What Does Tapered Leg Mean in Jeans?

Jennifer

Do you want to be at the forefront of fashion? A perfect pair of jeans is an essential part of your impeccable image. Narrow leg trousers are in wear this season. However, what does tapered leg mean in jeans? Which fit would you need? Slim, straight or regular jeans look good. The looser fit is also available on the market. Tapered fit chinos are to be comfortable. They are initially designed for soldiers. So, which fashion is the best to select? Let’s check it.

Slim Tapered Dress Pants Pre-History

How should the stylish trousers look today? Nice clean contour is preferable. Excess fabric and wrinkling are to be eliminated. Who has invented minimalistic jeans? Did the original idea imply fabric saving? Of course not. So, let’s dig into the history.

Wide leg jeans were popular during 1920s-1950s. Their voluminous silhouettes made our grandparents look slender. Trouser leg vs straight leg jeans was flowy and billowy. They were still associated with men’s fashions. For women, these romantic clothing details were not common yet.

What Does Tapering Pants Mean?

Tapered pants are narrower at the bottom hem than they are at the thighs. This creates a skinny, tailored look rather than a wide, baggy one.

On a tapered pant, the leg gets progressively slimmer from the thigh down to the ankle opening. This elongated shape flatters tall, slim builds.

Tapering is usually seen on jeans and dress pants, but can also be found on joggers, chinos, and other styles. It contrasts with straight leg pants that maintain the same width from thigh to hem.

For jeans, a tapered leg is narrower than a regular straight cut but not as skinny as a “skinny jean.” It’s a moderate slim fit that flatters most body types. Levi’s 501 tapers and Lucky Brand’s 361 are examples.

For dress pants, a tapered leg is common on suit pants and dress slacks. It looks polished and put-together, while still allowing movement. Examples are Banana Republic’s Aiden Slim Fit and Bonobos Tailored Slim Fit.

To create a tapered look, pants can be purchased with that leg shape already or altered through hemming. Turning up a cuff on straight leg pants can also provide a taper.

Overall, tapering gives pants a modern, slimming silhouette. It helps elongate the leg on taller frames while still being comfortable to wear.

What Are Tapered Leg Trousers?

Meanwhile, in the early 1960s, the situation changed dramatically. Tapered pants grew into fashion. Their styles that became popular were called:

1. Capri.
2. Cigarette.
3. Crop pants.
4. Denim jeans.
5. Pedal pushers.

Bright colors and short shift dresses made a fashion statement. Did women wear tapered pants already? Quite naturally, they did. According to the Women’s International Center, the legal status of women in the USA significantly improved. Several federal laws were adopted. So, more than 12% of married women with children under age 6 worked.

What Are Tapered Jeans Men Worn on the 60s?

Therefore, trousers became an essential part of the casual dress code. 1% of engineers were female. Some women were engaged in manufacturing jobs. Quite naturally, policewomen were not common yet. However, how did the tapered trousers look in the middle of the last century? By the way, tapered fit vs slim fit jeans is form-fitting.

It seems like men still wore wide leg pants in the 60s and 70s. Hippie style was popular. Bell bottom pants became iconic. Meanwhile, California style was at the rage too. Blue jeans were popular. The workwear was initially designed for:

• miners;
• farmers;
• factory workers;
• cattlemen.

The trousers made of hard-wearing cotton were long-lasting. However, the chinos were popularized in Hollywood. By 1975, their silhouettes became slimmer, resembling European suits. Meanwhile, men’s fashion is interchangeable. Tapered trousers are in vogue this year.

What Does Tapered Leg Mean in Jeans?

So, minimal taper suit pants are in wear today. What are they? They stand by the narrow ankle opening. The jeans are commonly made of cotton denim. The workwear made of synthetic fabric blend is also typical nowadays. Stretch jeans are reviving.

Thus, “tapered leg” is something in between straight and skinny fit. It gets narrower from the thigh to the ankle. The silhouette that follows the shape of the human leg makes them very comfortable. The jeans are fitted to your body.

Do you know what does straight leg mean in jeans? Commonly, the trousers are tapered to the knees. Then they go straight. The leg opening diameter from the knee to the ankle is the same. So, the fit does not go out of fashion. Durable clothing is selling on a regular basis.

What is the Difference between Straight Leg and Tapered?

The straight fit is still very classic. The jeans can be a high or low waist. But they don’t hang at the knees. Casual models are also required. They are easy to wear and comfortable.

Tapered leg clothing is tighter near the ankles. These trousers make the leg look longer. So, you look slimmer. Additionally, they are designed to be worn with boots. They fit well. Meanwhile, tapered fit vs slim fit jeans provides more room at the top. Is the difference too slight? Let’s just figure out the amount of ease.

What does slightly tapered leg mean? They are between straight and tapered ones. Would you see the difference? Actually, I don’t know. You might feel it. Meanwhile, skinny jeans are commonly made of stretch denim fabric. The other fits can be made of thick and hard-wearing cotton.

Can a Tailor Taper Jeans?

Do you want to make your trousers look more stylish? Quite naturally, the best option is to hire a professional. With an advanced sewing machine, the clothing would be perfect. If the fabric is thick, finishing the seams by hands can be quite challenging. Embroidery services are provided on request. So, your jeans would be unique.

However, how much would it cost to taper jeans? Do you find it expensive? The services of a dressmaker may be comparative to the price of a pair of new trousers. Buying fabric is not necessary in this case. So, you can try to do it by yourselves.

How to Narrow Wide Leg Pants?

Are you a seamstress? The job is not too difficult. Therefore, you have to:

• decide, where to narrow the trousers;
• pinch the edges on both legs;
• draw a line of the new seam;
• check the lines.

Do you figure out now, how to narrow pants legs? Quite naturally, you are to remove the old stitches and fabric. Draw 2 lines for the new stitch and the edge. The distance between them is to be about 0,5”. It is to be done before you cut away the excess fabric. Ironing can be necessary. It depends on the material.

So, sew a new stitch and backstitch the end of the seams. The process for the second leg is completely the same. Do you want to fold pants into skinny jeans? It would be possible if the fabric is stretchy. The steps would be similar. Just don’t forget to remove the spare fabric. Skinny trousers are to bit your body tight. The folds would be misplaced.

Overall Impression

So, can pants be tapered? It depends on the tailor’s skills and experience. If you’ve got the stylish clothing you like, just update it. However, are jeans tapered in style? The stitches are to be straight and accurate. Maybe, you would just buy a pair of new, modern trousers? However, why don’t you try? Variety in clothing is a good thing.