I was stalking these babies for a couple months before pulling the trigger.
What initially caught my eye: that elongating high fitted waist and structured leg that’s perfectly loose. These are the perfect skinny non-skinny pants. Are you growing tired of skinny jeans too?
You all know I’m a sucker for utilitarian garb. I imagined these pants pairing so well with my military jacket, work shirts, and boots. I love its masculine sensibilities. More girly girls might want to opt for the lighter shades.
Did you know a “Ranger” is a member of an elite branch of the army, just like the Navy Seals are to the navy?
Before buying I had two reservations: 1. These pants look really long; will I be able to get them tailored without ruining the silhouette? and 2. Should I trust the JK size guide that says I’m a size 10? I even e-mailed customer service and told them I’m usually a size 27, between a size 4 and 6. They asked for my waist measurement and very bluntly told me I should order a size 10. (wtf?!).
So when I read Andrea’s helpful post about sizing on her Kamm pants, I went ahead and bought the size 6 with confidence. And they fit nicely. The pants are slightly snug around the waist and probably a tad too loose around my hips and thighs, but I’m OK with that.
Dearly Bethany made a nice video on how she got the hem taken up a few inches without messing up the shape of the legs. I still need to get mine tailored but think they look nice with the hem folded up as well. I’m going to take them up about 3 inches so they sit about 1 cm above my ankle boots. I like my socks to peak out a little bit with boots.
The cotton fabric is a bit stiff, which allows it to hold its shape nicely, but sometimes it can feel too stiff when sitting down or bending over. I hope they soften up with washing.
The very high waist and button fly means getting these pants off and on in the restroom can be pretty time consuming. And if you have a big tush (which I don’t) the button fly might buckle and bulge out, so you gotta take that into consideration when you choose your size.
I’ve tried these pants with almost every top in my wardrobe and in the end, they look best with a simple white T-shirt tucked in. Less is more here. They look even better with an open jacket on top.
I’m looking forward to wearing these pants into the fall and winter months. With the amount I paid, I really wanted a pair of pants that I could wear year round. This is one reason I opted for the Ranger over the Sailor pants. The tapered leg will keep the cold out and looks great with ankle boots, oxfords, and under rain boots.
They don’t look like jeans, so you can pull them off at work too.
I’m loving the midnight blue color, but also love the pale grey and brown ones. If these soften up with washing, I might actually invest in the brown ones too. They are expensive but if you’re looking for an investment piece, I’d highly recommend you give them a try. They will last a lifetime, and if they don’t work out, you can either return or get a couple wears in and re-sell them easily online.
bonus material! jesse kamm in her beautiful home on the apiece apart blog.
[outfit: everlane t-shirt, jesse kamm ranger pant size 6, madewell mules]
Dr. it girl 
they look great on you. I’m looking forward to seeing how you style them in the winter.
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Thx Joy. I wore them again today in 45 degree weather and realized these would layer over leggings so nicely because they don’t cling at all to your legs.
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very cute.. for something so distinctive and durable, I’d say they are worth the price.. people pay a lot more for basic denim in forgettable styles.
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100% agree
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Hi, I am interested in buying ranger pants but really not sure about the size. I usually wear 26 or 2 when it is combination of a bit of spandex but when it is 100% cotton I’ve chosen 27 or 4 (Haven’t had a chance to get US size). How about you? It seems very comfy for you with size 6. Do you think size 4 would be rather tight on your back? I really hate the feeling of being uncomfortable near crotch either when I am sitting or standing sometimes hehe…Thank you!!
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Size 4 would be impossible for me. Size 6 just barely fits around the waist but there’s room around my hips. You could probably fit a size 4.
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Thank you so much
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Hey Michelle, You’re probably sick of answering questions about Ranger sizing, but I would really appreciate some guidance! I just bought a slightly used pair of rangers in L/8 based on the JK guidance to size down (I wear a 6 in the sailor pants). They seem a little big, but I’m scared a size 6 will be too tight in the hips. Would you mind sharing your measurements? Thank you!
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no problem.. these pants are hard to get the fit right. i’m 29-30″ around the belly button, depending on how much i ate that day lol, and 36″ around my hips at the widest part. and a size 6 just barely fits around my waist, but i have lots of wiggle room around my hips. the fit between the sailor and ranger are very similar. if it doesnt fit you can easily re-sell it online. hope this helps!
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Thank you! That is super helpful. I have the opposite issue–too much wiggle room in the waist with the size 8 but I’m scared the 6 won’t fit over my hips. Thanks again!
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No prob. Most people have the opposite problem to me. I have a very unique shape haha.
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Hi Michelle,
Great review on the ranger pant! I have been eyeing both the Kamm ranger and the sailor pant for ages and finally got around to reading reviews.
Your review resonated with me because we have a similar straight body shape. My waist is 28 inches and my hips are 34 inches. In addition, I recently had a similar experience with a customer service rep recommending a size based on my waist measurement.
I laughed because I know a size 28 will swim on my small hips. I usually wear a size 24 or 25 in denim and 00-0 in pants. I am waiting to hear back from the rep with flat measurements of the actual garment. I find this the easiest way for me to determine fit.
Anyway, to the point. I am wondering, do you still love your rangers? Does the waist give with wear? i just hate anything too tight around my waist and unfortunately it is a common problem for me with jeans and pants.
You mentioned the size 6 ranger fit you a little big in the hip. Do you think that is something that can be altered? You look great in the pants btw. For me though, I worry the rangers will look like jodhpurs lol!
Oh and 1 more thing. Sometimes tapered pants can fit me too tightly in the calf area. Any issues there?
Thanks again for your review for those of us with straighter figures,
Janet
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Hi Janet, Thanks. Yes fit is tricky with Jesse Kamm, but I would say that although the pants are loose around my hips and thighs, I kind of like that. The fabric is very stiff, and retains it’s structure, so you still get the desired shape even if it’s loose. It’s loose on the models too, so you can get a sense of what that might look like. The fabric is very durable and does not loosen up with wear. I’d ask for the flat lay at the top edge, and then measure your waist to see if it is the same. You could probably get away with your waist being 1/2 inch larger than the top edge of the pants. I would not recommend altering the pants except for the hem because the pants are sewn only on the inner seam. It’s a unique feature of these pants and I don’t think the tailor would know how to alter it.. it’d be risky.
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Hi Michelle, thanks for replying. After I posted, I read a post that talked about the ranger not having an outer leg seam so you’re right there is no way to alter the hip area. The hip area doesn’t look too loose on you, your hip to waist ratio leans more toward hour glass shape. I think the hip area might be to big on me as my waist to hip ratio leans more toward Apple or round shaped. I think I’ve decided to go with the sailor pant. Thanks for your help.
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