The lost art of making perfectly fitting trousers
Menswear writer Derek Guy explains why men’s pants don’t look like they used to.

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.
there's a joke on here that goes something like this:
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) December 8, 2023
"i asked him how much it would cost to make this today. i will never forget his answer. 'we can't, we don't know how to do it anymore.'"
I unironically think this is true of pants 🧵 pic.twitter.com/SBSDUkK3KA
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.