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
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.
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.