With rising temps and the need to cool off, slowly, around the world, pants have secured themselves snug above the ankles.
A rolled pant sleeve is an adaptive creature. Show off your kicks and boots while keeping your jeans neat without a slack in the leg, cool off your undercarriage, and strengthen your ankles all in one go.
Different techniques offer different looks depending on your footwear type, but all run the risk of making your feet look like a haphazard mess of loose cloth if the cuff is too loose.
Don’t be a mess, learn how to cuff jeans properly.
How to Cuff Jeans
Simple Cuff
Don’t freak out. Breathe easy. We got you.
See that fleshy digit of an index finger you got? The distance from the tip to the first joint is about an inch, use it as a guide for your cuff length.
Now gulp down a fresh shot of air and take your time with the cuff. Bend the fabric against your leg once, keeping the fold small, about an 1”-1 ½”.
Nice first fold down!
Now, repeat that exact same process once. Don’t fold too much, you’re not navigating the high waters of the Colorado River.
With the cuff secured, take a second to make sure that the fabric is smoothed out and uniform around the ankle. If everything went as planned, the bottom of the cuff should hang ½” above your ankle.
The cuff works for literally all jean styles. Seriously, keep it in your rotation.
Ideal Shoes:
- Low top sneakers
- Runners
- Smart shoes
- Dress shoes
Single Cuff
The single cuff is the progenitor of all cuffs. Every fancy cuff owes their entire existence to this singular cuff.
- Take the edge of your pant sleeve, and roll it up about ½” outwards.
That was really it. However, this cuff tends to work best with pants that are arguably the best length for you already, with the edge of the pant sleeve ending just above your shoe.
Best for dads and those who prefer that iconic Steve Jobs’ look. Not for those who show off their ankles.
This cuff is perfect for regular cut jeans and the occasional skinny jean. It gives a certain pedigree to the regular, working class jean, and adds a bit of neatness.
Ideal Shoes:
- Loafers
- Tennis shoes/runners
- Low tops
The Pinroll
This cuff is the security blanket your pants need. It’s the curtain that pulls up to reveal the pieces of art you wear on your feet.
Similar to a simple cuff, this cuff has the added advantage of pinning the fabric so that the cuff is less likely to unravel.
The first step is a little different: take the sleeve of your pant leg and pull the excess fabric so that the end is wrapped tight around your ankle.
Next, take that excess fabric and fold it over the edge of your pant leg, and fold over that fold about an inch.
That fold acts as the anchor for the cuff, so that it ends up being tighter and less likely to become loose. Finish it off with another fold to keep it tight.
This cuff is perfect for straight leg, tapered fits, loose boot cuts, and slim jeans. Good all around.
Ideal Shoes:
- High tops
- Boots
- Chelsea boots
- Chunky sneakers
The Big Cuff
The cuff is not for the weak. Please check out now if you get anxious easily.
This cuff is big. Like 3 to 4” big.
Working only for those who are taller, have loose pants that stay up, and work in the dirt and grime, this cuff folds only once like a single cuff, just halfway of the shin instead.
Short guys should look the other way, doing this can make your legs look dwarfed.
But for big men, this cuff makes you look tough and hard working. Talk to your local country girls, chances are they are already into you.
Ideal shoes:
- Work boots
- High tops
The Inside-Out
This cuff is particularly rare, like a shiny mewtwo that you’ve been hunting for all your life. It’s also a bit unusual but works well with all shoes. It’s the man your mom dreams of but can’t have.
It works like this: take a big fold inwards with your pant sleeve, about 2 to 3”, then do a reverse 180 and fold outward about an inch over this fold.
This cuff is for slimmer jeans and darker colors, which makes the use of the cuff somewhat limited.
However, it is an interesting cuff and looks finely tailored, so it’s fine if you’re flaunting your expertise a little.
Ideal Shoes:
- Any of your shoes, honestly.
A Final Note
Give your jeans a break and switch up your cuff looks. The reason being that if a cuff is in place too long, your pants tend to take extra damage there along the crease.
Too long and they might end up tearing and ripping off, particularly raw denim that usually isn’t washed.
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