This maybe today’s most metrosexual post, but bear with me 🙂

I’m after a pair of smart black trousers for work – chinos/smart jeans, that kind of thing.

I’ve bought Paul Smith and Ted Baker in the past, paying £80-100 so I can get something really good quality which will stay smart for a couple of years. I’ve learned my lesson with Paul Smith, everything I’ve bought has had quality issues, but been looking in John Lewis, House of Fraser for something similar and drawing a blank, except for Hugo Boss but they’re a tad pricey at £130…

The fashion police seem to have decreed that we’re only wearing red, yellow or bright blue this year, but as I’ve no desire to dress like a Rupert or Brian Cant, or any of that lot from Rainbow, this doesn’t quite work for me…

Any ideas before I grit my teeth and pass over £130 notes?

Try Debenhams. You can normally get exactly what you’re looking for in John Rosha, Duffer or Jeff Banks. Some nice stuff in all of those. Well within your original price range

Flannels (if you’re oop north)? Slaters?

M&S, cheapest they have for me. I just pick up a pair when I am buying new pants once a year. It is work after all, not Gok Wans fancy pants party.
Unless of course you are trying to impress a lady in the office with your new troo’s.

Found a similar thing the other day, unusually for me, I bought a couple of blazers/jackets to wear with jeans for smarter casual occasions when jeans and a shirt is not enough and a suit is overkill. Really struggled to find anything decent that didn’t look cheap and nasty. Finally found what I was looking for in a Jeff Banks shop. Might be woth looking if there’s one near you.

I’ve also found Debenhams to be pretty good for things like this, reasonable (well known) designers, and a more classic range than the more fashion victim retailers.

Edited to Add: Binners beat me to it!! 🙂

I’ve tried various places and come to the same conclusion, that Boss is probably the best combination of style and quality without spending silly money.

TKMAXX. £20. Bosh.

Look at the trousers, not the label. Try an in-house brand at Debenhams or John Lewis or M&S. Don’t be a snob, don’t believe that a “name” will guarantee quality, try the above. M&S are still great for office wear.

Yup Debenhams for my smartish work gear
These

DON’T buy M&S! They are so badly made with such cheap thread that they will fall apart within a month or two.

I wear chinos for work – the best ones I’ve found are Ben Sherman EC1s and Franklin & Marshall. Both really good quality.

Dockers SF Chinos – £85 and available in black. Good quality, bought two pairs three years ago and they’re still in fine condition.

http://www.dockers.com/GB/en_GB/GB/en_GB/men-pants/p/462270038

Those Dockers look good – who does those on the high street? I could do with trying out a couple of different sizes…

I was never able to find a highstreet shop that stocked those particular
ones, but in my experience they are ‘true to size’. If it helps I’m
6 foot, 32 inch waist and 12.5 stone and found the 32/32 were perfect…
they’re a nice slim cut, but won’t make you look like you’re on your way
to a social media start-up networking session in a Shoreditch warehouse conversion!

I gave up trying to find smart stylish trousers for work and just have smart normal office trousers. £35 from John Lewis and they are the most incredibly well engineered for purpose garments I’ve ever come across.