Dickies Work Pants Fit & Size Guide: 874, Double Knee, Skinny and Slim Cargo

Dickies sizes every pant the same way, by waist and inseam, but the fits are very different. A 32x30 in the Loose Fit Double Knee and a 32x30 in the Skinny Fit Tapered Leg share a waistband and nothing else. Here is how to get both numbers right and how to choose the cut.

Step 1: find your waist size

• Measure around your body where the pant will sit, not where your belt is now. Dickies work pants sit at the natural waist, roughly at the navel, which is higher than most jeans.
• Keep the tape snug but flat and round to the nearest inch. That number is your waist size.
• No tape? Take a pair of pants that fits, button them, lay them flat and measure straight across the waistband. Double it.
• Dickies waists come in even and odd sizes through the mid-30s, then even sizes only. We stock a wide run from 28 up through the big sizes.

Step 2: find your inseam

• Inseam is the length from the crotch seam to the bottom of the leg. Measure a pant you already like from the crotch seam straight down the inside of the leg to the hem.
• Standing measurement: have someone run the tape from your crotch to where you want the hem to land, usually the top of the shoe for a clean break, or an inch longer if you like stacking on the shoe.
• Most Dickies come in 30, 32 and 34 inseams, with some 28 and 36 options. The work-pant look traditionally runs a little long with a slight stack.

Step 3: pick the fit

Breaking in and caring for Dickies twill

• The polyester-cotton twill is stiff new. Two or three washes soften it without killing the crease.
• Wash cold, inside out, and tumble dry low. The fabric is wrinkle-resistant, so pull them out of the dryer promptly and they will not need ironing.
• Shrinkage is minimal because the blend is mostly polyester. Buy your true inseam; do not size long to allow for shrink.
• To keep the permanent crease sharp, fold along the crease when you store them.

Still not sure? Bring your old pants to the shop and we will measure them against what is on the wall. Every fit above is in stock to try on at Jeans Plus on Blossom Hill Road.