Joggers. The trend that took over the fashion world around 2018 has become a necessity in the post-2020 world, where the thing that can’t be named happened.
And joggers are great – they are comfortable, they are laidback, and most importantly, they look amazing.
That is if they fit right.
Yes, even in loungewear or streetwear bottoms such as joggers, paying attention to the fit is paramount. You can go for an oversized look, but you would still need to ensure that the proportions are right.
That’s where tailoring comes in.
In this article, I will be answering the question “Can joggers be tailored?” along with a few related questions you might have before taking your favorite pair of joggers to a tailor.
Can Joggers be Altered?
Yes, joggers can be tailored. An experienced tailor can easily make alterations to the waist, length, pockets, fit, and even the cuff on a pair of joggers.
Because most joggers are made from cotton or fleece (or variations of these two fabrics), tailoring them isn’t that complicated.
Some people have the misconception that you can’t reduce the length of a pair of joggers because of the cuff attached to their leg opening. However, this is completely untrue.
A tailor can simply remove the cuffs and the elastic, hem the pants, and add it back up again. It’s really not that difficult. The same goes for the elastic waistband.
What parts of a Jogger cannot be tailored?
There is no part on a jogger that cannot be tailored. Be it the waist, the legs, the elastic openings, the pockets, or the seat; everything can be altered.
However, all alterations are not the same in terms of time, effort, and money. For example, adjusting the seat of a jogger to make it fit your bum better is a very difficult procedure. And thus it is going to cost a fair bit.
On the other hand, adding a drawstring to a pair of joggers is child’s play for most tailors. And because of that, you can get away by paying a very low amount.
Cost of Tailoring a Jogger
| Part of the Jogger | Cost of tailoring |
| Hemming the legs | $20 |
| Tapering the leg | $25 |
| Tighten the waist | $20 |
| Adding patches/monograms to the legs | $10 |
| Adding a drawstring | $10 |
| Adjusting the seat or the inseam | $35 |
| Total cost of tailoring a Jogger | $120 |
The cost of tailoring a jogger can range from anywhere between $10 to $120 depending on the number and type of alterations you want.
But you have to remember that these numbers are just estimates. The real cost can vary from these quite a bit.
Tailoring costs can be very less or very high depending on the condition and severity of your case. Add to that the cost fluctuations that might happen because of the reputation of the tailor as well as your location, and these numbers appear very different suddenly.
How to make Baggy Joggers Fit?
Baggy joggers can be fixed by tapering the leg opening from the inseam to the ribbed ends of the jogger. The entire process can be done by a professional tailor for around $20.
The rise of streetwear in mainstream fashion has also fueled the rise of baggy sweatpants and joggers. While the rappers may love them, most people prefer their bottoms to be a bit more form-fitting.
And baggy joggers can be made slim fit very easily by a process called tapering.
Tapering refers to decreasing the size of the leg openings on a pair of pants gradually. Joggers lend themselves very well to this process because most joggers have ribbed cuffs at the bottom which are already hugging the body.
The tapering process then becomes all about gradually getting the fit right from the inseam to these ribbed cuffs for that perfect, slim-fit look.
Final Remarks
Joggers are the only kind of sweatpants that will make you look stylish outside the gym. They have taken the fashion world by storm, but the only way to garner compliments while wearing a pair is to get the fit absolutely right.
And because most off-the-rack joggers fit terribly, that leaves us with only one option – tailoring.
Tailoring a pair of joggers is very much possible. In fact, here’s a small list of alterations that you can perform on a jogger:
- Reducing the length.
- Tapering the legs.
- Adjusting the seat.
- Tightening or loosening the waist.
- Adding a drawstring.
My name is Alex Higson and I am the founder of Magic Of Clothes. I have worked in the fashion industry for many years, and clothes and style are a huge part of my life.