The 5 modern trousers styles every gentleman should own
From jeans to cords, invest in the best
Words: Gentleman's Journal
Trousers are often thrown on without a second thought about style, cut or colour – which, when you think about it, is rather strange. Although we wear them everyday, would look every shade of stupid without them, and rely on them to keep us smart, warm and to tie our outfit together, the majority of men have just a handful of trousers that they rely on; work, leisure, gymwear. But here are the 5 pairs of trousers you really need to own in order to round out your leg wear, and keep things sartorially sound below the belt.
Suit trousers
Most of us only own the suit trousers that came with our suit and, for the most part, that is completely acceptable. But, with workplaces becoming more and more formal with each passing day, and summer months often leading you to leave your jacket at home, why not pick up a few extra pairs of trousers without the jackets to mix things up? You can go bolder with colours and patterns this way, too – as half a bold suit is nowhere near as offensive on the eyes…
Chinos
The kings of smart casual, the chino is one of the most versatile trousers out there. Slim-fit, tapered, pleated – you name it. Cotton, linen, wool – whatever you want. But, remember, there are stalwart colours in this style, from the navy to the sand, and they’re popular for a reason – these colours are natural, neutral, and will go with almost any shirt or jumper in your wardrobe.
Jeans
It is said that jeans first found popularity with miners in the California Gold Rush, and their comfort and durability has seen them go on to become a staple of the male wardrobe. Modern denim comes in every colour, fit and wash – but a simple pair of dark blue, slim-fit jeans remain hard to beat. Here are the blues you should be buying.
Drawstring trousers
If you’re heading home from the gym, or just popping out to the shops for some milk, the sweatpant is one of the best trousers to simply throw on and keep things looking cool. Don’t opt for too tight a fit, but avoid bagginess also – as the jogger is notoriously a tricky look to get right. But, hit that slim-fit sweet spot and you’ll be thankful you added these to your wardrobe – especially when you head out for a big meal…
Cords
Bear with us. We know that cords are often seen as a little old school, and two-legged indicators of the upper upper class (corduroy literally translates as ‘cord of the king’), but just take a look at the streets and collections of big designers and you’ll see that this is a style returning with a vengeance. So invest now, before the second coming of cord – because you don’t want to be the only person left out of the belt loop…
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