What to Wear with Beige Chinos or Khaki Pants

Finding the right top to wear with khaki pants or beige chinos can be difficult. It’s not exactly dressy, and it’s not exactly casual. Even colors that seem to match may not match depending on the material and style of the clothing.

Long considered are basic clothing to any golfer’s wardrobe,beige chinos was neglected by the mainstream fashion for the last two decades. But recently regain its popularity and became one of the trendiest and most versatile trousers of the 21st century.

Khaki has long been a popular fabric used for military uniforms. It's made with cotton, wool or a combination of both with blends of synthetic fibers. With its entrance into the fashion scene, both men and women have worn them a variety of trendy ways. Here are a few tips on how to get it right when it comes to color coordinating.

Colors to Match with Different Shades of Beige:

Dark beige: A muddy color close to brown and drab olive. It goes well with earthy colors.

Regular beige: The standard shade with a mix of tan and light brown. It goes well with vibrant colors such as red, green, yellow, blue and purple.

Light beige: A beige color carrying cream and yellow shades. It goes well with dark shades such as black, navy blue and jean fabrics (light or dark).

What to Wear with Khaki Pants or Beige Chinos: 

Business Casual: Matching khaki blazer and pants, light blue dress shirt, slim dark blue-and-yellow striped necktie, dark brown oxfords. Avoid khaki suits that are too loose or too long. Pants should rest on top of the shoelace and upper heel of the shoes without excess bunching.

Casual: Sport coat and plain or graphic t-shirt with white buck shoes, sandals, Chuck Taylors, Jack Purcell’s, vans or men’s boots. Without the coat, polo shirts that match well with regular beige chinos include light pink, orange, red, mint green and baby blue. Sweater vests also work well with khaki pants.

Beige chinos can be combined with white and the contrast is not as strong as when paired it with other colored chinos. This means that even the novice in the fashion world can easily pull off a 3 piece wardrobe ensemble with brown, cream or beige chinos without being accused of fashion blunder.  They can be worn interchangeably with shorts, shirt, tee, jumper, jacket, blazer and cardigan combinations.

Outfit Examples for Men:

Men's shoes 2013 - Sneaker trends

Men's shoes of spring 2013 are fully consistent with general trends. A variety of models, materials and colors can complement any trendy image of the season.

Sports style became one of the trend lines and collections of men’s sneakers and gymshoes amaze us with its variety. Non-standard designs, a wide range of materials, colors and decor are relevant for them.

Among the materials for men's sneakers of spring 2013 are smooth, glossy and reptile leather, velour, suede and fabric. Combined models, as well as «metallic» covering of different shades are still in fashion.

When creating a collection of men's sneakers, the designers used a wide range of colors: black, brown, shades of grey, fashionable pastel and saturated colors of the season. Color blocks and the emphasis are still in fashion, as well as the gradient color transition.

Check, stripes, small geometric, abstract and floral prints are very relevant in the new season. The collection of gymshoes and sneakers offer the entire list of fashionable prints, and they are rare among the models of men's shoes, and usually they are characterized by restraint of colors.

Here are a few quick tips how you can wear your sneakers with rest of your outfit to make a slick style statement.

1.BALENCIAGA PANELLED LEATHER AND FABRIC SNEAKERS

Take your sneaker selection up a notch with this pair from Balenciaga, featuring a multitude of colours, textures and finishes. From the slick yellow piping to the semi-transparent rubber soles, this pair is every inch a statement style. Worn with tailored trousers they offer an unbeatable way to reinvigorate your outfits. Shown here with a Balenciaga T-shirt and shorts, Miansai bracelet and bracelet and a Uniform Wares watch.

2.UNDERCOVER LEOPARD-PRINT PONYSKIN SLIP-ON SNEAKERS

Bring some serious style to your casual outfits with these Undercover slip-on sneakers. Crafted with leopard spot-printed ponyskin uppers and rubber soles, this pair will bring a dynamic feel to urban ensembles. Keep the rest of your look sleek to make the most of the stand-out pattern. Shown here with an Acne shirt, Our Legacy sweatshirt, Burberry Brit jeans and Miansai bracelet.

3.JIMMY CHOO BELGRAVIA JAGUAR-PRINT PONYSKIN HIGH TOP SNEAKERS

Bring a dose of urban attitude to downtime dressing with Jimmy Choo's jaguar-print ponyskin high tops. Finished with slick patent-leather trims, this assured pair will add instant flair to classic staples. Style them with a bomber jacket and dark slim-fit denim to complete the look. Shown here with a Dolce & Gabbana T-shirt and jacket, and Burberry Brit jeans.

4.JOHN LOBB ASTON MARTIN LEATHER SNEAKERS

Move your sneaker collection up a gear with this pair made in collaboration between John Lobb and Aston Martin. Expertly crafted from smooth blue leather and punctuated with streamlined red rubber soles, the statement style will give your look go-faster flair. Wear them with contrasting cashmere socks and a plush V-neck sweater for a road trip along the coast. Shown here with a Gucci sweater and trousers, Brooks Brothers shirt.

5.MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA REPLICA SUEDE AND CANVAS SNEAKERS

Based on an Austrian design from the 1970s and reworked in suede and canvas, Maison Martin Margiela's sneakers are a sophisticated nod to vintage sportswear. Set off the deep teal-blue hue against pared-back palettes, and play up the old-school aesthetic with a varsity-inspired bomber jacket. Shown here with a J.Crew sweater, Burberry London shirt, Nudie Jeans jeans and Beams Plus bag.

What to Wear with Green Chinos

Color authority Pantone picks green for 2013, emerald green to be precise. This means that if you’ve been shying to wear green chinos, then this is the time to fill your closet with greens. 

Style is about mixing and matching colors. Others might find it tricky to incorporate green pants into their clothing ensemble but with the help of color wheel and great basic tops, anyone can easily pull off and look sophisticated with green chinos.

Use the color wheel as your guide. The color exactly opposite to the specific shade of green is the appropriate color to math your green chinos.   Green’s neighboring colors such as blue and yellow are best bet too as long as they have the same level of color or tone intensity.

We all know that variety of greens includes moss to bright emerald, mint green, light olive to dark forest.  With these green options, there are some tones that will surely matches your skin tone and hair color as well.

Mint is the hot color for spring and summer. Start the season by pairing green chinos with navy blue tops. Mint, aside from getting along with dark color matches well with other pastel colors too such the likes of lavender and light yellow.  Want to highlight your strong lean legs? Go for a pair of mint chinos! And course white and mint are meant to be. One can never go wrong with white as the combination is refreshing and classic.

Match your pair of green chinos with a black, royal blue or navy blue, tan, white brown, earth-colored top, denim or other neutral colors almost every tone of green matches well with these colors. Steer clear from pink this color does not mix well with green.

The History of Chinos

“Chinos” or “Khakis”, like many popular items of clothing, have their origins in the military.

During the 1840s, British soldiers fighting in the Punjab realized their white and scarlet uniforms made them easy targets, and they decided to dye them to blend in with the local terrain. The color became known as khaki, from the Urdu word for “dust”. As armies around the world came to realize the strategic advantage of neutral and camouflage clothing, khaki cotton uniforms became standard issue.

Throughout the twentieth century khaki became an all too familiar sight due to the First and Second World Wars. They came to be associated with bravery and patriotism, and between the wars were worn by explorers, hunters and those wealthy enough to visit far-flung countries on safari. During and following the Second World War there was a strong connection with Hollywood, with many stars signing up for military service. The Hollywood Canteen, a glamorous nightclub for GIs, was established and manned by many film and TV stars of the day. Female stars such as Katherine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich wore khaki outfits, and fashion designers created collections entirely in khaki.

Khaki trousers (known as Chinos because they were mainly manufactured in China) became a part of mainstream youth fashion when American soldiers returning from World War II wore their uniform khakis to university. During this period chinos became a staple of college and high school life, particularly as it was a time when jeans were not permitted to be worn on campus. Teamed with button-down shirts and loafers they became the original preppy look.

Chinos have had a dual role throughout the latter part of the twentieth century, worn by the wealthy and privileged during their leisure hours, and also periodically adopted by youth groups, worn loose or low slung as a symbol of rebellion and an alternative to jeans.

Chinos for men are somewhat similar to the normal trousers you see people wearing but their material is a little different. Chinos for men are more comfortable and have more pockets in them than the normal khakis. Moreover, chinos for men are not specified for a particular event. With a little effort, a person can pull the look off no matter what the nature of the event is; either formal or informal. They can be worn all year round, but are ideal for Spring and Autumn. They come in many colors other than khaki, green,blue,red or yellow. You can dress them with a t-shirt and trainers for a relaxed look, or for a more smart-casual outfit you could adopt the preppy look (currently championed by designers such as Ralph Lauren) by teaming your chinos with a shirt or smart polo shirt and loafers or some of the latest deck shoes

Diesel+Edun — A Denim Collection Born in Africa

Diesel + Edun prepare for the launch of their capsule collection of fair-trade denims (entirely sourced and produced in Africa) with their Studio Africa concept: a creative hub following the inspirational prowess of nine young African talents.

In November last year, Diesel announced their exciting collaboration between eco fashion brand Edun (created by Bono and his wife Ali Hewson) for a new fair-trade denim collection. The partnership was born in January 2012 when Diesel founder Renzo Rosso and Edun founders traveled to Uganda and Maili, where they shared their love of the continent and toured each others programs — Diesel’s Only The Brave Foundation in Dioro, Mali and Edun’s Conservative Cotton Initiative (CCI) in Uganda. The experience encouraged them to join forces to create a collection that has never been done before: a denim line entirely sourced and produced in Africa and distributed worldwide under the name DIESEL + EDUN. Their mission is simple: “Raise awareness of the creative opportunities in Africa and build sustainable trade with the African continent through fashion.”

With the launch of the S/S 13 program just hitting stores worldwide (February 27), they begin to roll out there multi-media campaign concept, Studio Africa, where they have teamed up with a selection of contemporary African rising stars in film, music, poetry and fashion to front the debut collection. The collaboration features nine artists from across the continent with both talent and a deep commitment to their respective countries and people. 

For the next three weeks they will be celebrating this African creativity with a range of inspiring and forward-thinking events across London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Included within the schedule is a party in collaboration with Boiler Room, a digital art exhibition See-Saw with the brilliant Margot Bowman, in association with Dazed Digital; the Diesel’s pop-up store, Diesel Village will also play host to African art and music as well as a pop-up restaurant from Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen. Additionally, bringing the collection to life, they have also launched the Studio Africa Tumblr, which acts as a virtual loudspeaker for the campaign.

Inspired by the African creative spirit, the capsule collection was built around a reinterpretation of a four-pocket jean that was popular on the streets of South Africa during the 1970s. The range is produced from raw, untreated denim in both natural indigo and unbleached colorways and includes a biker-inspired denim jacket, two four-pocket jean shorts, as well as a range of complimentary jersey T-shirts. Each of the items features a number of design details like Malian textile prints in the denim lining, embroidery details that reference traditional Zulu weaving patterns, as well as Kenyan 

Here is a close view what's in the collection.