Khaki pants are a must in men’s wardrobes. These highly accessible and easy-to-wear pants are soft, lightweight, versatile, much cooler than jeans, and superbly comfortable. If you are also into khaki pants, here are the ultimate style, trends, and tips that you should know to discover your perfect pair.
History of Khaki Pants
Did you know that khaki pants originated in the military in the 1800s?
Henry Lumsden, a British Lieutenant, traded in his red felt uniform for something more relaxed and comfortable during his and his troops’ time in India. They dyed their cotton pants using a plant dye called Mazari to help blend in with landscapes.
The traditional khaki color is a shade of brown with yellow and white undertones, and it is a tan shade, a light brown color to camouflage with the surroundings.
Why Khaki Pants Are a Wardrobe Essential?
In these modern times, khaki pants are wardrobe essentials because of the following reasons, such as:
- Most relaxed and comfortable to wear
- Easy to style and pair with any top
- Available in different sizes
- Price ranges can be expensive or cheap
- Suit any occasion, from office wear to formal occasions
- Style varies from classic pair to rugged style
Chinos vs. Khakis: Understanding the Difference
Khaki pants are usually mistaken for any trousers or chino. However, khaki is a color found in all pants, such as denim, trousers, and chinos – not a cut or style.
Slim-fit, Straight-leg, and Relaxed-fit Khakis
Slim-fit khakis are those fitted and tapered leg that narrows at the ankles. These are fitter, leg and thigh hugging, and tighter, unlike the straight-leg khakis, which are much looser than a slim fit.
Straight legs are the classic cut with a consistent width of cut down the legs. On the shape of the leg, it has a wide leg opening but is not too baggy and has a minimal taper from the thigh to the knee and the leg opening.
Relaxed-fit khakis pertain to the pants’ overall comfort, general looseness, or roominess. A relaxed fit means not too tight and not too baggy. A relaxed fit makes a person appear to be a bit thinner because they don’t hug onto the body the way regular and skinny do.
See: Men’s Fashion Accessories: 10 Easy Ways To Style Your Same Old Boring Outfits
How to Style Your Khaki Pants
With its versatility, styling khaki pants is very easy.
Get that classic look
Wear the khakis with a polo shirt, loafers, and a leather belt. Just make sure that the belt matches the shoes. Or, you can pair them with a button-down, try an untucked chambray shirt, or wear it with a brightly colored Oxford shirt.
Dress it down
Khakis can work in casual outfits by pairing them with T-shirts, hoodies, and sneakers. Alternatively, make the khakis more laid-back by double-rolling the pant legs up, then finish with Birken.
Stand out in a monochromatic ensemble
Khaki looks good when paired with other earth tones like olive green or brown—experiment with creating gradients from head to toe. Or, match the khaki with the same tone as the top.
Contrast colors and fabrics
Since khakis are neutral, they pair well with bright colors whether you dress them up or down and look good when paired with differently textured fabrics. Black, white, green, violet, and gray also work well with khakis.
Consider trying out a leather or jean jacket on top of a textured dress shirt to create a mélange of impressions in a single look. Shirt colors that match perfectly with khaki pants are blue, shades of maroon, and red.
Business Smart Casual
When you want a more relaxed fit for a busy work day, nail that business mart casual with a blazer, sports jacket, sweater, polo, boat shoes, and boots. Finish it off with accessories such as a watch or a ring.
Now is the best time to have khaki pants in your wardrobe. With its versatility, you can style it for almost any look.
