Business Casual Basics, Part II: Dress Pants
After some positive feedback from my first business casual post (I see you, Reddit) I’ve decided to continue the series for my fellow white collar ballers (being a baller is not actually required). Again, this may be old hat to some, but for those that are interested – read on.
1. Please stop buying black dress pants.
Just stop it. Right now. Unless you’re a classical musician or a waiter there’s really no need to go there.
2. Assess your needs.
First, learn how people in your office dress and what the official stance on business attire is (if there is one). Some easy questions to ask yourself: does everyone have their pants creased or are they unpressed? Do you see wool slacks or cotton chinos or denim? If your office is anything like mine then all of these are perfectly acceptable, leaving the decisions to you. In my mind, business casual pants fall into three broad categories:
Once you figure out what your office’s feel is and where your personal tastes lie you can start looking to purchase. Try to keep things consistent with the rest of your outfit; if you wear spread collars, ties and blazers you’re going to need trousers for just about every day. If you wear button down oxford shirts, sweaters, and loafers then you can roll with just chinos and denim.
3. Figure out how these things should fit.
Now, this will depend on several things, namely your body shape, the pant style and your personal preferences. Much like shirts, the general concept is to find something that flatters your shape without pulling or looking constrictive. However, I believe that the fit should vary between the type of pants.
Learning what pant fit suits you best will take some time and experimentation, but at the very least be conscious of the choices you make in this area so you can adjust in the future if need be. More information on fit can be found here and here.
4. Gray, gray, gray, and then something close to gray (but still not black).
Gray is a great (gray-t?) color for trousers because it provides a solid foundation for the rest of your outfit without detracting from it. It’s hard to think of a traditional shirt or blazer color that won’t look good with gray pants (with the exception of gray, of course). Embrace the color and make it the cornerstone of your collection; your brown, tan and navy blazers will thank you. Add variety by using different shades and fabrics. Of course, denim is best in navy and chinos are classic in khaki, but stick with gray trousers until you’re well on your way to a full wardrobe.
5. Experiment with materials and texture rather than colors.
Wild colors can be fun but I find that diversifying with different fabrics is a more versatile way to expand your daily choices. Worsted wool is a standby for trousers, but consider flannel, tweed, moleskin, linen, tropical wool or cotton canvas depending on your climate.
6. Pleats: the ultimate divider
Pleats got a bad reputation when they became the go-to for guys giving PowerPoint presentations. I grew up in a world of relaxed fit triple-pleat Dockers and it was not pretty. However, there is a time and place for pleats. When worn correctly (up on your hips and not pulled open) they can help create a smoother appearance of the lines in your pants, especially for men with larger seats and thighs. However, if you don’t know much about how pleats operate I would suggest avoiding them until you know if they’ll be beneficial to you. More information can be found here.
7. Break it up.
The break of a pant leg is a crucial but often ignored aspect of fit. The term “break” refers to how far the pants extend down your leg before ending. A “full break” will involve the pant leg folding upon itself several times over the shoe, whereas no break implies that the pants end before even touching your feet. A medium break is an easy choice, but current trends favor slight/no break (as do I). Narrower pant legs will look best a bit shorter, and vice versa. More information here and here.
8. Care for your clothes.
Take care of your clothes. Trousers should be hung and aired out before thrown in a closet. Dry clean only and do it as little as necessary. Chinos can usually be washed in a machine, and I prefer to hang dry mine. Iron if needed. Denim should stay out of the dryer and washed infrequently; the specifics beyond that vary depending on who you ask.
9. Make a list and stock up.
Pants for work can be found almost anywhere, but here is a short list (not complete by any means) that may help narrow your search.
Trousers: Howard Yount, Epaulet, Brooks Brothers, Land’s End
Chinos: Epaulet, Bonobos, J. Crew, Land’s End Canvas, Ralph Lauren
Denim: Levi’s, Bonobos, 3Sixteen, A.P.C.
Part I of “Business Casual Basics” can be found here.
Out and About: the Bonobos Guideshop in Palo Alto
As I mentioned a while back, Bonobos has recently been expanding into brick-and-mortar locations across the United States. However, the rebellious company refuses to do so in the traditional style; these so-called “guideshops” are meant to give customers an opportunity to experience their products first hand but without any of the normal aspects of a dreary store visit. I was intrigued by the idea and since the store was located only a few blocks from my alma mater I decided to pay them a visit.
The idea behind the guideshop is simple: make an appointment online and you will receive a full hour of one-on-one time from the Bonobos store. It is as if a men’s store of your liking locked the doors behind you when you arrived, handed you a beer and diverted all of the staff’s attention to you. While you are there you can try on any of the available wares and your sizes will be recorded and emailed to you for your reference. Purchases can be made at the time, but as the company is still based online you will not be able to walk out with a bag of clothes; instead, they will be promptly mailed to you.
Overall, I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. The staff is friendly, helpful and has a deep understanding of their product. The space itself is attractive and well set-up for a single customer. Although most of their visitors make purchases at the guideshop, they welcome anyone to come and try their clothes on in person. It is worth noting that not all of their products will be available in every size; there is no real stock on hand, so most sizing is done with sample garments in all of the available sizes and fits. All other items are available on display for further inspection.
Most of my experience is with Bonobos’ pants selection, so I made sure to check out the rest of their line as well. In my opinion, many of the items are similar in price, quality and styling to J. Crew; suits and jackets are cut slightly short and feature narrow lapels, sweaters are available in a variety of materials and wild colors, and shirts are predominantly casual and alpha sized. All of the items I tried on fit about how I would expect. I believe that the best offerings are still the pants – these are their bread-and-butter items and stand out from what others are offering (both in style and construction). I own several of their chinos and a great pair of denim but they also offer other items like wool trousers and great novelty pants like turkey-embroidered corduroys. They also carry some merchandise from their third-party brands; Grenson shoes are scattered around and other accessories like messenger bags and briefcases are available as well.
I was excited to hear that Bonobos will continue its expansion by opening a San Francisco guideshop in the coming weeks. The store will be located in Union Square and will surely create a buzz during these holiday shopping days.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to whether you like the clothing that Bonobos offers. If you have had positive experiences with them before or are intrigued by their products, I believe that a visit to a guideshop will give you a more intimate understanding of the clothes they offer and of the company itself. Bonobos has always defined itself by refusing to behave like a typical clothier and it is refreshing to see them stay in that spirit.
Day 1 details.
Flannel Shirt - Bonobos | Single-Breasted Trench - Club Monaco | Trousers - Bonobos | Boots: Vintage Vasque
Day 2 details.
Shirt - Ratio OCBD | Tweed Blazer - J. Crew | Shetland Sweater: Gant by Michael Bastain | Denim - Bonobos | Shoes: Generic Surplus | Cashmere Scarf - Nieman Marucs
Bonobos just threw a bunch of new stuff in their sale section, and it looks like there are some good deals to be had. Lots of swim trunks, cotton chinos, made in the USA oxfords, Nylites, and cotton-linen suits are available, as well as this navy seersucker suit jacket and trousers for just $146 (sizes going fast - grey, blue, and white available as well). Never too early to start thinking about S/S 2013.
Anonymous asked: I noticed you had a lot of Bonobos in your last post. How do you like their denim?
I have two pairs of denim: the Bonobos pair that has appeared on here a few times and a pair of 3Sixteen SL-100x that I snagged for cheap on ebay. When I’m reaching into my closet for a pair of jeans, I almost always grab the Bonobos pair because they just fit better. Wardrobes tend to be self-selecting like that; the quality of a garment’s material and construction will probably be overlooked in favor of something that is easier to wear. Both jeans are made out of high quality materials in the USA; the 3Sixteens are made of thick raw Japanese selvedge and the Bonobos are made out of a significantly lighter White Oak Cone denim. Both have a lot going for them, and I like them both. In terms of fit and comfort though, the Bonobos take the cake.
When I bought my Bonobos denim the prices were a bit lower and I was able to get them for free with a discount code and store credit, so it was a no-brainer purchase. The slim fit works well for me, but the straight leg might work better for a huskier guy. Consider sizing down one in the waist as they will stretch with wear.
WIWT: Comfy Boy Steez
Casual Friday + cool and cloudy + head cold = this. Nothing like a flannel ‘shacket’ to take the edge off of a cold morning.
Coincidentally, I realized that I’m wearing head-to-toe Bonobos right now; all told, this whole outfit cost ~$30 (new of course). Take that as proof that if you play the sale/store credit game, you’ll eventually get some killer deals.
Flannel ‘shacket’ - Bonobos | Denim - Bonobos Slim Straight | Sneakers - Tretorn Nylite via Bonobos
It looks like Bonobos is opening up a showroom in Palo Alto. I’ve been a fan of the company for a long time; they were instrumental in helping me realize what well fitting clothes look like and their customer service is hard to beat. Bonobos also runs regular sales (often with some fun customer involvement) that keep their clothes in the affordable range. Back in the day they were a startup at Stanford, so it’s good to see them returning to their old stomping grounds. Their online-only setup never kept me from trying things on via mail due to the great return policy, but it will be nice to see all their wares in one place. Set up an appointment and check them out if you’re in the area!
Just a guy from a small town trying to dress well in San Francisco.
Unless noted otherwise, all images and written content are my own - please credit accordingly.
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