# Proper height to wear dress pants



## hamburglar (Nov 6, 2012)

What's the proper height to wear dress pants? It seems many guys wear dress pants the same height as relaxed jeans, and I suspect that is improper.


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## alphadelta (Oct 2, 2007)

Trousers should sit at your natural waist, not on your hips. There is some variation to where exactly dress pants sit depending on how they are cut. If they are made exclusively for braces, or with a fish tail back, they will sit a bit higher than made with belt loops. Never on the hips like jeans.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

Exactly so, When worn on the hip they are forced to arc under the tummy, (and we all have one), which throws off the legs. If worn on the waist the fabric of the legs will fall straight down along the creases.


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## hamburglar (Nov 6, 2012)

About what height in relation to the navel?


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## Shawl Lapel (Jul 5, 2010)

That's going to vary... The pair I wore today were about an inch below my navel, and those are probably my "highest" pair. Depends on the cut, some I wear lower.


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## MTM_Master? (Jul 8, 2009)

This article may prove to be helpful, it is also very interesting:
https://williamsclothiers.com/2011/09/how-to-wear-trousers-properly-and-avoid-gaposis/


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

hamburglar said:


> About what height in relation to the navel?


My chinos sit about an inch below my navel but all my dressier trousers are on the navel or even slightly above.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

hamburglar said:


> About what height in relation to the navel?


Most of my trousers sit just at or just above my navel, but I've been told that position of the navel can vary in relation to one's waist. My navel is an inch below my waist, but that's not true for everyone.


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## Balfour (Mar 23, 2012)

Natural waist on all trousers (I don't wear jeans and even casual cotton trousers look better in my view at the natural waist).


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Balfour said:


> Natural waist on all trousers (I don't wear jeans and even casual cotton trousers look better in my view at the natural waist).


I agree - but please try convincing the UK merchants to stock them, so I can buy them. :icon_smile_wink:


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

Shaver said:


> I agree - but please try convincing the UK merchants to stock them, so I can buy them. :icon_smile_wink:


When I was in London in July it looked like there were more options there than I find in New York.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

I start my day with the waist of my trousers seated just below my navel and sporting a very slight break in the legs. By the end of the day, the trouser waist sits solidly on my hips and my trouser legs seem to present a full break!  Perhaps there's am argument to be made for suspenders, but alas, I don't really care for suspenders.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

I suppose that I am to wear my trousers like this guy...


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

OTR above my hips, below my naval (this is with a high rise).
If the trousers are tailor made, I'll try to get them to the naval. I had to convince the tailor that it would be fine, the last go round.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

drlivingston said:


> I suppose that I am to wear my trousers like this guy...


He is in an oversized suit and it appears he is hiking his trousers up to his ribcage (not his naval).


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## ilikeyourstyle (Apr 24, 2007)

I have to wear my dress pants down around my hips or else I look incredibly high-waisted. Such is the problem of having a comparatively short torso.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

drlivingston said:


> I suppose that I am to wear my trousers like this guy...


I'm reasonably certain that's CuffDaddy! Where on Earth did you obtain this photo? :devil:


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

Matt S said:


> When I was in London in July it looked like there were more options there than I find in New York.


Possibly for woollen trousers but decent rise chinos continue to elude me.......


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

LOL! I have _slightly_ more hair than that. And I would never wear that tie.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> I start my day with the waist of my trousers seated just below my navel and sporting a very slight break in the legs. By the end of the day, the trouser waist sits solidly on my hips and my trouser legs seem to present a full break!  Perhaps there's am argument to be made for suspenders, but alas, I don't really care for suspenders.


That is indeed the argument for braces


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## L-feld (Dec 3, 2011)

Shaver said:


> I agree - but please try convincing the UK merchants to stock them, so I can buy them. :icon_smile_wink:


Shaver, you may have to import a pair of Bills from the USA if you want chinos that sit at the true waist.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

L-feld said:


> Shaver, you may have to import a pair of Bills from the USA if you want chinos that sit at the true waist.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


+1. Bills M1 or M1P (which aren't so common anymore) have a long rise. I used to get the Polo Ralph Lauren Andrew pant, but after many, many years of them selling that they've discontinued that model and replaced it with a lower rise model.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

^ Thanks guys, I have read a lot of praise for Bills amongst the fora and it is a temptation.

I have also read, elsewhere, about a brand called Earl's Apparel which offer American made chinos with a 12" rise and they sell for, if you can believe this, $40! Does anyone have any experience of them?

https://www.hickorees.com/brand/earls-apparel/product/chinos-khaki-military-twill


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## IvanD (Jan 5, 2012)

Shaver said:


> I agree - but please try convincing the UK merchants to stock them, so I can buy them. :icon_smile_wink:


These may be of interest to you Shaver.

I have a pair in all 3 colours and the fit is excellent.


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## JBierly (Jul 4, 2012)

hamburglar said:


> What's the proper height to wear dress pants? It seems many guys wear dress pants the same height as relaxed jeans, and I suspect that is improper.


Proper is the "natural waist" which probably is close to the umbilicus. Unfortunately, most men have a belly protruding and are not likely to wear braces so the trousers constantly fall down which means it is easier to wear them lower on the hips - cinch up the belt and at least they stay where they are obviating the need to constantly pull them up. This is the typical solution for most men. But truthfully having a gut overhang isn't particularly attractive either - so - higher rise, single forward pleat, braces, fuller leg without too much taper and you get the best look.


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## Dmontez (Dec 6, 2012)

JBierly said:


> Proper is the "natural waist" which probably is close to the umbilicus. Unfortunately, most men have a belly protruding and are not likely to wear braces so the trousers constantly fall down which means it is easier to wear them lower on the hips - cinch up the belt and at least they stay where they are obviating the need to constantly pull them up. This is the typical solution for most men. But truthfully having a gut overhang isn't particularly attractive either - so - higher rise, single forward pleat, braces, fuller leg without too much taper and you get the best look.


I have that exact problem. I had been buying off the rack trousers usually flat front in nature, and never liked the way my pant's looked on me. I was always picking them up, and trying to keep them as high on my hip's as I could. Everything about wearing my pant's on my hips was unattractive. I would have to try and make my tie longer so that It would reach the waist line of my pant's. I hate to have my tie end then some shirt then my pant's. If you ask me that is one of the most unattractive way's to look. I was also buying my pant's in 38x30, with a very small rise which I could not get on my natural waist, without having my manhood in plain view. When I finally bought some trouser's with a pleat, and a good rise I got my pants to sit on my natural waist. The overall look is much more attractive. My pant's now sit directly under my belly button rather than 4 inches lower on my hips, and my buttocks.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

At 5'7" with an athletic build, the differences of distance and diameter between my "natural waist" and hips are minor. Experience has taught me to prefer slimmer trousers with a shorter rise and let them rest on the hips, which is where anatomy, gravity and I want them to be. The proper place for each man to wear his pants can be found by careful attention to fit and appearance, and I doubt that one rule can, or should, apply to everyone.


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

IvanD said:


> These may be of interest to you Shaver.
> 
> I have a pair in all 3 colours and the fit is excellent.


Thanks Ivan - I have just purchased a set of Tyrwhitt chinos, though, but will bear these in mind for the future.



godan said:


> At 5'7" with an athletic build, the differences of distance and diameter between my "natural waist" and hips are minor. Experience has taught me to prefer slimmer trousers with a shorter rise and let them rest on the hips, which is where anatomy, gravity and I want them to be. The proper place for each man to wear his pants can be found by careful attention to fit and appearance, and I doubt that one rule can, or should, apply to everyone.


Why godan, I never would have taken you for a 'hipster'. :icon_smile_wink:


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## L-feld (Dec 3, 2011)

Shaver said:


> ^ Thanks guys, I have read a lot of praise for Bills amongst the fora and it is a temptation.
> 
> I have also read, elsewhere, about a brand called Earl's Apparel which offer American made chinos with a 12" rise and they sell for, if you can believe this, $40! Does anyone have any experience of them?
> 
> https://www.hickorees.com/brand/earls-apparel/product/chinos-khaki-military-twill


I'm too fat for them, but if I get back to my pre-law school weight, I would give the brand a try.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Shaver: Try Jack Donnelly. 12.5" rise on the regular fit.


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