How to Wear Chinos to Suit Any Occasion - Suit Vault (2024)

Did you know that the story of the chino dates back to the British army in 19th century India? Since then, it was adopted as a standard issue by American armed forces that led to them becoming cornerstone to a man’s style. After World War 2, chinos made their way into civilian life, and became the unofficial uniform of some of the top-tier Ivy league universities. Since then, the constant casualisation of clothing, saw the chino grow into being an everyday menswear staple.

No man’s wardrobe is complete without at least one pair of chinos. So today, our team at Suit Vault have decided to give you some advice to best dress up and dress down your pair of chinos.

Chinos on and off work:

• Office appropriate: Chinos complement nearly every modern office environment in Perth. Especially, when worn with a blazer and open-neck shirt. They are dressier than jeans, so you can even throw on a tie to dress the look up a notch. During working hours, you just need a pair of leather shoes, and you are good to go.
• After hours: It’s clock-off time (or maybe it’s chilled out Fridays in the office). You can wear your chinos with a blazer and a pair of sneakers. We love layering our chino look with a printed shirt for dinner. It is a great look with friends. Otherwise, wear a tee or polo for drinks. The cotton-stretch fabric makes sure they’ll be comfortable, all day long.
• Off duty: It’s the weekend, so your chinos are essential. This is particularly true for a long weekend away. Contrast details give our chinos a relaxed look, meaning they can be worn with a bomber jacket, knitwear or outerwear. If it’s summer, roll the hems and let your ankles breathe.

How can I style my chinos further based on ‘dress code’?

• Casual: Whether you are shooting off to the grocery store, or are having brunch with mates, your chinos can be worn for the ultimate relaxed weekend look. For shoe options, we recommend a pair of boat shoes – nothing too formal as this will keep your look feeling effortless.
• Business Casual: You’ve been told that the dress code is business casual. What does that mean when it comes to your chinos? Try pairing your chinos with a linen or classic button-down long sleeve shirt. Match this with a brown leather belt. For shoes, try wearing either boots or clean white sneakers.
• Formal: If you are getting ready for a formal occasion, we recommend snazzing up your outfit with a contrasting sports jacket, tie, dress belt, and long sleeve shirt to really bring out your chinos. It is the best style for occasions such as weddings, the races, work events, and parties. Try pairing it with dress shoes, specifically leather shoes, as this will bring a sense of sophistication to your outfit.

Chinos are for an everyday elevated style. They can be worn for both business, casual and formal events. We love chinos because their comfort is unrivalled. With endless amounts of versatility and styling options, chinos are a must-have clothing staple needed for every man’s wardrobe. Just wear a smart blazer, and you are good to go. You can view our pricing guide here.