minimum number of semi-formal pants or chinos
Would anybody have a suggestions for minimum number of chinos or semi formal pants and colors that I can own so that o can match them universally with any shirts/t-shirts?
The idea is that I can use this when I am travelling for extended periods without having to pack too many things.
TIA
20 Replies
Chinos are casual and fill a different role in your wardrobe than semi-formal trousers. How much of each you need to own depends on a ton of personal factors, and nobody can really answer your question with the info provided. I personally don't take any chinos or semi-formal trousers when traveling unless I'm going to a conference
If you want to know how many to take, you'll need to provide how many different outfits you're planning on wearing when traveling
0 is the minimum
If you wear them for work everyday - 2-3
Olive, khaki, charcoal
If you don't - 1 is enough
Khaki
If you don't have formal pants, add black
Double, can you define 'formal'? Actual formal pants (worn with dinner jacket) are usually black. Dress pants are hardly ever black, but often charcoal.
Very few people actually go to black tie events, and those events themselves are rare. So many people get away with wearing chinos which can often be used elsewhere. It's not ideal but it's practical for many
Would not recommend getting black chinos, for any occasion
The answer to "how many" depends on how often you need to wear them, and where you're going travelling - I wouldn't wear them on a holiday to Bali.
Black chinos are not formal pants.
Dress pants are almost never black.
Black chinos aren't, if we're being more precise with our words, formal pants nor dress pants, really.
Well let's put it this way
While navy is certainly the most versatile dress pant colour, there are occassions that absolutely demand black
And you'd much rather be wearing khaki where navy is appropriate than wear navy when black one appropriate
Which occasions absolutely demand black?
Funerals? Sometimes weddings.
Charcoal is perfectly good for funerals.
Unless the dress code is "wear black," then no need for weddings. Maybe you go to weddings where one is expected to wear black pants, outside the context of black tie (and black tie happily allows midnight blue.)
Any other occasions?
I do not own any chinos.
I don’t own any chinos either. Unless you count a pair of double pleated wide trousers with chino pockets
Charcoals are good for funerals, but they're probably as versatile as black. Charcoal chinos are even less of a thing than black chinos are
He said dress pants are usually charcoal rather than black, not chinos. You're outta pocket man
But I'm talking about people who don't have separate dress pants
I'd say black chinos are more versatile than charcoal
They're not.
They're really not
Maybe if you’re a server or usher
Or if you play in an orchestra where the dress code is "all black."
Yeah there's a list of exceptions like ten items long, but for most people and for most events, when you want black tailoring, you actually want charcoal.