Vintage Wide-Leg Trousers & Shorts
High-waisted, flat-front trousers with a side zipper, plus attached cuff bands and a shorts option.
- Skill level
- Confident intermediate
- Included sizes
- Waist 25 to 45 inches / 11 sizes
- Recommended fabric
- Non-stretch woven
- File formats
- A4, US Letter, A0
- Instruction language
- English
- Seam allowance
- Included: 1 cm construction seams, 4 cm plain trouser hem and 2 cm shorts hem. For cuff bands, use the marked alternative cut line.
- Layered PDF
- No
- Techniques
- Waist darts, Side concealed zipper, Folded waistband, Plain turned hems, Attached cuff bands
What’s included
- 35 PDF files33 pattern PDFs, a 22-page English sewing handbook and a 1-page technical overview.
- All 11 sizes and three viewsWaists 25 to 45 inches. Plain trousers, trousers with attached cuff bands, and shorts.
- Choose your print formatIndividual-size A4, US Letter and A0 files. Exact counts and selective piece pages are included.
- Editable pattern files11 Seamly2D drafts, matching SVGs, size tables and fabric planning estimates.
Sizing
Use these body measurements to choose your size. Check the pattern instructions for fit and ease.
W labels indicate body waist in inches. Choose by both waist and hip. Reference height: 168 cm. Each size is a separate file.
| Body (cm) | W25 | W27 | W29 | W31 | W33 | W35 | W37 | W39 | W41 | W43 | W45 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waist | 63.5 | 68.58 | 73.66 | 78.74 | 83.82 | 88.9 | 93.98 | 99.06 | 104.14 | 109.22 | 114.3 |
| Hip | 83.82 | 88.9 | 93.98 | 99.06 | 104.14 | 109.22 | 114.3 | 119.38 | 124.46 | 129.54 | 134.62 |
Fabric & notions
Recommended fabric: Non-stretch linen, linen blends, cotton twill or lightweight wool suiting with a soft but stable drape. The handbook includes fabric planning for 115 cm and 150 cm widths. Allow extra for shrinkage, pattern matching and a fitting sample.
Notions
Techniques you’ll use
Related guides
Full pattern details
A high fitted waist and a long, generous leg give these trousers the relaxed elegance of 1930s and 1940s daywear. The front is shaped with darts for a clean finish, and the fastening sits discreetly at the left side. Make a full-length pair, add separate cuff bands, or choose the shorter summer version.
This is a digital PDF sewing pattern. No finished clothing, fabric or printed paper pattern is included. All 11 sizes are included in one download.
Three ways to sew it
- View A: full-length wide-leg trousers with a plain turned hem.
- View B: wide-leg trousers finished with separate, double-layer 4 cm cuff bands. Use the marked alternative cutting line; these are attached bands, not an integral turn-up.
- View C: high-waisted shorts with a 10 cm inseam and a plain turned hem.
All views share a 4 cm waistband, one front dart and two back darts on each side, a concealed left-side zipper and a waistband button. There are no pockets, front pleats, belt loops or fly.
What is in the download?
- 33 full-size pattern PDFs: A4, US Letter and A0 for each of 11 waist sizes.
- A 22-page English sewing handbook with illustrated construction, fitting guidance, fabric planning and printing instructions.
- A 1-page technical drawing PDF showing the front and back of all three views.
- 11 editable Seamly2D drafts with matching SVG pattern files.
- Body and finished measurement tables, fabric planning estimates, print indexes and page selections for the pieces you need.
That is 35 PDF files in total. You only need one size in one paper format, plus the handbook. Sizes are supplied as separate files, not as switchable layers within one PDF.
Choose your size
The included sizes are W25 to W45 in two-inch steps. They cover body waists of 25 to 45 inches (63.5 to 114.3 cm) and hips of 33 to 53 inches (83.82 to 134.62 cm). W refers to the body waist in inches. Use both measurements, rather than your usual clothing size.
| Size | Waist, in / cm | Hip, in / cm |
|---|---|---|
| W25 | 25 / 63.5 | 33 / 83.82 |
| W27 | 27 / 68.58 | 35 / 88.9 |
| W29 | 29 / 73.66 | 37 / 93.98 |
| W31 | 31 / 78.74 | 39 / 99.06 |
| W33 | 33 / 83.82 | 41 / 104.14 |
| W35 | 35 / 88.9 | 43 / 109.22 |
| W37 | 37 / 93.98 | 45 / 114.3 |
| W39 | 39 / 99.06 | 47 / 119.38 |
| W41 | 41 / 104.14 | 49 / 124.46 |
| W43 | 43 / 109.22 | 51 / 129.54 |
| W45 | 45 / 114.3 | 53 / 134.62 |
The calculated finished waist includes 2 cm of ease and the hip includes 6 cm. The reference height is 168 cm. Full-length views measure 110 cm along the side including the waistband; adjust the leg length for your height and shoes. The shorts have a 10 cm inseam in every size, with the outside length graded for the different rises.
If your waist and hip fall in different sizes, blend between the relevant sizes and check the resulting waistband fit. The guide explains which measurements to check in a fitting sample.
Printing and page counts
The table gives the complete page count for each size and paper format. A4 and US Letter files include calibration, assembly maps and the tiles for all three views. The handbook and technical drawing are separate and are not included in these counts.
| Size | A4 | US Letter | A0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| W25 | 41 | 44 | 2 |
| W27 | 41 | 47 | 2 |
| W29 | 48 | 50 | 2 |
| W31 | 48 | 47 | 2 |
| W33 | 47 | 47 | 2 |
| W35 | 48 | 55 | 3 |
| W37 | 51 | 59 | 3 |
| W39 | 52 | 58 | 3 |
| W41 | 55 | 59 | 3 |
| W43 | 61 | 61 | 3 |
| W45 | 62 | 63 | 3 |
Use the supplied piece-selection table to print the pages needed for your chosen view. Print at 100% or Actual Size, then measure the 10 cm test square in both directions. Home-print tiles overlap by 10 mm. In W43 and W45, join the two paper sections of the waistband with their marked 20 mm overlap before cutting one continuous fabric piece.
Fabric and notions
Choose a non-stretch woven trouser fabric with a soft but stable drape, such as linen, a linen blend, cotton twill or lightweight wool suiting. Avoid very bulky cloth for the cuffed version. Fabric planning tables cover 115 cm and 150 cm widths; allow extra for shrinkage, one-way prints and a fitting sample.
You will need a 20 cm concealed zipper, one waistband button, matching thread and suitable interfacing for the waistband. Use an invisible-zipper foot and accurate marking tools. The blouse, shoes and other styling items shown in the images are not included.
Sewing level and pattern details
Confident intermediate. You should be comfortable sewing darts, inserting a concealed zipper, applying a waistband and adjusting trouser fit.
There are six pattern pieces: long front, long back, shorts front, shorts back, waistband and cuff band. Seam allowances are included: 1 cm construction seams, a 4 cm plain trouser hem and a 2 cm shorts hem. Follow the alternative cutting line when adding the cuff bands.
Sew a fitting sample before cutting your final fabric. Model images are design illustrations.
Independently drafted by Sewlore and inspired by vintage daywear. Browse our pants and trousers patterns, shorts patterns and vintage-inspired sewing patterns.