Let’s start with what a break is. This is the sartorial term which refers to the amount of creasing or folds which occurs at the bottom of your trousers. The length of fabric resting on your shoes determines where your pants break.
You don’t want to be that one who’s constantly tripping on his own pants, or the one who spends the whole evening folding his pant legs up at a dinner party. That’s why it’s critical to get your trousers hemmed by a tailor. So where should your pants break? It comes down to personal taste and aesthetics.
A Touch Too Much
This is a style that just looks sloppy. Too much break gives the impression that you bought pants that are too long or that you didn’t bother to visit a tailor. If you’re heels are landing on cloth as you walk, that’s a sign of too much break.
Not Enough Break
Thanks to Thom Bowne suits, having too little break has caught on and is a trendy style. You can tell that your pants have too little break if you’re ankles show. These go well for slimmer guys and slim-cut trousers. A trick to nailing this look is to have the trousers taper down at the ankles.
Style Lowdown: God, you love your loafers. You jump at any chance to show off those mankles. Likely to have aspirations to design your own wear given your chic sense of style.
No Break
No break trousers finish neatly at the top of your shoes. This looks best with a sleek taper from the top of the pants to the bottom.
Style Lowdown: trendy, hip, fussy about your tailoring and European influenced. No break trousers look best on slender guys who can pull off the taper effect effortlessly.
Slight Break
When you want to look trendy but not too fashion – forward, the slight break is for you. This is a fantastic way to still appear polished with a modern touch. Have your tailor angle the back of the trousers a little longer than the front so that it sits on the heel. However, when you sit down, the pants will rise up higher so this is certainly a look for the younger gentlemen. Have no fear – just wear longer socks with patterns to show off your exquisite taste more.
Style Lowdown: Fit is everything to you. You’re modern and style-conscious but select your moments to be flashy. The good news? Just about everyone can rock this look.
Medium Break
This option is for those that want to go with a cuff: medium breaks look best with wider trousers. It’s a refined style which verges on the conservative.
Style Lowdown: You’ve put years into assembling a top notch wardrobe. You only work with the best tailors as well. Medium breaks are best suited for older gentlemen, conservative businessmen and taller guys.
Full Break
When you have trousers with a fair amount of fabric pooling at the ankle, it’s a full break. To pull this style off, you need to have wide trousers, period.
Style Lowdown: You’re mature, wise, seasoned and have no concern for trends. You quite possibly play the trumpet in a jazz band. The look is best suited for older gentleman or those that are trying to pull off a vintage look.
Your choice of break comes down to personal style, taste and of course, fit. If you’re unsure of which style to go with, visit us at Raja’s Fashions. We’ll set it straight!