Chinos vs Khakis: What’s The Difference?

When going for a casual or business-casual look, you can choose between chinos vs khakis. What is the difference between these, and which is the right choice for you? The correct answer will depend on the dress code and your personal preferences.

The last thing you want to do is step out in a pair of khakis and be underdressed – or opt for the chino pants and end up overdressed. Walking this line isn’t easy, but there is some good news: we’re here to help. Today, we’ll break down all the differences between khakis vs chinos so you can make the right choice when putting together outfits for date night, brunch, work, or anything in between.

While these types of pants are sometimes viewed as interchangeable, they have striking differences in where they should be worn along with how they should be worn. Let’s get right into it!

Are Chinos The Same As Khakis?

First things first – are chinos the same as khakis? They look pretty similar from a distance and to those who aren’t big on style. We see many men use these terms interchangeably – but this is incorrect. Chinos are not the same as khakis.

In fact, they are quite different in how they should be styled and the types of dress codes they work best for. So why do they end up being confused for one another? There could be a number of reasons for this. But, we believe it’s due to the fact that the word khaki describes not just a type of pants – but a color, too.

Because chinos are highly popular in a khaki color, people mistakenly refer to chinos as khakis when they feature the light brown, dust coloring that resembles khaki.

Soon, we’ll uncover all the subtle differences you may not be aware of and help you make the right decision if you’re shopping for pants and struggling to choose between these two styles. Before that, let’s quickly introduce both types of pants.

What Are Chino Pants?

Chino pants are a classic choice for semi-casual outings or dress codes. They typically are crafted from a lightweight cotton twill fabric which is very comfortable, breathable, and versatile. They’re very sleek, and thus, can be dressed up for more formal scenarios with a nice button-down shirt or sports coat.

Up close, you’ll notice that most chinos feature diagonal lines of thread – this is known as the twill weave. These diagonal lines help make the chinos a more formal pair of pants while adding a bit of character to them.

So, when should you wear chino pants? As we mentioned above – they’re very versatile, which is why every man needs a quality pair of custom made chinos in their wardrobe. You can rock these in any sort of business casual setting. In these instances, you’ll pair them with a nice custom dress shirt and perhaps even a blazer. You may also want to stick with dress shoes. However, if you’re wearing chino pants to a more casual setting – you can dress them down with a nice polo shirt, flannel, and your favorite loafers or sneakers.

What Are Khaki Pants?

Now that you know what chinos are, let’s address khaki pants. These are, as you can probably already start to surmise, a more casual option than khakis. They are characterized by their tan, dusty light-brown color. In fact, “khaki” is a type of color – which, as you now know, leads to much of the confusion with khaki pants and chino pants being grouped together (because chino pants are available in khaki colors).

Khaki pants are typically a heavier fabric and should fit a bit looser. They’ll come with more pockets, sometimes in a pleated cut. You’ll notice that these don’t feature a twill weave. Oftentimes, the stitching on khaki pants is hidden altogether – this plain look makes them a far more casual type of pants.

So, when should you wear khaki pants? They’re great for situations where you want to look nice, but chinos might be a bit too formal – like brunches, sporting events, laid-back parties, etc.

Chinos vs Khakis – The Main Differences In These Two Pant Styles

Ok – so you have a better understanding of what chino pants are, along with what khaki pants are. It’s time for us to compare and contrast the two styles to help you recognize the key differences. Then, we’ll make a recommendation for which of these is right for you.

Fabrics & Stitching

One of the most notable differences between chinos vs khakis is the fabrics used. As you now know, chino pants are crafted from a stretchable cotton-twill fabric. Sometimes, chinos are made from a synthetic stretchy fiber blended with cotton for enhanced stretch and breathability.

Khaki pants, on the other hand, are crafted from a slightly heavier, less breathable cotton fabric. They are always 100% cotton. And, you’ll always see the stitching on your khaki pants – similar to how you would on jeans. On the contrary, stitching is concealed on chinos.

Colors Available

Chino pants are available in a wide range of colors – making them a really great formal option. You can find chinos to match just about any type of suit you have, such as the typical blues, grays, and black. But they’re also available in more bold olive, chestnut, or red colors. And of course, you can find chinos in a khaki color, too.

Khaki pants, on the other hand – are only available in one color: you guessed it, khaki! You’ll only find this type of pants in the namesake colorway.

When To Wear Each

Now comes the most important question you have as it pertains to the chino pants vs khakis debate: when should you wear each style? We’ve touched on this throughout our breakdown, but here is some concrete advice:

• Wear khakis if: you’re headed to a casual event or have a casual workplace dress code. You can view khakis as an alternative to jeans – making them great for casual nights out with the boys, casual dinners, daytime events, manual work, or travel.
• Wear chinos if: you’re headed to a more formal event – but not one so formal that it requires dress pants. Chinos bridge the gap between slacks and khakis/jeans. They work great in any business casual or semi-formal setting, such as a dinner party, wedding, night club, professional workday, etc.

When in doubt, consider the dress code. If there is no dress code, just consider whether you’d rather be perceived as overdressed or underdressed – and pick your pants accordingly.

Styling Tips

Another really distinct difference between khakis vs chinos is what you wear each style with. Styling khakis is pretty simple – because they’re more casual, the rest of your outfit should match the vibe. Avoid button-downs – if the event calls for a button-down shirt, then it’s formal enough to warrant chinos over khakis. Instead, match your khakis with a nice t-shirt, a casual custom sweater, or even a nice polo shirt if you want to dress the pants up a bit.

When styling chinos, it’s a bit trickier – because these can be dressed up or down. Again, consider the event. If you want to dress your chinos up, pair them with a nice button-down shirt (tucked in, of course) along with a nice dark-colored custom blazer if weather permits. You’ll tie everything together with a nice pair of loafers or dress shoes. However, you can also dress your chinos down with a really nice t-shirt or custom polo shirt, too.

Price

The final difference between chinos vs khakis is the price points you’ll find each style at. As you can probably imagine, the more casual option – khakis – is a bit cheaper. You can typically find a high-quality pair of khakis for anywhere from $40-80, whereas a nice pair of chinos will run you at least $80 – if not more.

Khakis vs Chinos: Which Is Right For You?

You may have come here hoping that our unpacking of the khakis vs chinos debate would help you pick just one of these styles. But the reality is, a versatile men’s wardrobe will feature both khakis and chinos. You will no doubt come across instances where chino pants will be too formal – and your khaki pants will be the best choice. And, you’ll have circumstances where khaki pants are just a bit too casual – and those chinos will be the right pick.

So with that said, try and find a few pairs of chino and khaki pants when shopping – because you don’t have to choose between the two styles. Your goal should be to build a closet that doesn’t have any gaps – and getting at least one pair of both styles is a good starting point.

Final Thoughts On Chino Pants vs Khakis

We’ve covered everything you need to know about chino pants vs khakis. You now know exactly what characterizes each of these types of pants: the fabrics used, the fit and feel they provide, and most importantly, how/when to wear each style.

In closing, though, we want to stress the importance of getting either chinos or khakis that fit well. We’ve recently written a complete guide on how chinos should fit, which is a great resource for any man looking to size his clothes properly. After all, there is nothing worse than working hard to find your perfect pair of pants – only to have them arrive and discover they don’t fit right.

To avoid this headache and frustration, head over to Blck Lapel – where custom clothing is made easy (and affordable!).

Our menswear specialists are the best in the world at what they do, and are eager to help you find clothes that fit not just your body – but your lifestyle, too. We can chat through the khakis vs chinos debate more in-depth as it pertains to your unique dress codes and upcoming events to help you make the right style decisions. You’ll end up with quality garments that fit exactly how you want – guaranteed.

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