The Best Men’s Dress Pants Might Just Replace Your Jeans

Once you’ve graduated from your first pair of nice dress pants, the sky’s the limit. And though there are plenty of fine dress pants to add to your budding collection, we think Todd Snyder’s Wythe trousers are the most logical next step. They’re crafted from a four-ply wool Italian gabardine material that’s both airy yet dense, resulting in an incredibly handsome drape that would make Cary Grant swoon. The high rise is complemented by and extended tab and double reverse pleats, a generous thigh and straight leg. We love that they come in multiple inseam lengths for convenience. But if you want to get even more granular, you might still need to take them to the tailor.

Best Everyday Dress Pants: Buck Mason Italian Twill Graduate Pant

Materials: 7.7 oz. Italian cotton twill | Fit: Classic, mid-rise, straight leg | Pleats: Flat front | Hem: Unfinished

When the ask is a pair of dress pants that’ll work in as many situations as possible, there are several criteria it should meet: a timeless, versatile colorway; a classic silhouette; and a fabric that can be comfortably worn all year round. For that, we like Buck Mason’s Graduate Pants. The fabric is an Italian cotton twill that has a smooth hand and structured feel to it. The cut is a classic mid-rise with a straight leg and comes with an unfinished hem for easy tailoring.

What we love about these trousers is that they can stand up to most dressy situations with a well-pressed crease and the proper accoutrements, but it can also be almost as relaxed as your daily pair of jeans if you embrace the inevitable wrinkles. That said, if you’re looking for some dress pants to wear for a certified black-tie situation, we wouldn’t recommend these.

Best Wide-Leg Dress Pants: Mfpen Service Trousers

Materials: 100% wool | Fit: Mid-rise, wide-leg | Pleats: Single pleat | Hem: Finished

Breaking into the officewear niche ain’t easy, especially when you’ve got a gang of OGs defending their posts. But Mfpen’s strolled into the corporate HQ with a fresh outlook on the stuffy suit—and have gained the approval of the menswear elite. The Copenhagen-based label’s billowy and slouchy suiting lies somewhere between ‘80s Armani and your big brother’s hand-me-downs in the best way possible. It’s the kind of suit you wear to skate by the office dress code while peeving your boss. And if you’re not ready to dive into the deep end of anti-corporate corporate wear,

Mfpen’s Service trousers are a great place to test the waters. They’re made of a wonderful Barathea weave wool fabric whose elegant drape belies its airy feel, cut into a mid-rise, wide-leg fit.

Best Dress Pant for Menswear Bros: Drake’s Tropical Wool Single Pleat Trouser

Materials: 100% wool | Fit: mid-rise, straight leg | Pleats: single pleats | Hem: unfinished

From the quality to the art direction, Drake’s has been the go-to label for menswear bros for years. With details like Italian merino wool twill, an after-dinner split, curtained waist, and French bearer button, it’s chock full of tasty little details that make tailoring nerds’ ears perk up.

Best Dress Pants for Fashion Guys: Saint Laurent 90’s Pants

Materials: 100% cashmere | Fit: Wide, wide leg | Pleats: Single pleat | Hem: finished cuff

Sometimes, dress pants can be ultra-flashy—the kind of pants you wear to cut a rug at your local discotech or to strut your stuff down the red carpet (a common occurrence for so many of us, clearly). So if you’re looking for some swanky trousers to paint the town red or color your friends green with envy, Saint Laurent’s 90’s pants will fit the bill. They fit ultra high on the waist with sharp pleats, a relaxed top block and arrow-straight legs leading to a cuff. What you get is a pair of glossy, swaggering trousers that’ll have you feeling like David Bowie. All that’s left is to pair it with your glitziest shoes and your sexiest button-up.

More Dress Pants We Love

What to Look for in a Great Pair of Dress Pants

Ask any menswear nerd and they’ll agree that there’s an art to a well-made pair of dress pants. Of course, the main tenets come down to materials, construction, and fit. But dissecting the minute details can be a chore, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for.