The Men's Guide to Khaki Pants

Khakis in men's fashion are often viewed as a "go-between" clothing choice when you don’t want the stricture of dress pants, and jeans may just be too casual. Wearing them, however, involves a few more considerations than merely throwing on the first pair of neutral pants you find in your closet. Whether you're planning on dressing for casual Fridays or for a Saturday lunch, khakis requires its own rules of style.
Formal Khakis?
When you have a clothing item as wide spread as khaki pants, it can be challenging to fit this more casual look into a formal outfit. The color and fabric are one of the most important considerations when pairing kahis to a slightly more formal outfit. Khakis comes in an extremely wide variety of colors from almost chocolate brown to cream-white. One rule of thumb is to keep lighter shades and thicker/stiffer fabrics for more casual occasions, while darker pairs and more delicate fabrics are good for formal situations. Faded shades are thus okay for weekends out with the family, while a crisp and freshly ironed pair in a darker hue is what you’ll need for the office. Proper fit is another good yardstick for formality. Longer pants – ones with a little bit of break – are fine for the office, as long as the fabric doesn’t bag around your ankles.
Modern Twists
Khakis have been in men’s fashion for over one hundred years, and sticking to some of the more traditional styles is rarely a good idea today. Numerous brands and designers have reinvented the age-old khaki. While colors and fabrics haven't changed much it is the tailoring that will differentiate a modern from an out dated pair of pants. Pockets that slant forward, for example, are more modern while straight cut pockets are from yesterday. Loose and baggy cuts were once a khaki signature from the 1990s while today's cut is fitted at the waistline and upper leg and slightly more loose near the bottom.
A Perfect Cuff
Rolling the pants hem up to a cuff is a bit more complicated than you might imagine. You want to avoid the severe and perfect folds of, say, denim, while at the same time keeping the cuff looking neat as a whole. When you roll your khakis up into a cuff – something to be done only in casual occasions – you’ll want to maintain the no-fuss vibe of the fabric.
Fold up about an inch of the fabric two to three times without pressing on the folds or in any way evening them out. That should give you a fairly rough cuff. To achieve that unstudied effect, give each cuff a good scrunching around so that they’re truly uneven.
Khakis are ubiquitous and classic pieces in the modern repertoire of men’s fashion, and are style pieces that you definitely shouldn’t go without. Invest in two or three pairs of varying formality, and don’t be afraid to splurge on high-quality material; the right pairs can last you a decade of stylish service.
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Mens Guide to Wearing Pink
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