STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Metric · Gucci

can khakis look chic?

boobaby · Kate Spade

I personally don't really like them. I have a pair that is low rise and wide leg but I never wear them. I like the shape and they are really soft and slouchy, but everything I pair with them feels like a uniform to me (too many years in retail I guess)

Cortney1982 · Chanel

I used to wear them all the time for work so sometimes they can seem like a uniform. Stay away from polos and t-shirts! They definintely have to be paired with cute shoes. And I wouldn't wear a red top, unless you want to look like a Target employee. I put this outfit together. Seems pretty cool to me.

littlebean · Kate Spade

"Chic" isn't exactly the first word that comes to mind when I think of khakis... But since I'm kind of a preppy at heart, I've always liked khakis and their cousins in preppiness, corduroys. I like Cortney's outfit idea -- khakis can be good with sweaters or tops with interesting details, I think. A good laid-back look.

Kelly · Hermes

maybe not "chic" but definitely "cute." I wear mine like I would my casual jeans (I know, no jeans are really "dressy," but you know there are some I wear for going out at night but more casual ones I wear to just go to a friend's house to watch a movie)...with sneakers and a sweater

Suasoria · Chanel

If the fit is right, I think they can look chic.

I actually prefer khakis to jeans, but I'm finding myself wearing jeans more often these days because it's been easier to find interesting jeans than good khakis.

I really like red/khaki (hadn't considered the Target factor), and also pink/plum or greens, and massive amounts of black with khakis. And I agree on shoes being a big deal as well as avoiding anything that seems preppy.

I did this the other day for somebody else:

relrel · Marc Jacobs

I totally think khakis can look chic- you just have to be careful on what kind of khakis. Obviously, Dockers-type with pleats ain't gonna look good no matter what you pair with them. Longer, slightly wider-legged in a thinner material would look great with a black, fitted, button-down with maybe turquoise jewelry (a chunky necklace) and heels.

I really like the green outfit that Suasoria put together.

subwolley · Kate Spade

Interesting topic. I usually avoid khakis for the reasons listed in this thread. I still don't know if I'm sold on wearing them though, but the outfit suggestions are cute.

zeitgeist4 · Gucci

One of the outfits ingrained in my memory involved khaki pants. At Target several years ago I saw a woman with khaki pants (trouser cut), a white button down tucked in with a popped collar, coral necklace, and a caramel colord Marc Jacobs tote. I don't remember what shoes she was wearing. She looked so chic, yet all of the items in her oufit were very simple.

Here is the best I could do to recreate the look.

ILoveChoo · Hermes

I like them with white, and thats pretty much it (although all of the outfits sausora posted are awesome!)- either a thin white wrap sweater or blouse like zeitgeist posted. Even with that, it is easy to feel too campy- I think the solution is probabaly in a more delicate shoe and nice accessories.

atlgirl · Gucci

I agree with cute, not chic. I like the outfits both Z4 and Suasoria posted...but the only one I can imagine IRL with khakis is Z4's. I'd wear all of Suasoria's with appropriate jeans and feel much more chic. Khakis always make me feel drab and dowdy, for some reason.

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

zeitgeist4 wrote:

One of the outfits ingrained in my memory involved khaki pants. At Target several years ago I saw a woman with khaki pants (trouser cut), a white button down tucked in with a popped collar, coral necklace, and a caramel colord Marc Jacobs tote. I don't remember what shoes she was wearing. She looked so chic, yet all of the items in her oufit were very simple.

Here is the best I could do to recreate the look.

I love how this look was put together - I think the khaki's look very chic like this!

Lilykind · Hermes

I think that the versatiliy of khakis is dependent on the fit. Five years ago, I had a great pair of flared khakis from J. Crew that were my good butt pants. I used to wear them all the time with outfits like Suasoria posted. I had some colored tops that looked better with khakis than jeans.

I have since gotten rid of those fabulous flared khakis (lost weight) but I was never able to replace them. I own cargo khakis that I wear in a very bummy, casual mannner with tees, Converse, or flips but "chic" would not be a word I'd use to define that look.

I do like the right khakis with white in an all-American, Ralph Lauren kind of way but I think that only certain people can pull it off.

jj · Kate Spade

I actually wear khakis a lot, and for me the trick is to always dress them up. And I definitely am a preppy/JCrew girl. Shoes are really important - something fab and stylish, and then a dressier top like a fitted blazer or pretty blouse.

It also takes a while to find a pair that fits properly. I love my JCrew cafe capris because they are fitted and don't get stretched out and baggy by the end of the day - that's the WORST!

Today I am wearing khakis, animal print ballet flats, pink blouse and fitted chocolate blazer.

Jamsicle · BCBG

I'm dark by white standards; light by desi Indian standards, but I find that the beige don't look good with tan skin. So personally when I buy khakis, I go for the very rare grey khaki- hard to find, but definitely hot. I find that they're also a lot more versatile. Khakis aren't so much in fashion where I live right now, though- they were big a couple of years ago..

Kelly · Hermes

Jamsicle wrote:

I'm dark by white standards; light by desi Indian standards, but I find that the beige don't look good with tan skin. So personally when I buy khakis, I go for the very rare grey khaki- hard to find, but definitely hot. I find that they're also a lot more versatile. Khakis aren't so much in fashion where I live right now, though- they were big a couple of years ago..

Have you bought any recently that are online somewhere? I'm intrigued... I don't know if I've ever seen grey khakis...

Miss Mabel · Kenneth Cole

Jamsicle wrote:

I'm dark by white standards; light by desi Indian standards, but I find that the beige don't look good with tan skin. So personally when I buy khakis, I go for the very rare grey khaki- hard to find, but definitely hot. I find that they're also a lot more versatile. Khakis aren't so much in fashion where I live right now, though- they were big a couple of years ago..

ITA about gray khakis. I used to have a blue-gray pair from BCBG that I loved. And they did look better with my skin, too (I'm very fair, though - go figure).

I would not say khakis are "chic" though. Classic in some cases, cute in some cases, and frumpy in most cases is my assessment. I agree with some of the others that fit and stretching out by the end of the day are the major problems.

Lilykind · Hermes

ttara123 wrote:
Have you bought any recently that are online somewhere? I'm intrigued... I don't know if I've ever seen grey khakis...

J. Crew has some...they make both dove gray and graphite.

Dove Gray

Graphite

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

I don't know if chic is the word, but I have always loved this pic from the VS catalog. I think they Photoshopped her into a different setting. Weird.

Kari · Dooney & Bourke

AllieGurl wrote:

zeitgeist4 wrote:

One of the outfits ingrained in my memory involved khaki pants. At Target several years ago I saw a woman with khaki pants (trouser cut), a white button down tucked in with a popped collar, coral necklace, and a caramel colord Marc Jacobs tote. I don't remember what shoes she was wearing. She looked so chic, yet all of the items in her oufit were very simple.

Here is the best I could do to recreate the look.

This outfit screams Jahni to me......I bet Jahni has each of these items and rocks them often!