After confirming I'm still here, I'll try to contribute a bit.

Chinos in the informal jeans style are my go to when not wearing formal trousers for work meetings. I stopped wearing jeans at age of forty. It stopped feeling right on me.  You may not believe it but amongst their bewildering broad range, Next do some excellent so called 'tailored chinos'. That just means in the original style, proper cotton, decent colour range, straight leg and not skinny. They are great for knocking around in, informal work. It can take some care amongst their items - but these are good and they are chinos right?  Fit, fabric etc matter to me not brand on this item. Best bought online and with ability to return if not right. Sales are your friend on this for end of range as they have far too many options.

I do not understand the more formal version with such as front creases, pleats or stitched in turn ups. Those are frumpy in my head and not for me.

This winter I bought four pairs of Peter Christian drill jeans and they are brilliant. Heavier fabric than chinos but in the chino/Jean style.  They are robust, perfectly 'smart casual' and will last. I'm buying more and recommend them.

While here the latest Timberland Donegal style chunky wool scarves are perfect and on sale. Highly recommended. Also made with low environmental impact (they see very committed to this now).

Brook Taverner for Merino jumpers and Lands End did some wonderful thinner wool ones. The mid green one looks great and is heard to find in that colour. For chunky jumpers at home my wife bought me some ones from Joules that have been surprisingly good. A grey heavy knit fisherman's jumpers by them has had a lot of wear.  I know these are all not high end, but good staples at the right price work for me.

I'll let you know bits I find like these. They won't be J.Press and BB - but there is a lot more out there to experience. Glad the Grenfell tip worked for AFS. I'm digging into many more low key British and Irish made brands too.

One of the reasons I went quiet is I'm increasingly not interested in the snobbery of clothes generally. I'm also jaded by the scene growing up around JS as the serving one-true road to Ivy in UK. (don't have to agree, I just am).as we talked about before I also have more than enough clothes and shoes. The other day I found an unopened perfect, new pair of Sanders Derbys that I got during Covid lockdown off ebay that I hadn't even opened.. So I'm generally only topping up.

Mix these items with great shoes, a quality sport jacket and shirt - you're away.

Maybe I can contribute on these useful bits around the edges where I find non-canon, unorthodox aspects.

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2022-01-28 04:06:07)

Thanks, AUS.  You've always provided quality material.  This is no exception.
Interesting you should mention 'Next'.  I've seen a couple of shirts of theirs that, from a distance, look like the classic blue Brooks Brothers.  No roll on the collar, though. 
'Topping up'?  You and me both.  I went a bit crazy toward the end of last year but now my wardrobe is bulging again and I must slow down or quit pretty much altogether.  Dieting is also deterring me from buying too much more.

Staxfan - yes I wouldn't go near the chinos. The drill jeans and Moleskins don't have the crease but the chinos definitely do.

AFS - I saw a Next shirt about five years ago that was Ivy in style with decent collar size etc. Not bought one though, only ever bought chinos from them- and then carefully.

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2022-01-28 05:06:30)

Didn't R Dean Taylor do a song about that?

'Cords are often preferable to more or less anything else, are they not?'

Cords are for colder temperatures what chinos are for warmer temperatures. At least from an ivy perspective.

I was put off Cords a bit when someone said I was 'rocking the old man look' in some. I was about 45..

R Dean Taylor - RIP, died two weeks ago approx

Stood at Arro coffee near JS. Had a mooch about and a window look, but meeting imminent. Travel is back.

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2022-01-28 05:25:22)

Chinos are supposed to be shapeless. Ever see someone in "skinny" chinos? It looks ridiculous, even worse than "skinny" jeans.

I have a great photo of me in fishing gear chatting with a gent who owned the property around the junction of the East and West Branches of the Neversink in Claryville, N.Y. For trout fishermen, this is like holding the deed to the Temple Mount.

This guy (now deceased) is wearing ancient baggy chinos and a khaki-colored shirt with two chest pockets and an open collar. The shirt didn't quite match the color of the pants. I was explaining tactics and he was nodding sagely. The photo could have been taken any time between 1965 and today, except for the modern Gore Tex waders I had on.

I have lots of chinos, and they break down as such:

"Dress" -- Crease and cuffs, for use with jacket and tie. Even before the pandemic drastically reduced my need to go out in public, I had moved away from these. Not sure why, really. Seems a little fussy in retrospect. But that can change.

Everyday -- No cuff, khaki or stone or olive. Not picky about side seam vs, slant pockets, as long as they're on the side (as opposed to five-pocket jeans style). Some have a flap on the back pocket, which I dislike (definitely too fussy).

Grubby -- Suitable for yard work, and carrying a faint whiff of permethrin (chemical that discourages ticks).

Fish pants -- Just what it sounds like. I don't have as many of these at the moment, as I have moved over to nylon hiking pants for summer outdoor adventures.

Winter -- Same as everyday, except lined. Wearing a pair right now.

AFter a lot of trial and error, mostly the latter, I have put together a modest number of jeans that have a sufficiently long rise and short enough legs that I can wear them without looking like a complete wanker. They are from Lands End and Dearborn Denim, and with one exception are not "blue" jeans, but khaki or grey.

Nice to see AUS highlighting other sources for ivy style gear. I’ve mentioned before that I don’t shop online. So high street is my option really. And I still like ‘proper’ shopping.

Chinos/khakis I think are a fine knockaround alternative to denim. Last and this season’s M&S regular fits are surprisingly good on me. Wont be for everyone. Decent enough rise. Not skinny or old man flappy. Best one’s I’ve got are Gurteen, which I believe are a going for a similar market to PC

I do find if I’m not paying top dollar I tend to be less precious about it, and clothes naturally get that lived in look that I like. Plus if I cut through my chinos with a saw I’m not pissed because they cost £200

woof, the community clothing chinos are excellent if you like them loose at the top (which it sounds like you do).  The darker khaki ones (https://communityclothing.co.uk/products/mensrelaxedchino-khaki?variant=19097485344822) are heavier, and slightly narrower at ankle.  The ones you linked to are lighter weight and a bit wider at ankle.  The rise is great, but they are definitely 'frumpy' compared to, say, O'Connells or Jack Donnely chinos.  Utilitarian in the way that jeans are, concuring up Rockwellesque 1950s images of kids playing (American) football.  I wear the lighter ones only in summer.  During the various lockdowns, I got use to their comfy volumness around the thighs and seat.  My more tailored chinos feel less comfortable now.  I would really like them to their olive chinos in relaxed fit

Interested to see that mention by Spendthrift of Gurteen.  I was doing a lot of shopping about five years ago at a very traditional menswear shop in a nearby market town (rather 'Young Farmer', expensive houses) called 'Graves' (someone's surname, now closed).  I bought some 100 per cent cotton cords by Merit: about £70.  Wore the backside out of them.  In Brigg, close to where my elder daughter, was living, I bought Gurteen cords - from a very similar kind of shop - you know, 'Serving the farming community of North Lincolnshire since 1897' - that sort of schtick.  (They were still flogging Farah in unnatural fibres).  The cords weren't up to much but the chinos - at £65 - have proved to be a decent enough buy for mooching around the house.  Very, very hard-wearing and not much in the way of softening even after multiple washes.  But they are 'dowdy'.

Gurteen - I had mine cuffed too.  No issues with inside leg stitching.  They're shapeless, dowdy, frumpish - and, now I've lost weight, rather ill-fitting.  To be worn around the house only, alternated with black Wranglers and grey Edwin. No fuss to Gurteen. 
Silvermans - bought on the advice of Uncle Ian.  I wore them out on Saturday.  Simple cuff but now also slightly ill-fitting.  Shapeless. 
The Sedgefield - which were poly/cotton, unfortunately - Made In The USA - were just not going to work.  Stiff as a board. 
Still the best I ever had were thrifted Levis (with a complicated buttoning system) and some old Abercrombie and Fitch.  Dockers I found ho-hum (and they were quite expensive for what they were when first on the market), and some I bought in about 1996 from a very posh shop lasted all of five minutes.

The main reason I like a crease in my chinos is because it takes away that dowdy shapelessness. A little.