What to wear with chinos
Chinos outfit ideas for men: an easy weekend look, a smart-casual office outfit and a layered autumn look, with the best shoe and colour pairings.
Chinos are the middle ground between jeans and suit trousers. They're smart enough for most offices and relaxed enough for weekends, and they come in colours that make outfits easy.
Stone, navy and olive are the most versatile shades; start there and you can build dozens of outfits.
3 ways to wear chinos
Easy Saturday
- TopNavy polo shirt
- BottomStone slim chinosthe star piece
- ShoesWhite canvas sneakers
- AccessoryBrown leather watch
Navy and stone is a classic preppy pairing, and white sneakers keep it light for summer.
Tip Roll the hem once or twice for a cleaner line above the sneakers.
Smart-Casual Office
- TopWhite oxford shirt
- LayerNavy crew-neck jumper
- BottomOlive chinosthe star piece
- ShoesBrown suede desert boots
A shirt collar peeking out of a crew-neck jumper is smart without a blazer. Olive, navy and brown are calm, earthy colours that always work together.
Tip Let the shirt collar sit outside the jumper's neckline and keep the cuffs just visible.
Autumn Layers
- TopCream roll-neck jumper
- LayerCamel overcoat
- BottomNavy chinosthe star piece
- ShoesDark brown Chelsea boots
Cream and camel over navy is warm and expensive-looking, and Chelsea boots make chinos feel more grown-up than trainers.
Tip Slim or tapered chinos sit best over Chelsea boots without bunching.
The rules
- Chinos should skim the leg, not cling; avoid very skinny cuts with smart shoes.
- Pair light chinos with darker tops and dark chinos with lighter tops for balance.
- Loafers, desert boots, Chelsea boots and clean sneakers all work; avoid running shoes.
- Iron or steam them; creased chinos look sloppy faster than jeans.
Skip these
- Matching chinos and top in the same shade
- Chunky running trainers
- Black formal shoes with stone chinos
More style guides
- White sneakersWhat to wear with white sneakersThree easy outfits built around white sneakers, from weekend denim to a sharp blazer look, plus the rules that keep white trainers looking smart.
- Navy blazerHow to style a navy blazerThree ways to wear a navy blazer, from the office to the weekend, with the colours and shoes that work best alongside it.
- Black jeansWhat to wear with black jeansBlack jeans outfit ideas for women: a relaxed weekend look, a smart office outfit and an evening look, with tips on colours and shoes.