How to Tie Long Pants

Co-authored by Elle Monus and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: November 1, 2024 References

Pulling on long pants can be a drag (literally). It’s no fun to walk around in pants that are pooled around your ankles, and it can distract from your overall outfit. Fortunately, you can either cuff your pants by rolling them up or turn them into cinched pants with a rubber band. Either way, you can switch up your look by tying up your long pants into fitted ones that look stylish.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cuffing Pants with a Rubber Band

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1
Roll your pants about 3 in (7.6 cm) up. Standing straight with your feet facing forwards, roll each of your pant legs up about 3 inches (7.6 cm). It may look a bit silly at first, but don’t worry—you’ll be fixing the cuff in just a moment.^{[1]
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- You can cuff any pants with a rubber band, including jeans, sweatpants, and track pants.
2
Slide a rubber band onto the center of the cuff. Lift up your foot and roll a rubber band up past your ankle onto the cuff. Situate the rubber band so it’s in the middle of the cuff that you rolled up, then put another rubber band on your other leg.^{[2]
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- If you don’t have a rubber band, use a hair tie instead.
- Try to pick a rubber band that’s not super tight around your leg, or it could get uncomfortable throughout the day.
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Roll the top part of the cuff down over the rubber band so that it’s hidden by your pants again. You should have a slightly smaller cuff now, but not a perfectly smooth cuff just yet.^{[3]
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4
Tuck the rubber band underneath your pants. Flip the cuff all the way underneath the rubber band so that it’s completely hidden by your pants. Adjust the rubber band if you need to so your pants sit tightly around your calves.^{[4]
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- You can use this cuffing method to turn sweatpants and track pants into joggers or jeans into capris.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Tying a Single Loop Drawstring

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1
Pull the drawstring out so it’s tight around your waist. Put your drawstring pants on and pull the drawstring out and away from your body so that it’s tight. Make sure your pants are sitting on your hips and that they feel comfortable.^{[5]
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- A single loop drawstring is a drawstring that’s connected in the front, making it hard to tie in a typical bow.
2
Pull the middle of the drawstring inwards to make 2 loops. Grab either side of the drawstring and gently pull them outwards while pushing the middle in toward your waist to fold the drawstring in half. Make sure the sides are relatively even so that you have enough to work with on both sides.^{[6]
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- All you’re trying to do is separate the drawstring into 2 halves so you can work with it like a typical drawstring.
3
Loop one side through the other side to make a knot. Grab 1 loop and pull it over the other loop to cross them. Then, pull the first loop through the second loop, but don’t pull them taut just yet.^{[7]
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- Think about tying the loops like you’d tie your shoes.
4
Pull the left loop through the center loop. As you create your knot, you’ll notice that there’s a large opening loop in between the 2 original loops you created. Grab the loop that you’re holding in your left hand and pull it through the center loop, then pull the 2 sides taut to make a knot tight against your waist.^{[8]
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- Pulling the knot through the extra loop makes it adjustable so your pants are more comfortable.
5
Tie the remaining ends into a bow to keep the knot in place. Fold 1 end of the drawstring in half to make a smaller loop, then tie the other end around it at the base. Pull the drawstring ends taut to keep your knot in place when you wear your pants.^{[9]
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- To adjust the tightness of your drawstring, just undo the last bow you just made and pull on the center knot.