Favorite inexpensive work chinos/pants?

[zerostyle]

Hi all,


I'm looking for suggestions for your favorite pants for every day work wear. ( pants + buttondown, no tie ).


I'd prefer them to be a little on the slim side, but nothing too crazy. I currently have a pair of the banana republic "classic fit" pants which work pretty well for me everywhere except in the seat of the pants.


A few questions:

- Chinos vs. wool. Chinos are always cheaper - but people always recommend wool. Why? With pants, I don't usually see a very big difference.

- What's your usual rotation look like? I tend to hate the khaki color in general, and wear almost all mid-grey pants. I plan on adding a pair of navy for sure, but past that I don't know. (For example, I'm not sure what I'd ever wear brown slacks with).


Open to waiting for a sale, but I generally would like to keep these cheap - say < $50.

[somaticmarker1]

For decent, but cheap pants that you only wear to work, I would recommend Docker's. The D1 and D2 are slimmer without being to weird. Docker's aren't the greatest pants in the world, but you can find them at Kohl's/Target/Sears for $20-$30, and they are fine for basic pants around the office.


I also don't care for Khaki or brown. Try a Charcoal or light gray. A light gray adds a nice mix to the rotation. Navy and black with light pinstripes is also decent.

[zerostyle]

Which is slimmer, the D1 or D2? Maybe i'll check these out since they can be had pretty cheap.

[zerostyle]

Hmm D1's look pretty decent. My one big gripe about dockers is how they always put their stupid label on the back.


Any other alternatives?

[MagM]

D1s are some of my favorites, I especially like the soft chino ones.


Edit: But they might not fit your needs; they're a little like denim in the way they wear.

[somaticmarker1]

If there is a Macy's near you, try their INC line (their cheapest in house line). MagM is right, docker's do have a jean-ish fit to them. INC is fits more like slacks. Again fairly inexpensive (their stuff is always on sale), but good quality. They are a step above Docker's, and don't have that annoying label on the back.

[greg_s]

H&M is always worth a look for decent fitted pants on the cheap. I hate how much crap there is to wade through at that store, but I have often had good luck with their pants for around $25

[BKA]

Don't give up on the wool option...although more expensive initially, they last longer, need to be cleaned only when stained or dirty, and if the drape and weight of the fabric are right they will "hang-out" wrinkles overnight. As long as they have the right break they afford a greater variety of shoe choices and can dress up much better than khakis. I am a bit of a Lands' End fanatic, so I go for their Year-Rounder Trousers in Tailored fit. They are hardly slim, but not baggy like most and have a good taper. At ~$70 they are twice the cost of Dockers but last longer and look better, in my opinion. They go on sale for around $40 occasionally. Also check out suit separates on sale at department stores. Macy's Alfani Red pants from solid color suits are generally discounted and look great as wear-alone pants without the jacket.

[Ben]

got a pair of Gap chinos, and then bought a second pair so I could have one for "work" and one for "play."


They fit me wonderfully, slim but not too skinny. one pair stays clean and ironed, and the other pair is neither. both are great

[Ben]

[Cannon]

Gap is decent. The price is about right on them if you do any of their sales to buy (sales are frequent with the Gap brands so just wait!).

[YackoYak]

I agree with BKA on wool vs chinos. Wool lays better, dresses up nicer, and lasts longer. I always dry clean my slacks.


Colors: I haven't found a navy pair to fit me, but I rotate black, charcoal, khaki and brown. For the most part, I can wear the brown in almost as many situations as the khaki. Stick to colors you look good on your skin type - olive works for me too.


Styles/Brands: I am an athletic 6'1" / 210 lbs (42L jacket, 35" waist) so the typical modern/slim fit doesn't work on my thighs; I need more of a straight fit. Recently I ended up at Macy's during one of their many 20% off sales and made of point of trying on every style of dress pant. I was there for 2 hours but I found one that fit my body type best. I think I ended up with Kenneth Cole Reaction flat fronts for about $40 / ea.


Dumb mistake: I bought all my slacks without sitting down in them and ended up having to exchange them (Perry Ellis Traveler City Fit) for the Kenneth Cole's. Unfortunately I came back on a Monday after the sale ended so I got refunded the sale price on the old style, and had to pay the full price on the new style.