The Guide To Pant Breaks
Written by Brian Sacawa
“Proper” pant length is matter of much discussion when it comes to the rules of style. Ultimately, however, the length of one’s pants – or how much or little break one’s pants have – is a personal style choice and very much a matter of personal preference, aesthetics and body type.
Here are four of the most common pant breaks and hemlines you’re likely to see as well as some guidance on choosing what pant length is right for you.
No Break
Thom Browne’s shrunken suit forever changed the face of men’s dress pants. While the above-the-ankle style can only truly be pulled off by some, many guys feel comfortable with a “no break” hem, where the pant leg just kisses the top of the shoe.
While the Thom Brown aesthetic makes no allowance for shaping the width of the pants down the leg, this style looks best with a well-defined taper. My personal preference is to have around a 7″ leg opening at the bottom.
What It Says About You: I’m modern, hip, care deeply about precise tailoring and aspire to be a fashionable European gentleman.
Looks Best On: slim dudes, short dudes, Italian guys, wannabe Italian guys, young bucks, the fashion set.
Slight Break
If “no break” and the requisite aggressively tapered leg is a little too fashion-forward for you but you still want to be a bit contemporary, the slight break is for you. This looks best without a cuff and with the back of the pant leg angled a little longer than the front.
What It Says About You: I understand that fit is everything and I desire to be contemporary and up-to-date, but not trendy.
Looks Best On: pretty much everyone, slim (not cropped or skinny) trouser widths, the modern businessman.
Medium Break
This is an ideal look for those with a more conservative style, who don’t want a tapered or slim trouser and want to go with a cuff.
What It Says About You: I’m serious about style and have a quality tailor with a conservative approach that I respect and embrace.
Looks Best On: middle-aged guys, conservative businessmen, gentlemen carrying around a little extra weight.
Full Break
Full disclosure: ideally, to pull off this style and for it to look “right,” the pant leg needs to be wider than is pictured here. This is my widest pair of pants and I did my best to show what a full break might look like. In a perfect world, there is a decent amount of fabric pooling at the ankle, but it should look a bit more elegant than shown.
What It Says About You: I’m either older, wiser, heavier and stylistically conservative or I live in my own private and perpetual Jazz Age Lawn Party.
Looks Best On: older gentleman, heavier gentleman, wide-leg trousers, vintage/throw-back dudes.
How to Measure Your Head
- Grab a soft measuring tape or a piece of string (like twine or a shoelace) and a ruler or measuring tool.
- Wrap a soft tape or string around your head to measure about 1/4 to 1/2 inch above your ear and about 3/4 to an 1″ inch above your brow line.
- Mark the tape or your string, where it intersects, with your finger.
- Record your measurement in inches or centimeters (centimeters is often more accurate).
- If you’re using a string, run it along side the ruler as many times as necessary to get a complete measurement.
- MEASURE AGAIN! Always measure more than once until you get the same number twice.
- Find your size in the chart for the perfect fit.
