Hemming trousers is the most requested alteration most tailors do. It is also the one people most often underestimate the price of.
Sometimes it is a quick job. Often it is not.
Plain unlined trousers are the easiest case. The tailor measures the correct length, removes the excess, folds the new hem, stitches it, and presses it flat. Clean and straightforward.
But most trousers are not plain and unlined.
Lined trousers have an inner layer. That lining needs to be hemmed separately, at a slightly different length to the outer fabric, so it sits correctly and does not show beneath the hem. More time. More precision. More cost.
Turn-ups are another step up. The cuff has to be folded, pressed, and secured so the depth is consistent all the way round. It sounds minor. It is not — done badly, it shows immediately.
Thick fabrics — heavy wool, canvas, denim — take longer to press flat. Fine fabrics need a lighter touch to avoid marking or damage. Neither is especially difficult for an experienced tailor, but both take longer than a standard cotton blend.
The fabric affects price. It always does.
A pair of suit trousers is not the same as a pair of chinos.
The fabric is finer. There is usually a lining. And the break — the way the hem falls over the shoe — needs to be set precisely. Too much and the trousers drag. Too little and the proportion reads wrong.
Suit trouser hemming is more careful work than shortening a casual pair, and most tailors price it accordingly. TrustATrader’sclothing alteration price guide gives a useful baseline for UK costs, though London pricing runs above national averages across most skilled trades.
Before anything gets cut, you need to be wearing the right shoes.
The break you get in flat trainers is not the same break you get in heeled boots or formal leather shoes. Come in wearing what you would actually wear with the trousers. Stand naturally. That is the length to set.
Once the fabric is cut, it is gone. There is no fixing a hem that has been shortened too far.
Ourclothing alterations service handles trouser hemming across all types — casual, formal, lined, turn-ups. If you also need jacket work done at the same time, oursuit alterations service covers both together.
We are on Arlington Way in Angel, EC1R. A few minutes from Angel tube. Customers come to us from across Islington, Clerkenwell, and the N1 and EC1 postcodes.
Not sure about the length? Come in with the shoes and we will sort it.
A plain hem can usually be turned around within a few days. Lined trousers or turn-ups take a little longer. If you are up against a deadline — a wedding, an event — ask when you drop them off. Most tailors can work to a tighter turnaround when the schedule allows.
Yes, if at all possible. The shoes affect how the hem sits and how the break looks. A flat sole gives a different result than a heel. Getting it wrong means a second visit.
There are two layers to deal with — the outer fabric and the inner lining. Both need to be finished at slightly different lengths so the lining does not pull or show at the bottom. It takes longer, and the extra time is reflected in the price.
No. Once fabric is cut away, it cannot be replaced. If trousers have been shortened beyond the correct length there is usually nothing a tailor can do to recover it. This is exactly why it pays to set the length carefully before the scissors come out.
A basic hem on simple trousers is possible with a sewing machine and patience. Suit trousers and lined trousers are much harder to finish cleanly at home — particularly the pressing, which requires proper equipment to get right. For anything formal or structured, a tailor is worth it.
