"Corporate Casual" Pants

Pantless · Feb 27, 2009

Hey folks. This is my first thread--I've gotten a lot of info from you guys by lurking around, so I thought I'd join up and ask a question.

Here's my situation. My dress code at work is the ubiquitous "corporate casual," and I just started working at a place that interprets this fairly loosely (i.e., much more on the casual side than other places I've worked). In the winter I've been wearing J Crew cords almost exclusively.

I now need some pants for the summer but don't know what to get.

I really don't like the standard cotton chinos--they wrinkle up very easily, I don't think they look good enough for the office (funny that I think cords look fine though), they tend to shrink or just get weird in the wash, and ironing/steaming them is a pain. I also don't really like wearing suit pants (or the gabardine/wool pants that look almost exactly like suit pants) because I don't really like the "half a suit" look and I walk about three miles a day, so I like to wear comfortable shoes (like Borns) that I think don't look so good with suit pants.

So . . . any suggestions for non-chino non-suit pants casual pants? I may also investigate more comfortable shoes that look good with suit pants and just go the half-a-suit route. Thanks for any and all replies.

constant struggle · Feb 27, 2009

wool trousers are nice, some lightweight slim chinos are great though for the summer heat, if you are in need of any high quality head over to Buying/selling there are tons of incotex/mabitex for sale

Nouveau Pauvre · Feb 27, 2009

ctrlaltelite · Feb 27, 2009

anything drop crotch

Pantless · Feb 28, 2009

OK, thanks for the help, folks!! Off to by drop crotch pants, I'll post pics.

bdeuce22 · Feb 28, 2009

Eagle · Feb 28, 2009

Take a look at BB's Clark's Advantage chinos. They don't wrinkle badly and they come out of the wash needing nothing more that a touch up with the iron to make them look almost new!

mensimageconsultant · Mar 7, 2009

A late answer, but probably the best answer:
Wrinkle-resistant/no-iron, lightweight (sometimes the subtype "poplin") chinos, which you might find at retailers such as Lands' End and L.L. Bean.

Linen pants meet the stated criteria of not chinos, but they tend to shrink in length and wrinkle much. Linen/cotton blends are better for work.

robbie · Mar 7, 2009

what about 5 pocket chinos like the Levis that gshen has posted

theom- · Mar 7, 2009

Originally Posted by Pantless

OK, thanks for the help, folks!! Off to by drop crotch pants, I'll post pics.

Bona Drag · Mar 7, 2009

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant

A late answer, but probably the best answer:
Wrinkle-resistant/no-iron, lightweight (sometimes the subtype "poplin") chinos, which you might find at retailers such as Lands' End and L.L. Bean.

+1 to this

Also Brooks does a tropic weight wool trouser. Can't say how it wrinkles, etc. If you don't live in a super hot climate, their regular wool trousers can be worm at least a couple times between washing if you hang them right. I used to rock them in DC summers...not always pleasant, but they look good.

constant struggle · Mar 7, 2009

i think i am one of the few who takes corporate casual serious.

there are people in my office, boat shoes, cords, and a sweater

meanwhile i wear laced leather shoes, wool trousers, mtm shirts, etc

Jekyll · Mar 7, 2009

Originally Posted by Pantless

I really don't like the standard cotton chinos--they wrinkle up very easily, I don't think they look good enough for the office (funny that I think cords look fine though), they tend to shrink or just get weird in the wash, and ironing/steaming them is a pain.

Am I the only one who doesn't mind slightly wrinkled chinos? I tend to only iron mine after I wash them.

SoCal2NYC · Mar 8, 2009

I wear drop crotch pants in a corporate office.

gshen · Mar 8, 2009

Originally Posted by robbie

what about 5 pocket chinos like the Levis that gshen has posted

eh? don't quite remember posting about any levis..

"Corporate Casual" Pants

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