A well-dressed man needs men's dress pants, but shopping for the perfect pair of men's pants can be tricky when you don't know which styles and fabrics to look for. This men's dress pants buying guide will give you the tips you need to find the men's dress pants that are perfect for your life and your style. When you know how to buy pants that look great on you, everyone will see that you're a well-dressed man.
Once you know the two basic details of a pair of men's dress pants, you'll be able to choose pants that flatter you and that you'll be comfortable wearing. Here's what to look for when you're online shopping:
Detail #1: Pleated or flat-front dress pants
Pleated pants
Pleats work well if you have larger thighs or if you carry extra weight low on your torso.
One or two pleats can give a classic look to dress pants.
Pleats can be too much on a slimmer man.
Pleated pants require a cuff.
Flat-front pants
If you have larger thighs, flat-front pants may not accommodate your size.
Flat-front pants are very modern.
Flat-front pants flatter men with slim builds.
Flat-front pants can go with or without a cuff.
Detail #2: Cuffs or no cuffs
Cuffs
Cuffs are flattering on tall, lanky men.
Pleated pants need the weight of a cuff to hold the pleat in place.
If pants have cuffs when you buy them, a tailor can't take them away without dramatically changing the pants.
No cuffs
Shorter men will look taller without cuffs.
You don't need a cuff on flat-front pants.
Pants purchased without cuffs can have cuffs added by a tailor if you want.
Other details
After the two basic men's pants details, you may want to check the product descriptions for these other details, especially if you have any personal preferences or if you have a harder time finding men's clothes that fit you well.
The fly: Some men care and some men don't, but if you have strong feelings about button-fly pants or zip-fly pants, check and see what the pants you're looking at have.
Types of pockets: Most slacks have angled pockets on the sides (also known as slash pockets), but there are slight variations on the back pockets. Dress pants rarely have patch pockets, and instead you'll see slit pockets more often. The slit pockets may or may not have a button closure, and sometimes only one pocket has a button. If the back pockets aren't described, be sure to look at the picture.
Slim fit or wide legs: It's not just a matter of fashion -- different pants styles work better on different body types. Slender men will want to choose slim-fitting slacks so they won't look like they're borrowing clothes from Dad. Men who are larger on top -- either with a belly or a muscular chest -- will want to choose wide leg pants to balance their upper and lower halves.
Lining: Some pants -- usually those made from wool -- have a lining, often from the waist to the knees. If you prefer the feeling of the silky lining fabric to the feeling of wool, look for men's pants with a lining. Besides comfort, a lining a can also help pants retain their shape.
The fabric your pants are made of can affect the comfort and appearance, and you may want to consider a few things about each type of fabric:
Wool: Wool can be lightweight or heavyweight, so there are wool slacks for all seasons. Wool is a durable fabric, but it does require a bit more care, including dry cleaning and possibly storage with cedar chips or moth balls. For wool with the softest feel, look for Super 120s or higher because this fabric is woven from the longest strands of wool.
Cotton: An excellent choice for hot weather and warm climates, cotton slacks are available in different fabric weaves, such as corduroy and cotton twill, which is also known as chino cloth.
Polyester blends: For added durability and wrinkle-resistance, polyester is often blended with other fibers to create poly blends; this also makes dress pants more affordable.
Silk: Less common for men's pants than other fabrics, luxurious silk feels fantastic, but it does tend to get a bit wrinkly.
As far as the colors and patterns on those fabrics, remember these tips:
Tan or khaki slacks can look a bit more casual.
Gray, navy and black slacks are perfect for the office.
Pinstripes can add a bit of height.
A windowpane plaid is a subtle way to mix up your wardrobe.
Many men's pants come un-hemmed, so you'll at least need to have a tailor add a hem. Additionally, your tailor can:
Add in a break, which changes how the pants hit the top of your shoes.
Add a cuff. Remember that you'll want a cuff if your pants have a pleated front.
Bring up the crotch of the pants if it hangs too low.
Take in the waist. Men with athletic builds will probably want to buy pants that fit in the seat and have the waist taken in.
Keeping your dress pants looking nice enough to be included in your business clothing wardrobe requires just a few simple steps:
Wool pants should always be dry cleaned, but you only need to have them cleaned about every five times you wear them.
Cotton pants and poly-blend pants can be laundered at home.
If you iron your pants at home, you may want to place a cloth between the pants and the iron so the iron won't create a shiny effect.
A steamer is an excellent way to keep your pants looking fresh between cleanings.
Always hang your dress pants in the closet. Use either a clamp hanger and hang the pants by their waistband or cuffs or use a fold-over hanger with a wide bar, preferably with rubber of some other type of padding. Remember to empty your pockets and line up the seams before you hang your pants on either type of hanger.
Do I need to wear a belt with my dress pants?
If your dress pants have belt loops, then you'll always want to wear a belt with them. Some slacks have buttons inside the waistband to attach suspenders to, and other pants have adjustable tabs inside to hold them up; in these cases, where there aren't any belt loops, you're free to go belt-less. When you're wearing dress pants, you'll want to think of every detail, so you won't look sloppy, and keeping your pants around your waist is an important detail! Remember that you can wear a black or a brown belt, as long as your belt matches your shoes, although shoes that match your pants or are a shade darker than your pants are the safest bet. (And while you're matching things -- be sure to match your socks to your pants, not to your shoes.)
How do I know if the pants will fit?
Before you purchase any men's pants, you'll want to make sure you know your size. The sizes have two numbers: The first is your waist measurement, and the second number is your inseam. You can measure a pair of pants you have already that fits you well or read the Overstock.com Men's Measurement Guide to see how to measure yourself properly. Remember that the waistband should fit about an inch below your navel.
Top it off
When you're wearing men's dress pants, you'll need men's dress shirts to complete the look. Create a whole outfit when you're online shopping on Overstock.com and have it all shipped together. You'll only pay our low, flat shipping rate, no matter how much clothing you add to your shopping cart.
Pulling it all together
When you're looking for the perfect men's shoes to match the belt that's holding up your slacks, you'll want to be sure and shop for them on Overstock.com. We have men's shoes that are perfect for the office or an evening out or the weekend, and all of those shoes are available at discount prices.
Dress it up
When you need to dress up your slacks a bit more, top it all off with a blazer or sport coat. A sport jacket can take you from casual Friday to Friday night out, and you'll find the perfect sport coat here on Overstock.com. After all, Overstock.com is your online outlet for men's clothing and so much more.
