Indeed, I just picked up a pair of cavalry twill trousers that Will Field made up for me that had heel tape for precisely those reasons.

 

I took a suit to a tailor for alterations and requested that he put the trouser tape that came with the suit (a band of nylon-type material) around the inside cuff of the trouser legs. He said he thought that was useless. I thought it would add weight to the bottom of the trousers and protect the bottom edges of the cuffs from becoming worn from rubbing on the shoes and laces, which is why such tape is provided with the suit anyway.

Any thoughts?

I have heel guards installed on most of my trousers. Some tailors may balk at the notion but I would suggest that you insist upon their use.

 

trouser guards

note in the picture the color match is not very good. the manufacturer adds a pennys worth of tape so that the consumer thinks its a great deal. adds 10 dollars to thr price but dos not match the color the tape as it is installed here will not protectthe cuff from wear.the purpose of the tape is to absorb the wear that would occur to the cuff. to do this the tape or heel guard must be even with the bottom of the cuff. this tape is installed too far from the cuff bottom.

 

a tape at the trouser bottom may be usefull but. when you sit down the tape shows. even if the color match is good it still shows. i prefer heel and toe guards made from the cut off cloth. the color is a perfict match. almost invisable and if the tailor is really good he will match the stripes.

 

Alex is correct. I also like to make this from the same cloth and not use the tape strips.
The way the strip is applied in the picture does not protect the trouser bottom. In Europe tailors extend and expose the tape 1/16" below the bottom of the hem to protect the cloth from wear.
I only do this for 2 clients because they request it. I don't really think it helps significantly.

 

My tailor only does this on my heavier weight winter pants which will in all probability get rougher wear from boots, over shoes and snow and slush.
He feels in not necessary on light weight summer pants.

 

a tape at the trouser bottom may be usefull but. when you sit down the tape shows. even if the color match is good it still shows. i prefer heel and toe guards made from the cut off cloth. the color is a perfict match. almost invisable and if the tailor is really good he will match the stripes.

Alex, this is useful advice. I'm in the process of planning a pair of trousers at the moment. Can you describe the heel and toe guards you mention? Is this extra fabric (cut from the trouser fabric) placed only at the front and back, but not running all the way around? It seems to me that it might be slightly less obvious if it were to run all the way around. Is the best placement right flush with the bottom of the cuff?

 

Amazing the things one learns reading this forum. The whole idea of tape is new to me.

 

Chris is correct that in Europe the tailor will place the tape just barely beyond the bottom edge of the cuff in my experience. Also, the trousers that I've had this done to so far were dark navy and dark gray and I don't believe that the tape is visible while sitting. It would only be visible if I crossed my legs and someone really tried to see it. The tailor who said he thought it was useless is a very well-respected tailor in these parts, so I don't doubt his opinion on it but nevertheless requested that he sew the tape to the suit trousers, as I have it on my others.

 

I like Alex's (a tailor) reply.

Here's what I have in The Encyclopedia:

Edging Tape or self fabric is often placed inside the trouser leg to provide added protection from wear against the shoe.It's placed right at the bottom of the leg (all around the leg or sometimes just at the back) and sometimes slightly longer. It should not show.

 

Chris is correct that in Europe the tailor will place the tape just barely beyond the bottom edge of the cuff in my experience. Also, the trousers that I've had this done to so far were dark navy and dark gray and I don't believe that the tape is visible while sitting. It would only be visible if I crossed my legs and someone really tried to see it. The tailor who said he thought it was useless is a very well-respected tailor in these parts, so I don't doubt his opinion on it but nevertheless requested that he sew the tape to the suit trousers, as I have it on my others.

note i said the tape was usless only because it was not placed properly.

 

Alex, this is useful advice. I'm in the process of planning a pair of trousers at the moment. Can you describe the heel and toe guards you mention? Is this extra fabric (cut from the trouser fabric) placed only at the front and back, but not running all the way around? It seems to me that it might be slightly less obvious if it were to run all the way around. Is the best placement right flush with the bottom of the cuff?

flush with the bottom is best. only the areas that rub at the heel and the laces need to be covered. more than that will create too much bulk.

 

He feels in not necessary on light weight summer pants.

Interesting. I get this on all my trousers, without exception. I find it particularly handy on lighter cloths however as, and this may just be me, I think the slight extra weight on the cuff helps the drape of light, summer weight cloth. In fact, I seem to remember something about small weights being sown inside trouser cuffs for the very same reason. Anyone else heard of this ?

 

So that is what the tape is for!

I recently had a suit tailored and I found the tape still in the pocket it was in when I got the suit.

Do I take the trousers back and ask the tailor to put the tape on? Would he need to undo the cuff to put it on?

 

That's interesting, my zegna MTMs have tape around the cuffs, but I thought it was just to have some substance when hanging them from the cuffs, rather than to protect the cuffs themselves. I shall have to point that out to my zegna fitter, since the tape is about 1/2 cm off the cuff, which A Tailor (Hi Alex) has pointed out would not serve the purpose.

 

Interesting. I get this on all my trousers, without exception. I find it particularly handy on lighter cloths however as, and this may just be me, I think the slight extra weight on the cuff helps the drape of light, summer weight cloth. In fact, I seem to remember something about small weights being sown inside trouser cuffs for the very same reason. Anyone else heard of this ?

Actually, I have. The same principle as small weights on drapes. I've never actually seen it, and while it might help the line of the cloth, I could see the weights as adding extra stress to the fabric, and wearing it's way through the cuff pockets they would sit in. I certainly can't see how it would ever protect the cuffs.

I also prefer taped cuffs for all the reasons given. While I've had them placed at the edge, I've never seen them extending beyond, but I can understand the reason. Maybe heel and toe caps are really enough, though.

 

I generally prefer having the tape, though I sometimes do wonder how much real effect it has...

 

Indeed, Keith Fallan once told me that too much dry cleaniing and pressing contributed to fraying cuffs far more than abrasion from one's shoes.

 

Medwards,

I would agree totally.
Mr. Alden has said he feels it unnecessary for the same reasons.

I do not ever recall losing a pair of pants from wear at the cuff.
With or without tape.

 

Many years ago I would see the tape sewn from side seam to side seam right on the edge, on the inside of the trousers. It protected the trousers from being scuffed. You didn’t see it when worn.