Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
Cropped pants aren’t for everyone, but they can certainly add a bit of flair to an otherwise bland outfit. Some cropped pants appear to just be chinos that were hemmed a bit shorter than was advisable, but others feature several distinct characteristics such as an elasticated waist, relaxed thigh, and heavily tapered leg. While I don’t know many people who would be willing to expose their ankles daily, most people can find a place for them in their wardrobe.
1) OrSlow: Climbing Pants
Just because you decided to invest in a pair of cropped pants doesn’t mean you have to be without denim. OrSlow’s took a simplistic cropped-pant pattern and combined it with a lightweight, indigo-dyed denim. In addition to the short inseam, these pants feature a relaxed thigh, highly tapered leg opening, and an adjustable waistband. This style is quite tame as far as cropped pants go, so if you’re unsure how much you’ll actually wear a pair of cropped pants this is great option.
Available for $253 from Blue Button Shop.
2) Ts(s): Cropped Pants
The next pair of pants in this list might not be that cropped, but Ts(s) doesn’t mess around about abnormally proportioned clothes. Their Cropped Pants are quite short, but otherwise they are pretty straightforward; they feature two slit hand-pockets, a flapped/buttoned coin pocket, two buttoned rear pockets, and buttoned tabs to tighten the waist. They’re finished off with some very heavy-duty belt loops, so your pants won’t start sliding down (and thereby hide the fact that you’re wearing cropped pants).
Available for $330 from Gentry NYC.
3) Edwin: High Water Pant Dark Charcoal
Edwin’s High Water Pant in Dark Charcoal definitely has one of the most interesting fabrics of any of the pants on this list; it’s a soft flannel constructed from cotton, viscose, wool, and silk, and it’s paired with corozo button at the waist. Sadly, these pants have a universal inseam length of 30″ so they won’t be that cropped on some of us, although that would be an easy fix at any tailor; however, that does kind of defeat the purpose of buying a pair of short pants.
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Available for $105 from Cultizm.
4) NEED: Up Chino in Navy
If you are looking for a classic chino that is just cut a bit shorter, then look no further. NEED’s Up Chino is a great alternative to finding a pair of well fitting chinos and having them hemmed — and honestly, I think the details on these pants hold up to other chinos quite well, particularly for the price. They are made in the USA from a mid-weight Japanese fabric, feature horn buttons, and just about everything else you’d imagine on an entry level pair of chinos.
Available for $93 from Need Supply.
5) OAMC: Cropped Isle Pant Dark Blue
OAMC’s Cropped Isle Pant is exactly what I picture when I think about cropped pants. They have a fairly short inseam, an elasticated waistband, a medium rise, a relaxed thigh, and a significant taper between the knee and hem. That said, this pair also has some interesting details, such as loops at the ankles and a cord loop closure. If these pants have one downside it’s their price; granted they use expensive materials and have great construction, but it can still be a bit hard to stomach a high price for an article of clothing that won’t see that much wear (compared to your raws, boots, or other daily essentials).
Available for $392 from Haven Shop.
Plus One – Haversack: Draw Cord Chino in Khaki
Haversack’s Draw Cord Chino is another example of a classic cropped pants in terms of the fit, but it has a lot of details that set it apart from the competition. It features slanted, flapped front pockets with snap closures, a single back pocket, horizontal knee darting, and an oversized (and potentially visible) draw string at the waist. To some these details might be a bit distracting or undesirable, but to me they match perfectly with cropped pant’s attention getting appearance.
Available for $187 from Unionmade Goods.
