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The best trousers for men to carry any 'fit in your stride
You can dress up a pair of jeans or chinos, but nothing quite compares to well-tailored trousers for men. Here’s GQ’s pick of the best
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
There’s a reason why most of your menswear-related nightmares include leaving your trousers at home, and it’s not only because you might be in need of a boxer brief update. The best trousers for men — the kind that fit like a glove on the waist and skim the top of your shoes just so — are one of the most important elements of a capsule (or a ramshackle) wardrobe.
Joggers, chinos, wide-legged pants and denim jeans all have a place in the modern man’s ‘fit rotation, but it’s with a pair of impeccable trousers that he can truly transcend dress codes. Suit trousers, worn sans jacket, can be sported business-casual with dress shoes and a contrasting blazer, or down with a white T-shirt, while dress pants can appear smart-casual alongside your new favourite pair of sneakers, or closer to smart with loafers and an open collar dress shirt. There are corduroy trousers, wool trousers, pleated trousers and even a smattering of cargo pants that can do this for your day-to-day ensembles.
What are GQ's best trousers for men?
- Best affordable trousers: Uniqlo, £39.90 at uniqlo.com
- Best designer trousers: Burberry, £990 at burberry.com
- Best linen trousers: Percival, £129 at percivalclo.com
- Best wool trousers: Drake's, £495 at drakes.com
Percival linen trousers | Percival Auxiliary white T-shirt | Duke + Dexter loafers
What is a smart trouser?
If we’re talking traditional, a smart trouser is one that generally comes in a regular or slim fit, often with a pleated or flat front, and with other hallmarks of a pant you might wear with a suit: belt loops, button and zip closure, etc. In keeping with these same standards, we recommend materials such as organic cotton, wool, flannel, linen, or textile blends if you’re on a budget. In 2024, though, you have a little more room for manoeuvre. More relaxed fits (such as those exemplified by Homme Plissé Issey Miyake) and even borderline baggy can work with a smart enough cohort.
Which brand is best for men’s trousers?
Once upon a time there were only a few people who could be trusted with your trousers, and most of them were tailors. Now, you have a lot more to play with: more affordable brands such as Uniqlo and Arket offer trews we love just as much as designers such as Gucci and tailoring brands like Drake’s. For a wardrobe that you can switch up for a whole series of social and business engagements, we recommend one or two pairs from each of these categories.
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