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USAF trousers' regulation hem guide

Wedge417

Active Member
Hi everybody,

I've got a nice pair of second hand Buzz Rickson chinos, but they're too long. I want to hem them and not make the same mistake I did with my first pair--they're too short.
I can tell from looking at war-time pictures that the amount of cloth fold back into the trousers and stitched is quite high 3" to 4".
Do you have any documentation about the regulation of heming chinos or USAF army trousers? Ideally WW2 documentation but I guess 50s works as well?

If you have the same doc or information for officer pinks I'll take that too as I'm planing to next acquire a pair of repro next months.
All pictures and information is welcome.

Thanks lot
 

JonnyCrow

Well-Known Member
I'd be interested in hearing the answer to this, but are you sure the deep hem has to do with military regulations and not just tailor's conventions at the time?
Incidentally I've spoken to veterans at period events who had to do their own, you got what you issued along with a ' housewife ' kit, needle, thread etc, there is no right or wrong answer, officers could afford a tailor enlisted men no
 

ShanghaiJack

Well-Known Member
Back in the 1980s, My Uncle gave me all of his WWII Chino's (4),
and in each pair it was exactly 4inches.

I'm not saying that they were within "regulations", but that's how
he had them in 1944-45.

Since then, I've done the same for newly purchased chino's as well.
 

Wedge417

Active Member
Thanks a lot for the answers so far. I do agree about seeing different sizes of hemming. 4 inches sounds about right thanks for the information.
I'm sure each tailor or GI/airman had their own way, but it bing the military I'd assume they indued some kind of guidance either to tailors or to the servicemen. Still looking...
 

Wedge417

Active Member
The 4 inches make sense when we look at this pictures. I've seen plenty where airmen roll their trousers up, to prevent mudding them I guess, or perhaps it's something more specific to flying certain airplanes, or equipment related, such as flying boots etc.

Screenshot 2023-03-24 at 20.39.19.png

Screenshot 2023-03-24 at 20.38.11.png
 
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