Becoming Sick of Chinos?

[david]

I am starting to find myself being unwilling to wear my chinos these days due to the huge amount of people wearing them and all sporting the same looks. When out at the weekend every second male I looked at was wearing chinos, with the majority looking like they were a member of one direction sporting carrot and/or cuffed styles. In the last 3 or 4 months I have thrown out all my carrot and skinny chinos as I felt as if they were beginning to get negative connotations. I bought a few different coloured pairs which were all slim fit and on the occasions I am wearing these I am trying to keep my top half smarter so I'm not looking like a boyband stereotype.

Just wondering if anyone else is feeling this way? Are there another form of trousers which are alternatives to chinos? Do people have tips of what to wear with your chinos to avoid looking like a member of a boyband?

[Jay]

I never went for the carrot look (I'm way too old) but wear skinnys only because I'm a short arse with a tiny waist and skinny chinos look like a slim fit on me anyway. I have beige, red and bright blue chinos that I wear fairly frequently, which again, like you, I try and dress up with smarter items to give a sharper look.

In the summer I wore loafers a lot with them, but as the colder weather draws on it's more often than not brogues. Good smart shoes is such a great way to dress up chinos.

As or alternatives, I tend to either be in them or (more often) jeans. I have a couple of pairs of nice flat panel trousers (one in a prince of wales check and another in a dark brown with a very subtle pinstripe) which I bought in a Paul Smith sale (£20 a pair!) that are a great alternative, but I have to say, I don't wear them too often.

I have hundreds of things to choose from when it comes to the top half of my body, but my bottom half choices are far more limited. I'm considering a pair of tweedy type trousers (for the heritage look) from Ted Baker, but I suspect they might end up hung in the cupboard a lot:



So, yeah, suggestions, please!

[Evan John]

Hi David, I totally understand what you mean about the carrot Chino. Every spice-boy seems to be jumping on them, at least it makes them slightly more sartorially well-off, but it's annoying for us that are trying to look fashionable.
Remember that the carrot Chino is still something great, but we'll just need to try and make the top half less band tee or topman slogan tee and wear some nice fitted blazers, shirts and some smashing brogues. When wearing something the masses wear, wearing it better than most is always the way to go.
If you really are sick of them, why not go down the corduroy route. The cord is (and always will be) a great versatile piece to put in the wardrobe, easily moving from formal to lounging, yet always stylish.

Evan

[William Colman]

I would agree with the majority and say that it is more about how you wear them. However, I think the it is time to start investing in heritage fabrics, I've got my eye on a pair of grey slim fit Herringbone trousers from Topman.

[Daniel.]

Try out different colours, and added tweaks. I remember almost getting a pair of grey pleated chinos out of Asos once, but never as I was totally working out at the time and my leg muscles were growing exponentially everyday, so I never knew which size to get. I would show you pictures but I think it may be sexual harassment.

I was never one to get behind the carrot fit or the cuffed hems. When I see someone wearing carrot fitted cuffed hem light beige chinos I have a little whinge and moan to myself. Because I know I am clearly so much better at dressing myself.

Anyway, try some new colours such as darker shades of brown (thinking of the coming months) for a start. I wouldn't give up on chinos completely, a lot of them are much comfier than jeans.

[Sam]

I'm enjoying chinos but staying well away from the standard issue mustards and tobaccos. Sticking to skinny and slim fits too. Everything in moderation, I'm consciously keeping them out of my casual looks; only the colourful ones end up there. Chinos for me are a good smart casual anchor.

[Pin Money]

Black, grey or coloured denim or cords are the solution to this problem. You can avoid looking like everyone else, and the look isn't so defined, so it won't get too overdone.

Also, chavs and boybands are unlikely to ever jump on the skinny bandwagon, so I keep my jeans very skinny.

That said, I don't think looking like one of the boy band guys is the worst thing in the world. They are dressed by top stylists after all, plus females seem to like it.

[Tom]

There's nothing wrong with chinos, the same way everybody wears jeans and there's nothing wrong with them (and probably never will be). In fact with the colours of chinos they're much more versatile. The problem you probably have is buying some chino tracksuit bottoms with a crotch to accommodate anal prolapse and legs that make you look like you've had a serious leg bone deformity from birth. As you may guess I'm not a fan of them My advice would be wear chinos till the cows come home but stick with more regular cuts and get some different colours, and use your shoes and top half to add some character to the colour of the bottoms (much like the green trousers/blazer dude in the street style section)

[Olly]

Ha! Great read! I suppose it's the nature of fashion and how many of the high street brands jump on a trend determines how quickly those of us with an eye towards sartorial dignity cast it to one side and move on to something new.
Agree with many of the points raised here. I picked up a BEAUTIFUL pair of No nationality heavy twill chinos in a deep red the other week. they're in a straight cut with none of this ridiculous cuffing or abhorrent drop crotch business. They are warm, go with most items in my wardrobe and in my mind, bang on trend but best of all, I haven't seen anyone else wearing them. Yet.