Inseam & Break

Inseam is the length from crotch to hem; "break" is how much the trouser fabric folds where it meets the shoe — no break (hem just touches), slight break (a small fold), or full break (a deeper fold). Break is a length-plus-taper effect and a matter of taste, but it is also the easiest thing to fix: a hem or cuff costs little and transforms how trousers look. Because of that, buy for waist, rise, and thigh fit first and treat length as adjustable. A perfect waist with a too-long inseam is a five-minute tailor trip, not a return.