Pants styles, like skirt lengths, change from season to season, but skinny pants are here to stay. From actor Mary Tyler Moore’s capri and cigarette pants to the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s sporty, close-fitting jeans, a narrow-legged style has stood the test of time. This silhouette can be sewn in fabrics such as denim or glitzy brocade, making it all the more versatile.

The key to wearing these pants is the fit. With the proper fit, almost anyone can find a version that’s flattering. If the pants are too tight or too loose, lines and wrinkles can form—and too-tight pants aren’t comfortable to wear.  

Learn what makes a pair of pants “skinny,” what the most common fit problems are, and how to make easy adjustments to create the perfect pair for your figure.

Define the fit

For a skinny fit, ease is reduced, but the resulting snug fit can be offset with a stretch fabric.

Minimal Wiggle Room

Skinny pants fit more snugly than typical slack-style pants. Whereas a standard pair of pants has 2 inches to 3 inches of ease in the hips and thighs (the extra fullness is built in to allow movement), skinny pants can have 1 inch to none at all. This reduction is already accounted for in a skinny pants pattern, so it is imperative to select the correct size for you and make the appropriate adjustments.

Maximum Stretch

Stretch fabric is an essential factor in comfortable skinny pants. Whether the pattern calls for a knit or a woven, be sure the fabric contains 2 percent to 7 percent spandex. This enables woven fabrics to stretch and helps keep either wovens or knits in shape.

TIP: Add some give. For optimal comfort, use a fabric that stretches with and along the straight grain. It…