How to Create a Pleated Dress Pant Size

double pleat trouser

Single Pleat Trousers

Pleated trousers are constructed differently from non-pleated trousers and so they require an entirely new sewing pattern. The pleats are open when the garment measurements are taken, but they are closed when the trousers are cut and sewn, so we must account for this change in your size. You’ll need to create a special size in order to order pleated trousers, and it only takes a minute to do—follow the instructions below.

How to Create a Pleated Trouser Size from an Existing No Pleat Trouser Size

  1. Log into your Proper Cloth Account and go to your Saved Pants Sizes. Choose the existing No Pleat trouser size you’d like to start with as a base for your Pleated Trouser size.
  2. Make the appropriate adjustment (increase) to the Hip Width (see recommendations below).
    1. +0.8″ Hip Width for Single Pleat
    2. +1.3″ Hip Width for Double Pleat
  3. From the drop-down menu next to Front Style (at the bottom of the list of trouser dimensions) choose the number of pleats you’d like (Single Pleats or Double Pleats). The pleat options may not be available unless you’ve adjusted your Hip Width first (see below).
  4. Click the black SAVE AS button and give the size a name to save it as a new trouser size.
dress pants size how to add pleats

Choosing a Front Style in an existing trouser size profile.

Increase Hip Width First

If you’ve already dialed in your custom tailored pant size, you may find that the Single and Double Pleats options cannot be selected when you initially try to change the Front Style. In this case you’ll want to increase your Hip Width first, as recommended above. Once this has been adjusted to compensate for the appropriate number of pleats, the corresponding pleat option can be selected and the size profile saved. In the event that you are unable to increase your Hip Width by the recommended amount, increase your Thigh Width by just enough to make the Hip Width adjustment available. This will likely be a very small adjustment.

Adjustments for Single Pleat Trouser Size: Increase Hip Width .8″

Each pleat is .8″ in width, so selecting Single Pleats effectively redistributes 1.6″ of fabric across the hips to the pleats. For this reason, we suggest increasing your hip width by .8″ when switching from No Pleats to Single Pleats to keep your pants from becoming too tight around the hips.

Adjustments for Double Pleat Trouser Size: Increase Hip Width 1.3″

The first pleat (closest to the fly) is .8″ in width and the second pleat (closest to the pockets) is .5″ in width. Selecting Double Pleats effectively redistributes 2.6″ of fabric across the hips to the pleats. For this reason, we suggest increasing your hip width by 1.3″ when switching from No Pleats to Double Pleats in order to keep your pants from becoming too tight around the hips.

The pleats in your trouser size and your trouser design must match.

After you’ve created your pleated trouser size, you can choose a pre-designed pleated trouser or design your own. Keep in mind that the number of pleats you choose in your design must be the same as the number of pleats you chose for your pleated trouser size. If you’d like to design trousers with Single Pleats, your trouser size must include Single Pleats, and if you’d like Double Pleats your size must include Double Pleats.

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