Bootcut

Bootcut fits like a straight leg to the knee, then widens the hem modestly. The hem is usually 1 to 2 inches more than the knee when measured flat. That is just enough for the opening to drop over a boot shaft without riding up. The flare is functional in origin: riders needed a hem that cleared leather without bunching, which is why the cut anchors western wear.

Off a boot the geometry still works best. The slightly widened hem acts as a visual counterweight to fuller hips and thighs. It draws the eye down and out, so the top of the leg reads balanced rather than heavy. Hem length carries the whole effect. Cut for the boot, the hem should cover most of the shaft, stopping about half an inch off the floor at the back. A bootcut that ends at the ankle exposes the flare with nothing under it and looks unfinished.

Commitment to footwear is the price. Over sneakers or flats the extra hem cloth puddles. Styled outside its boot context, the cut reads dated faster than straight, since fashion treats subtle flares harshly between cycles. Buy the length for your tallest regular boot heel, and if you switch to flats often, hem a second pair rather than compromising one length for both.