A narrow waist and wide hips in the same trousers

Short answer: Choose by the hip and have the waist taken in. Pants with a high waist and elastane close the gap at the back with no alteration at all.

Why pants gap at the back

If the pants fit over the hip, the waistband is usually several centimeters too big at the waist. A gap appears at the back when you sit down or bend over. It is not a flaw in the pants, it is the difference between two measurements on your body that no single cut can match.

The simplest route

Buy by the hip measurement and have a tailor take the waistband in at the back. It is a cheap alteration that takes about half an hour at most tailors, and it turns the pants into a completely different garment to wear, without giving up the fit over the hip.

Cuts that solve it themselves

Pants with a wide, soft knit waistband and a bit of elastane follow both measurements with no alteration at all. The same goes for leggings and sweatpants with a wide waist, because the elastic material stretches over the hip and pulls back in at the waist. See women's bamboo pants .

Leggings and sweatpants as a shortcut

If you have a big difference between waist and hip, knit styles are often the fastest solution, because they need no alteration from a tailor. See bamboo leggings for women and bamboo sweatpants for women for styles with a wide, forgiving waist.

Underwear by the same rule

Panties are also chosen by the hip, not the waist. A style with a high waist follows the narrow waist without cutting into the hip, avoiding one more layer of pressure on top of the pants' own waistband. See bamboo panties .

How to find your two measurements

Measure the hip at its widest point and the waist at its narrowest, without holding your breath. The difference between the two numbers tells you whether to buy by the hip and have it taken in, or whether a regular cut already fits you.

What a tailor can and cannot do

Taking a waistband in at the back is a small, cheap job. Letting it out is harder and often needs more fabric than is available. So always buy by the larger measurement, the hip, and let any alteration be about making the waist smaller.

Everyday movement

Sit down, bend over and walk a few steps before deciding on a pair of pants. The gap at the back usually shows up in movement, not when you are simply standing still in front of the mirror in the store.

When you shop next

Bring both measurements with you, and ask specifically for styles with a wide, elastic waist before considering a tailor's alteration. It saves both time and money, because you often find a style that solves the problem at no extra cost.