Statement jackets and the latest sneakers are always going to be top of men’s lust lists, but don’t let high-wattage clobber blind you to the essentials. The right type of pants for men can be the most quietly powerful item you wear, but get it wrong and you’ll instantly dull the shine of the trending pieces you spent so long chasing.
Yes, it’s easy to simply plump for your tried-and-tested slim-fit black jeans for the umpteenth time, but there’s a whole wardrobe full of top-notch trews that’ll look just as slick given half the chance. These are a few different styles of pants for men you may not have thought about, but should.
1. Corduroy Trousers
Corduroy pants, once reserved for fictional or real academicians, have become a versatile option for men. It’s an underutilized material in men’s style that, when worn correctly, can make for an indispensable pair.
There’s a 1970s revival going on in menswear, too, so there’s never been a better time to cover your legs in cord. Corduroy is made from woven, twisted wool or cotton. It’s durable and ideal for colder temperatures. This striped fabric adds character to casual wear, and can elevate formal clothing. A slim-cut corduroy jacket for party season is a good example. You could call it the Indiana Jones of legswear. They can get a bit warm, though, so it’s best to save them for when the cold really starts to bite.
Corduroy can be worn in a casual way, despite its often stuffy image. Try teaming a pair of dark corduroy trousers with a sweatshirt and practical leather sneakers to signpost that you’re not actually a fellow at Oxbridge.
The stripey fabric is also a great way to add personality to formal clothing. Come party season, a slim-cut corduroy will look great with a roll-neck and monk strap shoes. Swerve the shirt and tie, though – Doctor Who has rendered that combo unwearable everywhere outside of Comic Con.
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2. Wool Trousers
A firm favourite of fashion bloggers (the kind who don’t dress like anime astronauts, that is) and art directors the world over, wool men’s trousers offer a throwback to the days when jeans weren’t the de facto king of legwear.
Perfect both for styling with other tailored separates or smartening a casual getup, the wool trouser has been a mainstay amongst industry insiders for years – and their popularity isn’t showing any signs of waning.
While you’ll often see them dressed down with a pair of sneakers by arbiters of cool hanging outside loft offices leisurely puffing on roll-ups, this type of trousers work just as well styled in a more traditional way. For inspiration, cast your eye to Pitti Uomo where they’re often grounded with a pair of brogues, Derbies or double monks.
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3. Twill Chinos
Workwear is a great way to demonstrate your manliness. In twill chinos, quality craftsmanship meets reliability and style in a perfect ménage à trews of cool that’s still exceptionally wearable.
Twill, made of heavyweight cotton woven into a surface with diagonal parallel ridges is a durable material that will provide excellent returns on investment.
Plus, every scuff on a pair of twill chinos tells a story – even if the only ‘work’ you end up doing in them is loafing about on Twitter. In twill the beleaguered chino also breaks out of the realm of ‘Ibiza lads on tour’ into an altogether more grown-up sense of place and tradition.
Wear them with a pair of casual shoes (e.g., anything with a Vibram contrast sole), a Tshirt or piece knitwear or a denim jacket to create a stylish off-duty outfit.
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4. Trousers with relaxed-Legs
The backlash against skinny jeans is now official. After a night of wearing skinnies and trying to remove them with dignity, we are becoming more and more tired of the indecently highlighted genitalia. Relaxed-leg jeans and trousers look more appealing.
Harking back to 1950s-inspired garments, the Levi’s 501 cut is firmly back on the radar of menswear’s most stylish and the model has brought its mates along for the ride, too.
The looser cut is perfect to provide a platform for an eye-catching piece of footwear. However, the chinos or trousers must be perfectly broken. Too long and they’ll look like the floor-dragging bootcuts, too high and you’ll look like you’re wearing three-quarter lengths. The main objective is to avoid a pooling situation, so we’d suggest aiming for the hem to fall somewhere between the top of your shoe and its first set of eyelets.
When it comes to styling, contrast the extra fabric below by keeping your top half fitted to avoid any accusations that you’ve been playing dress up in your dad’s wardrobe.
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5. Linen Trousers
Not so long ago, linen trousers were sweaty, misshapen bloomers that had no place in a modern man’s style and wardrobe. In recent years, designers have put in a lot more effort to restore linen trousers. Modern leg-lines with tapered cuts flatter all body types. And linen blends make them a lot more practical, less prone to impossible creases – while still being as breezy as ever.
Wear them cropped with sneakers and plain T-shirts for a more modern look.
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6. Drawstring Trousers
Without wishing to be overdramatic, smart drawstring men’s trousers are the best thing to happen to menswear in a decade. Until recently, drawstrings and elasticated waistbands were confined to sportswear and generally considered to be a sign that you didn’t care. That’s stupid, of course. What a revelation it’s been to sit down for a large plate of pasta and not feel like your trousers might slice you in half by the meal’s end.
Drawstring trousers are available in many different materials and styles these days. Wool and linen make the best choices for the more sophisticated end. Once you’ve felt how comfortable your dressed-up wardrobe can be, you’ll never go back.
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7. Slimline Joggers
Athleisure is one of the most successful hybrids in recent years. It is an example where fashion and functionality combine for the better.
Sports-luxe is still very popular in the States. UK labels have been catching up a bit later, but young Brits love it. Combining the “it feels like I’m wearing nothing at all” comfort of joggers with the slim-fit of a more contemporary pair of work pants, they’re equally at home in the pub or the gym.
While there could be an argument made for the right jogger matched with the right overshirt, we’d suggest keeping the streetwear vibe going with a logo T-shirt from the likes of Palace, Stussy or Undefeated, a low-profile lifestyle runner on the foot and a slightly smarter bomber jacket.
If you’re not on a streetwear flex, step into some box-fresh white lace-up trainers and stick on an (impeccably ironed) Oxford shirt to inject some sharpness into the look.
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8. Cropped Trousers
Ankle swingers, as some want to call them, are here to stay – and with good reason. Cropped trousers spice up an otherwise boring formal outfit by allowing the ankles to breathe. Disclaimer: by cropped trousers, we mean shorter than your average, displaying a sliver of ankle or a good view of your men’s dress socks, not to be mistaken with pantaloons.
In addition to giving your footwear a platform to shine, a precise crop accentuates the line of your trews – because there’s nothing worse than puddling material at the bottom of your ankle. The length is important. Unless they fit perfectly off-the-peg, go to a tailor and take their advice, but if you’re feeling braver, anything up to three or four inches above the ankle is a safe bet.
Cropped trousers lend themselves well to both formal and off-duty settings, though you’re undoubtedly in safer territory with the former. Cropped chinos with a sand color will go well with a classic white shirt, a suede bomber in premium quality and white sports-luxe sneakers at the weekends. For more formal events, black cropped pants worn with a charcoal roll-neck, a grey jacket and oxblood shoes are ideal for a relaxed, business casual office.
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9. Cargo Pants
Cargo trousers are a product of the past. From army-issue to oversized monsters in the early noughties, they have seen a lot. Now, enough time has passed that things have calmed down a bit and they’re back in a big (and much more stylish) way.
The key to getting cargo men’s trousers right is ensuring that they hit the middle ground between slim and spacious, so think tailored. Sure, you can technically fill their big ol’ pockets to the brim, but in this case clean lines trump practicality, so leave them empty.
Consider a navy overshirt, another workwear staple for a weekend outfit that works. Meanwhile, if light layers aren’t an option, a pair of contemporary black cargo trousers can be recruited alongside a white Oxford shirt, grey sweatshirt, navy overcoat for a look that passes inspection.
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10. High-Waisted Trousers
The use of your nipples for a guide to aligning the waistband on your trousers used to indicate that you either were A: over 90 years old, or B: Simon Cowell. Today, however, it’s much more likely to signify that you’re the type of gent who frequents Pitti Uomo and owns more than one set of cufflinks. High-waisted trouser are literally in vogue. And while a well-styled pair can be a one way ticket to sartorial nirvana, get them wrong and you’ll look like a kid playing dress up in his dad’s suit.
To find the perfect fit, you need to nail the length and cut. If you’re going for a wide-leg style a cropped fit ensures you’re not drowning in fabric. Conversely, if mankles aren’t your thing, a tapered cut will allow the leg openings of the trousers to sit nicely with your chosen footwear.
High-waisted trousers may be tailoring technically speaking, but they’re still super relaxed and the rest of your style should follow ‘suit’. Choose a fitted T-shirt or polo shirt to wear on top. Make sure you tuck it into your waistband. This can be layered with a matching unstructured coat or even a warm wool overcoat in the winter. You can also try a canvas desert boot or a high-top canvas shoe.
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11. Pleated Trousers
As trousers make their way way back up to men’s natural waistlines once again, a long-forgotten tailoring detail is being thrust back into the fashion spotlight. Not so long ago, the pleat was a style feature reserved for grandads. It is a quirk that’s chosen for comfort, not aesthetics. It is frowned on by those who know. Comfort is not a dirty term anymore in the age of smart joggers, oversized tailoring and smart joggers. Pleated pants are back in men’s style and now is the time to introduce them to your wardrobe.
When you’ve spent the last 10 years forcing your legs into jeans akin to sausage casing, the idea of playing with less fitted silhouettes can seem a bit daunting. You need to strike a balance between fitted and loose. Your trousers should be breezy and comfortable, but you shouldn’t have clown-style pools of fabric obscuring your shoes. For best results, choose a tapered style. A cropped style will also work well.
Stick to relaxed tailoring for the jacket, and layer it over a white shirt. The Cuban collar can be tucked into the shirt. For the footwear stick to Derby boots, brogues or, if you’re feeling adventurous, white canvas trainers.
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12. Tracksuit Bottoms
The long-time suit and booted crowd of menswear breathed a sigh in relief when sporty slacks made their way from the running track to the runway. It was possible to be stylish and comfortable at the same time. It was the break everyone had been looking for and couldn’t have been more welcome.
There’s a wealth of variety when it comes to tracksuit bottoms. Choose a style of side-stripe trousers and wear them with tailored clothing. You can opt for a full-on nylon look to give off a 90s vibe. Whichever you pick, go for a slim cut and if the cuffs aren’t elasticated then opt for a slightly cropped leg.
The best way to wear tracksuit bottoms for men is with sportswear. To wear a pair with brogues would’ve been a mens style crime of unspeakable proportions. Things are different today. A cropped side-stripe men’s trouser can be paired with a smarter shoe just as effectively as it can with a luxe trainer. Throw on a plain tee and a bomber and you’re good to go.
Wear a full nylon tracksuit with chunky sneakers and a dad hat if you prefer to keep it more street.
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