Tailored Trousers
Women's suit trousers ending above the ankle, with curved front hip pockets, lined fronts, short slits at the side seam hems, a zip fly with fly shield and a waistband with seven belt loops.
When To Wear
- For the office as suit trousers with a matching jacket.
- With blouses and loafers or low heels that leave the hem slits visible.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Straight legs narrowing slightly toward the hem; darts at the front and back waist, pressed toward the centre seams.
Length: Shortened, ending above the ankle.
Closure: Zip fly at the centre front with cut-on fly facings and a folded fly shield (button catch); buttonhole on the right end of the waistband, button on the left end.
Pockets: Front hip pockets with curved openings, built from a side front piece and upper and lower pocket bags; the opening is edge-stitched.
Waist: Interfaced straight waistband, stitched in the ditch from the right side; seven belt loops caught into the waistband seam and topstitched at the top.
Legs: Slits at the lower side seams; the hem allowance is stitched along the slit edges, turned out and topstitched along the marked line.
Lining: Front halves lined with lining fabric, stitched to the main fronts along all edges except the hem and catching the pocket bags; pocket bags also in lining.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Hip pockets with a side front, lined fronts, a zip fly with fly shield, hem slits and belt loops set into the waistband.
Fabric Recommendations
Natural or blended suiting fabrics.
Additional Supplies
- Lining fabric (front halves, pocket bags)
- Fusible interfacing (waistband)
- 1 zip, 22 cm
- 1 button
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Front Half – 2 pieces
- Back Half – 2 pieces
- Button Catch (fly shield) – 1 piece
- Belt Loop – 7 pieces
- Waistband – 1 piece
- Side Front – 2 pieces
- From lining:
- Lower Pocket Bag – 2 pieces
- Upper Pocket Bag – 2 pieces
- Front Half – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Waistband.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to the waistband.
- Stitch the darts and press them towards the center seams.
- Place the Upper Pocket Bag on the Front Half, right sides together, and stitch along the pocket opening. Turn the pocket bag to the wrong side and topstitch the Front Half along the pocket opening close to the edge. Fold under the lower edge of the Side Front and topstitch it onto the upper edge of the Lower Pocket Bag. Place the Front Half on the Side Front and pin. From the wrong side of the trousers, stitch the pocket bags together.
- Place the lining Front Half on the main Front Half, wrong sides together, and stitch along all edges (except the bottom), catching the side and upper seam allowances of the pockets.
- Place the front panels right sides together, stitch the front center seam below the slit notch, stopping approx. 2 cm before the inseam line.
- Zipper closure: Press the grown-on zipper facings to the wrong side. Stitch the zipper under the edge of the closure allowance (left side) close to the edge. Stitch the free zipper tape to the grown-on facing of the right half. Fold the Button Catch (fly shield) in half lengthwise and stitch the upper and lower short edges. Topstitch the grown-on zipper facing of the left trouser half onto the Button Catch. Topstitch the right edge of the slit, catching the facing.
- Place one front and one back right sides together. Stitch the side seams up to the slit notch. Overlock the bottom edge of the trousers. Stitch the inseams. Press seam allowances open. Turn the hem allowance to the right side and stitch along the slit edges. Turn out, press, and topstitch the hem to the trousers along the marked line.
- Stitch the back crotch seam and the remaining section of the front crotch seam in one go. Press seam allowances open from the top to the beginning of the curves.
- Stitch the Belt Loops right sides together along the long side and one short side, then turn out.
- Stitch one of the long edges of the waistband to the upper edge of the trousers, right sides together, leaving the closure allowance protruding on the left edge of the slit. When stitching, insert the unstitched ends of the belt loops between the waistband and the trousers. Press the waistband attachment seam allowances towards the waistband. Fold the waistband right side in, in half widthwise, stitch the front ends. Turn the waistband out, topstitch from the right side exactly in the attachment seam. Topstitch the finished ends of the belt loops to the waistband.
- Bottom edge: Turn the hem allowances to the wrong side and sew.
- On the right end of the waistband, make a keyhole buttonhole. Sew a button to the left end.
