Should You Wear Cuffed Pants? A Guide to Trouser Cuffs

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In recent years, cuffs, also known as turn-ups, have somewhat fallen out of favor with mainstream men. At the same time, it’s a very classic look that has been around for a long time and will likely also be a part of classic men’s wardrobe for the foreseeable future.

Basically, it is a folded edge at the hem at the bottom and it looks like a turned-up edge that it’s added to the pant leg. Traditionally, a cuff is not cut but simply folded from excess fabric at the bottom hem. Because of that, if you will let out the cuffs, you could always create a longer pair of pants or trousers. When you do that, you usually don’t have enough fabric left to put a cuff back on. In that case, you simply add a faux cuff meaning it is cut separately and then sewn on to give you a little more extra room when you’re short on fabric.

Cuffed Angled Hem
Cuffed Angled Hem

For bespoke trousers or suits, you sometimes also see angled cuffs which is more difficult to do and they are always faux cuffs because you cannot have a continuous piece of fabric with a faux cuff. The benefit of the angled cuff is that you don’t have a break in the front, at the same time, the back part of the trouser leg reaches almost the heel which is very pleasing. You also reveal more of the shoe. On the formality scale, cuffed trousers are always less formal than pants without cuffs.

Black and white photo of sewing factory
A sewing factory [Image Credit: Unsplash]

History Of Turn-Ups

Historically, the origins of cuffs stemmed from a time where you would turn up the bottom hem of your trouser in muddy weather. In 1890, the then Prince of Wales who later became King Edward the seventh introduced the permanent turn-up which was there just for fashion reasons and was not a necessity due to outside weather conditions.

Cuffed pants became the norm for businesswear between the 1890s and the 1940s. During World War II, there was a fabric shortage and so it was decided to forego the cuff or the turn-up so you could save on a fabric and create more garments instead.

Ever since the 1950s, cuffed trousers have gone in and out of fashion but over the years, they’ve always remained, they’ve always come back and likely they will always come back even though they might not be super fashionable at this point in time.

By the way, the British refer to cuffs as things you have on your sleeve versus on the pants or trousers, they’re called turn-ups. Sometimes Savile Row tailors also call them PTUs or permanent turn-ups. At the end of the day, they’re all the same.

An example of spezzato working with varying shades of brown (using a brown suit jacket and khaki chinos)
Raphael employing Spezzato with varying shades of brown (using a brown suit jacket and khaki chinos)
Knit Tie in Solid Burgundy Red Silk

Fort Belvedere

Knit Tie in Solid Burgundy Red Silk

White Christmas Rose Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

White Christmas Rose Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower

When Do You Typically See Cuffs On Trouser Hems?

You definitely see them in suits and in Italy, I’d say the majority of suits will have the cuff. They’re also popular in white-collar professions with lawyers, bankers, and the like. Cuffs can help to make a suit silhouette look more grounded especially when you have vertical stripes such as a pinstripe or a rope stripe.

In terms of the seasons, you can find cuffs anywhere from flannel suits or tweed suits all the way up to summery seersucker suits. In the collegiate realm, cuffs are favored by people who are interested in trad style. On the other hand, if you’re more a follower of the preppy style, you’re more likely to just manually turn-up your uncuffed pants.

Very tall cuff and very short pants - if the pants would have touched the shoe it would have been perfect
Very tall cuff and very short pants – if the pants would have touched the shoe it would have been perfect

Cuffs are also often a feature on odd trousers or slacks that are worn to the office. Just think of the typical gray flannel pants with a navy blazer, for example, or other office outfits that are a bit more serious. When it comes to casual pants, you still may encounter turn-ups on chinos or khakis even though you can also find them without cuffs.

When it comes to traditional workwear such as denim or jeans, you will not find a cuff because that would simply be impractical. In this day and age, a cuff on a pair of jeans would simply look weird. That aside, you can also find cuffs on shorts, typically, they make it a little less formal so for most shorts, I don’t think they’re appropriate but it is an option that exists.

Tan Monk Strap Shoes with beige cuffed pants
Tan Monk Strap Shoes with beige cuffed pants

To Cuff Or Not To Cuff?

That is the question!

The bottom line is cuffs or turn-ups are optional and it’s a personal style choice. For example in my suit collection, I have a bunch of suits with cuffs that are a little more casual, at the same time, I have three-piece suits that don’t feature cuffs whereas others do feature cuffs.

The big advantage of cuffs is that it adds a bit more weight to the bottom part of your pants thus creating a nicer drape or hang of the trouser especially if you have pleated pants. Of course, they also can help to create a visual balance, for example, for double-breasted suits or vertically striped suits.

Brown windowpane cuffed pants paired with blue suede boots on green lawn
The cuff adds more weight to the bottom part of the trouser

Cuffs definitely give you a slightly more traditional look and if you want a contemporary look with a slim fit, oftentimes, it’s better to forego the cuff for a cleaner silhouette. That being said, there’s one area where cuffs and turn-ups are always unacceptable from a historical point of view and that is formal wear. So you’ll never see cuffs on a proper tuxedo, a black tie ensemble, a white tie ensemble, or a morning coat. Likewise, you also won’t encounter it with a stroller suit.

So if you’re buying trousers that are not for a formal occasion, should you add cuffs or not? At the end of the day, if you’re undecided, I always argue in favor of cuffs because you can always have them very easily removed at the alterations tailor. Think of it as an additional fabric that allows you to be creative with the size of your cuff but if you don’t like it, you can always get rid of it.

On the flip side, if you decide against cuffs from the get-go and you later realize that the fabric is too flimsy and you would like to have a cuff in there, it’s very difficult to add one back on because most of the time, there’s not enough fabric left even for a faux cuff.

Extremely short pants with paisley crazy socks
Extremely short pants with paisley crazy socks

How  To Wear Cuffs Well

First of all, for a true cuff, you always need a plain hem and you want the front just to slightly touch the top of your shoe. In general, cuffs look best if they just slightly touch your shoe without creating a deep break or any puddling around your ankle. So when in doubt, a cuffed pair of pants is always slightly shorter than an uncuffed pair of pants. Having too much excess fabric at the ankle paired with a cuff can just look sloppy. Also, if your pants have cuffs as well as pleats, the break can interrupt the nice crease and the nice line of the pair of trousers.

When you wear dress boots, make sure that the pants have enough space so they go over the boot and don’t just get caught on it, otherwise, you always have some puddling going on that’s very unsightly.

Pants too long because they puddle
Pants too long because they puddle

In terms of cuff size, there is again no right or wrong. Historically, there has been anything from under one inch to all the way up to two and a half even three inches. As with most things in menswear, it pays to stay in the middle which is typically between one and a half inches or two inches. In the metric system, that’s about 3.5 or 3.75 centimeters and 5 centimeters. According to Alan Flusser, a traditional cuff size is 1 and ⅝ of an inch for men who are 5’10” or shorter. If you are taller than that, you should go with an inch and 3/4.

Personally, I like it slightly larger so sometimes I have a two-inch cuff or slightly smaller something that’s also slightly bigger but it definitely is a bit more noticeable and if you want to go for a classic look, this guideline hits the nail on the head.

Of course, you can also pay attention to other aspects in your suit. Let’s say you have very wide lapels, you should not have a very slim cuff because it simply looks not proportional. Also, you can look at the height of your collar in the back of your neck of your jacket and try to match that to the size of your trouser cuff.

Fringed spectator suede tassel loafer with dotted socks and slim large cuffs
Fringed spectator suede tassel loafer with dotted socks and slim large cuffs

Get Started With Cuffs

So what are some good ways to get started with cuffs?

I suggest you maybe start with a pair of chinos because you can wear them a little more casually and otherwise, you can also wear them with a suit including a solid navy suit which is quite formal for a suit but nevertheless, it can be worn with cuffs. If you don’t wear suits a lot, you could experiment with cuffs on slightly more casual pants such as flannel pants, tweed slacks, or linen pants.

So in conclusion, it pays to have cuffed trousers in your wardrobe, whether they are really casual slacks, chinos, or slacks that are a part of a suit. At the same time, you never want to add cuffs to very formal ensembles because they are simply not meant for that.

When you opt for cuffs, go with a slightly shorter trouser length so you have a nice hanging pair of pants and at the end of the day, the sky is the limit and your choice or preference decides on whether you have a lot of cuffs in your wardrobe or very few but it always pays to have at least a few pairs of pants with cuffs because it just gives you a complete wardrobe.

Outfit Rundown

Sven Raphael wearing a green jacket, white dress shirt and cuffed houndstooth trousers.
Sven Raphael wearing a green jacket, white dress shirt, and cuffed houndstooth trousers.
Madder Silk Tie in Purple with Paisley

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Madder Silk Tie in Purple with Paisley

Charcoal, Purple and Blue Silk-Wool Pocket Square with Paisley Motifs - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Charcoal, Purple and Blue Silk-Wool Pocket Square with Paisley Motifs

Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Dark Navy Blue and Royal Blue Fil d'Ecosse Cotton - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Dark Navy Blue and Royal Blue Fil d'Ecosse Cotton

Eagle Claw Cufflinks with Onyx Ball - 925 Sterling Silver Platinum Plated - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Eagle Claw Cufflinks with Onyx Ball – 925 Sterling Silver Platinum Plated

 I am wearing a combination of cuffed trousers in houndstooth with black and white as well as a green jacket that is part of a suit. I combined it with a white dress shirt with French cuffs and cufflinks with an onyx stone which goes well with the silver buckle on the black double monk strap for my shoes. My tie is purple with tones of green and orange which are picked up by the pocket square as well as my socks. The cuffs on this pair of pants are about 2 inches or 5 centimeters which is just a style I personally like and the weight helps to create a nice silhouette for my trousers.

Do you prefer pants with or without cuffs? Please share with us in the comments below!

Reader Comments

  1. My preferred trousers are not currently trendy. I favor medium to long rise combined non snug pants with pleats and cuffs. I guess I’m old, but I’m not in to the Pee-wee Herman suit.

    1. Too much information can be wonderful. I would like to see a full production of all the possibilities from one of your tutorials. I went to college in the 70’s, in that era of collegiate anything was in complete decline. My father went after the war and he reflected look and feel of 1950’s to the Rat -Pack thin and shark skin fashion. My son rarely even wore tailored anything. But I do have a pair of Bermuda shorts with cuffs – my go to for Preppy summer.

  2. Sven, I enjoy all your articles especially the one about cuffs, or turn up’s. I have always worn my Levi’s 501’s with a fifties style cuff and a pleat which is ironed with lot’s of liquid starch. Just to quote your own words when a decision to cuff or not to cuff the decision leans toward personal preference. Please continue your informative articles.

    Sincerely,
    M.E.D.

  3. My personal, more traditional style says cuffs all the time, except for my Tuxes (and obviously jeans and other sports related pants of course). Also still like pleated pants and un-vented jackets with tailored fits (even my tailor thinks otherwise, wants dual vents, but let’s me do my thing). Most items are custom tailored but if not, they are typically Italian (as am I)

  4. Another great article!
    All my suit trousers are cuffed similar to the brown monk strap/beige trouser photo – those look perfect. Also, most of my suit trousers are pleated and they look just fine with cuffs. The short trousers with cuffs (and especially with narrow openings) are horrendous (unless you are Pee Wee Herman).
    Keep up the good work!

  5. My father hated turn-ups. They would just catch dust he argued and so he avoided them. I personally like them.

    There are differences between the US and UK and the styling above is very North American.

    When I get a suit in London, I usually have two pairs of trousers/pants: one with turn-ups/cuffs, one without. I also like to have pleated fronts to the trousers.

    I like a turn-up that is no more than an inch & a half deep. Some of the illustrations above have cuffs greater than two inches which is way too much.

    I also like the military or angled cut (sometimes called a guardsman’s cut) with the rear dipping below the front and I get them to cut to just hang above the vamp of my shoes. I think the angled cut illustrated above is too pronounced.

    The right look is best achieved wearing braces/suspenders so you don’t get a pile of cloth on the shoe.

    I do not like the flat cut bottom illustrated above that sits above the shoe. If the trousers are straight all the way down and not tapered, cuffs make them look like they are set at half-mast.

    Cuffs do not work with skinny trousers.

  6. Dear Raphael ,
    It could be said one of the great steps forward in men’s tailoring was cuffless trousers.In my late teenage years ( 50 years ago ) I was getting around with them . In some fabrics they can look good.
    The exception being I feel check fabrics which can appear heavier than they are . Also if you are a shorter man cuffs may may accentuate your height . the way the break across your shoes your shoes can set them off nicely.

  7. Duncan Abbot covered exactly what I think. Your cuffs are too wide and hemmed too high. Where I come from we call them “highwater” pants. If your socks show while standing, your pants are hemmed too high and you will be subject to derision. Sven, why oh why did you choose to show again that horrid outfit with the yellow highwaters with the ridiculously wide hem – looks like 3 inches.

  8. I prefer both.A heavy twill trouser I prefer not cuffs gives a sleeker look to me wearing a boot or shoe.Cuffs for suits pleated trousers to balance the look.Must have both for me.But no cuffs for jeans

  9. Answering your question… OF COURSE you do turn ups! Who care about waht mainstream men do? Lol!

  10. I wear both cuffed and non-cuffed pants. It depends on the suit’s cloth and style. Some of my old style 3-piece suits have cuffs but most of my pants are not cuffed.

    Great article & video!

  11. Cuffs. Always cuffs. I have an nice Armani suit (a blemished one that I got at a duscount) that didn’t have enough fabric for cuffs. I bought it about 12 years ago when cuffs were standard. The suit holds up well now that cuffs a somewhat passe’, but I wanted cuffs badly for that suit. On the other hand, I do own a couple pair of jeans with pleats and cuffs. They actually go well with a blazer during the cooler months. I have jeans with pleats and no cuffs and they work casually with a tucked in polo shirt in the summer. I do get compliments on them. I just love pleats and cuffs. I think they are the standard for men’s pants. I think going forward they are more style than fashion and will never look out of place if proportioned correctly. Another great and informative article! Thanks.

  12. I love cuffs most of my pant are cuffed, Ihave some pants with short cuff about a inch, plenty comments to the good. I wear cuffs in all style slant,straight,thick & thin, they do work better on pleated pants if you get that right break, you know what I mean!!!!

  13. I may have learned this somewhere at one time, but I do prefer a cuff/turn-up on a pleated pant and no-cuff on a flat front. The flat-front trouser looks better with no cuff in my eyes, but the overall excess fabric look of a pleated trouser seems to be complemented by a cuff. Because I prefer a pleated trouser, most of my suits have cuffs.
    I do thank you for interesting articles!

  14. I once had a pair of cuffed corduroys. Upon undressing I noticed a hole burned straight through the material behind the cuff. Apparently someone had dropped a still lit cigar butt in there, and I never noticed . What are the chances of that?

  15. My brother will be attending a wedding and he wants to wear nice dress pants that will match his coat. It was mentioned here that having cuffs on pants can create a less serious effect on his outfit. Furthermore, it’s recommended to go to a trusted clothing store for good quality dress pants.

  16. I wear cuffs on all my suits. I recently bought a modern slim fit suit with flat front pants. I closed the double side vents and cuffed the pants.(inch and a half)…I think the weight of the cuff make the pants drape better.

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