At UWM Men’s Shop when you are being fitted for a pair of pants, a common question you might be asked is How do you like your pants to break? The break of your pants simply put is how the legs of your pants meet your shoes and the shape that forms, like most styles, the pant break is a matter of preference.
With that said, choosing the wrong dress pant break may not flatter your body type, or be appropriate for the environment or occasion. Regardless, let us help in educating you so that when this question comes up you know to answer, here’s what you need to know.
What is The Pant Break?
The “break” of the pant is the fold or creasing of fabric that forms at the front of your pant leg, just above where it meets your shoe, while you’re standing. An easy way to think about it is that the pant break is the point where the suit pants break its silhouette against the shoe.
The cut of your suit pants, both the length and width of your pant legs, affect how generous or slight your pant break will be. Generally, longer pants equals more break. However, counter to that a wider pant will equal less break. There isn’t a strict set of rules when deciding what type of pant break to go with for your pants. There are however some things to keep in mind as you figure out what will work best for you.
What is the fit of the pants?
Are the legs slim or wide?
Where do you plan to wear the pants?
What is the look you are going for?
The answers to these questions will narrow down which of the four pant breaks is for you. Your options are, No Break, Quarter Break, Half Break or Full Break.
No Break
No break offers a clean modern aesthetic from the slim and streamlined look that is definitely trending right now. Having No Break means the hem of your pants will sit just above your shoe. The no break look works best on slimmer body types or men who are above average in height. That’s because despite a cleaner silhouette, from certain angles (particularly the back and to a lesser extent, from the side), the pant legs can appear shorter and therefore further the appearance of shorter, thicker legs.
Quarter Break
We understand that the slim & tapered shorter pants aren't for everyone, if not the quarter break may be for you. The quarter break is an updated classic that is flattering on a wide range of body types. The hem of the pant will sit just past where your pant legs meet your shoe with minimal contact. This option is modern, tasteful but not flashy. The quarter break is perfect for the modern businessman..
Quarter breaks can be found on pants that are slimmer, and similar to the no break look, quarter breaks are easy to wear for those that are taller or slimmer.
Half Break
The half break leans more to the conservative side of the spectrum, a traditional yet flexible option that works in most contexts. The hem of your pants with a half break should sit ½” to ¾” past the point where your pants first meet your shoes, this will allow a slight horizontal fold to make contact with the front of your shoes.
A half break can work with both slimmer pants and those that are less tapered and more straight leg. Wearers who are shorter will benefit from a combination of a slimmer fit and the slightly longer length, which can help create an elongating visual effect.
Full Break
The most conservative option is the full break. A full break is a great look for older gentlemen or those who like a classic look. A full break is when the hem of your pants makes substantial contact with your shoes to the effect of creating a generous but still elegant looking ripple in the area above the hem. Since this look often pairs with pant legs that are less tapered, the longer hem will also cover most of the laces on your shoes and the back of the hem will sit just above the outer soles of your shoes.
If you have more questions about how your pants should fit, what pants to purchase or any other menswear questions stop by UWM Men’s Shop, we would love to help in any way!!