Chino pants are a must-have in every man’s wardrobe. They look good when rocked with a t-shirt and sneakers and look even more stylish when paired up with a blazer and a pair of brogues. Due to their soft feel, they are the perfect alternative to jeans when the weather outside is hot and unbearable.
Unfortunately, most men have never mastered the art of wearing these dickies pants right. So, how can you make your chinos look elegant? Try out the following tips the next time you think of heading out in them.
1. Look For a Proper Fit
Gone are the days when wide-legged chinos were a thing. Nowadays, you can’t get away with wearing such unless you are a part of Journey, the rock and roll band, or Billie Eilish. If you want to look dapper in chinos, then you have to get the right cut and fabric. Make sure your dickies pants are neither too tight nor too baggy.
They should have a medium rise, a flat front, and a close fit on the bottom. Also, ensure the legs are fitting as well, and as for the length, stick to a quarter break. Too long chino pants make it challenging to pair them up with the right shoes. In a nutshell, they should fit just right.
2. Make it Simple
If you’re well versed in fashion, feel free to pair up your chino pants with whatever tickles your fancy. But if not, trying to pair them up with tops such as blazers can turn out to be a grand fashion faux pas. In respect to that, stick to pairing your chino pants with a dress shirt, a polo, or other simple alternatives that you are confident that you can never go wrong with.
3. What About Shoes?
The beauty of chino pants is they are super-versatile and can be worn with almost any type of shoes from brogues to old school rubber shoes. That said, if you are going for a casual look, a pair of the canvas, desert boots or boat shoes will do. If you are more inclined towards formality, a pair of brogues or suede loafers will work just fine.
4. Get Your Colors Right
We know you’ll hate to hear this, but when it comes to chino pants, forget about black. Instead, opt for colors like beige. If bright colors have never been your cup of tea, fret not, because navy blue is allowed. But ensure the navy blue shade you get actually looks like navy blue and not black! Other great colors include grey, pastel, red, white, pink, or khaki dickies pants.
5. To Cuff or Not to Cuff?
Well, the answer to this largely depends on the situation at hand. Cuffing chinos often makes them shorter and shows off your ankles or socks. This makes your overall look casual. Therefore, if you are working towards a casual look, you have the green light to the cuff. But if you are wearing your chinos to the office or heading to a formal event, do not cuff. Whether you choose to cuff or not to cuff, that’s your decision. But what you should never do is buy pre-cuffed chinos. Chino pants are versatile and stylish. But one tiny mistake can leave you looking like a rock and roll artist from the 70s (a good idea for Halloween). Thankfully, with the tips above, you don’t have to worry about being a fashion disaster when rocking chinos from dickies pants.