I would appreciate your thoughts on trouser cuff size. I started off decades ago, with 1 and 3/4 inch, but eventually migrated to 1 and 1/2. My understanding is that the size is a function of height. I'm more of a traditionalist in terms of fashion. My trousers have a "break", cuff and pleats despite trends of recent years.
A general rule is 1 and 1/2 inches for a man under 5’10” and 1 and 3/4 inches for anyone taller, but I’m a strong advocate that rules are made to be broken. It’s possible to go larger or smaller and still look right. That’s where intuition and the opinion of a good tailor come in.
That being said, men looking to cuff their trousers should keep in mind that too large of a cuff may make someone appear a bit shorter. It’s all about visual balance.
In 2023, cuffing is a way to stand out from the crowd as a traditionalist, as it’s not as common in today’s menswear. It gives visual weight to the shoes and can be used to break up the silhouette. It should be kept in mind that, in general, cuffed pants do give off a bit more of a casual effect.
For pant length, I recommend hemming to no break, quarter break or—at the most—half break to keep the look clean and contemporary. A full break with trouser cuffs is much more of a vintage approach to tailoring. It can be pulled off, but there is a risk of looking dated.
As a person of average height, I personally prefer the clean look of pants without cuffs that make me look a bit taller, but I’ve seen others pull off the look very well in a variety of ways. Here are some samples of where I think it looks good in contemporary menswear:
I hope that helps!
