How to Make Wide Pants Legs Smaller

Try on the pants and determine how narrow you want to make the pant legs. Wide-leg pants can be minimized all the way down to snug skinny pants, pulled in just at the thigh to create bell-bottoms, pulled in at the thigh and slightly through the leg to create boot cut pants, or just taken in enough to still be wide-leg pants, but in your size. Stand in front of a mirror and play with different looks, studying how the fabric drapes when you pull it to different pant cuts.

Take the pants off and turn them inside out. Iron the existing seams flat so you have a smooth sewing surface to work with.

Measure your leg dimensions -- upper, middle and lower thigh, knee, and calf -- and pin accordingly, along the inner leg seam. This is the easiest way to adjust pant dimensions if you don't have someone to help you. Once you've pinned the pants, try the pants on -- still inside out -- using extreme caution to avoid pricking yourself with a needle. Observe the fit and drape and adjust pins accordingly.

Turn pants inside out and put them on, if you have someone to help you pin. Once the pants are on, have your assistant pin your pants, along the inner leg seam, to the desired dimensions.

Sew along your pinned line -- again, along the inner leg seam, with the pants inside out -- using a large basting stitch if you are at all unsure about your measurements or how the pants will fit. Turn them right side out, and try them on. Adjust the fit as necessary.

Add a tight seam, once you have reached the desired pant fit.

Trim off the excess fabric on the inner leg. Don't do this until you are absolutely positive you have achieved the desired fit -- you can always readjust it, as long as you still have the extra fabric to work with.