This has been a great discussion.

A few years ago I bought a pair of GAP khakis -- maybe even two pair? -- but after wearing them only a few times, I ended up donating to my daughter. I could never make them work for me for some reason. I just didn't feel great in them. On the one hand, I loved the soft fabric, but at the same time, they always felt too unstructured for me somehow.

It might have been the cut, though. I would be willing to try again in a different cut.

Chris, this post has been helpful for me, too, especially your summary of the responses! I may want to try wearing my chinos a bit more toward the feminine styling, rather than trying for a tomboy look that isn't quite Me.

ETA: I did try styling my chinos in a "feminine" way with a silk blouse, rolled hems, refined sandals. I still didn't like them all that much. Again, it could have been the cut of the particular version I had. The Girlfriend version that Vivian is wearing today might be worth a look.

I just looked up chinos and cargo pants in. Pinterest. Yes they are different and I loved my cargo pants. Styled well both look good. I think it's because a lot of men at work wear or they wear the wrong size. I'm going to look out for them in summer. These are what I used to wear.

Here are a few pics of what I wore today. I'm really liking this outfit and am going to see what else I can come up with for these and my other chinos by shopping my closet and/or buying a few new pieces. The necklace is costume jewelry that I used to only wear with "dressy" outfits but it's perfect here.

Aziraphale...interesting that you find chinos with a slim fit. Most of the ones I have found are not that slim.

Celia - the lighter colors are definitely more feminine

LisaP...wow I feel very honored that someone as stylish as you is going to copy ME!! Big smile

Suz, yes the cut seems to be so important. I took in the inseams of the ones I'm wearing today and they still seem a tiny bit baggier than I'd like. I think chinos are just not for everyone...if you still don't like them even with feminine styling perhaps you are in that camp.

Firecracker...sounds like you are leaning in the same direction as me.

Now that's a great look, Chris! I like the top, the jewelry, the rolled cuffs, the sandals. I know what I'm going to try to wear tomorrow for work. . . . But I'll need to add a topper. A jean jacket, probably.

Thanks Firecracker! Yeah a jean jacket would be good.

Love the look on you.

I wear chinos/khakis (both mean pretty much the same thing; the words have different origins, from what I remember) much more than I wear jeans. I find them more comfortable than jeans generally. I used to wear them for business casual when I used to go to the office every day, with the same type of tops one would wear with dress pants: blazers, tailored sweaters, blouses, button downs. They can be dressed up or dressed down, but the more dressy ones tend to have some spandex, so they don't wrinkle as much. I wear them classically, with tees, long and shorter cardigans, and shirts, tucked or untucked. I love their versatility and comfort, and the variety of colors available. I have purchased several over several seasons from Gap, Banana Republic, and J. Crew.

Thanks Celia!

Sheryl, very interesting comments. My business casual when I went to the office every day included jeans but never chinos. I never really thought about it but just kept to trouser styles and jeans. I can see now that they would work that way.

I like this outfit, Chris! And oddly enough, I saw a woman on the street today wearing them and I liked how she looked, too. Hmm. Now I might have to give them another try on!

Chris, you are looking awesome these days. Really quite different from the outfits you showed us when you first joined. I really think those gladiators have a good energy about them. Nice roll on the pants too.

Sally, I love those pictures of the wide and skinny cargos! I think I could get behind a cargo version of khakis for casual days.

Thank you Suz and Smittie!

Smittie your kind words remind me that I should go back and look at my first posting....:-)