The short answer
- Your inseam is the length of the inside of your leg, from the crotch seam to where the hem should land.
- Easiest and most repeatable: lay a pair that already fits flat and measure from the crotch seam to the hem.
- On your body, a helper gives a more accurate result than going alone. Measure to where you want the hem to fall, in the shoes you'll wear.
- Measure more than once. Two careful tries often differ by 1 to 2 cm (about half an inch to an inch).
Inseam is the measurement most often off by an inch. The reason is simple: it depends on where the hem should land, and that depends on your shoes. Here are three ways to measure, in the order that we'd try them.
Method 1: from a pair of jeans (easiest)
This works best if you have a pair whose length you love, and it is the one you can do alone.
- Lay the jeans on a flat surface and smooth them out. Straighten the leg so the inside seam runs in a line.
- Find the crotch seam, where the four seams meet.
- Run a tape along the inside seam from that point to the bottom of the hem.
- Write it down, and repeat for the other leg.
Two cautions. Check that the pair hasn't been hemmed, shortened by shrinkage, or let down; a hem that has been altered tells you the length it is now, not the length it was meant to be. And if you wear the pair with a cuff, measure it unrolled and note the cuff size. Tailors point out that this garment method is easier than measuring a body but inherits whatever alterations the garment has had (Nathan Tailors).
Method 2: on your body, with a helper
- Wear thin clothes and the shoes you plan to wear with the jeans. Stand straight against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart, weight even.
- Your helper puts the end of the tape at your crotch (the top of the inner thigh) and runs it straight down the inside of your leg.
- They read the number at the point where you want the hem to finish. For a hem that breaks on the shoe, that is about the top of the shoe. For one that clears the shoe, it is the ankle bone.
Some tailors measure barefoot to the ankle bone and then add the break separately, since a shoe's heel can add an inch or two of error. Either works. Just pick one and tell whoever cuts the jeans which you used.
Method 3: on your body, alone
It's harder, and the results vary. A common trick: stand against a wall, hold a hardcover book snugly between your legs, spine up, at the top of the inner thigh. Mark the wall at the top of the book. Step away and measure from the mark to the floor, then adjust for the shoes you will wear (a heel adds height, so a hem meant to skim the shoe is shorter than a floor measurement). Do it three times and use the middle number. Self-measured inseams are the least repeatable of the major measurements.
Choosing the right number
| Where the hem lands | Measure to | Good with |
|---|---|---|
| Clears the shoe | Ankle bone | Slim and skinny legs, low sneakers |
| Slight break | Top of the shoe | Straight legs, everyday wear |
| Over the shoe | An inch or so below the ankle bone | Bootcut and flare, boots, heels |
Our own rules of thumb for general guidance, not a standard. Your shoes and taste win.
For the choice itself, see how long jeans should be, and for the case of height, our inseam by height chart explains why those charts disagree.
Common mistakes
- Measuring the outseam (hip to hem) instead of the inseam.
- Measuring a worn-out pair that has shrunk or been hemmed. Read how to hem jeans if you're not sure what yours has been through.
- Forgetting the shoes. Boots and sneakers can differ by an inch or more at the hem.
- Pulling the tape tight so it dips into the crotch. Keep it flat against the leg.
What we do with your number
Our measuring guides are the full walkthrough. When you order men's or women's custom jeans, the inseam is one of the measurements we cut to; men's inseams go up to 40". Choose a regular, raw, cuffed or chain-stitch hem (chain-stitch is +$10). Copying a pair that fits gives you inseam and the rest in one go, with the other numbers measured on the same flat garment.
Questions
What is an inseam?
The length of the inside of the leg, from the crotch seam to the hem. It is not the outseam, which runs down the outside of the leg.
How do I measure my inseam by myself?
Lay a pair of jeans that fit flat and measure the inside seam from crotch to hem. If you must measure your body alone, use a book against a wall at the top of the inner thigh and measure to the floor, then repeat three times.
Should I measure my inseam with shoes on?
Measure for the shoes you will wear with the jeans, or measure barefoot to the ankle bone and add the break you want. Pick one and be consistent.
What is a normal inseam?
For men, 30 to 34 inches is the common range, but your own number depends on your legs and shoes, not on a norm.
Is inseam the same as pant length?
No. Pant length is usually the outseam, from the waist to the hem. The inseam is the shorter inside measurement.