How to Blouse Boots Using 4 Easy Methods

Blousing your boots might be something you are required to do because you are in the army, or a way to keep debris out of your boots during your hikes and hunting trips. Learning how to blouse boots is a valuable skill, and this is something you can master in a few minutes.

Are you wondering what the best technique is?

Do you want to know about the accessories you need to keep your pants properly ballooned around your boots?

Let’s look at a few different methods. You are going to learn how to keep cold air from going up your pant leg and how to keep debris and insects out of your boots.

The main challenge is to get your pants to stay in place. You also need to be mindful of not cutting the circulation in your ankles.

 

Method 1 – Blousing Boots With Elastic Bands

This is a quick and easy way to blouse your pants. Using a blousing band is the best way to keep cold air out of your pant legs, and these bands are some of the most comfortable accessories you can use to blouse your boots.

You are going to need:

• Combat boots, work boots or hiking boots.
• Thick socks.
• Army or hunting pants. Any pants that don’t have a tight fit should work.
• Elastic blouse bands.

You can see what these blouse bands look like here and purchase them.

Pro tip: You can make your own blouse bands at home by sewing Velcro patches on a woven elastic band. You can purchase a woven elastic band here.

Watch this quick video to get an idea of how you blouse your pants with elastic bands:

Here is a step by step break-down of this method:

• Get your socks on.
• Slide the elastic blousing bands over your feet, or tie them around your ankle if you have a model with Velcro.
• Get your pants on.
• Tuck the bottom of your pants inside of the bands.
• Fold the rest of the fabric over the blousing band to create the balloon look.
• Pull the fabric down to hide your socks.
• Put your boots on.

This is a common method used among servicemen and servicewomen. The downside is that wearing the blousing band for long periods of time can become uncomfortable. Military/army boot blousing is a skill you should know if you spend a lot of time outdoors or live in an area with cold winters.

Photo by 422737 Licensed under CC0

Pros:

• This method is quick and easy
• You can make your own blousing bands.
• Your pants shouldn’t slip from the band.

Cons:

• This not ideal for your circulation.
• Other methods will work better if you want to get a more noticeable balloon look.

 

Method 2 – Wear A Blousing Strap Inside Of Your Pants

This is a method that requires a little bit more work and you won’t be able to do it on the go. The plus side is that wearing the blousing strap inside of your pants is less uncomfortable and your pants definitely won’t slip out of the strap if you tie it properly.

Be careful not to tie the blousing straps too tight.

Pro tip: blouse your pants while standing up if you don’t want to get the balloon look.

You are going to need a few things:

• Your favorite pair of boots.
• A pair of roomy pants.
• Elastic blousing straps, or blousing garters.

You can order these blousing garters here.

If you have some paracord bracelets that will fit around your ankle or know how to make your own paracord bracelets, you can use them for blousing your pants instead of ordering straps.

This video will show you how to properly blouse your pants with straps or garters:

You can also follow these steps:

• Get your socks and pants on.
• Tuck the bottom of your pants as far up your leg as you can.
• Pull your pants down and straighten up the fabric rolled up against your leg.
• Tie the straps or garters around the portion of the pants that is turned inside out.
• Pull your pants back up.
• Adjust the bottom of your pants.

You won’t get the balloon look with this method, but you won’t have to worry about your pants slipping out of the blousing strap. Wearing the blousing strap for long period of time might not be comfortable and debris might still get in your boots.

Pro tip: always wear thick socks that cover most of your calves with your bloused pants. Find adjustable blousing straps if possible.

Pros:

• Your pants won’t slip out of the blousing straps.
• Great for keeping cold air out of your pant legs.
• No balloon look.

Cons:

• Not something you can do on the go.
• Not ideal for your circulation.

 

Method 3 – Wear Battle Dress Uniform Pants

Battle Dress Uniform pants are designed with blousing in mind. You can usually find these pants by visiting army surplus stores or might be able to order them online.

These pants are very durable and suitable for hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities. These pants have two layers of fabric at the bottom. There is an inside layer with blousing ties, and an outer layer that falls over the bloused boots.

Photo by Military_Material Licensed under CC0

You will only need a few things to blouse BDU pants:

• A pair of BDU pants, or any other pair of pants with a similar design.
• Your boots.
• Some thick socks.

Here is how you can blouse your BDU pants:

• Get your socks and BDU pants on.
• Tie the blousing straps around your ankles.
• Get your boots on.
• Arrange the outer layer of the BDU pants over the collar of your boots.

Note that you can tuck the outer layer of your BDU pants inside of the collar of your boots. This will protect you from the cold and keep debris and insects out of your boots.

Pros:

• It’s a quick and easy method.
• BDU pants are very durable and comfortable.
• You don’t have to worry about losing your blousing straps.

Cons:

• You need to purchase BDU pants.
• You have to tie the blousing straps, which means they might come loose.

 

Method 4 – Tuck Your Pants In

If you are wondering how to blouse boots without bands, you should know that you can pretty much achieve the same results by simply tucking your pants in.

This is probably the easiest way to blouse your pants. It is a good option if you want to blouse your pants for fashion purposes or just to keep dirt and dust out of your boots. However, it won’t offer as much protection against cold air as other methods.

Photo by RoAll Licensed under CC0

Here is what you will need:

• Hiking boots, work boots, or army boots.
• A pair of pants.

Follow these steps to tuck your pants in:

• Get your pants on.
• Flatten the fabric around your ankles and fold the extra fabric in the back.
• Get your boots on.
• Slide the bottom of your pants inside of the boots.

Pro tip: wear suspenders to keep your pants from slouching over your boots. You will have less fabric to tuck inside of the collar of your boots.

Alternatively, you can tuck your pants inside of your socks. This won’t look fashionable, but this will come in handy if your pants keep slipping out of your boots.

The main issue with this method is that your pants can slip out of your boots. However, this is a useful thing to know about since you can use it to keep debris out of your boots if you don’t have any blousing accessories with you.

Note that this method won’t prevent insects from getting your boots either, and isn’t ideal for hiking since your pants could get caught on a branch. This is a method that would be useful if you are concerned about keeping cold air out of your pant legs and don’t have any blousing straps, ties or bands with you. The plus side is that tucking your pants in won’t affect your circulation.

Pros:

• You don’t need any accessories.
• You can do this on the go.
• Keeps cold air out.
• Won’t cut your circulation.

Cons:

• Your pants can slip out.
• It won’t keep debris and insects out of your boots.

 

Conclusion

Did you find these tips useful? Were you familiar with these blousing methods before? It is always helpful to know about different techniques you can use to blouse your pants since you might not have your favorite accessories handy when you need to keep debris out of your pants.

Let us know what you thought about these tips in the comment and share this article if you liked it. Tell us which accessories and methods you use to blouse your pants. And if you are new to learning how to blouse boots, tell us which method was the easiest for you to use!