The Best Chinos for Men Are Coming for Your Jeans

The best chinos for men are more than just an office-appropriate alternative to jeans. As far back as World War II, stylish fellas have prized ‘em for their rugged durability and goes-with-everything sensibility. Few pants, after all, feel as at home covered in grease in a mechanic’s garage as they do at a garden party in Martha’s Vineyard. You can wear them with a beefy Oxford cloth button-down and slip-ons at home, a crisp white T-shirt and scuffed sneakers to the bodega, or a blazer and loafers at your friend’s laid-back wedding upstate. Come to think of it, chinos are kind of like jeans—just way more versatile.

If you’ve been off the chino train for a minute, right now is a great time to hop back aboard. After a decade or so of slim fits dominating the conversation, brands are shifting back towards straight-fit silhouettes that are more comfortable, wearable, and timeless. So when you’re sick of all the bonkers prints and voluminous cuts dominating the rest of your wardrobe, the unflappable pairs here—the very best men’s chinos on the market today—will be just the palate cleanser you need.

The Best Chinos for Men, According to GQ

• The Best Chinos for Men Overall: J.Crew Classic Chinos, $98
• The Best Budget Chinos for Men: Dickies Original 874 Work Pants, $30
• The Best Slim-Fit Chinos for Men: Uniqlo Slim-Fit Chinos, $50
• The Best Upgrade Chinos for Men: Todd Snyder Japanese Selvedge Chinos, $298
• The Best Designer Chinos for Men: Studio Nicholson Sorte Trousers, $395
• The Best Pleated Chinos for men: Alex Mill Standard Pleated Chinos, $145
• The Best Summer-Ready Chinos for Men: Banana Republic Italian Herringbone Officer Pant, $150

Take Me To: More Chinos We Love | Your Chino FAQs, Answered | How We Tested | Meet Our Testers

Best Chinos for Men Overall: J.Crew Classic Fit Chinos

Fit: Relaxed straight | Material: 100% cotton | Fly: Zip | Colors: Varies | Sizes: 28-44 waist; 30-36 length

As far as we’re concerned, J.Crew’s chinos stand alone in virtually every category. The fabric is crisp and dense, decidedly not flimsy yet feels lived in. The construction is on par with other chinos that have cost more than double, and the fit is an unimpeachable classic straight fit that’s roomy but tailored—noticeably more room than a pair of Levi’s 501 jeans, but distinctively less baggy than the brand’s viral Giant-fit chinos (which are also tremendous). They come in a grip of classic office-approved colors but you can expect to see some seasonal prints and fabrics throughout the year. For a hair under a hundred bones, they’re the best value for miles.

J.Crew's wildly viral Giant-Fit chinos elicited a whole lot of buzz when they debuted, says GQ senior commerce editor Avidan Grossman. “But most of the menswear-pilled monsters I know prefer the more classic version," which comes sans cuff, and rendered in a hardy, broken-in cotton that's crisper than a welcome spring breeze. “The fabric alone is worth the price of admission,” Grossman notes, “but perfectly dialed fit and the attention to detail—peep the era-authentic flap pockets!—is part and parcel of the Crew's Babenzian era.” Grossman spent months looking for chinos exactly like this in a tricky-to-find shade of washed gray, before hightailing it to the mall to end his journey for good. Save yourself the headache and start there first.

Best Budget Chinos for Men: Dickies 874

Fit: Straight | Material: 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton | Fly: Zip | Colors: Varies | Sizes: 28-52 waist; 28-36 length

If you want to squeeze the most green out of your hard-earned dollars, the best budget chinos have to be a hardy pair of Dickies 874 pants for a measly $30. Are they technically work pants? Sure. Will most people be able to tell the difference? No, especially if you wear it with an untucked shirt or with a blazer. The iconic workwear label has been making its 874 pants for decades, outfitting jobsites for generations, but just because they’re made for hard manual labor doesn’t mean they can’t hold their own around an air-conditioned office. The pants have a mid-high rise with a slightly relaxed straight leg and a permanent center crease—all the makings for a solid dress pant. As for the fabric, we’re far from a super 120s situation. The Dickies 874 is a poly-cotton blend that’s stiff and a bit rough, but has a sheen that cleans up real nice. Not only are they affordable, they come in a ton of different colors so you can stock the rainbow if you really wanted to.

GQ style commerce writer Gerald Ortiz says the Dickies 874 is one of his best-fitting pants, period. "They’re damn-near perfect," he argues. “I’ve even worn them to formal events as a dress pant and they looked great.” If you’re in a pinch and need some tailored pants fast, you could cop these at your local army surplus store or have them shipped quick with Prime shipping.

Best Upgrade Chinos for Men: Todd Snyder Relaxed Fit Chinos

Fit: Relaxed | Material: 100% cotton, Japanese selvedge twill | Fly: Button fly | Colors: Khaki, black, olive, white | Sizes: 28-38 waist; 30-34 length

J.Crew’s chinos are great for all the reasons we’ve already talked about. But if you want to upgrade your rig with better materials, an even better fit, and better construction, you should buy the Todd Snyder Relaxed Fit Chinos. They’re made with a medium weight Japanese selvedge twill that’s got a soft drape and peachy hand. The fit takes after mid-century chinos and khakis with a rise that reaches your natural waist and a wide leg that splits the difference between J.Crew’s classic chino and their Giant-fit chinos.

Ortiz's assessment of Todd Snyder's chinos is glowing, which says a lot considering he's amassed a small museum of chinos. “I love vintage chinos for their loose cut and superior quality,” Ortiz says, “and these joints from Todd are on par.” Plus, you don’t have to spend hours digging through thrift stores. For about $300, they’re certainly an investment, one we think is worth it for the quality. But if that’s too rich for your blood, we also like Todd Snyder’s relaxed fit Favorite Chino which is $200 and has the same fit and nearly identical details, minus the fancy Japanese fabric.

Best Slim-Fit Chinos for Men: Uniqlo Slim-Fit Chino Pants

Fit: Slim | Material: 97% Cotton, 3% Spandex | Fly: Zip | Colors: Varies | Sizes: 27-40 waist; 34" length

The zeitgeist may be all about baggy, but the truth is the state of fashion is really more of an anything-goes situation. So if you’re still after a pair of slim-fit chinos in this Year of Our Lord 2024, there’s no shame in that. And we would suggest you get your legs into a pair of Uniqlo chinos. They’ve been best sellers for years for their tailored cut, solid and slightly stretchy twill fabric which uses the ever-durable and smooth gold-standard of cotton, Supima cotton. With a pair of loafers or some low-profile sneakers like the Adidas Samba, they look clean as a whistle. And because it’s Uniqlo, you’re getting a tremendous value for $50.

Best Designer Chinos for Men: Studio Nicholson Sorte Trousers

Fit: Wide-leg | Material: 100% cotton twill | Fly: Zip | Colors: Khaki, black, white | Sizes: 30-40

Shifting to the complete opposite end of the spectrum from those Uniqlo chinos in almost every possible way, we present to you the ultimate capital-F Fashion chinos: the Studio Nicholson Sorte trousers. The cut is as wide as a California highway with a high rise, the Italian peached cotton fabric is miles away from most chinos you’ll encounter (in a good way), and the design is clean but far from boring thanks to its deep, deep pleats, rear patch pockets, and widened belt loops. The result is a pair of chinos that leans into formality and workwear in equal measure—the duality of man! While most chinos might be too dusty for the more experienced fashion guy, the Sorte trousers are ones that you’d definitely find in their closets, whether their style is quiet luxury, preppy, streetwear, or avant-garde.

Best Summer-Ready Chinos for Men: Banana Republic Italian Herringbone Officer Pant

Fit: Mid-high rise, straight leg | Material: 59% flax (linen), 41% cotton | Fly: Zip Colors: Khaki, navy | Sizes: 30-36 waist, 30-32 length

No matter how hot it gets, some dudes remain staunchly anti-shorts. If you’re one of the thigh-shy, but still want to keep from melting in the summer heat, Banana Republic’s Italian Herringbone Officer Pant are what we would suggest. From the moment they appeared on Banana Republic’s website, these chinos looked like a winner. They are.

“The fabric is extraordinarily breezy and soft thanks to that blend of linen and cotton, and the roomy cut is akin to vintage chinos from the ‘60s, just a touch narrower,” Ortiz says. While the linen material gives it a ton of texture off the bat, it’s the herringbone weave that lifts it to another level. The mid-high rise in tandem with the relaxed straight leg and center crease make these chinos some of the most flattering cuts we’ve tried and they look great with a plain white tee and sneakers as well as dressed to the nines with some dress shoes and a blazer.

Best Pleated Chinos for Men: Alex Mill Standard Pleated Pant

Fit: Relaxed-taper | Material: 98% cotton, 2% elastane | Fly: Zip | Colors: Khaki, black, navy, oat milk | Sizes: 28-38 waist; regular-long length

If you’re after a pair of pleated chinos, Alex Mill’s Standard Pleated Pant are a shoe-in. Pleated chinos? In this fashion landscape? Yes. We realize that pleated chinos sound terribly dusty, but Alex Mill’s are far from that. The long rise, relaxed thigh, tapered leg, and cropped hem are actually on par with some of the coolest silhouettes coming out of Japan. They feel like they honor the genre while updating it for the modern era of fashion enthusiasts. They may call them ‘standard’, but we would happily disagree. Oh, and if you think they’re a touch too short, they also offer them in a longer length.

A classic pair of chinos is usually made from a mid-weight cotton twill fabric that fall smack dab in between a typical shirting fabric and your average pair of blue jeans. (For the nerds, that’s about 8-ounces). They’ll fit like a well-tailored trouser, with a mid- or high-rise and, generally, a darted rear waist to hug your bum in the most flattering way. Many higher-quality chinos will also include a curtained waistband which is an extra piece of fabric fixed to the inside of the waistband. This helps reinforce the waist, prevent it from rolling, keeps the pockets lying flat, and covers the inner seam work (don’t worry, it’s really not necessary).

Scratching your head at the menswear parlance? You’re not alone. Khakis and chinos are quite similar and, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. To be honest, those differences are pretty minor and the lines between the two just seem to be getting blurrier every day. Both are usually made from a cotton-twill fabric with slanted hand pockets as well as welted pockets at the rear (as opposed to the patched pockets you'd find on a pair of jeans). But the menswear cognoscenti will tell you that khakis tend to use sturdier fabrics while chinos are ever so slightly lighter (yeah...silly). Not only that, khakis are also more strongly tied to the dusty beige color from which they gets their name, so you’re more likely to see a pair of navy cotton twill pants dubbed as chinos rather than khakis.

Listen here, bud. It’s 2024. Fit is all relative. Everyone’s body is different as is everyone’s taste. At the end of the day, you should like what you see in the mirror. But if that advice isn’t practical enough for you we suggest a few things. First, the “best” fit for a pair of chinos depends on your body type and the situation in which you’re wearing the chinos. Without going too deep, the best fit for the most people is a classic straight fit, perhaps even a slightly relaxed fit. The silhouette du jour changes every few years, but if you split the difference and stick with a fit that’s very middle-of-the-road, you’re much less likely to ruffle any feathers with your bosses, with the wedding party, and save yourself some embarrassment should you go down memory lane.

That depends on the wedding. Chinos aren't as dressy as suit pants, but if it's an outdoor wedding or if the wedding invite says to dress semi-formal or if it says ‘casual’ anywhere in the invite, chinos are a safe bet. But we'd advise that you wear your chinos with a button-up shirt and a tie at the very least, if not with a matching cotton blazer.

This is subjective and dependent on your wardrobe. But the three most popular chino colors are khaki, navy, and black. Perhaps the most classic colorway for chinos is khaki, which pairs well with any color palette. Black chinos are great if you really need a pair of chinos to pass muster in dressier occasions.

To kick off the process, we enlisted a who's who of GQ staffers to wear-test our contenders. Some of our colleagues have worked in retail; others have toiled for small-batch labels; all spend objectively too much time thinking about pants. We leaned on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrowed down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.

Our testers owned some of the chinos on this list already, but a whole bunch were totally new to us. So after wear-testing the entire crop, we recorded our deeply scientific observations and rejiggered our selections accordingly. Based on those evaluations, we ran the numbers, collated the anecdotal evidence, and emerged with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best chinos for men right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs. Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a pair here for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)

1. Gerald Ortiz, GQ Style Commerce Writer
2. Michael Nolledo, GQ Associate Commerce Director
3. Reed Nelson, GQ Contributor
4. Avidan Grossman, GQ Senior Commerce Editor