6 Alternatives To Everyday Men’s Style Classics

Variety is the spice of life, they say. And nobody wants an unseasoned casserole. Novelty, experimentation and the unfamiliar make things interesting. Even a diet of fillet steak and Lafite Rothschild gets dull without the odd hamburger and Pepsi chucked in for good measure. Similarly, your wardrobe should maintain a fine balancing act between the tried-and-tested and the unexpected. The classics are classic for a reason — they’re the foundation of any wardrobe, and will get you out of any number of tight spots. But that doesn’t mean you can’t supplement them with some alternatives from time to time. Here are a few to bear in mind.

The Classic: Chinos

The history of the now-ubiquitous chino is suitably international. Designed by a 19th-century British lieutenant during a campaign in the Indian sub-continent, the flat-fronted cotton kecks got their name in the Spanish-American war of 1898 from the Hispanic word for China, where their thread was sourced. Today, the smart-casual trouser has been taken up by almost every menswear tribe imaginable, from the preppy yachtsmen of Nantucket to the streetwear addicts of Harajuku.

The Alternative: Cargo Trousers

To many, cargo trousers conjure up unwelcome flashbacks to all the bad parts of the nineties. But the baggy stalwarts of that decade have now given way to a slimmer, altogether more elegant offspring — and well-tailored, understated cargo trousers can add a touch of utilitarian, continental style to any wardrobe. (Stone Island, J Crew, Mr P and Brunello Cucinelli all have their own winning takes on this throwback.)

How To Wear Them

Less is more with cargo trousers. Opt for an unfussy silhouette, and stick to fabrics that are true to their military roots — cargo joggers in fleece, for example, tend to fall well short of the ideal. Opt for a simple, semi-smart shirt up top, perhaps with a light jacket in understated charcoal or navy. Chunkier-soled footwear, like a country brogue or a Derby, can work well here as can shoes with a military subtle lean, like desert boots. (Overly bulky, infantry-style boots with cargo trousers can leave things looking a little Mad Max, however.)