Chilling in Chinos

What is it about chinos that make them such a good choice for menswear this year? With the Summer soon approaching, or at least hopefully given the weather, it’s worth thinking about the benefits of chinos, and how you can make the most of them - what trends should you focus on, and how can you best wear chinos with other items? Moreover, what are some of the things you should avoid when wearing chinos?

The style associated with chinos is generally laid back  and capable of being adapted to different occasions; the more casual chinos you can find on the high street have visible stitching, and are mostly to be worn when relaxing - they can still be paired, though, with Oxford shirts and smart blazers, as well as with printed T shirts. More high quality chinos, which can be found through brands like Officers Club, are designed to last longer, and to be suitable as work attire.

Remember, you don’t want to look too casual - part of the appeal of chinos is their versatility, and their ability to add a smart touch to most outfits - if you’re going for a more traditional look, than black and navy chinos are best, as they can fit in well with a smart suit jacket or blazer; brightly coloured chinos, by comparison, give you a lot of room to experiment with different styles, and can be paired with T shirts and most other outfits without drawing too much attention away from items.

The choice available for chino styles and colours is broad, and you can go with rust colours and mustard, or with regular fit and tan shades - chino shorts can also be worn, and are a particularly good idea for the beach. Regular and boot cut chinos can similarly be combined if you want a sharper look that’s more similar to the lines you can get with a good pair of slim fit jeans, and can be paired with smart shoes.

It’s worth, then, thinking about having a few different pairs of chinos that you can mix and match; brighter coloured chinos can be paired off with neutral shirts and boat shoes, while darker and less striking chinos are ideal for wearing with leather jackets. Try to avoid clashing colours, and always get your sizing right before settling on a pair of chinos. Striped shirts and plenty of colour can make chinos can stand out, so consider adding a few pairs to your wardrobe this Spring and Summer to see whether you can get out of the habit of wearing the same old jeans styles.

Author Bio:

Donna Baxter loves officers club and the range of styles she can find there.  Donna can be found blogging about different styles to get you through the summer.