How to Style Pants That Are 'Too Long'

Quick fixes: How to fix long pants without sewing

Although the titles in this post suggest that too-long pants are a problem, the truth is, long-leg jeans, cargos and skinnies are in style, especially among streetwear aesthetics. If you're looking for hacks, quick fixes and styling tips for pants that are too long, Rockstar Original is here for you. Follow us on Instagram for more stacked-denim style inspiration. 

Lesson 1: Long-Pants Lingo 

In streetwear lingo, the style is referred to as stacked and super-stacked jeans. For examples, browse our Men's stacked pants and Women's stacked bottoms. The too-long style can be found in cargo pants, skinny jeans, boot cut jeans, track pants, and sweatpants, all of which are popular cuts in the streetwear aesthetic. 

Stacked jeans and stacked pants refer to men's or women's pants that are extra long and, rather than cuffing, folding, rolling or turning up the extra fabric, it's bunched at the foot to create a cascading effect. Super stacked simply means it's even longer, with even more fabric. 

Lesson 2: Common Hacks for Pants That Are Too Long

For more formal, dressy aesthetics, you probably want to seek the services of a tailor, who can hem your jeans to fit you perfectly. Be sure to take with you the shoes you intend to wear, so your tailor can ensure the hem sits perfectly below your ankle.

For more casual looks, there are 5 ways to fix long pants without sewing, which we'll cover next: 

1. Stacked jeans, cargos, skinny jeans, pants
2. Cuffing jeans
3. Folded jeans
4. Tight roll jeans, roll-up jeans, pin roll, pinch roll
5. Jeans with turn-ups

Stacked hems

Stacked hems are the most popular and modern way to style long jeans. In fact, RSO’s stacked jeans for men and women are designed deliberately long, so the extra fabric bunches in the leg. We experimented with this look in 2022, it really took off in 2023, and it's expected to soar through 2024! We’ve incorporated the stacked-leg look into our distressed streetwear denim, patchwork ripped denim, frayed denim and split-seam flares. You can get more styling ideas for stacked denim, and shop for stacked jeans for men at Rockstar Original.

The easiest and quickest hack for "fixing" pants that are too long is by stacking the legs. This 30-second video shows how to wear stacked jeans. 

Streetwear fashion is casual and comfortable, perfect for a night out or a night in, traveling, casual date night, working from home and even office-casual wear. 

However, for everyday casual looks, you can style your jeans to create dope looks without the services of a tailor thanks to the super stacked trend perfected exclusively by Rockstar Original. Here are three ways to style jeans that are very long: stacking, cuffing, and rolling.

Cuffed jeans

Ready for a little fashion history? So, back in the day, when cowboys and ranchers wore denim because it was durable and practical, jeans were made to fit the tallest men (source: KipperandChalk). That meant that all men’s jeans came in the same lengths. So, shorter and average-height men had to fold up their jeans to cuff them. Cuffed pants became fashionable in men’s suits, too, in the 1920s and 1930.

Ok, but we live in the 2020s, and the question is, “Is it ok to cuff long jeans today?” It depends on who you ask, and, of course, how you do it.

If you do cuff your denim, here are a few basic guidelines:

• Do cuff skinny jeans, slim-fit and straight-leg jeans.
• Don’t cuff wide-leg or boot-cut hems; opt for the stacked look, or consider having them professionally hemmed.
• If you must, cuffs should be about 2 inches.
• Don’t cuff more than 2 inches, or more than twice, especially if you have short legs and don’t want to draw attention to them; cuffed jeans make short legs look even shorter.
• For the streetwear aesthetic, don’t cuff your jeans higher than your ankles; the hem should hit the top of your shoe.

The more you wear your jeans with cuffs, the more the denim will wear and naturally fray at the cuffs. You might be OK with that, as naturally distressed denim jeans are on trend too. If you don’t want your jeans to wear at the cuff, consider altering the folds each time you wear them. Also, again, consider having your jeans professionally tailored or, even better, go for the stacked jean look. It’s very hot for the 2020s.

According to the Denim Hunters wiki, cuffs should not sit higher than the top of your shoes, and they should correspond with the fit of your jeans. So, skinny and slim-fit jeans should have smaller cuffs while wide-leg and flares should have bigger cuffs (or no cuffs). RSO’s designers prefer to see stacked hems on the wide-leg and flare-bottom denim.

Turn-up jeans

Turn-ups, AKA turned-up jeans, are another word for cuffed jeans, especially in menswear. There was a trend a few years ago with women's wear, which saw wide turned-up hems, well beyond today's recommended 2 inches. That style was short-lived and didn't really catch on in the streetwear aesthetic. You're more likely to see stacked folds for men and women. 

TBH, you won’t see a lot of turned up Mens or Womens jeans in streetwear, especially on RSO’s pages. We’re partial to deconstructed and stacked hems. Denim looks for 2023 are wide and loose for men and women, and these styles don’t bode well for turn-ups.

Folded jeans

Jeans folded at the bottom is another word for the cuffed jeans trend. It simply refers to a fold -- single or double (but never more than two folds) -- which creates a cuff at the bottom. A crisp fold in the hem of long jeans is especially popular with skinny jeans. 

One of the common questions we get is, how high can you fold your jeans' hem? Is it OK to show ankle? Or should the fold cover part of the shoe? 

The answer isn't straightforward (is it ever?). The length of your jeans depends on: the season, the shoe or boot you're wearing, and the cut of your jeans. 

For the current streetwear style, longer jeans with stacked legs that sweep the floor are in style. You'll also see shorter trends, especially in summer and for warm-weather vacation looks.   

Rolled up jeans

In the 1980s, tight-rolled jeans were all the rage, and the tighter around the ankle, the better. To achieve the look, for women especially, you’d pinch the bottom of the pant leg at the seam, and then tightly roll it to just above the ankle. Some people referred to this style as pinch roll, French roll, or pegged hems (see it in this article on the80sand90s.com). This sort of rolling or pegging is not back in style (thank goodness).

Is any style of rolling jeans OK? Some fashion aesthetics adopted variations on rolled hems, but only for certain types of pants. Here are the guidelines:

• Don’t roll more than twice or, as Real Men Style says, you’ll look as if you’ve got bagels around your ankles.
• Do roll skinny jeans, biker jeans, and slim-fitting jeans.
• Do roll jeans if the drip is casual.
• Don’t roll jeans if the drip is formal or business casual; opt for stacked or cuffed jeans instead.
• Don’t roll jeans if you want your legs to look slimmer. Rolls add and accentuate bulk.
• Do roll jeans in the summer, with or without socks and sneakers.
• Do roll skinny jeans with booties (women).
• Don't roll jeans with boots; instead, opt for the stacked look for the streetwear aesthetic.  

Lesson 3: Stacked Denim vs Cuffed And Body Type

Many stylists agree that cuffed pants make people look shorter.

The Coolist suggests if you must, shorter men should keep cuffs to about 1.25 inches; taller men may cuff up to 1.75 inches. Even casual cuffs will draw attention. If you are trying to draw attention away from your legs and shoes, don’t cuff your denim; if you don’t care, then cuff away.

Stacked denim, on the other hand, elongates your leg because the hem can actually drag the ground, below your shoes. This is a casual look, not for formal wear, suits or dress pants for men. It looks great with a pair of fresh, white kicks. Women can rock the stacked denim look, too, with a pair of heels, booties or kicks. (We’d probably avoid slides and sandals, as stacked hems will get caught between your feet and your shoes!).