Chinos - Men

Chinos for the fashionable man

Looking at the fashion scene today, it's clear that the once highly sought-after jeans have truly found a major competitor in the trendy and comfortable chinos. Originally designed as military uniforms, chinos are now found on men of all ages across the globe. The pants often have a formal expression, which is why they are frequently used as an alternative to dress pants, but more and more, you'll also find models with a more casual appearance.

Pants resembling a casual version of suit trousers come in many different versions, but often the formal ones have a crease down the front of the legs, whereas the more casual styles of chinos often have cuffs at the bottom, giving them a more everyday look. The fit of the pants is usually a bit loose, but you'll also find models with a slimmer fit, still with some width in the legs, so you can still tell they're chinos. Chinos are also quite distinctive with their slanted pockets on each side of the hip.

The History of Chinos

The origins of chino pants can be traced back to the late 19th century when British military officer Harry Lumsden found it absurd that his army should wear clothing in sharp red colors. The uniforms were therefore dyed, and the somewhat dull yellow color was thereafter called 'khaki' - named after the Hindu word for 'dust.' By 1897, this so-called khaki color could be seen on virtually all military uniforms.

The pants that we now call chinos stem from the Spanish-American War in 1898, where Americans wore the khaki-colored 'chinos,' as they called them - a name they probably gave the pants because the twill fabric from which the pants were made originated from China. The pants were known in Spain as 'Pantalones chinos', which means 'Chinese pants' in English. Soon after, the khaki-colored pants were adopted by the US military as their official uniform.

However, chinos haven't always been known as military pants. As early as 1906, Levi's introduced a collection of "khakis" for everyday use, but it wasn't until the mid-20th century that they really found a place in fashion - first as the main element in a preppy look and later as something anyone could wear.

Chinos for both formal and casual occasions

Chinos differ from dress pants in that they are more comfortable to wear. The pants are often made of softer fabric, unlike the often stiff fabric of dress pants. Chinos come in variants made of twill fabric - a slightly thicker cotton fabric woven with double thread. Twill fabric is strong and durable yet light in appearance. These types of pants are perfect for the warmer months of the year. You'll also find chinos in heavier wool variants, which are perfect for the colder winter months.

You can wear chinos for both formal and more casual occasions. If you style your chinos with a t-shirt, crewneck, or perhaps a knit, roll up the legs, and put on a pair of flat sneakers, you're all set for a day at work, school, or a casual evening with friends. However, if you style your chinos with a shirt and jacket, or polo t-shirt - and put on your finest polished shoes, you'll have a more formal look and therefore fit perfectly into the more formal occasions that require dressing nicely.

You have many options with chinos. Choose them in a slim-fit model and style them with the more streamlined items in your wardrobe, and you'll quickly have a formal look. However, if you choose them in a looser model, cuff the legs, and pair them with sneakers, you'll have a lighter preppy and casual look.

Chinos for men in a plethora of colors at TeeShoppen.dk

At TeeShoppen.dk, you'll find a plethora of variants of the soft and comfortable trousers, popularly called 'chinos.' Whether you prefer a loose fit or would rather have them in slim fit, we have them here in the webshop. The original version of the exquisite chinos was available in the khaki color, which is why you can naturally also find a modern version of it here in the shop, but you'll also find the pants in many other colors. If you're into darker shades, colors like navy, black, dark gray, burgundy, or dark green would be perfect for you. If you prefer a lighter model, the light gray or khaki-colored ones would be the obvious choice.

Chinos for men are the latest fashion trend, and we believe they're here to stay. Chinos are indeed a cool alternative to jeans, which often give your look the same expression day after day. Give yourself a challenge and try out the cool chinos today, available in a multitude of colors and models here on the site.