The most reliable size chart is a pair of jeans you already wear. Lay them flat, take four measurements, and you can order anything on this site without guessing.
This takes about two minutes and a soft tape measure. A piece of string and a ruler works too.
Start with a pair that fits
Pick the jeans you reach for most, not the ones you are hoping to fit back into. Button them, zip them, and lay them flat on a table with no bunching at the seams. Smooth the fabric once with your hand and leave it.
The four measurements
- Waist. Measure straight across the top of the waistband, edge to edge, then double it. A pair measuring 16 inches across is a 32 inch waist. This is the number that decides whether they close comfortably.
- Inseam. Measure from the crotch seam straight down the inside of the leg to the hem. This decides where the hem lands on your shoe.
- Rise. Measure from the crotch seam up to the top of the waistband at the front. Under 9 inches sits low on the hip. Ten to 11 inches sits at the natural waist.
- Leg opening. Measure across the hem and double it. Under 14 inches is tapered. Over 20 inches is wide leg.
What each number changes
| Measurement | What it decides |
|---|---|
| Waist | Whether they button without pulling |
| Inseam | Where the hem sits on your shoe |
| Rise | Whether a tucked shirt stays tucked |
| Leg opening | Whether the hem stacks or falls straight |
Reading a 32W x 30L label
Waist first, inseam second. A 32W x 30L is a 32 inch waist with a 30 inch inseam. Where a product on this site is sold that way, you pick the two separately, which is why the length arrives right instead of needing a tailor.
Four styles here are sized that way, including the skinny fit and the solid black slim fit.
Where the hem lands
| Inseam | Result |
|---|---|
| 28 inches | Above the shoe, no break |
| 30 inches | Touches the top of the shoe |
| 32 inches | One fold at the ankle |
| 34 inches | Stacks over the shoe |
If the style is sold in letter sizes
Nine styles here run Small, Medium, Large and XX-Large. There is no X-Large on those styles. Our supplier does not make one, and we would rather say that than let you find out at checkout. If you normally wear an X-Large, take the XX-Large and expect a roomier fit, or pick one of the eight styles sold by waist measurement.
If you are between sizes
- Slim and skinny: size up. Stretch denim gives at the thigh, not at the waistband.
- Baggy and wide leg: take your true waist. The room is in the cut, not the sizing.
- Elastic or drawstring waist: take the smaller size and let the waistband take up the rest.
One thing we have not done yet
We do not publish finished garment measurements for these styles. We have not measured them ourselves, and we are not going to print numbers we cannot stand behind. That is why this method matters more here than on a site that lists a measurement for every size.
The size guide has the same method plus the general US letter-size conversion table.