Put on your pants and boots, then tuck the pants legs in. Tie the boots tightly to secure the pants, but you can also use elastic bands, blouse straps or wear dress uniform pants—there are many methods for bloused boots.
Alas, blousing boots is not as easy as it looks.
Making sure you blouse your boots correctly is vital if you’re in the marines or military. It protects your feet from dirt, bugs and debris.
Sometimes, it’s simply a way to make your day-to-day high-movement activities more comfortable. Regardless of your reasoning, it’s not something everyone does every day.
It’s the not-so-mainstream nature of blousing your boots that makes it harder to figure out how to do it. So we’ve compiled four strategies to teach you how to blouse boots.
Blousing Boots: Top Four Ways
#1—Tucking the Pants In
The easiest way to get the blousing done is by tucking the pants in. You might tuck them into your socks for more security if the socks aren’t higher than your boots.
One downside to this method exists, in that it won’t be the most secure, especially for shorter pants. You want them long so that if you run and tug, they don’t budge.
Make sure your pants fit well and are longer than you need. Then follow these steps:
- Dress as normal, then put on your boots untied.
- Take the ends of your pants and tuck them into the socks or footwear.
- Lace the boots to ensure the pant leg on each side stays in place.
Once you’ve got this done, do a few tests. Run, jump, march, and crouch vigorously for a few minutes. If things stay in place, then you know this works for you. If your pants come untucked, you should try another method.
Pros
- Incredibly easy.
- Free.
- You can do this with any pants or shoes or socks.
Cons
- May not stay in place.
- Can come gradually untucked throughout the day.
- Doesn’t look particularly neat.
- Can be uncomfortable.
#2—Using Blouse Straps
Blouse straps will require the most effort of the methods. In the end, it’s worth it, due to its clean and efficient look. It’s also extremely comfortable, and there’s minimal risk of it coming undone.
You’ll need to acquire blouse straps, but once you do, they’ll be indispensable.
- Wear your pants, socks and boots as normal.
- Lower your pants back down to the ground.
- Reach down into your pants’ legs and pull the hems upwards, making sure the fabric is straight.
- Take the strap and tie it around the material you pulled up; this will secure the fabric from the inside out.
- Pull up your pants and wear them as normal—your pants will be ballooning just above your boot if you did everything correctly.
- Adjusting the length of the pant leg is easy. Tug the bottoms down, so they sit more neatly on top of your boots.
Pros
- Looks very clean.
- Easy to do.
- Unlikely to come undone.
Cons
- You need to invest in the strap.
- Requires some effort.
- Won’t work for all pants lengths.
#3 Rubber Bands
Using elastic bands is like using blouse straps, but it’s trickier to master.
You need to find the right size rubber band. If you go too big, the method will be ineffective. But if you go too small, you risk pain at best and cutting off your circulation at worst.
It’ll be cheaper than blousing bands, despite the potential weakness of rubber bands. If you get a pack all one size, it should last a while. But bands of various sizes, you’ll only be able to use a portion of the packet.
Then, you’re left with a packet of rubber bands that may go to waste.
The method has its ups and downs, but if you think it’s for you, then here’s what you do:
- Get dressed as normal, excluding your boots.
- Slide rubber bands up to your ankles.
- Tuck your pant legs into the rubber bands.
- Grasp the material from below the tuck line and fold it up over the band to hide it.
- Put your boots on, making sure they hide the rubber band area.
Pros
- Inexpensive.
- Rubber bands are easy to obtain.
- Easy and low-effort.
Cons
- May be wasteful.
- Can cut off your circulation.
- Doesn’t work for all pant lengths.
#4—Wear Battle Dress Uniform Pants
For the civilians among you, after a quick visit to an online retailer or army surplus store, you can walk out with some battle dress uniform attire.
BDUs are made for blousing; they’re longer and extremely durable, so they’ll work for hiking, hunting or any other outdoor activity a non-military person is into.
However, you’ll need a blousing strap to go with them. You could also use a band, but real blousers look much cleaner.
- Get dressed, excluding your boots.
- Fix the blousing strap over your BDUs, around the ankle area.
- Put on and secure your boots.
- If you like, tuck your ballooning BDU legs into the boot collar.
Pros
- Long enough to use any blousing method with.
- Highly durable for outdoor activities.
- Great camouflage for hunters.
Cons
- Requires a blousing strap to look cleanest.
- Can be a little long for people who aren’t used to them.
A Possible Addition: Blousing Weights
If you use blousing for fashion, you may want your pants’ legs to look more squared. So, you could use blousing weights.
After you blouse your boots, you pull your pants back down and pull up your hems. Then you adjust the weights so that they’re taped evenly around the calf. Once you pull your pants back up, you can further adjust the weights to taste.
This isn’t practical if you blouse for function, and may be distracting for military personnel and anyone who moves around a lot.
But if you want that classic, crisp, balloon look, then it’s an excellent way to achieve it.
The Importance of Blousing Boots
You may blouse your boots for fashion. That’s fine; it’s important to know how to blouse boots for that too.
Iit may not be mandatory for others, but it’s a highly important tool to break out whenever necessary. It may just be something you do in winter or insect-ridden terrains.
During daily training in the military, there’s a lot of moving, and often long pants. With all the running around, it’s easy to accidentally step on your pants and trip.
However, soldiers, hunters and hikers often spend time in dangerous or dirty areas, full of insects, debris, and even the pain of cold air.
Nobody wants insects scurrying up their legs, and debris may be dangerous. You could have small stones up your pant legs, accidentally lean on them, and get it embedded in your shin.
As for cold air, it’s important you stay as warm as possible in cooler conditions. In the summer, the air may be welcome, but not always.
Situations Where Blousing is Practical
If you’re still unsure about blousing your boots, we’ll give you a few situations where it may be best to tuck those pants in. It’s not just for military personnel, you know.
During Outdoor Activity
We mentioned the dangers of outdoor activity above, but blousing can apply to any outdoor activity you may think of.
Think about when you’re mowing the lawn on a windy day. Cut grass may fly up your swaying pants legs; this won’t happen if you blouse your boots.
When Riding a Horse or Bike
When riding a horse or bike, you tend to pass by things in close quarters, especially in the countryside. The legs of your pants may snag on brambles and brush.
On a bicycle, it’s particularly wise, as the pants may get caught in the pedals. Though for serious and speedy riders, that’s what cycling shorts are for.
While Cleaning
Have you ever cleaned out a horrible, cobweb-ridden area? It’s not difficult to imagine spiders running out of the corners and scampering up your pant legs. With your pants tucked in, you avoid this horror.
Using Toxic Chemicals
When using toxic chemicals, you should be in appropriate protective gear. But if it hasn’t been provided, tuck your pants into your shoes. It stops any chemicals splashing on the floor, then back up at you.
Jogging
Do you enjoy jogging or running for exercise? If you wear loose-fitting attire, you may want to tuck the legs into your socks. It stops them from flapping around with motion and is especially helpful if you’re a trail runner.
It also stops any potential accidents with tripping.
In Snow
Keeping out cold is one thing, but keeping out snow is another. Snow is flakey, and one step on thick but light snow can send some shooting up the leg of your pants.
When bloused, you’re free of the icy bite of the freezing substance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Army Blouse Their Boots?
Whether or not the army blouses their boots is up to the soldier. Many soldiers do, for convenience and safety, but others prefer to leave their hems free.
Why Do Soldiers Blouse Their Boots?
Some soldiers choose to blouse their boots to stop bugs crawling up the legs of their pants. It also prevents debris and cold air from getting up there. In some cases, it may be required depending on the commanding officer.
Why Do Guys Tuck Their Pants in Their Boots?
Outside of the army, guys tuck their pants in their boots to look stylish. However, for many, it’s practicality, especially if hunting, hiking, or riding a horse. Some may also do it while cycling, to avoid the pants getting caught in the pedals or brush they pass by.
What Does Blousing Your Pants Mean?
Blousing means you give the bottom of your pants a ballooned finish. They pool around the top of your boots and may also look tucked in. One of the ways to blouse boots is to tuck the pants into the boots or socks.
Bloused To Perfection
Once you know how to blouse boots, it’s a practical move you can make during any activity. If you’re in the army, it’s a vital skill you may choose to use.
Do you know anyone who’s always snagging their pants on things? Send this article their way to save them from a world of irritation, and teach them how to blouse boots.
Feel free to comment your thoughts down below. Do you have an alternative method? Let us know.
