How To Cuff Baggy Jeans And Look Cool

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by Alexandra Mansilla

How To Cuff Baggy Jeans And Look Cool

29 Aug 2024

Photo: Zahra Omer

I am pretty short — 159 centimetres — so every pair of jeans I buy is too long for me. Literally every single one. And since I love wide-leg or baggy jeans, I always end up needing to get them altered.

But you can probably guess how many times I have actually taken them to a tailor. Because finding a tailor and actually going there takes time — time I just don’t have. I remember only making it to a tailor once — I took all my favourite jeans, got them hemmed, and felt like I had moved a mountain.

So, for the longest time, I have just been cuffing my baggy jeans instead of hemming them. Years ago, I didn’t care much about how it looked, so I would just fold them up a bit — just because they were a little too long. I would fold about 3–4 centimetres above the hem, folding the leg outward once. That was it. But now, I think it is better not to cuff this way (even though I have read somewhere that “the single cuff is the father of all cuffs”) — it is worth the effort to go to a tailor and get your jeans properly hemmed.

But how should you cuff baggy jeans?

In my opinion, the bigger the cuff, the better. So go for a mega cuff. This style gets its name from the larger fold of denim you create. It is similar to the single cuff, but instead of folding up just 3–4 centimetres, you are folding up much more. This way, it doesn’t look like you are just dealing with jeans that are too long — it looks intentional and stylish.

Also, I found an awesome video that demonstrates different ways to cuff jeans — and guess what? The single cuff isn’t even included.

In this video, they also break down which shoes pair best with different cuffing styles. For example, the mega cuff looks great with loafers, Chelsea boots or Dr. Martens boots.

How to Style Baggy Jeans | Spark. YouTube: St. Vital Centre

Personally, I think you can cuff jeans the same way with sneakers, but stylist Casey Downs suggests adding a twist: “You fold the hem of the pants toward the toe of your shoe, and as you hold it with your thumb, you flip the hem inside out, cuff it once, and then cuff it twice, creating a bit of a tailored look at the leg.” This double cuff works with statement heels, too.

How to Style Baggy Jeans | Spark. YouTube: St. Vital Centre

So, to sum up, there are really two types of cuffs that look fashionable and don’t make it obvious that you skipped the tailor and are just trying to keep your jeans off the dirt — the mega cuff and the double cuff (but make sure to watch the instructions, it is not just a simple fold!). And another option is simply... don’t cuff. Just leave your jeans as they are.

by Alexandra Mansilla