How do you cuff jeans?

The short answer

One clean fold of about an inch, doubled if the leg is long, sitting just above the ankle bone. Cuff to control length and to show the shoe, not as decoration — and keep the fold narrower on a slim leg and wider on a straight or wide one.

The basic fold

Turn the hem up about an inch and press the fold flat with your hand. If the leg is long, fold the same amount again rather than making one deep turn — two narrow folds sit closer to the leg and look intentional where one thick one looks like a mistake.

The cuff should finish just above the ankle bone. Much higher reads costume; much lower and you haven’t solved the problem you were cuffing to solve.

Match the cuff to the leg

  • Straight and wide legs take a wider cuff, up to about two inches.
  • Slim legs need a narrow one, or none — a bulky fold on a narrow leg bunches.
  • Raw or selvedge denim holds a fold well and is worth a deeper single turn if you want the selvedge to show.

Cuff for the shoe

The reason to cuff is usually to let the shoe be seen. Boots want a cuff that clears the top; trainers want a little ankle showing. If the hem is pooling on the shoe, cuffing is a temporary fix — having them shortened is the permanent one, and it’s cheap.

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Related questions

  • Should the cuff show my ankle?

    It can, and it usually reads lighter and more deliberate than a cuff that stops mid-shin. The point is that the hem sits above the shoe rather than crumpling onto it.

  • Does cuffing work on every cut?

    Not really. It suits straight and wide legs best. On a very slim leg a cuff can bunch, and shortening the hem properly is the better answer.

More on wearing what you own

  • How do you dress well in very cold weather?

    Layer in three: a base that moves moisture, a mid layer that traps heat, and a shell that stops wind and water. Warmth comes from the air held between layers, not from one thick coat, which is why three thin ones usually beat one heavy one.

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