How to Get Jeans Hemmed So They Look Like They Came That Way

Most of us own a pair of jeans that fits everywhere except the length. The waist is right, the seat is right, and the legs either pool over your shoes or stop an inch too high. Hemming jeans sounds like a five-minute job, and the sewing itself can be quick, but there's a real difference between a hem that says someone shortened these and one that looks like it came from the factory. Here's what creates that difference, so you know what to ask for.

Why jeans are harder to hem than other pants

Denim is thick, and jeans are built with heavy, flat-felled seams. At the bottom of each leg the side seam and the inseam fold over themselves, so a needle has to push through several layers of cotton at once. Light machines skip stitches there, and thin needles snap. That's the mechanical problem.

The visual problem is the hem itself. Factory jeans are finished with a heavy thread, often in a gold or orange tone, and the folded edge has been creased and faded by washing and wear. If the hem is simply cut and turned, you get a flat, crisp, obviously new edge sitting under faded denim. Anyone who glances down will see it, even if they couldn't tell you why the jeans look off.

Two ways to shorten a pair of jeans

Which method is right depends on the cut of your jeans and the look you want. Ask about both when you book.

• A standard hem: the extra length is cut off, the raw edge is folded up and stitched. This is the right choice for trouser-style jeans, wide legs, and pairs where the original hem has already worn away or was plain to begin with.
• Keeping the original hem: the extra length is taken out above the existing hem, and the factory-finished edge is stitched back on at the new, shorter length. The faded fold, the heavy stitching and the texture all stay. It tends to work best on straight and slim legs that don't narrow sharply toward the ankle, because the original hem has to line up with the leg it's joined to.

Bring the jeans and ask whether keeping the original hem is possible on your pair. It isn't always, and a straight answer up front beats a surprise later.

Pick the length with the right shoes on

Length is the part people get wrong most often, and it's almost always because they guessed. Jeans look different with sneakers, boots and heels, and a hem that's perfect with one pair of shoes can be too short or too long with another.

So decide first what you'll wear them with most. Boot-cut and flared jeans usually look best long enough to nearly skim the floor in the shoes you chose, because a short flare looks like a mistake. Straight legs can stop right at the top of the shoe, or take a small break where the denim rests on the laces. Slim and skinny jeans often look cleanest ending at the ankle bone or just above, with no bunching at all. Whatever you prefer, stand up straight, look forward, and check the length in a mirror. A hem marked while you're slouching or sitting will come out wrong.

The back of the leg matters too. A hem is often left a touch longer at the back so it covers the heel of your shoe, and one that's perfectly level all the way around can look short from behind.

What to bring to the fitting

Bring the jeans, and bring them washed. Denim can shrink the first few times through the laundry, so a pair hemmed while stiff and new may end up shorter than you planned. Wash and dry them the way you normally will before you come in.

Bring the shoes you want to wear with them. If you own jeans for different occasions, say one pair for boots and another for everyday sneakers, bring the right shoe for each pair and mention it. Wear something that lets you stand comfortably in front of a mirror. And if you have an opinion about the finish, such as wanting the original hem kept, say so at the start.

ALL-SEW works by appointment, Monday to Saturday, 9:00am to 9:00pm, so you can bring your shoes and check the length standing up. If you need the jeans back quickly, mention it when you call. Emergency service and 24-hour turnaround are available, and so are pickup and delivery.

Caring for a freshly hemmed pair

New stitching is as sturdy as the rest of the jeans, so care for it the way you'd care for the denim. Turn them inside out before washing, use cool or warm water, and hang them to dry or tumble on low. Heat is the main thing that wears denim over time: it shrinks cotton and can pull a hem up a little. Washing inside out also keeps the color and the faded edge of the hem from rubbing harder than the rest of the leg.

And remember what the hem was set for. If you hemmed these for flat sneakers and later want to wear them with a stacked heel, they'll look short. A pair you wear with both is worth hemming for the shoe you wear most, and leaving a little extra for the other.

ALL-SEW in Nampa has been serving the Treasure Valley for over 20 years, and hems, including jeans, are on the list of what we do. To book a fitting, call 208-863-2064. It's by appointment, and please call rather than text.