Chinos v trousers v jeans

rachylou

I'm looking online ... and I'm seeing a lot of 'chinos' that look too heavy to my eye to be chinos, verging into just plain trousers all the way to jeans. When do chinos stop being chinos?

Also: does length matter? When are cropped chinos just pedal pushers?

8 years ago

General

25 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Carole

Veteran

Some good questions, rachylou! I have no idea what the differences are.... is it just semantics?

8 years ago

Anonymous

Good questions, Rachylou. Chinos seem more casual to me than trousers. They have those side seam pockets. Trousers are more likely to be lined. All are woven fabrics rather than knits, but I suppose knit versions exist.

8 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

I think chinos are made with a kind of polished fabric. Polished like chintz is polished.

8 years ago

LaPed

Veteran

To me, chino implies lightweight cotton twill with a smooth hand. Like, maybe up to 8 or 9 oz per yard, but usually lighter. Heavier weight, say 10 - 12 oz, (and usually more limited colors) and it becomes a khaki. Khaki, arguably, could also be canvas. I think of chinos as exclusively twill (diagonal weaves). Jeans are made of denim, also twill, but not as smooth. Stretch fabric has stretched all these definitions beyond the point of meaning, and very few retailers list fabric weights anymore...

8 years ago

Anonymous

I second exactly what LaP just posted.

8 years ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

In the past 5 months since being on the forum and reading the blog I have learned more fashion terms than I ever knew in my whole life. Many of them send me to Google and then Wikipedia, which happened with the word chinos. I had heard the word, only in relation to men's pants in the past. I tend to buy what I like and not care too much if I don't know the names of things. It's not my field, after all.

8 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

Clearly I wouldn't know a chino or trouser if I met them in a store or bumped into them on the street! Jeans I know!

8 years ago

harmonica

Veteran

I think of chinos as lightweight cottonrich twill, LaP said. And with side seam pockets, like Joy said. To me chinos are more casual and leisurelike than trousers.

8 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

Chinos are the lightweight cotton pants with slash pockets that I bought at the Gap years ago. Trousers are made from wool or something dressy. And jeans are denim. Not very scientific.

8 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Ok. Are these chinos? Target calls them chinos, but they seem a little heavy to me.

I have to add their ankle pants look just like this and fit me like this too - long.

8 years ago

Aquamarine

Veteran

Those look like a narrow leg chinos to me. I usually associate "classic" chinos with a wider, straight leg but there are so many variations now, as well as fabric types.

8 years ago

L'Abeille

Veteran

Ok so I've been using chinos, khakis, and Dockers interchangeably, according to whichever one pops out of my memory bank first.

Although now that I reflect on it, the tan, beige, or stone-coloured ones are a heavier, more durable fabric (noticed mostly because I'm wearing a pair today, for general gardening and messing-about-in-boats abuse.) But I have two pairs of semicasual pants with a bit more shine and a slightly lighter weight, and a less slouchy cut. So I'm guessing these must be chinos. Both bought this spring actually. The odd thing is that both are in prints! A dark green full length with a black and white floral -- so out of character for me! These are my wild card, and have been worn once a week since I got them (BR Outlet). And the other pair is a navy awning-stripe crop (Tommy Hilfiger) that is super preppy.

So, back to you fabric fundis, can they be chinos if they are print?

8 years ago

rachylou

Veteran