One of the best ways to get the perfect fit in a pair of pants is by finding the correct outseam measurement. This guide will help you learn how to measure an outseam, how it differs from measuring the inseam, and how you can help your e-commerce customers order the right items.
What Is an Outseam Measurement?
An outseam is what clothing manufacturers and tailors call the length of the outer side of a pair of pants or shorts, whether or not there is actually a seam on the side. It covers the distance from the top of the waistband down to the bottom of the hem of the leg.
This distance is approximately the same as the space from the hip bone to the ankle. It spans the overall length of the pants but does not include any tassels or decorative elements extending beyond the bottom hem or up above the waistband.
Why Is the Outseam Measurement Important?
A recent study discovered that e-commerce companies lost 17.6% of online sales revenue to returns. Of all goods, clothing is the most returned item. When customers can easily measure an outseam and follow clear sizing guidelines on your site, they can order the right item and reduce the number of returns you receive.
How Do You Measure an Outseam?
In general, you can measure the outseam in two ways.
Using a Pair of Well-Fitting Pants
The easiest way to measure an outseam is with a pair of pants that fit you comfortably. Lay the garment flat on a table. With a soft tape measure, measure the side or back of the pants straight down from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the hem.
Record the measurement. For men’s pants, note the nearest whole inch, but record the nearest ¼ inch for women’s pants.
It is often best to use a pair of mid-rise pants or jeans. However, someone looking to buy low-rise or high-rise pants should measure a pair that has that same style.
Measuring the Body
Measuring the body is a trickier method, but it can work with some help. The person needing the outseam measurement should have someone else measure their leg from the top of the waist to the bottom of the ankle bone. Instead of trying to start from the natural waist or hip bone, the person measuring should start from the spot where the wearer prefers the waistband to be.
If the individual getting measured is wearing shoes, then the helper can measure to the top of the sole. The footwear should be what the customer would typically wear with the style of pants they want to order. However, this method can also introduce more variability in fit, so it’s often better to measure the outseam without shoes.
Outseam vs. Inseam: What’s the Difference?
While the outseam measures the distance on the outer side of the leg, the inseam covers the inner side of the leg (naturally). You measure the inseam by running a measuring tape from the crotch of the leg to the bottom of the hem.
The inseam tends to be a more consistent and less variable measurement than the outseam. For that reason, it’s the standard way to measure men’s slacks. Most measurements include the waist circumference and inseam length in inches. So, a label that reads “34×32” is for a pair of pants that has a 34-inch waist and a 32-inch inseam.
When comparing the outseam vs. the inseam, the outseam is longer. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that customers are supplying the correct measurements when ordering a pair of pants or shorts and not just reading the label.
How Much Longer Is the Outseam Than the Inseam?
The outseam measurement can be up to 25% longer than the inseam. Therefore, pants with a 32-inch inseam could have a 40-inch outseam.
However, because of fit and style, there is no set difference in length between the inseam and the outseam. To find an accurate outseam, a customer should specifically measure for it and not calculate it from the inseam.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Measuring the Outseam?
To calculate an accurate outseam, avoid the following mistakes:
- Starting or stopping at the wrong point: The person measuring should make sure they’re beginning and ending at the correct positions.
- Having poor posture: When measuring against a person’s body, the person getting measured needs to stand up straight but not be unnaturally rigid.
- Holding the tape measure too loosely: While the measuring tool doesn’t need to be extremely tight to get a good measure, it should not have any slack in it.
- Measuring over bulky clothes: A baggy pair of pants or jeans could result in extra length, so it’s best to measure the outseam on the skin or over form-fitting clothes.
- Rounding too far up or down: While we don’t always like the number we see, measuring to the nearest inch for men and the nearest ¼ inch for women results in the most flattering fit.
As a good rule of thumb, the person measuring should double-check the figure for accuracy.
Help Customers Get the Right Outseam Measurement
The outseam measurement can be one of the easiest ways to help new customers find the right length for a pair of pants from your online Shopify store. Customers also need an easy-to-understand sizing chart that helps them avoid mistakes and get the perfect fit the first time.
Kiwi Sizing can help with that! Contact our team to learn how our Shopify app can make life a lot easier for you and your customers by simplifying outseam measurements.
