Everyday trousers (non-suit)?

[Geesie]

Does there exist a seller of non-suit trousers (i.e., good to wear just with a sport coat or vest or sweater) for a reasonable price?
I can't bring myself to wear khakis all the time, I'm starting to feel too old for jeans, but I really can't afford expensive clothing yet. Most of the dress pants in department stores are horrible shiny polyester things. Are there any wool, cotton, linen, or even decent synthetic trousers available at department store prices?

 

[avedwards]

Find a pair of grey wool flannels. They work nicely with most sport coats. You could also try going into a menswear shop and see if you can buy the trousers of a suit, as this could be what you want if you get a plain colour.

For myself I've had to be content with black wool blend trousers which aren't as nice as pure wool ones but have the advantage of being washable.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

My husband has gotten some very smart non-suit trousers from Banana Republic, the sale rack. They often have subtle checks or stripes, on a dark gray or blue-gray fabric, cotton or cotton/linen blends. The kind of nice, somewhat distinctive but not "look at me and my pants!" trousers that go nicely with a crisp white shirt and waistcoat.
BR regular prices are beyond our budget, but you can find nice things regularly reduced to $30, $20, even less. On more than one occasion, sale items ring up as less than the reduced price on the tag, because further reductions haven't been marked yet.

 

[Geesie]

My husband has gotten some very smart non-suit trousers from Banana Republic, the sale rack. They often have subtle checks or stripes, on a dark gray or blue-gray fabric, cotton or cotton/linen blends. The kind of nice, somewhat distinctive but not "look at me and my pants!" trousers that go nicely with a crisp white shirt and waistcoat.
BR regular prices are beyond our budget, but you can find nice things regularly reduced to $30, $20, even less. On more than one occasion, sale items ring up as less than the reduced price on the tag, because further reductions haven't been marked yet.

Thanks for the tip! Yes, their regular prices are quite beyond my budget.

Ironic that gray flannel, once the image of corporate conformity, is so very hard to find these days...

 

[avedwards]

Ironic that gray flannel, once the image of corporate conformity, is so very hard to find these days...

Nearly impossible I'd say. I'm lucky to have found someone willing to part with an older pair.

 

[skyvue]

I wear mostly vintage trousers, and you might surprised how cheaply you can get them with some careful shopping/bidding. In fact, if you tell me your waist size, here or in PM, I might have some for you at a reasonable price -- I've kept some pairs that are now far too small for me.

 

[HatRak]

Geesie,

I'm not sure what you consider "expensive" or "department store prices." If you could define your price range, we might be able to be more helpful.

I don't know if they're over there on the "wrong" coast or not but, here in the mid-Atlantic, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers is a respectable menswear retailer about a notch below Brooks Bros. They're also running some insane deals every week due to the downturn in the economy. They have a vast selection of mens trousers from khakis through cords to fine wools and linens. I'd check them out because you might be surprised at what you'll find.

Hatrak

 

[Doublegun]

Grey flannel trousers....

Like you I am trying to find a versatile trouser that can be dressd up and down as the situation dictates and I agree that there are none more versatile than grey flannel. The problem is finding a pair that 1.) does not feel cheap; and 2.) will stand up to frequent wear. I bought a pair of heavy flanels from RL 20+ years ago and wort them until I out grew them and I have been looking for replacements since. Most of the trousers that I find are short on texture and weight and long on price.

Jos. Banks sell good clothing at reasonable prices and I have purchased a lot of clothing from them over the past 5-10 years. However, when it comes to their flannels I'd say they have pretty much the same run-of-the-mill trousers that are all over the market. The good news is they ALWAYS have a sale going on.

I am almost at the point where I am going to bite the bullet and order a pair from Bookster. I am not sure I'll have to pay any more IF I can find what I am looking for and that's a big IF.

 

[Edward]

If you're in the Bookster budget, try also Old Town...

http://www.old-town.co.uk/

 

[Edward]

Just this morning, walking from Charles Fox in Covent Garden through to my office, I wandered past the John Simons / Classic American Apparel shop. I've been meaning to get a looksee in there ever since they announced that as of 19th Spetember they would be stocking Eastman garments. No time to drop in this morning, but I did see in their window a pair of very nice looking khaki chinos, with a label identifying them as a new product - an 'own-brand' labelled pair of chinos, apparently cut to a fifties pattern with wide leg and high waist. I don't know if traditional khaki is the only colour; I'll have to check it out. At GBP79 they're not exactly cheap, but still markedly less than many of the other options out there. I'm curious as to whether they do other colours than khaki - I love my wool trousers, but it'd be nice to have a range of close-as trews that I could wear casually with a sports jacket, that would look the part without needing dry cleaned any time I got anything spilled on them.

Probably not much use to the OP, but I thought it worth mentioning for at least our UK members.

Additional:

Just checked their website - http://jsimons.website.orange.co.uk/the_j_simons_story.21.html

Khaki is the only colour.... not sure what they mean by "narrower leg shape" - possibly by comparison to the 30s style options they also carry? - They were folded at the knee in the window, but they looked decently wide to me, more like the trousers worn by Jimmy Dean in Rebel as opposed to the anachronistically narrow things sported by Steve MacQueen in The Great Escape. I plan to go in and try a pair on soon, so.... I'll let y'all know.

 

[LordBest]

Magnoli have some splendid looking flannel trousers available, I can't speak to the quality first hand but I understand it is very fine:
http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/flannel-trousers-pants-p-131.html
I've been wanting a pair for over a year, soon as I get that waist measurement down to where it should be...

 

[Djupis]

Magnoli have some splendid looking flannel trousers available, I can't speak to the quality first hand but I understand it is very fine:
http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/flannel-trousers-pants-p-131.html
I've been wanting a pair for over a year, soon as I get that waist measurement down to where it should be...

I'm thinking of getting one of those or get a copy of another pair of trousers.
I've been looking "everywhere" for trousers but I haven't found a single model I've liked.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I've had a few reasonable pairs in the UK from Marks & Spencer. I'm a particular fan of their coin-catcher pockets.
Three-way fastening (if that is the right expression) is a must.

 

[Edward]

If you want a pair of fifties style slacks, Marksies' Chinos aren't a bad place to start.... I'm gonig to go looking at them myself at some point, wearing a pair of other trews with which I am happy, so to do a direct comparison.

I also like Magnoli's stuff by the looks; at some ponit I'll be organised enough to explore that....

Quite a lot of the trousers I wear regularly are actually ex-military dress uniforms. A pair of RAF trousers in particular I have are great - I had to sew new buttons on them, but they take braces well, nice high waist and of a reasonable width in the leg - though more fifties than forties, I suspect, and sadly there wasn't enough leg length to have cuffs on them. But still, great, hardwearing trews - and cheap, too! I also have a couple of pairs of (I think) some sort of calvary unit dress uniform trousers - lovely, high waist with a fishtail back, button fly, reasonable width in the thigh with a fifties-looking pegged ankle (presumably designed with riding boots in mind). Lovely heavy wool, too - I wear them to the office quite a bit. Got them on eBay, paid about GBP25 a pair.

FWIW, I find it much, much easier to find fifties style trews than anything 30s or 40s looking, especially once you go outside of military-style khakis.

 

[PADDY]

Ralph Lauren...(pics)

These pants are by RL (Ralph Lauren) and are in a heavy-weight cotton herringbone pattern. Very versatile and I mix and match them with jackets, jerseys, shirts..etc, etc. Reasonable high-rise. So dress down or dress up as you please Scan some of the online auction houses as these types of things do come up and it'll save you some money

 

[Geesie]

Nice. Definitely some reasons here to learn to take in trousers. They never have my size, off-the-rack and especially secondhand.

 

[Djupis]

I like the look of those, Paddy! :eusa_clap Modern or vintage?

 

[Falconetti]

I picked up a pair of John Simons Khakis recently and love em... Narrow at the ankle.. I'd rate them slightly more McQueen than Dean.. Gonna grab me another pair..

 

[filfoster]

Vintage advantage

How many hate to risk a tear or stain with real vintage trousers, especially the rare ones we have found to fit or have paid to have adjusted? The thread began with 'everyday' trousers so I think the posts recommending Bannana Republic and Magnoli are on track. There is a significant advantage, on a practical level, to modern 'stay-pressed' fabrics that have some weight and aren't too synthetic.

 

[skyvue]

How many hate to risk a tear or stain with real vintage trousers, especially the rare ones we have found to fit or have paid to have adjusted? The thread began with 'everyday' trousers so I think the posts recommending Bannana Republic and Magnoli are on track. There is a significant advantage, on a practical level, to modern 'stay-pressed' fabrics that have some weight and aren't too synthetic.

But Banana Republic and Magnoli are two very different animals. No knock is intended on those who like BR's wares, but there's almost nothing vintage about the design of their trousers. They are low (and often extremely so) waisted, for example, and generally feature narrow legs.

Magnoli is after something else entirely -- (relatively) authentic reproduction of pre-1960s clothing.

Me, I wear vintage every day. I'll pay for repairs when necessary, but that's pretty rare. These garments lasted this long; it's not likely they'll fall apart during my lifetime.