Everyone’s crazy about a smart-dressed man—or so the song goes. But what does smart dressing really mean? “Range” is key here: Flexible staples that can go from a company picnic to a night on the town, and everything in between, are vital to the smart dresser.
Chino-style pants fill this niche perfectly, riding the line between casual and formalwear and lending serious versatility to daily selection. Every man’s wardrobe should have at least one pair of chino pants—let’s explore why.
What Are Chinos?
Chino-style pants are designed for comfort and functionality. Our own Feel-Good Chinos offer maximum comfort due to our breathable fabric (97% Cotton Twill), curved waist, and a design that adds some stretch to your pants.
Chinos are a comfortable and durable alternative to dress pants or jeans—but do they deliver in terms of looks? You may have owned “khakis” before, but did you know that most khakis are technically a chinos pants style? But where many khakis have bulky wide designs, we recommend a slim tapered cut to deliver a sleek, yet comfortable, silhouette. Our Feel-Good Chinos are a great example of slim-fit chino pants and one that every man should have in their wardrobe.
So Are Chinos Just Khaki Pants?
Khaki is probably the most popular color of Chino pants for men, but it is not the only one. “Khaki” just refers to the color, and sometimes fabric, but not the style and build of the pants. Chino pants actually come in a wide variety of colors and can pair well with many different outfits. Let’s go over some options that you can consider when planning out your own men's chino outfits.
Blue Chino-Style Pants
Blue is a very versatile color, which makes it an incredible option when selecting your chino pants. From darker navy to mellow sky blues, blue chino pants can pair well with many outfits whether formal or casual.
If you want some blue chino pants to pair with a formal outfit, then a deep navy or even an ink blue would be a great option. Lighter blues better suit a casual outfit, so if you need an alternative to jeans for your downtime, consider some blue chinos.
Grey and Black Chino-Style Pants
If you want to add some variety to your formalwear options, then grabbing some grey or black slim fit chino pants could be a great option for you. While they could work for casual outfits as well, grey and black are usually considered more sophisticated or professional colors, so they are a strong addition to a formal outfit.
Another bonus of grey or black chino pants is that they can pair with pretty much any color. One problem with khaki pants or even jeans sometimes is that while they are incredibly stylish, they work best with particular colors. Grey and black are very simple, very neutral colors and allow you a lot of options when choosing an outfit.
Brown and Khaki Chino-Style Pants
Brown and Khaki are colors that can make the most of an outfit when coordinated appropriately. They even offer some flexibility when deciding on a casual or formal outfit. Khaki isn’t as casual as jeans, nor as formal as darker dress pants, so think of khaki and brown as strong semi-formal options.
For professional business settings and even sophisticated events, deep brown or a nice khaki can be a great choice when putting together your outfit.
How To Style Chino pants
We’ve gone over some of the color options available for chino pants, but after you’ve found an ideal color for you, you will want to know the best way to style them. For a simple breakdown, we’ll cover how to put together casual and semi-formal outfits with your slim-fit chino pants.
Casual Style Tips
For a night out on the town to a relaxing afternoon outing, chino pants are king when it comes to versatility.
For a simple, reliable look, you can pair black chinos with a solid-colored top or even a pocket tee and complete the look with a sharp pair of sneakers. For more active trips, you could even choose boots as a footwear option.
Pairing blue or brown/khaki chino pants with a button-up or collared shirt is another simple yet very stylish option. This is great for a casual scenario where you want to appear a bit more dressed up.
Semi-Formal to Formal Style Tips
Your top of choice is what will really determine the formality of your look with chino pants. If you have a nice selection of blazers, you could pair them with many different chino pant colors to present a more formal look. If you layer a button-up and even a vest under that blazer, then you have a really nice formal look that can be easily adapted for a casual setting at a moment’s notice. A knit sweater with a collared shirt is also one of many semi-formal options you can consider with your chinos.
Conclusion
While khaki chino pants are the most common option worn today, our selection of the best chinos for men includes a wide variety of colors that offer style and comfort for any man’s wardrobe.
Browse our selection and find the pair that can make the most of your wardrobe today.
