The Best Trouser Length for Ladies

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woman wears bootcut pants with a weird frilly top; she also is wearing steel-toed boots

What is the correct trouser length for ladies? Where should pants hit with heels and flats? We haven't talked about this in a while… so let's discuss!

(Stay tuned for a future roundup of the correct trouser lengths with FLATS, which can be tricky as well!)

{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}

The Correct Trouser Length for Ladies

Trousers are hugely popular right now, as ankle pants have taken a back seat to full-length pants such as wide-leg trousers and flared or bootcut dress pants. Full-length pants can be problematic, though, because it can be difficult to find the correct hem length for you — and one that works with all of your work shoes.

{related: a guide to suiting alterations}

General Tips on How to Choose Your Pant Length

Before You Take Your Pants to the Tailor or Hem Them Yourself…

You may want to launder the pants first (particularly if they're machine washable), because sometimes fabrics can shrink or expand in the wash, and you really won't know until you launder the pants.

You should also pick out a pair of shoes to try on your pants — ideally these would be THE shoes you plan to wear with them. If you have multiple shoes with the exact same heel height then you can switch up your shoes, but in general you cannot switch between, say, flats and heels with hemmed pants.

One possible exception here: I have often found that pants that I hemmed for very low kitten heels can be worn with flats as well… but your mileage may vary.

What are your best tips on trouser length for ladies?

{related: the perfect pants fit — not too tight, not too loose}

How to Commute With Pants Hemmed for Heels

Perhaps you would really like to wear 3″ heels at work with your pants… but you don't want to commute in 3″ heels. The easiest way to deal with this is to have heeled commuting shoes — generally fairly fugly shoes that have the correct height but are much more walkable. Then, when you get to work, you can swap the fugly shoes for your office shoes.

If you're hunting for commuting heels, as of 2024 we'd recommend brands like FLY LondonDansko, Eileen Fisher, Børn and Miz Mooz. These help you maintain height for pants hemmed for heels — but with more comfortable shoes for your commute.

Another option: wedge sneakers.

There are occasionally products like clips that can help you hem your pants on the go… but in my experience these don't look great. (I can't actually find any on the market right now; let me know if you know of any!)

But: If you have a weather-related emergency, you can always try binder clips to help your pants avoid getting wet (or, you know, tuck them into your socks if that's an option). Again, these aren't ideal situations, but with some expensive or favorite pairs of pants it's worth looking odd for one commute rather than have that one commute kill your hem.

Where Should Pants Hit With Heels?

(When choosing pants for the illustrations here, we're going with the description from the retailer on whether the pants are wide-leg, flared, bootcut, or straight-leg, but I'll admit at the outset that there could be some crossover here between a lot of the categories.)

Most images are linked to either the product page or the Corporette post discussing the product…

Also, as noted above, stay tuned for a discussion of proper hem length with flats…

The Correct Length for Wide-Leg Pants with Heels

This is what I would say is the correct length for wide-leg pants worn with heels… would you agree? (These images are all taken from recent Workwear Reports. I'll try to add the links later… you can also check out our latest favorite wide-leg pants for work at the bottom, or check out the full post on the best wide leg pants to wear to work!)

My $.02: The correct wide-leg pants should hit about a half inch above the floor at the back of the shoe/heel, and it should at least cover most of your vamp / top of foot (perhaps down to the point where your toes meet the rest of your foot), with a break in the pants.

So, for example, for the pants below, the plaid pair is definitely too short because there is no break in the pants, whereas the black pair has a break but the hem is dragging along the floor. The orange pair is ALMOST the correct length, but in an ideal world I'd hem it maybe half an inch more to cover more of the forefoot (and to get a break in the pants).

Readers, what say you?

Wide leg pants, below: 1) Almost Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long

{related: the best shoes to wear with wide-leg pants}

Our Latest Favorite Wide Leg Pants

Hunting for more wide-leg pants to wear to work? In 2025, general favorites include pleated pairs like Aritzia, Favorite Daughter, Everlane*, Reformation*, and Abercrombie*, with flat-front pairs from Good American,* M.M.LaFleur, and Ann Taylor (* = plus sizes; see the post for notes on petites and talls). We've also shared our thoughts on what shoes to wear with wide-leg pants!

The Correct Length for Flared Pants with Heels

I feel like it's much more common to see more casual flared pants (such as jeans or pull-on pants) as opposed to flared trousers, so it can be tricky to know where the hem should hit for a work outfit.

With the examples below, I think it's very easy to see how the “too short” and “too long” examples are just that… but finding the correct hem length can be a bit more difficult. I've finally decided to use these Spanx pants, which I think showcase a lot of the things I would say is the correct length for flared pants with heels — the pants are not dragging on the floor, there is no huge break, and you can't see the entire shoe… still, I might like to see these a smidge shorter, such as a quarter of an inch.

(These Gap pants also look good, but I think you can see too much of the heel and forefoot… but it's a tricky question!)

What say you, readers?

Flared pants for work outfits, below: 1) Almost Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long

Our Latest Favorite Flared Pants for Work Outfits

Stay tuned for our latest favorite office-appropriate flared pants for women! In general in 2025, check out Spanx, Hugo Boss, Theory, Quince, Amazon seller Rekucci, Anthropologie's Maeve line, and Eloquii.

The Correct Length for Bootcut Pants with Heels

Bootcut pants are some of the most forgiving, I think, because a lot of the lengths look OK. I think ultimately the Good American ones below look just right because there is no break in the pant, but the hem is not dragging on the floor — and I like how it hits the forefoot right at the point where the metatarsals meet the phalanges. (I'll admit, I just Googled “toe bones” for that description…)

Meanwhile, the middle pair look too short — there's way too much of the shoe heel showing — and the gray pair (McQueen) is going to be dragging on the ground.

Bootcut pants for work, below: 1) Just Right 2) Too Short 3) Too Long

Our Latest Favorite Bootcut Pants for Work

There are a bunch of great bootcut dress pants. Some of our favorites as of 2025 include Theory, Spanx, Boss, and Good American, as well as the very affordable Tapata brand (with tall, petite, and regular lengths). On the more casual side, check out KUT from the Kloth cords, Wit & Wisdom jeans, and Betabrand “dress yoga pants.

The Correct Length for Straight-Cut Trousers with Heels

Getting the hem correct on straight-cut trousers is the hardest, I think… Looking through some of the options, though, that may be because it can be more a matter of personal style compared with the others. For example, of the three pants below, I think all of them could be a good hem length, even though Option A is just below the ankle bone, Option B hits at the top of your foot (but without a break), and Option C is hemmed to just above the ankle bone (but feels a bit longer to me than “ankle pants” or cropped pants).

What say you, readers?

Straight leg pants below, all “just right”: Options A, B, and C

Our Latest Favorite Straight-Cut Dress Pants for Women

Straight pants can be a bit tricky to get the hem correct, and they have a slight potential to be frumpy. That said, they are a classic because they tend to be immune from trends. Some great options in 2025 include reader-favorites Nic & Zoe pants, NYDJ, J.Crew, these “perfect” pants from Spanx, and the very affordable Amazon seller Tapata (with petite, regular, and tall sizes).

Some Of Our Latest Favorite Trousers for Women

We've noted specific styles above… but in general, these are our latest favorite trousers for women…

The Best Dress Pants for Women in General

As of 2025, we think the best work pants for women include longtime favorites such as Nic + Zoe, Theory, NYDJ, J.Crew, and M.M.LaFleur — as well as trendy brands like Spanx, and Favorite Daughter. For budget-friendly styles, check Quince, Old Navy, and Amazon seller Tapata.

The Best Plus-Size Pants for Work

Hunting for the best plus-size pants for work? As of 2024, favorites include Eloquii, Nic & Zoe, NYDJ, Universal Standard, Liverpool, J.Crew, and Lafayette 148 New York.

The Best Pull-On Pants for Work

There are a bunch of great pull-on pants for the office in 2025. Some of our longstanding favorites include those from Athleta*, Eileen Fisher*, Betabrand*, and Uniqlo. If you're looking for something a bit more polished but still ultra comfy, check out Nic & Zoe* or NYDJ*. (Brands with plus sizes are marked with asterisks.)

12 Comments

  1. Going anon for this, but trying to get out of an intellectual rut. I don’t really want to shake up my work (I’m good at what I do, and have made peace with not getting challenged often intellectually at the office). I read a diverse range of books and news sources, but miss exposure to new ideas and deeper learning. I do not want to go back to school, I’d rather be able to choose how deep to dive. I feel that I have lost a great deal of intellectual curiosity and flexibility/capacity in the last 3-4 years. I live in a flyover state, am about an hour drive from a State U, have a fairly unpredictable work schedule, and would be willing to spend about 2-3k this year on trying new things/sources/events. Ideas?

    1. I don’t think I understand what you mean by choosing “how deep to dive.” So this advice might not quite be what you’re looking for. But I think you need to learn something new. That could be a skill (a language, a craft, a cuisine) — and then you could build on that if it remains interesting. So you could learn, say, Italian, and then travel, learn to cook/try different regional Italian foods, go into art or art history, etc.

    2. Check with your local extension office. Most have a master gardener program, if you have an interest in a more scientific approach to plants, soil and the environment. They may also have contacts with local history, environmental, archaeology associations, or folks from the state U who are doing fieldwork in your area.
      Is there a community theatre in your town? People who volunteer to work on productions “wherever needed” are in constant demand and it can get you out of your comfort zone and learning new things (lights, sound, costuming, people-herding, set construction, etc).

    3. I’ve been doing this for years. I start by picking a topic and heading to my library to find some books, as well as doing some internet searches. I let my interest guide the direction I go and whether I dive deep or stay shallow and go broad.

    4. How much time off work do you have? If you could take several weeks off once, I think living in a foreign country and taking cooking or language classes would be a great experience.

    5. A lot of universities post their syllabuses (syllabi? Maybe I need to go back to school!) online. When I’ve had a particular interest, I’ve searched universities I trust to look for recent courses that cover that area and look at the syllabus to start generating a reading list. There’s also always options like the great courses, MIT online lectures (youtube), or coursera etc. which I think are great for providing a guide and more context to any solo reading. Good luck! This sounds like a great project.

    6. You may enjoy the Great Courses (now called Wondrium). They have all sorts of topics and you can get a subscription. My retired mom has done some courses from and really liked them

  2. I was curious if there was a past article or discussion on here regarding work pants for those of us that are….less endowed on the backside. To be frank, I have a flat butt and finding flattering slacks is pretty difficult. I usually just remedy this with long cardigans, but it’s starting to get one. Is there a post on this or might anyone be able to provide a recommendation?

  3. I was curious if there was a past article or discussion on here regarding work pants for those of us that are….less endowed on the backside. To be frank, I have a flat butt and finding flattering slacks is pretty difficult. I usually just remedy this with long cardigans, but it’s starting to get old. Is there a post on this or might anyone be able to provide a recommendation?

  4. I think this is needlessly nitpicky on pant lengths and if I was this precise, I’d never wear pants. I get mine hemmed so I can wear them with flats and will also do a heel if the mood hits. It’s a lot easier than this level of microprecision.

    1. I agree. I’m also tall and so have had to come to peace with the idea that a lot of things are going to be ankle length on me if I can’t find that style in a long or tall size. Just lean into it as a look and pick a shoe that doesn’t look awkward with that length.

    2. 1000% disagree – this is one of those basic things that really makes every outfit you wear look better if you’re wearing the proper shoe with the proper hem…

Comments are closed.