Made-to-measure wide-leg trousers: rise, width and length

Rise: where the waistband sits

Rise is the distance from the crotch seam up to the top of the waistband. A high rise reaches the natural waist, the narrowest part of the torso. A mid rise sits lower, just below the navel. Wide-leg trousers are most often cut high, because a long, unbroken line from waist to floor balances the volume in the leg.

Rise is also where ready-made trousers fail tall and petite women: the band lands too low, or spare fabric folds below it. Say where on your body you want the band to rest, and send the rise of a pair you find comfortable if you have one.

Where the width starts

“Wide leg” covers several shapes, and a photo does not always make the difference obvious, so name the one you mean.

• Wide from the hip. The leg drops straight down from the fullest part of the hip, like a palazzo. The most fluid and skirt-like.
• Closer over the hip, then wide. Neater across the seat, opening from the upper thigh. Smarter and more tailored.
• Flared from the knee. Slim to the knee and widening below. Strictly a flare, though it is often sold as wide leg.

Hem width, pleats, waistband and pockets

Give the hem width: the measurement straight across the bottom of one leg laid flat. If you own a pair you like, measure that. A pleat at the front waist adds room over the hip and thigh and helps the leg hang straight. A flat front is cleaner but depends on an accurate hip measurement.

A fixed waistband with a zip gives the smartest line under a tucked shirt. Elastic across the back only keeps the front flat while allowing for a day of sitting. Full elastic or a drawstring is the most relaxed and suits soft fabrics. Pockets are worth asking for, with one caution: side pockets in trousers that are close over the hip can pull open, while in a pair with pleats or more ease they lie flat.

Length for the shoes you wear

Wide-leg trousers are meant to be long. The usual full length ends a centimetre or two above the floor with your shoes on and covers most of the shoe, so the leg reads as one line. That ties the length to a heel height: a pair hemmed for heels drags with flats, and a pair hemmed for flats looks short with heels.

• Choose the shoes first, then measure from the waistband position to the hem point while wearing them.
• Give the outside leg, waist to hem, and the inside leg, crotch to hem, so the two can be checked against your rise.
• For a cropped pair that shows the ankle, say so and give that length. It is a different look, not a shorter mistake.

Fabric and asking for a quote

Cloth with some weight and drape hangs straight and swings back into place: crepe, heavier viscose, linen blends and suiting weights. Very light cotton tends to cling and crease at the seat, and pale colours may need a lining. Tell us what you have in mind, or send your own fabric with Stitching Only.

Choose the Western option on the quote form, attach a photo and list the five decisions with your measurements. The trouser size guide covers waist, hips, thigh, length and hem width. We confirm what is possible on your fabric and design in the written quote.