It’s no big secret that I’m a major fan of looser, slouchier jean…preferably ripped & shredded to the point that I look like I was on the losing end of a death match with a weed whacker. Slouchy boyfriend style jeans look (at least imo) far better with a cuff at the ankle…
TO CUFF OR NOT TO CUFF, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Being the elfin-sized girl that I am, I’m more than a little familiar with the cuff game. Sure, I could get my pants shortened, however believe it or not it’s really challenging to find a seamstress/tailor in the area that I live. So cuffs it is.
Cuffs can for sure add visual interest to a look. The reason I like a cuff on a perfectly baggy distressed pair of boyfriend jeans is that the cuff just adds to whole laid back vibe of that particular style of jeans. They’re also handy when you want to show off your super cute ankle booties that would otherwise be covered by your pantleg.
However, there is one problem with cuffs whether they be a cuff that you made yourself or a cuff that came professionally done on a pair of dress pants…a cuff is a horizontal line on your body which means it’s cuts the flow of the length lines thus shortening the appearance of your legs.
See Exhibit A: 
To be fair, it isn’t only the cuffs that contribute to the shorter appearance of my leg line in today’s outfit on the left. I’m also wearing an almost flat sandal as opposed to a heel. Heels are another easy way to lengthen the appearance of our legs/bodies as you can see in the photo on the right (see original post).
If had I thrown on my higher heeled sandals the cuff wouldn’t have had as much of an effect as it does with the flat sandals. Also, a more narrow cuff like say, 1″ to an 1 1/2″ would create less of a horizontal break in the line of the leg than the wider cuff that I have…the wider the cuff, the bigger the break in the line.
The biggest consideration when deciding whether to cuff or not to cuff your pants is this: How do you feel? If the break in the leg line is making you feel like a frumposaurus then absolutely do not cuff your pants and throw on some heels to further enhance your leg length. But if you feel incredible & ready to rock & roll, then go with those vibes and dress intuitively. In other words, if you are feelin’ it, then wear it!
LEG LENGTHENING TIPS
If you are looking to visually lengthen your legs though, keep these things in mind:
- Wear pants without cuffs. If your pants are too long, find a great tailor & have them hemmed.
- Wear at least a 2″ to 2 1/2″ heel…pumps, sandals, boots, it doesn’t matter as long as their is a higher heel to give the illusion of length.
- Cuff your pants with a narrower cuff, no more than 1 1/2″ in width.
- Don’t cuff any higher than the top of your ankle bone.
- Full tuck or front tuck your shirt. This also lengthens the look.
- Go with no socks or a sock that is close in color to the fabric of the cuff itself (remember…denim is lighter on the inside).
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more good reads & style ideas…
Kimono: Caite & Kyla (Similar); Jeans: American Eagle; Cami: Nordstrom (Similar); Sandals: Target (Similar)
