You’re browsing pieceandsole.shop, or some other website, and you’re eyeing a pair of pants. We’ve all been there. But you’re almost always hesitant to buy them because it’s impossible to know how they'll fit without trying them on, right? Not anymore. 

Here, we’ll walk you through a quick and easy five step process to help you figure out how those pants fit. And the best part about it is that these same steps also work for shorts and skirts!

First step, grab your favorite pair of pants and some measuring tape. We’ll explain the rest. You will use these as a reference point, to see how the garment in question will fit in comparison. Feel free to do the same with a skirt, and/or a pair of shorts.

Waist

With the waist buttoned and fly zipped closed, measure the top of the waistband from one side to the other.

Rise

Flatten the pants, with the waist buttoned and fly zipped close. Measure from the top of the waistband down to where the inseams of the legs meet one another.

Inseam

Straighten out and flatten the bottom pant leg. The inseam length is measured from the bottom of the crotch (where the inseams meet), down the inside of the leg, to the bottom of the leg opening.

Length

Measure from the top of the waistband down to the bottom of the leg opening, following along the side seam of the leg.

Opening

Lay the pants flat and measure across the bottom of the pant hem, from one edge of the leg opening to the other.

How do I know if a skirt or a pair shorts fit? Can I use the same steps?

If a skirt is the garment in question, take the waist, length, and opening measurements. 

When referencing a pair of shorts, take the waist, rise, inseam, and length measurements.