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The greatest pair of non denim pants ever, now 40% off.

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Banana Republic Straight Fit 5-Pocket Pant – $41.70 w/ BRHAPPY ($69.50)

Use the code BRHAPPY between 5:00pm and 8:00pm ET on Tues. 8/30 for this price.  Ships free too.  Code will take 40% off any full priced pair of Banana Republic pants (Women’s too.  Hello ladies.)

UPDATE:  Thanks to John S. in the comments who pointed out that the pants shown here, last season’s model, aren’t quite the same as this season’s.  Well hell.  That (potentially) stinks.  Will have to do a field trip.  Sorry ’bout that.

Greatest ever?  Hyperbole?  Not from where I sit, with my rear currently covered  by these pants.

Pockets lined in herringbone

They made the all-star list, picked up an A- grade during the pants palooza, and were out of stock for the longest time.  They’re back in stock, but have been carrying a nasty full price tag of almost seventy bucks.  It seems like the GAP inc brands are always on sale, making 20% off so-so, 30% quite good, and 40% off is actually getting real close to the employee discount.

They’re the best of all worlds for those of us who’d live in our 501s if we could.  The fabric is sturdier than a standard chino but it’s no where near as heavy as denim.  Don’t be freaked out by the word “canvas” either.  They move incredibly well, are plenty soft, and can easily be dressed up a bit even with their rear patch pockets.

The straight fits are close to a 501 in rise and leg room while the slim fits are allegedly VERY slim.  The natural stone color has just enough cream and chalk tones in it to keep them far away from stark white, but they’re super light compared to a standard khaki.  Last season they ran a little long in length, but they do return for free in-store.

Blazer ready for sure.  Try them with an INC ultra light, pale blue shirt, and loafers.  Been living in that combination myself during this hot summer.  Add a black and white striped knit tie if you’re headed out somewhere fancy.  A field test of that getup drew 3 compliments in a few hours.  Should work for awhile into fall if you’re willing to break the no white after labor day rule.  Go with a dark v-neck up top over a gingham, chambray, or tattersall shirt.

Let’s make a list.  If not these, what’s your own favorite pair of non-denim pants?  Leave your pick and why below.

The 40% off pants code BRHAPPY only works between 5p – 8p ET on 8/30/11

Comments

  1. My favorite pair of non-denim pants? The Dockers D1s! I own five pairs, and size down in the inseam a LOT, but with no/minimal break they look damn good. They wear like jeans but can dress up a bit more. Oh, and they’re comfortable as can be.

  2. I was just going to ask about the Dockers D1! I’m wondering how similar in fit these are…

  3. Levi’s makes a khaki wash twill pant in their 513 slim fit. They’re perfect, or at least as close as it gets.

  5. Bonobos chinos all the way for a non-demin pant that is super comfy and a great slim fit through thigh and knee but doesn’t have the ‘skinny jean’ leg opening I hate on slim chinos. With coupons and 1/2 price gift cards available you can easily get them down to ~$60 a pop, and worth every penny even for someone like me who usually doesn’t spend over $40 on a pair of pants.

  6. Joe, that youtube link made my day! When I read “Hello ladies”, that’s exactly what I thought of before clicking the link. Oh 90s WWF how I (kinda but not really) miss you…

  7. Dockers D3 Soft Khaki, available in all the colors of the wind and after getting them tapered and hemmed they can’t be beat!

  9. I’ve become a fan of Docker’s new Alpha Khaki. They’re cut like the previous SF Tapered, but are slightly heavier weight fabric. I’m tall and slender and very happy how they fit off the rack. Its taking a lot of resolve not to go back and order every color, but I’m waiting for the new line of Lands End Canvas slim fit chinos to go on sale so I can compare the two.

  10. Gotta say, I just got a pair of Bonobos’ “Bull Denim” pants, and they’re absolutely spot-on. I was as skeptical as the next guy about “stretch cotton,” but the small amount of stretch in the fabric gives you the fantastic-looking slim fit while still being unbelievably comfortable, especially for guys like me who don’t have the “hipster body type.” Close second goes to the LEC slim-fit chambray pants that were featured here a few weeks ago.

  11. I had a pair of Levi’s AGES ago that were just great.  I think they were from a now-defunct silver tab line.  The best description I can come up with is that they were a washed khaki.  of course, this was in my college years before I lost a bunch of weight and started dressing better, so they might not even have a place in my current wardrobe.  There might also be a healthy dose of rose-colored glasses.

  12. Just a heads up from a BR employee here, Joe. This season’s pant isn’t as canvas-y as the ones you show.  The fabric was updated and is now more of a cotton twill.  Fabric is a little more “crunchy” this season.  That’s the best way I can describe it.

  13. The 5-Pocket CANVAS Pants are great, and I’ve been wearing them all summer —- but unfortunately, these new BR pants are not the same thing, nor the same as your photos.
    Look at the lack of rivets, and the smoother material, especially where it shows up at the shoe.
    But maybe a field test showed they fit exactly the same?
    Too bad, I was hoping BR would bring back the exact previous style in more colors (which I had gotten on your recommendation – great pair of pants!)

  16. Greatest ever non-denim pants? Dark navy Mason’s slim-fit chinos. Best-fitting slim pants I’ve ever owned, durable, rich, dark color, slightly sueded, durable cotton, and they dress up well, from a seersucker jacket in the summer to a grey wool herringbone blazer in the fall. They’re ordinarily as expensive as you’d expect Italian designer pants to be, but I found them on Gilt once for about $50-60. They seem to reappear from time to time–someday when my size is available I’ll snag another pair.

    Close second is a pair of BR Heritage slim dress pants in a great textured brown wool.

  18. @MagM:disqus …Have you tried the D0’s? I have been living on H&M slim khakis for ages..and I am torn between the D1’s and the D0’s. For the record, I am a a size 32-34 (6 feet 4 inches and 175/180 lbs with a pretty medium built) for most pants from BR, JCrew, H&M and Levis and a S/M for shirts from the same stores…

  21. Haven’t tried em, but I’d love to. I have chicken legs so I usually go for the slimmest option–unfortunately the D0 came out after I did my most recent chino shopping. I’m 6’2″, 200 lbs myself. As for sizing: I wear a 36/30 in the D1s, so you might be well suited with the 32 or even 34 inch inseam, but I’m not sure what they’re doing for the D0s with regard to sizing. Dockers do run pretty long though (which I suspect is a reason they did poorly in Joe’s slim pants-palooza).

  22. I’ve wanted to try the Alpha. How would you say they compare to the D1s (if you’ve tried those) or to LEC’s SF chinos for last season?

  24. So I went to the store and tried these on… They fit funny, and the fabric is way thin. Inseam is longer than their same size chinos too. I ended up buying the 31×30 Emerson chino cuz it fit better.

  26. Who the hell would change such an awesome pair of pants.  I guess B.R. did.  Wish I woulda seen these comments sooner.  Busy day.

  30. Giving this a try.  Always wanted pants in this color but never knew which avenue to take. 

  31. He does it again later in Quantum of Solace (where that pic is from) when he wears the brown suede boots with a black Prada belt and a black Y-3 jacket! I would say the costume designers did it deliberately, so perhaps it is proof.

  32. Bought these when Joe first mentioned them. Have yet to wear them, and still do not really like them. Havent noticed to the herringbone pocket liner, but will check them out.

    I feel like they are very slim through the thighs and too wide for my taste at the bottom. Definitely needs some tailoring for me.

  36. Yes, I have a few pairs of the D1 “soft khaki” and they are downright baggy compared to the Alpha. The Alpha are slimmer, but not skin-tight skinny, and the tapered leg is much more modern. I’m sure it all depends on your body type, I’m tall and slim, 6’2″ 165lbs and the 32×34 Alpha fits like a glove. A little snug at first at the waist but they stretch out. I don’t think I’m going to be wearing my D1s anymore because I feel like I’m swimming in them. I haven’t tried any LEC chinos yet, I hear this year they were able to fix the pocket flare problem many complained about previously.

  37. I’m a bit disappointed that the pants I ordered didn’t end up being the ones pictured here, but the fit is nice and it’s so hard to find pants in my size that I can’t complain.  I do wish the pants received had details like the herringbone lining or rivets, but what can you do?

    As a tall, thin guy (size 31×34), I was concerned that these would be too baggy.  However, they fit just like some of my looser pairs of Levi’s 514 slim jeans.  I’m so glad that I didn’t decide to go with one of the slim fit options because there’s no way they would have looked right.

  38. The later jacket is a Tom Ford. The one in the photo is the Y-3. Interesting about the Sta-Prest pants being a jean/chino fusion. Are these pants featured in the article similar in build? I, too, have the new pants and they are not these pants. Much thinner and lighter weight.