What the leg opening measurement tells you
Key takeaways
- Leg opening is measured flat across the hem, so double it for the way round.
- The named fits overlap between brands; the number does not.
- A wider opening drapes lower over the shoe at the same inseam.
- Read it together with the knee measurement to know whether a leg tapers or runs straight.
What the number is
Lay the pair flat, smooth the leg, and measure straight across the hem from edge to edge. That figure is the leg opening as brands publish it. The way round the ankle is twice that. Nearly every chart states the flat measurement without saying so, which is why a published leg opening looks implausibly small the first time you read one against a body measurement taken as a circumference.
Why it beats the fit name
Skinny, slim, straight and bootcut are drawn against each brand's own block. One brand's straight is another's slim, and both are honest descriptions of their own range. The leg opening is a physical measurement of the finished garment, so it means the same thing everywhere. If you have a pair whose leg you like, measure its hem and use that number as the thing you shop for.
Reading it with the knee
A leg opening on its own does not tell you whether the leg tapers. Take the knee measurement with it: when the knee is much wider than the hem the leg tapers, and when they are close the leg runs straight. Bootcut inverts the relationship, with the hem wider than the knee so the leg opens below it. This pairing is what the fit names are trying to summarise in one word.
What it changes about the length
A wider opening carries more fabric, and more fabric falls further over the shoe at the same inseam. That is why a straight pair and a bootcut pair cut to the same inseam do not break in the same place, and why moving to a wider leg often makes a length that used to work look short. If you change leg shape, expect to revisit the inseam too.
Related questions
- leg opening for straight leg jeans
- how wide is a skinny jean leg opening
- leg opening vs ankle width
- what leg opening is bootcut
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
- Is the leg opening measured flat or around?
- Almost always flat across the hem. Double it for the circumference. If a chart gives a number that seems small for an ankle, it is the flat measurement.
- What leg opening counts as skinny?
- There is no industry threshold, which is the point of the measurement. Measure the hem of a pair whose leg you already like and shop against that number.
- Why does the same inseam look shorter in a wide leg?
- A wider opening drapes more fabric over the shoe, so the hem breaks lower and reads shorter than a narrow leg cut to the same length.
Sources
- JEGINS Fit measurement standard
Our published editorial standard for the figures used in this guide.
JEGINS Fit · Accessed September 1, 2026
- Jeans - Wikipedia
Background reference for the definitions used in this guide.
Accessed September 1, 2026
Scope and limits of this guide
This guide describes what we have measured or sourced. It does not cover every brand, and body measurements vary: use it as a starting point and check the specific product page for its evidence level before buying.
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