Proper Hem Length

What’s the proper length for hems?  How long or short should they be?

I ask, because after seeing yet another celebrity fashion stylist wearing a pair of trousers that covered her shoes and swept the street while raving about an actress she dresses who tripped on her too-long dress at a recent red carpet event, it became clear that there’s some confusion.  So let’s take a few minutes to clear it up.

These guidelines tend to be the most flattering for most women:

Trousers

The hem of a pair of pants should hit the top of your foot, midway between your toes and heel.  Any higher and it’s too short, any longer and it’s too long.  You need to take the heel height of your shoes (or boots) into consideration when determining this, and hem accordingly.  The only exception?  Skinny jeans and cigarette pants.  Those hems skim the bottom of the ankle/top of the foot.

Cropped pants

Cropped pants can be challenging, depending on how tall you are.  Petite women should opt for a length around an inch under the knee, taller women should go to mid-calf.

Shorts

The most flattering length for women is an inch or so above the knee to about mid-thigh.  Unless you’re in very good shape, don’t go higher than mid-thigh.  If you don’t like shorts, try cropped pants instead.

Miniskirt

If you like to wear short skirts and have good legs, aim for a height midway between your crotch and knee.  Any shorter makes sitting a challenge.  Miniskirts are only appropriate after work hours; they are never appropriate as business attire.

Knee Length Skirts

Knee length tends to be the most flattering length for most women.  Opt for a height that skims your knee cap, or goes an inch above or below.  This is the most appropriate length for business.

Calf Length Skirts

Calf length skirts hit midway between the knee and the bottom of the ankle.  If you’re petite, go a few inches higher, as all the material covering the legs tends to make petites look shorter.  Beware.

Floor Length Skirts

Floor length skirts should extend to the floor, without actually touching it — unless it has a train.  Like trousers, the most flattering height tends to dust the top of the foot midway between the toes and heel.  This allows for ease of movement without tripping on the length.  Always grab the skirt and tug up slightly when ascending stairs.

Sleeve Length

Long sleeves on shirts, sweaters, dresses, and coats should extend to the bottom of the wrist/top of the hand.  Like men, suit jacket sleeves should hit the top of the wrist to allow approximately 1/2″ of the shirt sleeve cuff to show.

Most women tend to settle for too long, which can throw the whole proportion off and make them seem frumpy.  Don’t do that.  Opt for just the right length and you’ll look amazing every time.

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Tags: hem-length, proper length, sleeve length