upper leg which are tailored to drop more loosely in places other than the inner leg.

Hope that helps


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## phs1828 (Dec 29, 2010)

Yeah, I assume that the off the rack suits were just a thinner/poorer material. The custom made stuff actually is LESS loose than the others; it is a little more of a trim fit.

I guess I'll talk to them about this when I get my next suits made, just to see if they have any suggestions. I really don't want to buy two pairs of pants on the custom mades....


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

phs1828 said:


> Is it something weird with me?


Yes, it is. You have big legs. The cure is to become old and feeble like me, you will then no longer have big legs.

As a large and somewhat athletic youngster, I used to wear out the crotch of pants all the time. There is no perfect solution, if you have large thighs, they will inevitably brush each other to some degree when you walk. Things that help extend the life of your pants include tougher cloth, though this can be hard to discern from a casual inspection. Tougher cloth is generally tightly spun from longer fibers and more tightly woven. Some twills can be tougher. Heavier cloth is generally tougher. And tough cloth often tends to a rougher hand, i.e, feels rougher.

Two pair of pants with a suit means it will take you twice as long to wear out the pants. It's also beneficial to have pants that fit your thighs a bit more loosely. This tends to reduce, but not eliminate, friction.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

Flanderian makes a good point. I inherited about a dozen fine suits from a rich relative and had them altered to fit me. (I also inherited a morning "suit" and a white tie evening rig but never bothered to get them altered). About a year later I got into bodybuilding. With a lot of heavy squats, I built my thighs up to a circumference of 27.5 inches, and so I destroyed the trousers of the fine suits within the space of relatively few years. They were the narrow-lapel suits of the early '60s. These days they'd be back in fashion! At least I can draw some consolation from the fact that my rich relative lived in the Great Lakes region, and his suits were really too heavy for a sun-belter like me.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

As others have noted, this is a function of anatomy, to some degree. As a man cursed with very substantial legs, I encounter the same issue. Here are things that help and greatly extend the life of trousers:

1. Fit. You need ease in the legs. If there is some extra space, the trouser legs don't track you leg movement millimeter for millimeter. If your legs move 8" past one another, with tight pants your pants will rub against each other for the full 8". With a fuller cut, they might not rub past one another at all, even if they are touching. At the least, they will rub over a shorter distance, and only at the ends of each stride. Since I have begun having some of my trousers made for me, I have not had any of those wear out. Unfortunately, the things that make good fit for a heavy-legged man are things that are completely out of fashion at the moment and VERY difficult to find OTR.

2. Rest. It is imperative that your trousers have a couple of days of rest between wearings to let all moisture leave the fabric. Wet wool fibers swell, and get weaker. Those two together are a lethal combination for an abrading situation.

3. Fabric choice. Heavier and smoother are better. A lightweight birdseye is going to wear many times faster than a heavyweight smooth worsted. You may have to save textured fabric for the cooler months.


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## eddiel (Feb 9, 2010)

CuffDaddy said:


> 2. Rest. It is imperative that your trousers have a couple of days of rest between wearings to let all *moisture *leave the fabric. Wet wool fibers swell, and get weaker. Those two together are a lethal combination for an abrading situation.


I was speaking to someone about this same issue and the big problem isn't just the rubbing it's the combination of moisture and rubbing.

I once had an extra bit of cloth, actually I think it was something like satin, sewn on the inside. I'd compare the fabric to lining inside the trousers. I think it's called a saddle crotch or something along those lines.

I think the theory behind is that with the extra bit of cloth on the inside it should keep some of the moisture away from the wool fabric and help with the life of the garment. It did work but ultimately the fabric did eventually wear out.

Other than getting skinny legs I don't think there's much you can do to eliminate it completely.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

eddiel said:


> Other than getting skinny legs I don't think there's much you can do to eliminate it completely.


I think that's generally true, but I do note that none of the trousers _made_ for me have every worn at the crotch. Nor do they show much sign of doing so. I think fit is an underappreciated element of this equation.

Of course, the current penchant for slim-legged pants makes it almost impossible to deal with this issue. Even those brands that still carry pleated trousers (practically a requirement for the strong-legged) have mostly "slimmed" the leg (and usually dropped the rise, as well, which can also add stress at the crotch).


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## eddiel (Feb 9, 2010)

CuffDaddy said:


> I think that's generally true, but I do note that none of the trousers _made_ for me have every worn at the crotch. Nor do they show much sign of doing so. * I think fit is an underappreciated element of this equation.*
> 
> Of course, the current penchant for slim-legged pants makes it almost impossible to deal with this issue. Even those brands that still carry pleated trousers (practically a requirement for the strong-legged) have mostly "slimmed" the leg (and usually dropped the rise, as well, which can also add stress at the crotch).


Actually thinking about my bespoke suit did not suffer from this at all. Even though one could argue I did not wear it as much as my OTR trousers even signs of wear were non-existent.

The tailor and I definitely discussed this issue during the first fitting.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

This very issue forced me to retire from a lucrative career in speed skating!!


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

eddiel said:


> I was speaking to someone about this same issue and the big problem isn't just the rubbing it's the combination of moisture and rubbing.
> 
> I once had an extra bit of cloth, actually I think it was something like satin, sewn on the inside. I'd compare the fabric to lining inside the trousers. I think it's called a saddle crotch or something along those lines.
> 
> ...


I've seen this method in a tailoring book, it include shaping (iron work) of the piece to match the area where it is sewn in.
My thought were the piece floats a bit and takes up some of the friction.


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## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

there is an extensive thread on this problem.
go to advanced search and ask for "inseam damage by legs on trousers"
scroll down to that title.


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## triklops55 (May 14, 2010)

I have had this problem most of my life. I used to be in great shape, but my legs have always been thick, and I still had this problem. So being fat isnt' what causes your thighs to rub together wearing out the crotch of your pants.

My solution is to not wear the same pants too often, and to not wear fine-cloth pants when doin extensive walking. Cotton pants, chinos and jeans are most resistant to this problem, so if I know I'll be walking a lot, that's what I try to wear that day.

I rotate my good wool or cashmere pants enough so that I don't wear out the crotch. Still, I notice the wear and it's really annoying.
I thought that maybe a solution would be to have the tailor add a piece of the pants fabric (left over from hemming) to the crotch. This might work, but I don't want it to be visible while I'm wearing them.

I haven't tried that yet, so the only solution is to keep a good rotation and to not walk a lot in fine wool or cashmere pants.


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## cmavity (Feb 5, 2009)

Happens to just about every pair of slacks I own, regardless of quality or fit. Big thighs. (Not fat!) Have your tailor sew crotch liners into your pants. Should cost about $15. Makes a huge difference in longevity, and sometimes when the liner wears out you can just replace it.


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## DocD (Jun 2, 2007)

You can begin horseback riding on a very wide horse. Before you know it you'll be bow-legged and your thighs won't rub anymore.:icon_smile:


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## Haver55 (Dec 23, 2011)

I think it is related to the fact it's Jos Banks. I don't have large thighs at all, and had this happen to 3 Banks suits before I had them put liners in any I bought. Never happened to any other slacks I wore, so I chalk it up to poor material.


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## Poshak Man (Feb 25, 2006)

Since I started getting my suit trousers and other dress trousers lines up to the knees in both the front and the back, I have never had the problem of trousers wearing out.


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