As we head into the fall fashion season, one of the biggest trends we’re seeing is dressed-up athleisure such as chino joggers, which are joggers that look like chinos at first glance. The term “dressy athleisure” may seem like an oxymoron, but it’s a very real trend that’s been gaining momentum in the menswear world.
Athleisure has been on the rise for the better part of the last decade and has moved past trend to become part of the menswear lexicon. Hybrid styles that blend classic looks (like that of a chino) with performance athleisure (like jogger pants) work well in our increasingly casual times. Even in some professional workplaces, casual apparel like sandals (and even men’s shorts) are now work-appropriate, and chino joggers are a natural evolution.
The best chino joggers for men toe the line between casual and classed up without overdoing it or looking too casual. When you want a style that works on the links (thanks to performance stretch fabric) and at the office (thanks to the more tailored look of a chino), chino joggers are your best bet.
According to Barron Cuadro, a menswear expert and the founder and editor of popular men’s lifestyle site Effortless Gent, there are pairs of chino joggers out there that work for everyone and every style scenario.
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“I think ‘dressy athleisure’ is the natural segue from the sweats and tees we all got used to during the 2020 pandemic,” he told SPY. “Even though we’re transitioning back to the office and work routine, the rules of dress have certainly changed!”
Dressy chino joggers hit the sweet spot between crisp and casual but are ideal for more laidback scenarios (including a more casual office or a hybrid work scenario).
How to Wear Chino Joggers
“Chino joggers are a great transitional piece that can fall into the ‘dressy athleisure’ category, but it’s more casual than dressy,” he said, noting that chino joggers can be styled to fit their maximum potential.
“You could max out its dress potential by pairing it with a crisp short-sleeve button-down shirt and clean, minimal suede sneakers in the summer, or an Oxford shirt for men under a chunky cardigan and brogues in the colder months,” he said.
The beauty of dressy joggers lies in the blending of supreme comfort and standout style. Cuadro said inquiring minds should start styling their chino joggers more casually “with a henley and a denim jacket, or a tee and crew sweatshirt.”
Since layering season is nigh, there’s never been a better time to stock up on chino joggers, so add a few SPY–approved favorites to your cart now.
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1. Flint and Tinder 365 Joggers
BEST OVERALL
The key to shopping for chino joggers is landing on a style that maximizes both elements. Flint and Tinder’s stretchy, durable, chino-like 365 fabric hits all the right marks, with breathability and ease of movement in spades, while a clean front waistband offsets the back elastic waistband with belt loops. The tapered jogger-style leg and a range of crisp, office-friendly colors ensure you’re covered from day to night, 9-to-5 and beyond.
2. Lululemon Surge Joggers
MOST VERSATILE
Utility is the name of the game when shopping for chino joggers because you want pants that move with you, not against you. Perhaps that’s what we love most about the popular Surge Joggers from Lululemon. They were designed for running, but the quick-drying fabric, tapered fit and elastic waistband (plus colors similar to classic chinos) are all major positives.
3. Bonobos Homestretch Joggers
BEST STRETCH JOGGERS
Every pair of chino joggers we tend to love share some crucial characteristics, like an emphasis on super-stretchy, soft, comfortable material. Bonobos takes that a step further with knit joggers that mimic the clean design of a chino but the feel of your favorite sweats. The fit is streamlined, not baggy, and they feature button-back pockets, a faux fly and front side slant pockets for that chino look.
4. Banana Republic Factory Travel Joggers
BEST VALUE
It’s hard to find a pair of chino joggers for under $40 — until you consider this well-made pair from Banana Republic. They’re a fitting part of the brand’s modern-meets-classic revamp, crafted from soft stretch cotton and featuring the timeless color of tan chinos and the tapered leg and elastic drawstring waistband of your favorite joggers. Dress them with a chambray shirt for a casual, cool office look.
5. Western Rise Spectrum Joggers
BEST FOR OUTDOORS
When a company designs its joggers to go into the great outdoors (and then come back in style), it’s worth your time and hard-earned cash to shop that brand. Today, the brand in question is Western Rise, which devised the durable Spectrum Joggers to work hard on the trail and provide polished style back in town. The four-way stretch and moisture-wicking fabric is as performance-minded as it gets in a pair of tapered, chino-style jogger pants.
6. Paige Fraser Slim-Fit Pants
BEST SPLURGE
It’s not every day that you can pay some serious cash (in this case, nearly $200) on a pair of chino joggers, but it’s a worthwhile move on rare occasions. Take the PAIGE Fraser Pants, for instance. Between the faux fly and side slant hip pockets, they’ve got the sharp look of a chino, but the slim leg opening and elastic waistband expertly merge an easygoing feel with go-anywhere good looks. They’re so stylish, no one will even know you’re wearing elastic pants, and that’s worth investing a bit more time and money.
7. FootJoy x Todd Snyder Seersucker Camp Joggers
BEST FOR GOLF
The hybrid nature of chino joggers makes perfect sense for golf, where you often want to look polished yet need clothing in which you can move freely while hitting the links. These chino joggers, you might say, are a hole-in-one, made from a blend of Italian cotton with helpful three percent stretch. The combination of an elastic waistband with belt loops represents hybrid style at its best, and the cuffed leg opening offers a clean finish.
8. Uniqlo Cargo Joggers
BEST CARGO JOGGERS
Cargo pants have made a major comeback as of late, but not the type you think. Our favorite cargo pants are more sharp than sloppy, and you hit all the right notes when you merge chino joggers with handy cargo pockets. Uniqlo blends affordability and modern cool with a stretch cotton blend, a slim fit and wear-with-anything color options. Cargo pants just got cool again.
9. Relwen Air-Stretch Windpants
TOUGHEST
If you seek long-lasting style and supreme durability, then Relwen is a brand to know. Based in Ohio and sold by the expert style curators at Huckberry, the company takes inspiration from military styles, then turns that into a slew of modern classics. That includes these lightweight yet hard-wearing stretch nylon pants, which boast mesh lining for breathability, an athletic cut (for added mobility) and a large elastic waistband that won’t bunch up or fold over.
Granted, they don’t feature a sweatpant-esque tapered or cuffed leg opening, but the correct specs are still there across the board. And because the fabric is made with a matte finish, they look more like everyday chinos than joggers, which is never a bad style move to keep close at hand.
10. Bearbottom Stretch Joggers
ALSO CONSIDER
Chino joggers can be a guy’s best friend if you find a pair of pants to wear on the road then straight to drinks or dinner. Between the stretch cotton, the super-mobile elastic waistband and the tapered jogger cuffs (the kind that sit nicely atop retro runner sneakers, for instance), Bearbottom knows how to craft some of the best chino joggers on the market. We also love that the fabric is as close as any to traditional cotton chinos, as are the timeless color options.