How to Fold Dress Pants

Co-authored by Caitlin Jaymes

Last Updated: August 27, 2024 References

Whether you are hanging up your dress pants in your closet or packing them for a trip, knowing how to fold them properly will help keep them from falling off the hanger or getting wrinkled. Fold pants into a compact shape for traveling, and learn the Savile Row fold to hang up pants in your closet or in a garment bag.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Packing Dress Pants

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1
Iron the pants if they are wrinkly. Read the care label on your pants for ironing instructions. Use an ironing board and hot iron, and smooth out the wrinkles, mainly using the steam function and gentle pressure rather than the back-and-forth motion that is common in ironing. If the pants are creased, make sure to iron along the crease rather than across it.^{[1]
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- If you are nervous about ironing or if the care instructions say “dry-clean only,” take your pants to a professional cleaner.
2
Lay the pants out on a flat surface, like the floor or a table. Avoid putting the pants on the floor if it is carpeted, as that will prevent you from getting smooth folds. Rather, use hardwood floors or a large table so you will have room to work.
- Take a minute to smooth out the inside of the pockets, too, to make sure they are laying flat.
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3
Fold the pants along the crease if there is one. If you are having trouble finding the crease, pick up the pants and hold them by the cuffs. When you see where the creases start on the cuffs, align the pant legs so that the creases will be on the outside of the pants, rather than poking up in the middle.^{[2]
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- Make sure that the bottom of the pants match up and are even to one another to guarantee there will be no wayward wrinkles.
4
Fold pants in half at the zipper or button-front if there isn’t a crease. Simply fold one leg of the pants over so it’s on top of the other leg. Use your hands to smooth the fabric out, pushing away any potential wrinkles. The side seams of the pants will be on the edge now.
- If the button is bulging out, unbutton the pants and smooth out the waistband so it lays flat.
5
Grab the bottom cuffs and bring them up to the waistband. Keep the cuffs flat and aligned with the crease, if there is one. Use your hands and smooth out the fabric to erase any wrinkles in the fabric. Put your fingers in between the fold and make sure none of the leg fabric got caught underneath itself.^{[3]
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- If the fabric is particularly delicate, like silk, place a sheet of tissue paper in between each fold you make.
6
Bring your first fold up to the waistband for a more compact fold. Make the pants into a square or rectangular shape, depending on how wide your pants are. Make the line of the first fold even with the waistband, as this will help keep the fabric straight and reduce the chance of wrinkles. Check to make sure the fabric didn’t get caught underneath itself during your second fold.^{[4]
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- If you notice that there are wrinkles or uneven sections you can’t remove by smoothing the fabric out with your hands, try starting the folding process over. Taking a little extra time to make sure your pants are folded correctly will save you ironing time later.
7
Place pants into a plastic dry-cleaning bag to protect them. Whether you are traveling or storing your pants in a dresser, keep your pants in a plastic bag if you can. Put in 1 to 2 pairs of pants per bag. After you’ve put them in the bag, press down to squeeze out any excess air before you seal it.^{[5]
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- If you’re packing, put the bag into your suitcase last, or at least as close to last as you can. The less weight put onto the pants the better, since excess weight can cause wrinkles and misshape your pants.
- Unpack them as soon as you arrive to your hotel or wherever you are staying.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using the Savile Row Fold

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1
Iron your pants before hanging them if they have wrinkles. Use the steam function and gentle pressure to press out any wrinkles in your pants. If there is a crease, iron alongside the crease, rather than on top of it.^{[6]
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- Check the care label on the pants before ironing if you’re not sure what to do. If they require delicate care, consider taking them to a professional cleaner.
2
Lay your pants out on a flat surface. Use a table, the floor, or a large desk. Avoid using your bed or a carpeted area, as the material of the pants could cling to a softer fabric and make it harder to fold your pants neatly..^{[7]
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- Try wiping down your folding surface before using it to clear it of any dust, hair, or dirt.
3
Fold the pants along the crease or the zipper, depending on the style. If your pants have a crease, fold them in half lengthwise so that the crease lays on the outer edge of the fold (the crease won’t be in the middle of the pants). If your pants don’t have a crease, simply fold them in half lengthwise along the zipper area.
- You may need to unbutton the pants so that the button doesn’t stick up and press into the fabric when it’s folded.
4
Slide the bottom of a clothes hanger in between the legs of your pants. For hanging pants, use plastic, wooden, or flocked hangers; avoid using wire hangers. Pick up the top leg on your folded-in-half pants, and put it through the middle space of the hanger.^{[8]
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- For this hanging method, you can’t use hangers that don’t have a bottom horizontal section, as there will be nowhere to hang the pants from.
5
Place the hanger so the hem of the top leg is at the bottom of the crotch. Hold the hanger up in your hand and let the top leg of the pants drape over the bottom of it. Slide the hanger, with the leg of the pants folded over it, and stop when the bottom cuff reaches the bottom of the zipper of your pants.^{[9]
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- Try to keep the pant leg as even as possible so that the fabric on either side is smooth.
6
Lay the hanger down so it is flat, creating your first fold. Set down the hanger so that the top of it is closest to the hem of the bottom pant leg, rather than the waistband. Use your hands to smooth out the fabric of the leg that is now folded.^{[10]
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- Check to make sure the top pant leg didn’t get folded in on itself when you laid the hanger down.
7
Bring the bottom leg through the hanger so it’s on top of the pants. Use your hands to smooth the fabric out to prevent any wrinkles. Try lifting up the hanger and giving it a few gentle shakes to check the stability of your Savile Row fold.^{[11]
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- If you notice that the fabric is uneven and won’t lay flat, start your folds over again. This will save you ironing time later!
8
Hang your dress pants up in your closet or in a garment bag. If hanging pants in a closet, leave a little bit of space in between each garment to help prevent wrinkles. If you are traveling, hang your pants in a garment bag, and consider placing a dry-cleaning bag overtop of them.
- When you are ready to wear your pants, you just need to unfold the legs from the hanger and you should be good to go!

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Tips

If you don’t have an iron, try hanging your pants up in your bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam should help relax the wrinkles.

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There are wrinkle-release sprays you can buy to freshen up your pants in case there are small wrinkles when you go to wear them.

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