Wtfoffers Chinos. Basics so they come. Whether dressy or especially casual in nature, it acts as “basic pants not jeans” for most men. Some can be easily dressed up by pushing the creases into a pair with the squeezed pockets. Get a pair with 20-inch leg openings, 19 pleats, or other crazy features. You can get a vintage pair with a flat front or get dressed in the ground, and have the heart of Ivy style. Get a basic pair, wear it in boring enough clothes, and people call them “oysters” despite the fact that “khaki” refers to color.
I like my chinos are great and big. I only have 4 good pairs according to your definition, but… well, what do you do teeth Chino?
The story I originally heard was that Spanish soldiers put their hands in Chinese fabrics that they thought were perfect for making pants. They called them “Pantalonchinos” and we just called them Chinos. There is ambiguity as to how accurate the origin of the word is, but… who cares?
Most definitions I found labelling chinos as “cotton twill fabric” and ending there. As far as I know, Any Cotton twill is technically chino fabric. This is confusing. Denim is not chino fabric. Your jeans are not chinos. Your herringbone twill fatigue is not Chino. Chino feels… well, there are many different ways they can feel, but don’t they feel like jeans? Can I narrow down my definition?
Well… not that. Simply list cotton twill pants that aren’t fatigue, jeans or carpenter’s pants, and we’ll decide that they’ll optionally count as chinos. It helps if they are labeled as chinos or if I can feel them personally and assure you that they are chinos. Some of these options are only seen online, so you may feel that they are at a different level of age than standard chinos.
Oh, and if you don’t want to read my BS, you are always welcome to skim Shopmy items
uniqlo u ($50; on sale occasionally)
Uniqlo U, a collection designed by Christophe Lemaire, does a lot, but to focus on chinos: they are all 100% cotton, all lovely cuts, all for $50.
The Uniqlo U appears to have multiple “wide fit chino pants.” This batch comes with more colour options, and this batch comes with taller sizes. I like the batch above, they have more interesting shapes, but the other two have great straight legs, which is pretty good too.
Bronson ($40-56; on sale occasionally)
Again, Bronson has multiple options, and these can be in a variety of sizes. They make my favorite fatigue and lots of other good things. They have a pretty good replica of the military style and the prices are great. The biggest drawback is that they are based in China, so it’s difficult to give it a try. Their sales cycle is basically once or twice a year, 5-15% off depending on how much you spend. If you want to wait, it’s not up to you, it’s not the biggest deal. Ah, some things are sold out.
J. Crew ($100; on sale occasionally)
I am recorded as the big lover of J. Crew’s giant Fitchinos. They are not only wide, but also high rise with great fabric. I think they’re cut over most J.Crew offerings, and I own a pair myself. Some other people prefer classic chino pants that are not too wide and are also 100% cotton. They have a little different details like different pocket styles, so try them out and see which ones suit you. And try the Wallace and Burns pair while you’re there.
Back Mason
Buck Mason makes some variations here. One does these herringbone twill “Bakers Pants”. This is in the middle of fatigue…but they don’t have visible pocket outlines, so I call them chinos. I also love my pair and I love recommending them.
Also, Buck Mason creates one of the only suits on this list (I didn’t look too intense as this article is mainly about pants. Still, Chino’s suits are cool.
Casatlantic
For $180, I honestly think these are a bit of a steal. They developed their own fabrics based on the vintage fabrics they loved, and the cuts combined with vintage options reminded me of the legendary Ralph Lauren Andrew Cut.
- Tanger
- Mogador (Large width)
- They have four cuts, but I don’t recommend slim pants here.
Haven
Haven is a cool Canadian retailer with its own houseline focused on more technical fabrics. They use Gore-Tex and Rolo Piana Storm systems and all sorts of flashy fabrics, but what’s relevant today is the pinnacle twill.
Apex Twill is a tightly woven cotton that gains natural water resistance. That too Japanese. I need to get some effect on this blog. Japanese.
Also, I think the cut is pretty good. Those double pleats are cool.
O’Connells
O’Connells is an old standard for Ivy style. They have made clothes more or less the same way since the 50s, but in their case, that’s a good thing.
Orslow
Orslow is one of the Japanese brands that people think of Japanese brands as cool. In particular, they are good at reusing old military styles into modern clothing, while still maintaining the appeal of the former.
Todd Snyder
I’ve tried these and they’re great, but there are a few other perks worth noting about shopping at Todd Snyder. and A permanent discount when using code danielh15.
Nudity
Nudi is known for their denim more than chinos, but there is really a lot of overlap between the fabrics. These are high rises in their “Tough Tony” cuts and also feature some nice touches like the Corozo button.
Wallace and Burns
The high-end workwear themed line of J. Crew, Wallace & Burns is one of those things people seem to love all around. They may also be sold occasionally. J. Crew scale is funky.
Noah
I like the single pleated pants here. At one point I noticed that many streetwear brands are doing single-pleated chinos with full cut and single-forward pleats. So, is Noah a streetwear brand? I don’t know, and I really don’t mind, check the pants.
Jack Donnelly
Jack Donnell creates a variety of chino styles in America. Their M1 cut is my favorite as it is their most relaxed. Their pants rise is generally lower than I like,
RRL
I have these pairs that I like. I rifted mine, but still. What I was planning to share the sold out before I finished writing this article. Anyway, RRL makes good chinos.
- Mid-brown Chino Field Pants are sold out.
- Chinofield pants are a kind of teal colour and are called “gas station green.”
Murray’s Tog
This is the only place where a proper old money family gets Nantucket Reds. And for $125, they aren’t even that expensive.
3sixteen
3sixteen, known in Denim, also makes Chinos. They make these in a very wide variety of colors, their website doesn’t group them as one item, so… good luck.
Auraleee
I think Auralee should be in the next section, but it’s not, it’s here. Honestly, these are classically styled chinos. Still, they are realistically cool standard chinos.
Agorde
I don’t know much about this brand – I discovered this cut while I was making this list – but these look cool to me. They are said to be “tapered,” but that’s technically true… um, I look at them.
Gaika cashmere
Yes, they make something other than cashmere. Like these chinos. Although I have no personal experience, anyone who knows who visited his shop talks great things about the brand and the man running within it (his ALD lookbook includes very Dan Hakimi coded).
I have already highlighted some options that rent for free in my mind, as well as some other options that have appeared to me while I was writing the article.
Studio Nicholson
God, I want Studio Nicholson Pants. They come in such a cool form. My closet is full, but I make exceptions for these pairs, one of the latest…
Sakai
Ah, this first pair is crazy. Super-sized flare, built-in belt. The pair with a belt is also cool. Find out Sacai, it’s a cool brand. And check out Titose Abe. She is Japanese.
Re-Mail
Lemer’s major contribution here is the “twist” side seams. This creates a unique shape that advances the foot type. This is partly inspired by the age of old jeans. I like it.
Martin Rose
These have subtle flares down the sides of each leg and have buttons. Martine Rose is another cool designer worth looking into if you’re interested.
Capital
Well, for some reason, Capital creates a chino skirt that combines pairs of chinos. I don’t know who the target audience is, but I don’t wear it, but it may be.
I’ve written about thrifitng Chinos in the past, but here I’ll provide you with the very specific Recs behind the Jerry and Elaine membership tier. Because it can.
