Before he founded Carleton, Henry Marshall Tory–the Tory Building’s namesake–was president of Khaki University. After a little digging, it appears Khaki U had nothing to do with the timeless piece of men’s clothing. Shame, because all of us men of Carleton University could do with a little schooling on how to dress our bottom halves.
A word about fit and length
Ten years ago, it was dashing to have a little sag in the back and bunching at the ankle. Thankfully, today’s tastes are a little more timeless.
Wear your pants at your waist and let the fabric stop just above your shoe. You can buy a pair that are a little longer and cuff them, but never let the legs billow over your footwear.
Once you have the right length, turn around and admire your backside. There should be a nice line from your waist south along your butt and thighs. If it looks as though you’ve got barrels for legs or you’ve misplaced your bum, the pants are too big. If you stand up and see lots of wrinkles across your crotch area, your pants are too loose.
It’s a personal choice to wear pants that fit tighter around the ankle or not, but either is fine provided the top half of your pants fit and the length is just right.
Chino or no?
Most guys have two styles of pants in their closet: jeans and dress pants.
That’s fine, but chinos are the choice for those in-between events. You know the ones where your significant other makes a face at the question, “Can I wear jeans?” That’s a moment to break out a nice pair of khakis.
The best part about chinos is they come in any colour you could imagine. If you’re worried about investing in chinos you may not wear enough, start with a navy blue pair. They’ll match with everything that a pair of jeans matches, but also look great with a nice shirt and blazer.
For the adventurous, try red, green, or a lighter shade of blue. Just remember to keep your shirt simple. The focus can only be on one section at a time.
Have good jeans
Speaking of jeans, nothing beats dark blue denim. Lighter washes are in right now, but dark provides versatility for day and night.
Your jeans should fit just as well as any other pant you own. Skinny, boot cut, and low rise are out. Straight and slim legged pants will look equally good at the age of 22, 32, or 42.
There is a tendency to overpay or go mad for the latest jeans fad. A word to the wise: don’t. Selvedge and raw and all these other buzzwords get in the way of a truly American classic. Stick with brands you know and you’ll be fine.
Suit pants and dress pants
All of us have a pair of black dress pants in the back of our wardrobes. They languish for 360 days a year, only to be pulled out for grandma’s birthday or somebody’s brother’s wedding.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Dress pants are where a man can really shine. Provided they fit, a pair of dress pants should feel like a second skin. It’s a good idea to take any pair you own or buy to a tailor. Ask to have the legs narrowed at the ankle, it will show off your shoes and make you look taller.
There are so many fabric choices out there, too. Grey and navy blue are obvious go-to options, but even a subtle check or windowpane plaid will elevate the standard dress pants-dress shirt ensemble. You could even try going to a place that sells suits as separates, buy the pants you like, and then decide if you like the colour and pattern enough to invest in the matching jacket.
Take care of what you wear
We’ve all those moments where we moved a little too slowly and had what was on our fork land in our lap. Even worse, we’ve slipped on a rare, unsalted patch of campus sidewalk and wound up with dirt all over our backsides.
Thankfully, proper care can ensure these tragedies don’t ruin a favourite pair of snappy slacks.
Buy a bottle of stain remover and spray the area as fast as possible. You will need to let nastier stains soak overnight. Then put them straight into the washing machine. The key point is to keep your stained pants out of the dryer until you’re sure the mess is gone. Drying stains will permanently set whatever you sat in.
It’s also a good idea to steal one of those hotel sewing kits the next time you’re on vacation. Learn how to hem your pants, replace a button, or sew a loose belt hole. It takes five minutes.
