For decades, chinos have been treated as a conventional style option for men. Designers then had to learn how to tease some appeal out of them. Cutting the pants skinnier, dyeing them in brighter shades, and lightening the fabric Chinos have made a strong come back in the modern day fashion scene. Chinos, by definition, are indeed cotton twill trousers. As with many of our contemporary wardrobe staples, chinos were initially designed with a military purpose during the mid-19th century. Strong and rugged, yet lightweight and comfortable, chino cloth was ideal for crafting fighting pants, and it took many years of khaki incarceration before chinos began to be rendered in more colours available today. So pick your one to complete your Eid style.
First comes the fit and style options. Fit and form are both necessities of function when it comes to chinos, meaning there is no one set of rules you should figuratively take into the changing room with you. When dressing for more formal occasions, your chinos should be of a fine lightweight twill and fit pretty much as your suit trousers do, hanging perhaps a little lower on the hip, but maintaining the same rise and length in the leg and tapering toward the ankle. If you are going to wear them with a blazer, then you don’t want any unnecessary wrinkling coming from a more accommodative rise or looser waist. For a more casual look with a casual shirt you can go for a slightly wider-legged chino that is rolled just above the ankle and look less try-hard than its slim-fit counterpart.
Secondly color is important. Chinos, thankfully, no longer just come in khaki. If you give a close look, you’ll probably find numbers of pair on the high street in the same colour. That’s not to say that there is anything wrong with khaki – it teams nicely with many different washes of denim or chambray for a workwear-inspired look – but it’s worth broadening your palette for an occasion like Eid. If you would prefer to stay neutral and classic, navy and grey chinos is the very definition of versatility and were seen on many a recent runway complementing other shades of blue – meaning they will both slot seamlessly into your current wardrobe. Pastels shades – from pistachio green and lavender to pale lemon and powder blue – are also relatively easy to wear and a key trend now a day. They also look elegantly bohemian when paired with a simple T-shirt and linen scarf. The bright red variety is, however, the marmite of chinos. If you’ve got the confidence to pull off red chinos, then go for it.
The best thing about chinos is their versatility. For a casual look with a leaning towards a more outdoorsy style, classic khaki chinos in a slightly more relaxed fit match really well with hiking boots, a chambray shirt and quilted gilet. For a dressier casual style, a slim-fitting pair in a pastel shade works nicely with a simple T-shirt and is a particularly easy look to pull off with espadrilles and sandals. Throw over a cotton-linen blend blazer or similarly lightweight unstructured sports coat and you immediately dress the look up into something smarter. For occasions with a smart-casual bent, opt for rich navy chinos turned up with tan loafers (and matching tan belt) and team with a crisp white shirt and blazer of a lighter blue hue. Throw a pocket square into the mix or drape a contrasting silk scarf beneath the lapels of your blazer.
Chinos are far more than just an alternative to denim. In fact, we would go so far as to say that they are considerably more versatile than their indigo-dyed cousins and enable you to mix and match with a wide range of pieces you already have in your wardrobe. Whether you go bold with rich colours or play it comparatively safe with neutral blues, black and grey, chinos inject a sense of formality that is associated with traditional tailoring but without any of the fustiness.