A Different Shade of Pant

Most of my trousers are Earth tones or neutral colors.  Dark browns, warm grays and olive greens go with almost anything and help anchor looks where the top is resplendent or patterned.  

Sometimes, though, pants must shine.  For these occasions, I have a pair of forest green J. Crew chinos (in their 484 fit) that I break out.  Many of my J. Crew shirts and sweaters have suffered from quality issues with fabric and seams.  Aside from loose buttons, however, their pants are durable and winter-friendly, and the heavy chino material and festive color are seasonally appropriate.

I bought these pants several years back because I’ve loved forest green since I was a young boy.  My father bought a forest green Honda Civic when I was three years old - one of my earliest memories - and I recall from there on out that green was my favorite color through early adulthood.  There’s something rugged and refined about dark green.  It’s a shade that’s ready for action and play, that looks at home out in the wildness and with an elegant sweater or sportcoat out to dinner.

The easiest way to wear forest green is to pair it with gray or blue.  Combine it with other shades of green and it looks funny.  When paired with white, the top looks too sparse like a pruned pine tree.  Blues and grays fall within the same color continuum as green - there are countless shades of blue-green and green-gray that are beautiful - which make them easy to coordinate.  Think this way when pairing dark green pants and you’ll wear them with the same conviction as your favorite khakis or gray suit trousers.

Pants and Sweater: J. Crew, Shirt: GANT Rugger, Boots: Red Wing Heritage

Location: Spyhouse North Loop