4 Stylish Ways to Cuff Pants

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Learn all the best styles for pant cuffs and shoes with our fashion tips

Co-authored by Ashley Moon, MA and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: November 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Single Roll
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• Double Roll
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• Skinny Roll
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• Pinroll
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• Video
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Looking for a really easy way to up your style and show off a pair of kicks? Or maybe your pants are a little too wide or long? Rather than letting your pants bunch up on top of your shoes, rolling your leg cuffs is a quick fashion trick that elevates any outfit. How you roll up your pants depends on their fit and what shoes you want to wear, but we’ve got all the info you need right here. When you’re finished reading our handy guide, your pants will look and fit great.

Things You Should Know

• Roll your pant legs up by 2 inches (5.1 cm) to make a single roll if you’re wearing stiff denim.
• Make a double roll by folding your pant legs up by 1 in (2.5 cm). Fold the cuff again to hide the hem’s seam.
• Create a skinny roll by rolling the cuff up so it just covers the hem seam. Continue rolling the cuff up 1 or 2 more times so it stays in place.
• ​​Pinch the excess fabric at the inseam and pull it back toward your heel. Then, fold the hem up by 1 inch (2.5 cm) twice to make a pinroll.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Single Roll

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1. 1
   Use a single roll on stiffer denim jeans paired with chunky shoes. Since you’re only rolling your cuff up once, stiff denim will help your style last all day. If you’ve got a pair of thick, heavy denim jeans, they’ll work perfectly for this cuff. Put on a pair of boots or sneakers with a wide toe to help accentuate the look of your pants.

   • If your pants already feel a little long or slouchy, hem them to the right length before rolling them.
2. 2
   Fold the bottoms of your pant legs up by about 2 in (5.1 cm). Put on your pants and shoes before you start rolling them so you get a better idea of how they look. Pinch the edges of your pant cuffs by the inseams and slowly pull them up. Then just even out the sides of each cuff and adjust them so they’re the same width on each leg.

   • If you have longer legs, you can try doing a “long roll” with your pants. Try turning your cuff up by another 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) to pair with work boots. Just be aware that this style could make your legs look a little shorter than they are.
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3. 3
   Tease out the top of the cuff to create a more casual look. Rather than making your pants cuff look perfect, pinch the top of the cuff in a few spots and bend it down slightly. With this relaxed fit, you’ll look stylish and laid back at the same time.
   

   G. Bruce Boyer, Fashion Historian

   When cuffing trousers, one must consider the occasion and desired aesthetic. For casual affairs, a small, single cuff adds a dash of sprezzatura. Business calls for a more modest double cuff, falling mid-shoe. Formal events demand fuller breaks that drape gracefully over footwear when seated. Regardless of context, well-cuffed pants balance precise tailoring with elegant ease.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Double Roll

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1. 1
   Wear the double roll cuff with slim-fit pants and any shoes. The double-roll cuff is a classic, popular way to roll up pants, and it goes with almost everything. Use a double roll on styles like jeans, chinos, khakis, and trousers that are straight or slim-fit so you don’t have fabric tapering at your ankle. Try rocking a pair of low- or high-top sneakers, dress shoes, or heels with your double roll cuffs to match your style.

   • A double roll cuff might be too informal for dress pants at occasions like black tie events. If your pants are too long, get them professionally hemmed by a tailor instead.
2. 2
   Roll the bottoms of your pant legs up about 1 inch (2.5 cm). It’s okay if you’re not exact with your measurement. Try to keep the cuffs smooth and wrinkle-free as you roll them up your leg. Make both cuffs the same width so they’re symmetrical.

   • It’s easier to see how your rolled pants look if you put them on first, but you can still cuff the legs when you aren’t wearing them.
3. 3
   Roll your pants up a second time to hide the hem. Pinch the folded part of your pants leg and fold them up again to just cover the top edge of the cuff. Smooth out the folds and wrinkles so your cuffs have a clean, uniform look right above the top of your shoe.

   • Avoid rolling your pants up more than 2 times since they could start looking bulky or disproportionate to the rest of your legs.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Skinny Roll

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1. 1
   Try a skinny roll on skinny and slim-fit pants with narrow shoes. Skinny cuffs look best on pants that don’t have a lot of excess fabric at the bottoms of the legs. Since a skinny roll has a thinner profile than other large cuffs, try wearing them with a pair of narrow sneakers or slip-ons for a really stylish look.

   • Avoid using a skinny roll for large, bulky shoes, like work boots or chunky sneakers, since it could make your feet appear larger than they are.
2. 2
   Roll the hem up over the seam. Pinch the bottom of your pants legs near the inseam and slowly fold it up. Make the first fold just as thick as the seam and smooth it out.

   • If you’re wearing cut-off skinny jeans that don’t have hemmed seams, you might not be able to do thin cuffs. Without the seams, the cuffs may be too thin to stay in place. In that case, you may want to try double-roll cuffs instead.
3. 3
   Fold the cuffs a second time (and a third if you’d like). Bring the rolled edge at the bottom of your pants leg up and fold it over again. Keep the cuff the same size after you fold it so it doesn’t get any wider. If you want a little more of your shoe or ankle showing, then roll your cuff one more time and smooth it out.

   • For low-top shoes, roll your pants 1 ¹⁄₂–2 inches (3.8–5.1 cm) above your ankle. For high-top shoes, roll each cuff up until your entire shoe is showing.
   • If the cuffs feel too tight on your legs, roll them down some so they fit a little looser.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Pinroll

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1. 1
   Use the pinroll cuff for pants with wider legs and any type of shoes. Try pinrolls on jeans, chinos, khakis, and trousers that have a little extra fabric near the cuff. Since a pinroll cuff fits tightly against your leg, it looks great with any shoe in your closet, including low-tops and high-tops.

   • Pinrolls are a great way to cuff your pants if they’re too long and too wide.
   • Skinny jeans and tight-fitting pants usually don’t have enough excess fabric for a pinroll.
   • Avoid doing pinroll cuffs on boot-leg pants since they have too much excess fabric and could make the rolls look bulky.
2. 2
   Pull the inseam out and away from your leg. Hold onto the hem of your pant leg where it meets the inseam. Pull the hem tightly on the same side as the inseam so a small excess of fabric hangs off your leg.

   • Keep the seam on the outside of your pant leg pulled tightly against your ankle.
3. 3
   Fold the excess fabric back toward your heel. First, pinch the excess fabric between your thumb and index finger where it meets your inner ankle. Then, pull the fabric tight against your leg and wrap it back to your heel. Keep holding the fold in place over your heel so it doesn’t come undone.

   • Folding the excess fabric back before you roll up your pants makes them tapered at the bottom and fit your leg tighter.
4. 4
   Roll your pant leg up twice to secure the fold in place. Take the bottom hem of your pant leg up and roll it up your leg by about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm). Then, fold the cuff over again by another 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm). When you’re finished, the excess fabric that was hanging down will tuck into the cuff and give you a nice, clean appearance.

   • If you’re wearing low-top shoes, the bottom of the cuff should be about 1.5–2 inches (3.8–5.1 cm) above your ankle. For high-top shoes, you can have the cuff cover the top of your shoe, or you can roll it up higher so it falls just above the top of your shoe.
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Tips

• If you want to permanently cuff your pants, you can sew them in place.
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• If you want a tighter fit, secure the cuffs with rubber bands so they don’t slip down your legs.
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