Le jean, le chino et l’art d’y joindre une chemise

Jeans, chinos and the art of combining them with a shirt

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Jeans , chinos and shirts are among the most iconic pieces of clothing in a man's wardrobe. Everyone has several of them, but matching them is not always easy. In this article, we examine the two favorite pants of these gentlemen, and offer ideas for matching your shirts in the rules of art.


Jeans and their 150-year reign

An absolute international icon, jeans as we know them were born in 1873 in the United States. It was on this date that tailor Jacob Davies - in search of the ideal workwear to dress lumberjacks, miners and gold prospectors - teamed up with wholesaler Levi Strauss to design denim pants riveted at the pockets. This fabric, woven in twill weave since the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe, was worked in cotton-linen in Genoa and in wool-silk in Nîmes. The deformation of the name of the Italian city would have given "jean", as for that of our French Occitan city, it would have given "denim". On the other side of the Atlantic, it is a 100% cotton version that is established, known for its robustness and recognized for the 1001 shades of blue allowed by its indigo dye.


In 150 years of reign, jeans have acquired a beautiful patina but have not aged a bit; regularly challenging the t-shirt for the title of best-selling garment in the world. A key piece in any wardrobe worthy of the name, we have ourselves edited a winning trio , respectful of its history and the values ​​dear to Hast.

A tribute to the jeans of yesteryear, you will first find a raw jean assembled from a thick 15oz selvedge weave . Crafted in 100% organic cotton by the famous Italian House Candiani, it will fade beautifully over time to reveal beautiful turquoise hues.

Made in Portugal with a very seventies inspiration , our 100% cotton washed jeans have been designed as the ultimate versatile denim. Lighter than its counterpart (12 oz), it is also more flexible and will fit effortlessly into the slightest of your looks.

More daring but no less famous, our ecru five-pocket pants also come from Portugal. Made from an organic cotton twill woven by Candiani, they evoke the dolce Vita and the elegance of the Riviera style : perfect to brighten up your outfits 4 seasons a year.

The chino, the other legend

Like any myth, the one surrounding the birth of chino is quite nebulous.


For some, we have to look to India, when British colonial troops were stationed there in the 19th century. It was there that officer Sir Harry Lumsden, finding his comrades' uniforms too hot and flashy, is said to have suggested adopting lighter outfits in natural tones. At the bottom, wool trousers are then said to have given way to sand-coloured cotton "khakis", a Hindi term translated into French as "colour of the ground". Even today, this term is used as a synonym for chinos.

For others, the birth certificate of the chino is to be found in the Philippines. During the Spanish-American War of 1898, soldiers reportedly abandoned their woolen trousers in favor of lighter pieces made from Chinese fabrics. "Chino" literally means "Chinese" in Spanish, so there's no need to look any further for the origin of this term.

One thing is certain, chinos were designed to meet a utilitarian need before becoming the casual piece we know today. As is often the case, we owe their democratization to the repatriation of soldiers, who continued to wear them upon their return from various theaters of operation. In the United States, their appropriation by students at prestigious Ivy League universities and then their triumph on screen on the legs of movie stars completed the process of making them a global phenomenon that has never wavered.

At Hast, we have worked on two versions, respectful of the past and perfectly adapted to contemporary requirements:

  • For fall and winter, we have published a pair of 260g/m² cotton gabardine pants , dense and thick enough to keep you warm and elegant. Subtly fitted, its cut is more modern than that of its ancestors, which takes it away from the military register and brings it back to more peaceful skies. With six colors on display , you will necessarily find the one that will make your legs beautiful.

  • For spring and summer, we recommend a 76% cotton and 24% linen version . Made from a lightweight 185g/m² twill, our summer chinos have the same fit as their winter counterparts, while displaying a drier hand thanks to the linen. Woven in France and assembled in Portugal, they are available in three radiant colors that will brighten up your beautiful seasons.

Like shirt, like pants


Because of their texture, color and resolutely workwear origin, jeans are often considered a casual piece. Smoother, more sober and benefiting from a wider color palette, chinos claim a more elegant status. Obviously, shirts follow the movement: the most casual of them will live better with denim, while the most dressy will accommodate more easily a khaki.

With jeans, we therefore recommend shirts with a short, straight, casual cut ; made from rich materials such as Oxford , twill , denim or chambray ; topped with a button-down collar and possibly decorated with patterns .

With chinos, it is best to aim for more formal models , crafted in smooth and silky fabrics such as poplin . In the same way, it will be more natural to tuck your shirt into chinos than into jeans, which will allow you to turn to references to the classic or even fitted fit, longer and more elegant. Here, it is rather classicism that you will seek, in particular by focusing on conventional necklines such as the French collar or the semi-cutaway .

Which association for which occasion?

 

Everyday pieces and models of versatility, jeans and chinos are nonetheless different in their use. Edgy and assertive, the first is definitely more fiery than the second, rather humble and reserved. There is something of Dean in the first and Bogart in the second, if you prefer.

Both will accompany you to the office, that's obvious, but we recommend jeans more for an after-work event (accompanied by a striped shirt open over a t-shirt ), while we recommend chinos for more formal events (witha premium shirt , a suit jacket and a pair of loafers ).

The final word

 

Pillars of the men's wardrobe, jeans and chinos are to legwear what t-shirts and polo shirts are to undershirts. Versatile and multipurpose, they put their respective advantages at the service of the daily life of modern men: texture and universality in one case, simplicity and refinement in the other.

 

Gentlemen, place your bets.