Chinos in the summer make me think of old Ralph Lauren ads, Nancy Meyers movies, and chilly nights on the beach. In other words? I’m really into them. Khaki is such a chic color palette, and looks elegant with white, black, or anything in between. Dress them up with a fun blouse and heels or down your favorite t-shirt and sandals.
Let’s start where we usually do: with the classics. You can’t think chino without thinking of J.Crew, and of course I love their slim boyfriend pant in khaki. I also love it in navy, white, gray, and pink. On the more tailored side of things, their vintage-inspired straight pant in a camel color is lovely.
You can always rely on COS for beautiful, minimalist tailoring with a modern edge. Think Phoebe Philo, but on a more attainable budget. These pants are undeniably summer, and will upgrade your usual pants-and-t-shirt look with their ankle-length and precision pleating. I’m partial to this wide-leg pair, which have just enough structure to stop from being shapeless. I’ll be wearing with chic leather sandals and a linen button-down for maximum breeziness.
Another pair that I’ve been living in all summer? Alex Mill’s Kelly chino. Alex Mill is a former J.Crew designer, and his preppy classic but cool pieces all have a thread of J.Crew DNA in them. The Kelly Chino, based after a pair of vintage chinos they found, is my ideal pant. It’s straight all the way through the leg, stops a little under the ankle, and comes in three colors.
And as long as we’re talking about wide-leg, go-to cool girl brand Raey has a slinky, slouchy take on the trouser in a linen-cotton blend that will keep you feeling and looking cool. I have a high-fashion, super-out-there version for you. These Lemaire military pants are about as wide as you can go, and I couldn’t love them more.
Shop the rest of our chinos edit below:
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