Inseam is the inside leg, from the crotch to the hem, and it is the number that decides whether trousers break neatly on the shoe or puddle on the floor. It is awkward to take on yourself, so here are three reliable ways, the outseam and rise that go with it, and what changes for a churidar, pajama or salwar.
No measuring tape? Prop your phone, turn around twice, and the Silai scanner takes every measurement on this page in about two minutes, free, for men and women. Try the scanner
Use a soft tape over thin clothing. Give body measurements only; the tailor adds ease for the style you choose.
| Height | Typical inseam | Ready-made length |
|---|---|---|
| 155 cm (5 ft 1) | 68 to 71 cm (27 to 28 in) | short |
| 160 cm (5 ft 3) | 71 to 74 cm (28 to 29 in) | short |
| 165 cm (5 ft 5) | 74 to 77 cm (29 to 30 in) | short to regular |
| 170 cm (5 ft 7) | 76 to 79 cm (30 to 31 in) | regular |
| 175 cm (5 ft 9) | 79 to 82 cm (31 to 32 in) | regular |
| 180 cm (5 ft 11) | 81 to 85 cm (32 to 33 in) | regular to long |
| 185 cm (6 ft 1) | 84 to 88 cm (33 to 35 in) | long |
| 190 cm (6 ft 3) | 87 to 91 cm (34 to 36 in) | long |
Typical ranges for trousers hemmed to the top of a flat shoe. Legs vary for the same height, so use this to sanity-check a measurement, not to replace one. Ready-made lengths: short or petite about 74 to 76 cm (29 to 30 in), regular 78 to 81 cm (31 to 32 in), long 84 to 86 cm (33 to 34 in).
| Garment | Hem sits at | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Trousers, chinos, suit trousers | top of the shoe heel, 1 to 2 cm off the floor | measure in the shoes you will wear |
| Jeans | top of the shoe or with a small break | cuff length is taste |
| Straight pajama | ankle bone, plus 1 to 2 cm | drawstring waist, give the low waist |
| Churidar | ankle bone plus 8 to 15 cm | the extra gathers at the ankle on purpose |
| Salwar or patiala | ankle bone | wide leg, mohri set by style |
| Palazzo or sharara | floor minus 1 cm in the intended shoe | the flare is the style |
Where the hem sits for the common South Asian and Western bottoms. A tailor will ask which shoe you will wear; say so with the measurement.
Length is the measurement people notice first and forgive least. A trouser 2 cm too long breaks over the shoe and looks borrowed; 2 cm too short shows sock. Because the hem is the last thing cut, a wrong inseam is also the hardest mistake to undo, so tailors would rather have two numbers, inseam and outseam, than one.
For South Asian bottoms the inseam is only half the story. A churidar is deliberately cut longer than the leg so it gathers at the ankle; a straight pajama sits a touch above the shoe; a salwar's length depends on the mohri. Say which garment you are measuring for, and in which shoe, and the number becomes useful.
Rise is what makes trousers comfortable. Outseam minus inseam gives it, and the front and back rise measurements refine it. If your trousers pull at the seat or sag at the front, the rise was wrong, not the inseam.
Scan yourself with your phone camera on Silai: about 2 minutes, free, no tape and no second person. You get every measurement on this page, and you can see your own sheet right now, no account needed.
Inseam runs from the crotch down the inside of the leg to the hem; outseam runs from the waistband down the outside. Outseam minus inseam is the rise. Tailors like both because together they fix where the trouser sits and where it ends.
For dress trousers and chinos, the hem sits at the top of the shoe heel with a slight break in the front crease, about 1 to 2 cm off the floor. Jeans can be shorter. Always measure in the shoes you will wear.
Measure to the ankle bone, then tell the tailor which garment it is. A straight pajama is cut 1 to 2 cm longer than that; a churidar 8 to 15 cm longer so it gathers at the ankle. The tailor makes the addition, so send the ankle length itself.
Most people of that height have an inseam between 75 and 78 cm (29.5 to 31 in), a regular length in most ready-made ranges. Confirm it from a pair of trousers that fits before ordering.
Yes, and it is the most reliable way to do it alone: lay the jeans flat, smooth the leg, and measure the inside seam from the crotch to the hem. Use a pair whose length you actually like.
The Silai scan measures the hip-to-ankle length, the thigh and your height, which is what a tailor needs to set a trouser, pajama or churidar length; the inseam is derived from them. Confirm with a tape if the trouser is very fitted.
Body measurement chart: what size am I? · How to measure your bust or chest · How to measure your waist · How to measure your hips · How to measure sleeve length and arm length · How to measure shoulder width
Measuring for a garment? Saree blouse measurements · Kurta size chart, sizing and measurements · Lehenga measurements · Salwar kameez measurements · Gown and anarkali measurements · What measurements does a tailor need?