How to Measure Dress Trousers and Casual Pants

Waist Width

Lay the pants down on a flat surface, face up. Use your hands to spread the pants out flat, with the waistband buttoned at the front and the fly zipped close. The front of the waistband should lay directly on top of the back of the waistband. Measure across the top of the waistband from one side of the pant to the other.

Measuring Waist Width


Hip Width

With the pants laying face up on a flat surface, use your hands to spread the pants out flat, with the waistband buttoned at the front and fly zipped close. Starting 7” below the top of the waistband, measure parallel to the top of the waistband across from one side of the pant to the other.

Measuring Hips Width

Thigh Width

Lay the pants flat on their sides, so that the legs are folded along the front and back creases. Fold the top leg up over the waistband, making the bottom of the crotch visible. Use your hands to spread out and flatten the bottom pant leg across the thigh. Measuring 1” below the lowest part of the crotch (where the inseams of each leg meet), measure straight across the width of the leg, perpendicular to the inseam.

Measuring Thigh Width

Knee Width

Lay the pants flat on their sides, so that the legs are folded along the front and back creases. Fold the top leg up over the waistband, making the bottom of the crotch visible. Use your hands to spread out and flatten the bottom pant leg. The knee width should be measured 2” above the halfway point of the inseam. At this point, measure straight across the width of the leg, perpendicular to the inseam.

Measuring Knee Width

For example, if the inseam length is 32”, the Knee Width should be measured at 14” below the bottom of the crotch. That is, 2” above the midpoint (16”) of the total 32” inseam. 

Leg Opening Width

Lay the pants flat on their sides, so that the legs are folded along the front and back creases. Fold the top leg up over the waistband, making the bottom of the crotch visible. Use your hands to spread out and flatten the lower end of the bottom pant leg. Measure across the bottom of the pant hem, from one edge of the leg opening to the other.

Measuring Leg Opening Width

Front Rise

With the pants laying face up on a flat surface, use your hands to spread the pants out flat, with the waistband buttoned at the front and fly zipped close. Spread the legs further apart from one another than their resting position, such that the bottom of the crotch is clearly visible. Measure from the top of the waistband down along the fly to where the inseams of the legs meet one another.

Measuring Front Rise

Back Rise

With the pants lying flat, face down, spread the legs further apart from one another than their resting position. Then, fold the legs upward so that the leg openings rest above the waistband. Pull down on the bottom of the crotch until the intersection of the inseams is visible. Measure from the top of the waistband down along the center back seam to where the inseams of the legs meet one another.

Measuring Back Rise

Inseam Length

Lay the pants flat on their sides, so that the legs are folded along the front and back creases. Fold the top leg up over the waistband, making the bottom of the crotch visible. Use your hands to straighten out and flatten the bottom pant leg. The inseam length is measured from the bottom of the crotch (where the inseams meet), down the inside of the leg to the bottom of the leg opening.

Measuring Inseam Length

Total Length

Lay the pants flat on their sides, so that the legs are folded along the front and back creases. Use your hands to straighten out and flatten the pant legs. Measure from the top of the waistband down to the bottom of the leg opening, following along the side seam of the leg.

Measuring Pants Total Length