Spotlight On: The non-middle-management khakis

Hey gents,

Just to follow up on a recent article about wearing bright colors on your legs, I wanted to tell you a bit about these khakis from Dockers that came in the mail recently.

To be frank, I try to avoid talking about specific models and brands too often because I don’t want to seem biased.

At the same time, it’s impossible to talk about clothing and personal style without also discussing specific examples. And sometimes, I come across a particular item that I just have to tell you about because I think it’s awesome.

This is definitely one of those times.

The denim alternative

I love my denim as much as the next guy (especially the dark blue inky kind) but sometimes, you just want to wear a different pair of pants, you know what I mean? Sometimes you’re forced to, for example, when it’s hot as balls out and you want to keep as cool as possible.

My problem with a lot of chinos out there is that they’re too baggy. TOO BAGGY! I hate baggy chinos, especially baggy khaki-colored chinos… the kind that cell phone kiosk workers and Best Buy sales associates and middle management employees choose to wear.

Nothing wrong with those professions, of course, but there’s everything wrong with that choice of silhouette.

(Side note: In case you’re confused about the difference between ‘khakis’ and ‘chinos’, chinos are the style of pants, while khaki is the color.)

Chinos, like your denim, should be slim-fitting (not snug or suffocating, mind you) and with minimal break. The length and break of your chinos is especially important, since you can’t just roll them up like you can with denim.

On the other hand, hemming chinos is usually easier than denim because you don’t have to always worry about keeping the original hem like you do with denim.

Well fitting AND at a good price?

Aaanyway, so fit is super important, but so is price. I know not everyone wants to spend $200 on a pair of chinos no matter how well-fitting it is.

So when Dockers asked me to try their Alpha Khakis, I was all “psHhH hellz yeah I’m down.” That’s exactly what I said to them too.

Truthfully I’ve been meaning to try the Alpha Khakis out for a while. I spotted them months (years?) ago at a Nordstrom while I waited for K (the fiancé) to finish her shoe browsing. I was first attracted to their array of color choices. Then I took a closer look, and everything about them was just so awesome.

First off, the silhouette wasn’t all billowy like some of Dockers’ more traditional models. The twill feels a bit brushed and worn (but not overly brushed to where it looks old), making it soft to the touch. Each pair is slightly broken in, so it’s not all stiff and uncomfortable when you first step into them.

They have the characteristics of your favorite pair of denim, but they’re freakin’ chinos! This translates to awesome in my book, because I want every pair of pants I own can feel like my favorite pair of denim. Don’t you?

Anyway, if you’re a dude who finds basic straight legs too baggy for your bottom half, give these a try. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

You can find the Alpha Khakis online here.