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The lost art of making perfectly fitting trousers

Menswear writer Derek Guy explains why men’s pants don’t look like they used to.

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A cutter marks out a pattern at Huntsman tailors in London, England. According to menswear writer Derek Guy, fewer and fewer tailors understand the lost art of “ironwork” in the construction of pants.
A cutter marks out a pattern at Huntsman tailors in London, England. According to menswear writer Derek Guy, fewer and fewer tailors understand the lost art of “ironwork” in the construction of pants.
Bruno Vincent/Getty Images

This time of year, after weeks of holiday feasting, your pants might be fitting a little snugger than usual. (No judgment here!) But if you wear dress pants — particularly slim-fit men’s dress pants — it’s nearly impossible to find perfectly fitting trousers. 

As menswear writer Derek Guy recently explained on the social media platform, X, that’s because a crucial part of the tailoring process  — ironwork  — has been almost forgotten in the modern era. 

Click the audio player above to hear Guy explain what that means for today’s fits. 

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