Trouser fit: rise, waist and length for shalwars and straight trousers

Rise: the one people forget

The rise is the depth from the waistband down to the crotch seam. Too short, and trousers pull at the front and dig in when you sit; too long, and they sag at the seat or wrinkle at the crotch. It matters most in fitted styles: cigarette pants, churidar and straight trousers.

A traditional shalwar is different. It is cut with a deep, roomy crotch, often with extra panels that give it volume, so the rise is generous by design and rarely causes trouble. Patiala and dhoti styles sit lower still.

To measure your rise, sit upright on a hard, flat chair and measure down the side of your body from your waist, where you wear your trousers, to the chair seat. Or take fitted trousers that fit you well, lay them flat and measure the front seam from the top of the waistband to the crotch point, then tell us it came from a garment.

Waist: where it sits and how it fastens

• Where you wear it: our trouser length is measured from the natural waist. If you wear trousers lower, on the hip, say so and measure from there, or the rise and the length will both be out.
• Full elastic: the easiest and most forgiving, and a natural fit for shalwars and palazzos.
• Drawstring (nala): fully adjustable and traditional for shalwars.
• Elastic back, flat front: smoother under a fitted kameez, but the flat front has to match your waist closely.
• Waistband with a zip or hook: for Western-style trousers; it needs an accurate waist and hip.
• Waist to hip difference: if your hips are much fuller than your waist, fitted trousers need shaping at the back, or the waistband gapes.

Length and the trouser bottom

Trouser length runs from the waist down the side of the leg to where you want the hem, measured in the shoes you wear most. Different styles want different lengths: a shalwar cuff usually sits at or just above the ankle bone, cigarette pants look sharpest ending just above the ankle, and wide trousers and palazzos can go longer, towards the top of the foot, especially with heels. Churidar are deliberately cut much longer than the leg so they gather at the ankle.

The trouser bottom is the width of the hem opening. Too narrow, and slim trousers will not go over your foot, which is why many cigarette pants have small slits. Measure the opening of a pair you like, laid flat and doubled. For fitted styles the thigh matters too; it is an optional extra on the size guide.

Fixing common trouser problems

• Pulling at the front when you sit: the rise is too short. Measure your seated rise.
• A baggy seat on straight trousers: the rise or seat is too generous for a flatter seat. Tell us.
• Trousers slipping down: the waistband sits at a narrower point than it was cut for. Say where you wear them.
• A dragging hem: length measured without shoes, or for a lower waist. Measure in your usual shoes.
• Tight at the thigh: give your thigh measurement for fitted styles.
• Already made and too long? Trousers are among the easiest things for a local tailor to alter; see hemming trousers and shalwars. For new trousers, add your notes to the stitching quote form; the custom stitching page explains the rest.