How to Take an Inseam Measurement

A well-fitting pair of pants that are the perfect length for your height is a great way to upgrade your style. Taking an accurate inseam measurement is key to finding the best fit. Your inseam runs from the crotch of your pants down to the hem at the bottom of the pant leg. We spoke with Professional Tailor and Fashion Designer Andrea Beaulieu and Professional Stylist Joanne Gruber to understand how to take an exact inseam measurement. Read on to learn more about how to measure your inseam yourself or with help from a friend.

How do you measure inseam?

Lay a pair of well-fitting pants on a flat surface, smoothing out any wrinkles as you go. Use a measuring tape to measure along the inside of the leg. Hold one end of the measuring tape at the bottom of the crotch area and the other at the bottom hem of the pant leg.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Measuring a Pair of Your Pants

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1
Lay a pair of well-fitting pants out on a flat surface. If you’re happy with how your pants fit, it’s easy to find your inseam based on pants you already own, says Beaulieu.^{[1]
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Andrea Beaulieu
Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer

Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.} Smooth the pants out so they’re flat with no bumps or wrinkles.
- Make sure you choose a type of pants similar to the ones you want to buy. For example, if you’re shopping for jeans, measure the inseam on a pair of jeans. This gives you a better idea of how the new pants will fit.
2
Run a measuring tape from the crotch seam to the hem of the pants. Place the end of your measuring tape where the crotch seam meets the inseam. Then measure along the inseam – the seam that runs down the inside of your leg when you're standing – to the hem at the bottom of the pant leg, Beaulieu suggests.^{[2]
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Andrea Beaulieu
Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer

Expert Interview. 8 May 2020.} This is your inseam measurement.
- The crotch seam is at the center of the crotch of your pants and meets the inseam in a cross shape.
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Write down your inseam measurement to use when shopping for pants. Don’t round your inseam up or down. When you go shopping for clothes, use your exact inseam measurement to find new pants that are the perfect length for your body.^{[3]
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- If you plan on wearing your new pants with high heels, add .5–1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) to your inseam measurement.
- If you’re buying pants in fabrics that shrink, round your inseam measurement up to the nearest .5 inches (1.3 cm).

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Having Someone Measure Your Inseam

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Wear a pair of close-fitting pants to make measuring your inseam easier. Wear athletic leggings or tight jeans when measuring your pants size. Bulky pants get in the way of taking an accurate inseam measurement.
- If you don’t have very form-fitting pants, looser pants are all right as long as they don’t have a lot of extra material in the crotch area.
2
Stand straight on bare feet with your back against a wall. Shoes have different heel heights, so an inseam that works for one may be too long for another. Measuring with bare feet lets you get an inseam measurement for your actual height. Standing up straight against a wall helps you maintain good posture and avoid slouching, which throws your inseam measurement off.^{[4]
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- If you plan on wearing your new pants with high heels, measure your inseam while wearing your heels to get the right length. However, if you wear the pants with different shoes, the inseam may be a little longer or shorter depending on the heel height.
3
Ask your helper to measure from the crotch seam of your pants to your ankle. The crotch seam is the seam near the crotch of your pants that intersects with the inner leg seam. Place the end of the measuring tape right at the crotch seam and measure along your leg to your ankle bone.^{[5]
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- Keep your leg straight for the most accurate measurement.
4
Use your inseam measurement to shop for pants. Write down your exact inseam measurement so you have it when you’re pants shopping. The length of your pants depends on how long or short you like to wear them. When in doubt, measure your inseam to your ankle. Gruber notes, “Most of the jeans we see right now are either ankle length or cropped…but the majority of brands are doing ankle jeans because it fits the majority of women.”^{[6]
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Joanne Gruber
Professional Stylist

Expert Interview. 30 July 2019.}
- Shorten your inseam measurement by about .5–1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) if you like your pants to hit above the ankle.
- Also, if the pants are made with a fabric that shrinks in the wash, round your inseam measurement up to the nearest .5 inches (1.3 cm).

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Measuring Your Own Inseam

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Stand up straight so your entire body is visible in a mirror. Taking your inseam measurement while standing up is tricky because you have to bend over to read the measuring tape. This can throw off the inseam measurement. Use a mirror to help you read the measuring tape while maintaining good posture.^{[7]
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- Pick a floor-length mirror so you get the best view of your body. If you don’t have a floor-length mirror, use the biggest mirror you have and place it opposite your lower body.
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Place your measuring tape where your thigh meets your groin. Put the hand that's holding the tape up against your upper thigh where it meets your crotch. Get as close to your body as possible.^{[8]
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- Make sure you hold the end of the tape that starts with “1” at your groin area to make it easier to read the measurement.
3
Run the measuring tape down to your ankle and read the measurement. Slowly unroll the measuring tape, keeping it close to your leg until you reach your desired pant length. Then, stand up straight and check the mirror to make sure you’re happy with where the tape hits your ankle.^{[9]
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Research source} Read the measurement in the mirror where the tape touches your ankle.
- If you can’t read the numbers, bend down, keeping your legs as straight as possible, and pinch the tape between your thumb and finger to mark the number. Then lift the tape to read the measurement.
- Be super careful while you’re doing this. If you accidentally move your fingers in either direction, your inseam measurement could be off.
4
Alternatively, place a book between your legs to take the measurement. Gently push a book to between your legs to the top of your inner thigh. Then, hold the book in place and use a rigid measuring tape to measure from the top edge of the book to the floor.^{[10]
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- Make sure you choose a book long enough to touch the wall behind you.
- This method is commonly used to measure your inseam for a bicycle, but it doesn’t require a mirror and gives you a general idea of what your pants inseam measurement is.
5
Write down your inseam to use it for shopping. Use the exact measurement rather than rounding up or down. Manufacturers use precise measurements for inseams, so you don’t need to add or subtract length to find the best-fitting pairs of pants.^{[11]
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- Add .5 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) to your inseam if you plan to wear heels or you’re buying pants that usually shrink. For instance, pants made of cotton, linen, or wool may shrink. Since jeans are often made from cotton, expect them to shrink slightly in the wash.

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How can I measure my inseam if I don't have anyone to help me?

Andrea Beaulieu
Professional Tailor
Andrea Beaulieu is a Professional Tailor, Fashion Designer, and the Owner of MOORE, a Brooklyn, New York based storefront and apparel workshop for gender-neutral, contemporary streetwear as well as custom-tailored products. Andrea has over 20 years in the fashion design and marketing industries and specializes in pattern making, draping, and the construction of garments. She holds a BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Andrea Beaulieu

Professional Tailor

Expert Answer

Use a pair of pants that fit the way you'd like. Lay them flat, then measure from the center crotch down the pant leg, along the inseam.

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Is the inseam size the same as the length size?

Fasehun Yetunde Olatofunmirera

Community Answer

No. Inseam is the measurement taken from the pubic bone to the ankle, while length size is from the waist to the ankle.

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Which units of measure should I use?

Heather Kenyon-Haff

Top Answerer

Use whichever system is common to where you live. In the US, people generally use inches, but most of the rest of the world uses metric units. If you use the most prevalent units in your country, you stand a really good chance of finding a tailor who also uses those units.

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Tips

Sometimes, pants have the inseam measurement printed on the tag. If your pants do have it, use that measurement to shop for pants in similar styles.

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Try measuring several pairs of your pants to make sure you're getting an accurate reading.

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If you're getting your pants tailored, ask the tailor if they'll take your measurements.

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