Written by Paddy Maddison in Tips & Advice on the 4th January 2017

Have you ever heard the saying; ‘there’s more than one way to skin a cat’? Well there’s also more than one way to cuff a pair of jeans. So before you decide to take your new denims to the tailor because they’re too long or the ankle is too loose, take a look at these cuffs and you might save yourself a trip and a few quid.

The single cuff 

If your jeans are an inch or two too long you can use a single cuff to reduce the length slightly. In order to do this simply fold the leg opening of your jeans upwards as much as needed, making sure to keep it straight and even. To make it look a bit cleaner you can fold the hem of the denim back in on itself so that it’s not visible

The double cuff 

The double cuff looks just like the single cuff but will lend a bit more shape to the bottom of your jeans. This is handy if you like to wear your jeans so the leg sits just above your footwear, as sometimes a single cuff can flare at the sides when worn in this way. Again, take the leg opening of your denim and fold upwards evenly, this time repeating for another fold.

The pinroll 

A lot of guys will buy a pair of straight leg jeans and take them to the tailor to be tapered, only to regret it later on. Pinrolling your denim allows you to get all the benefits of a smaller leg opening without the commitment. This is especially handy when you’re wearing many different pairs of footwear with the same jeans, as different leg opening sizes suit different footwear. Lengthways, grab a portion of denim at the seam of the inside leg and fold it back on itself (watch this video tutorial) until the leg opening is the desired size. Then pinch the fabric between your thumb and forefinger and use both hands to roll the leg up as you would with a double cuff.

The messy cuff 

This one is exactly what it sounds like and is perfect if you’re going for a relaxed look. It’s pretty self-explanatory. Just cuff your jeans as you normally would, but without paying any attention to whether of not they’re even or straight. This cuff looks great when worn with laid-back footwear such as Chucks Taylors or Clarks Originals.

We feature the single cuff, double cuff, pinroll and messy cuff in this Ultimate Guide to Cuffing Your Denim.