Chino?

[ChrisT]

A friend told me about chino trousers.

I don’t know much about this kind of trousers, so I ask you if you may help me to choose a chino that have a good 50’ style. (I don’t wear used clothes)

What would be your criteria?

 

[DougC]

I do believe chinos are a heavy duty khaki pants. I love Bill's Khakis here in the States...can't begin to help in France.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Interesting question. I remember them being referred to in stories from California in the fifties and sixties but never knew exactly what they were.

A quick web search turned up the information that they were originally trousers for soldiers and sailors made of Chino cloth. This cloth came from China by way of Mexico. The word Chino means Chinese in Spanish.

The cloth was a cotton twill in khaki, tan, white, or similar light color.

A web search for Chino pants will turn up lots of examples.

The ones worn by teenagers and young men in the sixties were cut for a narrow, tapered leg silhouette with no cuffs. Again, a web search should turn up some examples.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Here are some examples from a vintage clothing store. The ones you are looking for, look like the "1950s tropical slacks" "Levi's casual flip top pants" or "1950s casual slacks".

http://www.ballyhoovintage.com/category/1950s-Pants.html

More info on Chino pants

http://www.ehow.com/about_5495390_types-chino-pants-men.html

He calls the ones you want, straight dress Chinos and points out that they should be pressed with a crease like dress pants, not uncreased like jeans.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I suppose in France in the fifties they made similar cotton twill slacks for casual summer or beach wear, with a Lacoste shirt, Panama hat and espadrilles.

 

[ChrisT]

Thank you Stanley

 

[Davy Crockett]

In the UK check out the "Officers Pinks" in the Apparel section of www.eastmanleather.com they could be just what you are looking for!

D

 

[Stanley Doble]

In the Ballyhoovintage site above he actually shows Lee Leesures Chinos, new old stock. I guess I didn't scroll down far enough the first time.

Lee is an American manufacturer best known for jeans and work clothes.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Use Google or the stickies to look for old threads about just the same question.
I got Ralph Lauren and Abercrombie and Fitch (from a few years back). They are high waisted and have a wider leg. But both companies also make modern skinny low rise pants so you really have to compare yourself.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?33290-Khakis-which-ones

 

[dh66]

Dickies 874 work pants. High waisted, not skinny but not too baggy, cheeeeeeeap (under $20 USD) and last forever. They are still made from the same pattern Williamson Dickie used when they had a contract to make uniforms for the U.S. army during ww2.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Dickies 874 work pants. High waisted, not skinny but not too baggy, cheeeeeeeap (under $20 USD) and last forever. They are still made from the same pattern Williamson Dickie used when they had a contract to make uniforms for the U.S. army during ww2.

How do they fit? I wear a 34 x 34 in Wrangler 13mwz; what Dickies would I need and is a long or tall size recommended (I'm 6 ft 2)?

 

[dh66]

How do they fit? I wear a 34 x 34 in Wrangler 13mwz; what Dickies would I need and is a long or tall size recommended (I'm 6 ft 2)?

Go one size up in the waist from what you wear in jeans.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Normal dickies? They are more than 50% poly and I doubt they still have the original cut from the 40s. At best it looks like a modernised 60s cut to me.

They made a repro of their own originals but they are much more expensive. Looks nice though:
http://www.dickies.com/1922/vintage.jsp

If you go the cheap work pant route Ben Davies gorilla cut seem to be better. Wide leg and higher rise. I don't own a pair of them though. Search for them on this forum.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?79131-Ben-Davis-quot-Gorilla-Cut-quot-work-pants

 

[Rudie]

I would recommend the 1942 model Buzz Rickson khakis.

 

[dh66]

Normal dickies?

They're a $20 pair of pants, what do you expect? They're like Chuck Taylors. There's a reason they've been around so long. Cheap, basic transportation. Chino pants are barely a step up from dungarees. Who's going to work on the car or take the dog to the park or clean out the garage or cut the grass in a $100+ pair of "authentic" repro trousers. If you want to spend that kind of money on nice pants, get some nice pants, not chinos.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Hey, I am not looking for trouble or a lenghty discussion. Of course they have their place and for a pair of beater trousers they might be fine.
But here is the context I which see this thread: There is a guy logging into a vintage forum and asking for trousers that have a vintage cut. This probably means he wants something better than mall quality because why would he ask here?
ALL things that are good are going to cost more. Especially with vintage repros. It's a niche market. Therefore smaller numbers of the niche items are produced. Often (not always) this also means they are made under better working conditions. I think that is worth a few bucks.
But like I said before: I don't want to start a massive discussion. Let's just collect some suggestions and he will choose himself. Maybe he is looking for a cheap pair of for the purposes you described...then dickies might indeed be a good choice. But I don't believe they still have the same pattern as in the 40s and 50s.

 

[ChrisT]

Let's just collect some suggestions and he will choose himself.

that's exactly why I asked

 

[Seb Lucas]

The Dickies look and sound perfect, just ordered 4 pairs, although over here they are fairly rare.