Slim Fit Chinos: J. Crew Urban Slim fit, Broken in Classic Fit, L.E.C. Slim Fit
Ever since the Slim Fit Shirt Paloozas hit the site, you guys have been politely asking for more. With the recent seasonal warm up, more than a few of you have emailed asking for a slim fit palooza focused on pants. Jeans are getting stashed in favor of lighter chinos for spring and summer, and men just don’t want those ballooning khakis many of us were raised in. And thus, the search is on.
They will all be flat front. They will all be affordable. And they will all be easy to get your hands on and your legs in either through the web or in an easy to find store.
Size/Body Type Reference Information: I’m 5’9″-10″, 165-170lbs, wear a 32/31×32/30 in most pants, and have larger than normal but not gigantic (‘kay, maybe they’re a little big) upper legs.
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J. Crew Essential Chino in Urban Slim Fit – $69.50
A lot of guys swear by J. Crew’s Urban Slim Fit, which is a true slim fit with a tapered leg. And once they get to your knee, it gets really tapered really fast. So much so that my calves felt like they were being hugged by the pant legs. Women know what VPL stands for (visible panty line), but with these, I feel like if I wore socks, I’d have VSL (visible sock line). Good fabric, nice details, no frays or dings on these.
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J. Crew Broken In Chino in Classic Fit – $59.50
There’s a reason why most guys don’t wear tapered jeans. Think of your upper and lower legs like they’re your lapels and tie while wearing a suit. Skinny ties look unbalanced with anything other than skinny lapels. If you’ve got medium to larger upper thighs, a tapered pant will make your lower body look like a spinning plate show. These are much more balanced than the Urban Slim. Good for guys with some lower body mass. They’re “broken in” so there’s a few micro bites at the cuffs.
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Land’s End Canvas Slim Fit Chino – $39.50
Fits somewhere between the two J. Crew options, but can easily come in at half the price if you catch a sale. Great feel to the fabric, no frays or rips, and not too slim through the thigh. Does taper below the knee but not to the extreme of the Urban Slim. Pardon the bad photography, they’re not faded around the knees at all.
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Final Grades
Just to reiterate the point about potentially avoiding tapered fits if you’re not packing skinny legs. See the cuff comparison between the three here. The J. Crew and LEC true slims come to a final width of around 7.5″. The Broken in Classic Fit from J. Crew clocks in at a less tapered 8″, which is about where a Levi’s 501 ends up. If you’re thicker through the thighs, consider straighter fits instead of drastically tapered legs.
J. Crew Essential in Urban Slim: B- Man they get trim below the knee. And why are they $10 more?
J. Crew Broken in Chino in Classic Fit: B They’re like the B.R. vintage straights. Only they’re never on sale.
Lands’ End Canvas Slim Fit: A- The price is awfully right. I was able to land these for $24 during a sale. Those looking for a true slim fit won’t be disappointed, and they aren’t as tight around the calf as the Urban Slim from J. Crew. Those who want a straighter fit? They’ve got those too.
Click here for previous editions of the pants palooza, and feel free to leave your reaction below…