#StyleHack: The Secret To Finding Pants That Fit Without Trying Them On

Corbis 

I admit – I’m a lazy shopper. For someone who basically shops for a living, when it comes to myself, it’s usually an afterthought. I dread going into a dressing room so when I have to try something on, I just don’t.
But after all these years of styling I can pretty much eyeball how a shirt or a jacket will fit on me. Pants, on the other hand, are a different story. Instead of dropping trou in a store, I opt for the “neck method” school of measuring.

Here’s how it works: I take the pant waist and wrap it around my neck and if the ends come together that means the pants will fit. If there is some slack left over, then it will be a looser fit. If I can’t get it around my neck, well then they’re not going to getting around my midsection.

I know other people use the “elbow method,” where they insert their forearm — from elbow to wrist — into the waistband of a buttoned pair of pants and measure. For me, the “neck method” has never failed and it’s been years since I’ve seen the inside of a dressing room. And that’s a good thing.