The term “Business Casual” came to Earth when people would love something wasn’t too formal as suit and tie but still not too casual like jeans and shirt for every working day.
If you want yourself to look more flexible, energetic and also professional. Why not join me in this article? We will start firstly with choosing the best men’s business casual pants.
What pants are business casual?
I’ve got asked a lot about this question – “What pants are business casual?” or “Are khaki pants business casual?” and the answer actually is really variable since you’ve got lots of options to choose from:
- Cotton pants
- Khaki pants
- Wool pants
- Gabardine pants
They will fit certain occasions, nature of that working day of yours and the weather. For example, cotton and khaki pants are usually dressed during summer because of their breathable fabric texture as well as comfort.
Meanwhile, the wool and gabardine pants are mostly for fall-winter seasons when the temperature gradually drops down and your body acquires more warmth.
And remember, each kind of fabric will ask for different ways to style, mix and match, and rest assured, there are some basic rules to follow (will be included in this article later).
Only one thing to keep in mind – whichever kind of business casual pants you choose, always keep them neatly pressed.
Best men’s business casual pants for you
1. LEE Men’s Performance Series Extreme Comfort Khaki Pant
I’d like to start this list with the most favorite khaki out of this era – the LEE Men’s Performance Series Extreme Comfort. Differing from other rough-texture khaki pants that you might usually wear in daily life, this line is crafted from 98% cotton which is super soft and comfort.
Additionally, is 2% spandex for little flexibility as well as stretching in your movements. I love these pants not only for the brand long-standing reputation but also because of their products’ truly good quality.
The perfect combination between a classic khaki look and the active comfort fabric adds style that you can quickly change from a club guy to a professional office gentleman. Whichever occasions, it’s all comfortable to wear.
Of course, there are many other extra details that help to excel its work-to-play versatility, such as a flex waistband and mesh pockets. Best for the best, is its variable colorways to choose from. Really happy with this purchase and I think you will, too.
Things that I liked
- Long-standing history brand for reliability and trustfulness
- Crafted from extremely comfortable cotton and stretchy spandex for flexibility with classic office look
- Mesh pockets for breathability
- Flex waistband for comfort and flexibility in your movements
- Variable colorways
Things that I didn’t like
Inconsistent pants’ length size chart
2. Match Men’s Slim Tapered Stretchy Casual Pants
Match Men’s Slim tapered Stretchy Casual Pants will be an ideal choice if you’re a sale man or your job requires much movements during the day. It features a slim fit silhouette with classic flat front and tapered legs for flexibility and also (my favorite) boasting your good body shape.
Take note that Match’s pants come in different colorways. Take note that the fabric ratio will be changed a little bit from model to model and accordingly, is variable weight.
But in general, all of them are crafted from cotton and spandex with great heavy hand-feel – a basic sign for quality fabric.
With trendy cut and professional business casual look (2 back welt pockets, 2 side seam ones, zip fly, belt loops, button closure, and the pants sitting at the waist), Match Men’s business casual black pants let you walk in front of the world trend.
Things that I liked
Trendy cut and stretchy, quality fabric
Comfortable slim-fit pants -> give slim look while still keeping business feeling
Greatly heavy hand-feel and minimal wears off
Things that I didn’t like
Not consistent in fabric. I bought it for the second times because of really great experience from the first, but this time the fabric seems a bit different and not that fantastic feel at all.
3. Match Mens Slim Tapered Flat Front Casual Pants
This times is again (another slim-fit casual pants from Match) and luckily enough, the fabric doesn’t change during different buys.
If you’re wondering about the difference from its previous siblings. Actually, there are two: First off is the slightly below waist that the pants will sit and secondly, the classic flat front design for more business look.
And the fabric this time is 100% cotton which is super soft and comfortable. It isn’t as stretchy as the previous model, but that’s okay to me. Breathability is really decent!
And with such specifications, I’d like to recommend it for spring/autumn dressing and during the maintenance process, remember to either cold machine wash it or if you have time, hand wash is the best to avoid the fabric texture from wears off.
Things that I liked
- Give more business look than the previous counterparts
- 100% cotton for extreme comfort, softness, and breathability
- Hug nicely your thighs and hips without restricting movements
Things that I didn’t like
- Not suit for chubby guys because low-rise waistband will be prone to expose their fat belly
- The front and side pockets are a bit too deep that if putting a smartphone there and walking for (like) 4 miles, your butts will surely start hurting
4. Savane Men’s Flat Front Performance Chino Pant
Yay, the very first Chino business casual khaki pants in this list and the brand that I give all my trust and love on as well as would like to suggest you is Savane. Two biggest bonuses of this line are the diverse size chart and affordability.
The good news is there are available sizes for big and tall guys as well.
In this model, the waistband is leveraged to 3” extended width beyond to give moderate stretching and flexibility according to your movements.
Regardless, the cotton fabric is rather high-quality and machine-washable that (unlike the Match Men’s Slim Tapered Flat Front), this simplifies your maintenance process. Particularly, the permanent crease that is nicely pressed onto the pants’ cotton fabric gives really good ironed look.
If you’re a busy office man, this chino is the best bet.
Things that I liked
- 3” extended waistline for extra flexibility and comfort
- Available sizes for big and tall guys
- Give freshly iron look without the work
Things that I didn’t like
- Less tailored
- Still get a bit wrinkle
Note: A bit smaller size chart than the standards
5. Men’s Slim Fit Wrinkle-Free Casual Stretch Dress Pants,Fit Flat Front Trousers
To be honest, what truly drew me into these casual pants of VEGORRS is their freakily cheap price. Priced under $27 per unit, how appealing deal, huh!
But after receiving them and trying for the first time, my jawlines down to the ground because of its amazing comfort and fit. The fabric texture maybe be not that fantastic like the high-end models but in turns, the blend wise of 86.9% cotton, 1.1% spandex and 12% polyester gives a nice experience.
The biggest selling point is “no wrinkle” as advertised after a couple of washes, which is truly out of my expectation. Regardless, it still gives good flexibility and fit to stretch and hug my body during every movement.
These slim pants are a bit different from other counterparts in its field. Instead of hugging snugly to your thigh and entire legs, it gives a wide thigh circumference with more relax leg curve for extra flexibility and comfort. Meanwhile thanks to the knee and calf slim, the pants doesn’t look loose and unenergetic.
With such affordability, VEGORRS also comes with a 100% money back guarantee to ensure your satisfaction with their product – what else to ask?
Things that I liked
- Anti-wrinkle
- Super affordable and provide 100% money back guarantee
Things that I didn’t like
- Require hand wash, which is a bit effort-taking
6. LEE Men’s Big & Tall Comfort-Waist Custom-fit Pleated Pant
These Lee’s casual pants are a nice blend of comfort and style with emphasis on 1% Lycra in its fabric mix for wonderful stretchiness as well as the custom-fit pleated design.
Big and tall guys, what is your biggest concern when choosing a pair of pants?
Uncomfortable fit? Bad cut? Or, out of style? The good news when it comes to LEE is worry-free of such issues. The perfect combination of cotton and Lycra makes it durable enough for machine-washing while the pleated silhouette for nice fitting to your body.
Plus, it’s designed with an invisible flex waistband to ensure the pants sit naturally on your hips without rolling down or annoyingly tightening when you sit down or bend your body.
Choosing them, you’ve got no sacrifice of comfort for style anymore!
Things that I liked
- Custom-fit design with pleats for better pant shapes and hugging nicely to your body
- 1% Lycra for decent flexibility with your movements
- Invisible waistband -> keep the pants sitting nicely in your hips.
Things that I didn’t like
- Around the belt line and on the edges of the pockets start wearing off after 5-7 months of use
- Some colors aren’t true to the images
7. Amazon Essentials Men’s Classic-Fit Wrinkle-Resistant Flat-Front Chino Pant
Amazon Essentials is like a BFF of tight-budget customers. The biggest appealing feature of their products are unbelievable affordability while keeping good at the most basic functions.
Taking an example, is these Men’s classic-fit chino pants with highlights on wrinkle-resistance, low-maintenance and classic office-man style. While the price? It’s under $20 – even cheaper than Savane.
The fabric blend in this case is a bit different – 40% polyester and 60% cotton – which is durable enough to machine-wash. In comparison, Amazon Essentials are really a big competitor of Docker in terms of chinos so, if you’re being a Docker guy, try this brand and enjoy the mind-blow feel.
Just take note that since this is designed as men’s classic-fit pants, they will give a bit relaxed feel through seat and thigh. The typical feature of them is a straight leg upside down.
Things that I liked
- Give relaxed fit with straight legs but doesn’t look too out of fashion
- Decently cheap compared to quality
- Wrinkle-resistance, low-maintenance
Things that I didn’t like
- Stitching on the inside right pocket is awkwardly done
8. Dockers Men’s Straight Fit Signature Khaki Lux Cotton Stretch Pants D2
As mentioned, Dockers are another Mr. Giant in low-price range of men’s casual pants that you should try. Differing from other counterparts in this niche, they provide bang-for-buck quality products.
What I love about these men’s straight fit khaki pants are the integration of wrinkle-free technology and permanent crease. Plus, the material is 98% cotton and 2% elastane to be machine-washable.
In other words, the business casual pants for men require really low maintenance to save more free time on your hands.
But to talk about the vital selling point of this buddy, it must be the additional shirt gripper. This is like a big innovation to me because after some movements, my shirt usually gets some wrinkles and shaggy somewhere, which looks a bit unprofessional.
With this, that annoyance doesn’t happen anymore.
Things that I liked
- Shirt gripper to keep your shirt always flat and in place during movements
- Nice weight for colder weather
- Not easy to come apart at the seam or rip
Things that I didn’t like
- Easy to pick up cat hair or dust
9. Haggar Men’s Cool 18 Hidden Expandable-Waist Plain-Front Pant
The very first pants for business casual in this list that’s made out of 100% polyester and of course, it’s machine-washable with low-maintenance. The worth-mentioning thing here is the whole crotch area and waist seem to stretch some while still holding their position, which is really awesome.
Compared to cotton pants, this is more comfortable to wear. Hence, I’d like to introduce them to big and tall guys. Unless you’re overly obese that I’m not sure about the fit, with chubby guys, I can assure that you will love them.
Regardless, Haggar pants are wisely cut with traditional straight legs and classic business look to give nice classy look, which is absolutely my style.
Although they might be costlier than other normal slacks, I feel it’s worthy 100%.
Things that I liked
- 100% polyester, give good stretching in the crotch area and waist
- Available sizes for big and tall guys
- Keep shirts tucked in
Things that I didn’t like
- The material is too plain
- The waist seems a bit tight
10. IZOD Men’s American Chino Flat Front Straight Fit Pant
IZOD Chino Pants give more old-school look to a typical desk man with double-welt back pockets, side slash ones, and straight legs. If you’re an active office guy who used to find difficulty in well-fitting pants or skinny pants, this will give you enough room to avoid such nuisance.
They are crafted 100% from cotton and fit nicely as my old wrangler jeans. In comparison to other cotton pants that I’ve tried, these are a bit thicker so, very warm in the fall-winter season.
Besides, they are tough enough for chores and stains. The quality of the seams is great.
To me, the wrinkle-free technology of them is really precious, that becomes necessity and works perfectly. At an attractive price point, I really love everything about it.
Things that I liked
- Double-welt back pockets, side slash ones, and straight legs, giving enough room for movements
- Very warm in the fall-winter season
- Great quality of the seams
Things that I didn’t like
- Wear out a bit faster than other pants
11. Plaid&Plain Men’s Stretch Dress Pants Slim Fit Skinny Suit Pants
Plaid&Plain Men’s casual pants are designed to fit lean and mean men with emphasis on close fit for perfect business casual look. Don’t fret! The material is wisely blended to give you good stretching and room to strut your stuff.
It’s a combination of 11.5% spandex, 38.5% polyester, and 50% chinlon. It gives signature active comfort for ease of movement with highlights of four-way flex capability.
When wearing on, the pants will sit a bit lower than your waist and with tapered leg openings, it’s slim through the thigh to hug nicely your body shape.
Like the IZOD pants, Plaid&Plain comes with slash side pockets and double-welt back pockets, however, in this case, there’s additional colorful decoration on pockets and waist for contemporary, young look.
One last bonus is these pants still keep its best look with no need of ironing at all. Really worth a try!
Things that I liked
- Give younger, contemporary look
- Four-way flex
- Built for the lean and mean man
Things that I didn’t like
- Seams aren’t really pretty on the inside
- Not hold muscular thighs
12. Van Heusen Men’s Flex Flat Front Straight Fit Pant
If you want to keep a delicate look in place from morning commute to evening meeting, the Van Heusen Men’s Casual Pants will get the head-start on comfort and sophistication. While featuring a Flex Band that can stretch at least 1.5”, there are some shirt grippers attached on the inside.
The material is as stretchy as advertised with the capability of 360-degree natural stretching. In other words, it feels like this garment is designed mechanically to move with you.
Not only easy to move, sit, and run, the pants are also low-maintenance in terms of washing and drying. It’s made out of 6% spandex, 22% rayon, and 72% polyester. Hence, the total performance is a nice blend of quick moisture wicking ability, soft and comfortable touch, and elasticity with wrinkle resistance.
As a result, is a 24/24 good looking. Therefore, if you’re a person who craves the freedom to move, these flex pants are a much-have item in your closet.
Things that I liked
- A Flex Band that can stretch at least 1.5”
- Capability of 360-degree natural stretching
- 6% spandex, 22% rayon, and 72% polyester
Things that I didn’t like
- Compared to similar pants, these do ride up on my backside a little bit
How to choose the best men’s business casual pants?
Getting to know some basic knowledge to choose and style a good pair of business casual pants will help you style professionally while staying away from looking too casual and rude.
Here are some must-consider features when it comes to choosing them:
Some no-go options
In the beginning, I introduced to you some go-to casual pants for men to style in their daily working, but at the same time, you should know to avoid these no-no kinds of pants:
- Jeans
- Jogger pants
- Cargo pants
Fitting
Understanding your body shape and sizes, such as waist, hip, thighs, and legs is a must because it will help you find out which size is the best for you. Don’t blindly remember the pants’ size number/code, such as X-small, medium, or large, especially when you buy from different brands.
Size charts are something variable from brand to brand. It’s common if you wear S of this brand but up to M when wearing pants of the other. Keep in mind your body size will help you flexibly choose the most suitable one.
To get the true business-casual look, ensure the pants fit well and don’t overly crease around legs and ankles. The best choice will be half to no-break.
Color
Colors are important in this case because too colorful pants will give an offensive feel to your employers or interviewers. Based on my experience, you should begin with more conservative options such as black, camel, grey, or navy.
Or, if your favorite is really the colored pants, at least ensure they are muted appropriately.
Some basic casual outfit ideas
During fall/winter season: half-zip knit tops (or knitted cardigan or sweaters) + button-up shirt + casual pants (made of twill or thicker cotton)
For multiple uses (from office to happy hour drinks): button-up shirt + casual jacket + casual pants/chinos
With sneakers: sports coat + casual pants + minimal (must be clean) sneakers
Basic business casual look: cool watch + button-up shirt + casual pants + belt
Conclusion
Now, that’s all for this article.
Choosing the best men’s business casual pants is the very first step to come into the modern office-man outfit world, there are still many things to learn and add to your closet, such as casual blazers, button-up shirts, dress shoes, and accessories.
If you have no idea of which to go and where to start, my series of business-casual look guide will help you out. Take a look at these articles:
- Top-rated men’s business casual button-up shirts for you
- Don’t miss out these best casual blazers for 21st office-men
- Do you have these best smart casual shoes for daily office work?
Lastly, thanks for reading!
