Trouser bottom width: how to measure the hem opening

Flat or round: always say which

Two conventions are in use, and mixing them up doubles or halves your hem. Many tailors and brand size charts write the flat figure, so “poncha 7” in a tailor’s notebook normally means 7 inches across. Our size guide asks for the measurement around the opening, which is the doubled figure. Either is fine as long as it is labelled: “trouser bottom 7 inches flat, 14 round” leaves no room for doubt.

To take it from a pair that suits you:

• Fasten the trousers and lay them on a table with one leg smoothed out, the side seam on one edge and the inner seam on the other.
• Measure straight along the hem from fold to fold, without pulling the fabric.
• Double the number for the round measurement.
• If the hem has a slit, a button or elastic, close it or let it relax first, and mention it.
• Note the style of the pair you measured, because a number taken from a shalwar means little for cigarette pants.

Typical openings by style

These are common tailoring ranges for women’s trousers, given as the full round opening with the flat figure after it. They are a starting point for choosing, not a chart of ours; the number from your own favourite pair counts for more.

• Churidar: 9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) round, about 4.5 to 5.5 flat. It always needs an opening or some stretch to pass the heel.
• [Cigarette pants](/styles/trousers/cigarette-pants): 10 to 13 inches (25 to 33 cm) round, 5 to 6.5 flat.
• Shalwar: 12 to 16 inches (30 to 41 cm) round, 6 to 8 flat, and 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) for a wide, open paincha.
• Straight trousers: 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) round, 7 to 9 flat.
• Palazzo and wide-leg: 22 to 32 inches (56 to 81 cm) round or more, 11 to 16 flat.

The heel check for narrow hems

A woven fabric with no stretch cannot be pulled over a foot that is bigger than the opening. Point your toes and pass the tape around the back of your heel and over the top of your instep, the way a slim trouser leg has to travel. On most adults that loop comes to somewhere around 11.5 to 13.5 inches (29 to 34 cm).

If the hem you want is smaller than your own heel figure, the trousers need a short slit, a zip, a button or a hook at the ankle. Send both numbers and say which you would prefer; we confirm in the quote what suits the fabric. Our guide to measuring for each trouser style lists the other leg measurements that slim cuts need.

Choosing a width that suits the outfit

When you have no favourite pair to copy, think about proportion. A narrow hem looks tidy under a long kameez and shows the shoe. A wider hem balances a short kurta and covers more of the foot, which matters if the trousers are cut long. On a shalwar, a narrow paincha reads as neat and modern, a wide one as traditional and airy.

You can test a number before you commit: tape a strip of paper into a loop of that size and hold it at your ankle in front of a mirror, wearing the shoes you have in mind. Then add the figure to the quote form with a note of the style. The trouser measurements page covers length, hips and thigh, and custom stitching explains how the order is agreed in writing before cutting.