At A Gentleman’s Lifestyle, we love chinos. They can sharpen up a casual look just enough without being too stuffy, as well as add color and boldness to an otherwise one-dimensional look (check out our chino color recommendations). Unfortunately, in places that experience cold winters, the breezier fabric of traditional chinos usually makes way for hardier pants, like denim, canvas, corduroy, etc… But you have a cheat code to bring this relaxed vibe back into your winter rotation – flannel lined chinos.
This particular clothing item doesn’t get as much love as other winter pants. Even from us. Well, after a recent purchase, we are here to fix this mistake.
The Basics
Pretty simple. Flannel lined chinos are exactly what you think they are. Pants with a chino fabric on the outside, and a flannel lining on the inside.
Flannel is a warm fabric, brushed to provide extra insulation and designed for colder weather. If you ever wear normal chinos on a cold day, you know that it doesn’t do much to cut through the chill. And losing body heat through your legs will cause you to feel colder everywhere else. That’s where the flannel lining works its magic.
While you can wear long base layer pants (or long johns), your pants can cling to the underlayer, sometimes affecting how well the pants drape. Granted, this isn’t a huge deal when you need to keep warm, but a style consideration nonetheless. A gentleman should still strive to dress stylishly even in very cold weather.
The advantage of flannel lined chinos is that they move as one piece. Plus, when it’s really cold, you can still throw on that base layer underneath for supreme warmth.
While other pant fabrics have their merits for cold weather, none really match the relaxed charm that chinos bring to the table. And sometimes in the middle of a harsh winter, this vibe is exactly what you need to inject some life into your winter attire.
How to Style Flannel Lined Chinos
The same style principles that apply to regular chinos apply the flannel-lined version. Chinos can match a wide variety of clothes, both casual and dressy, giving you versatility in your attire.
Chinos match most jacket types, so it really depends on your personal style and how dressy you want to go.
For sportier or more dressed down situations, a down jacket or parka on top of a sweatshirt will pair nicely with flannel lined chinos. Throw on some sportier or weather specific boots, and you have a comfortable, functional, yet put together outfit ready for very cold weather.
Want to dress it up a little? Throw on a heavy knit sweater (like a Shetland wool, Aran knit, or fisherman sweater) over an oxford collar button own, paired with some dressier weatherproof boots, and top it off with a pea coat, balmacaan, or even a traditionally dressier overcoat, and you have a simple and tasteful smart casual outfit that’s still functional for the worst weather conditions.
Feel free to experiment with your own ideas – chinos are a great base for building outfits. Even these two ideas presented above will have you stand out against 90% of every man’s attire for such conditions.
Recommendations
Not every popular brand makes a pair of flannel lined chinos. In fact, it can be hard to find a good pair. We’ll look at a few options at different price points below.
Bonobos makes great pants, and their flannel lined chinos are no exception (pictured left, and the inspiration for this post). These work well with refined styles and are on the more polished end of the style spectrum. Unfortunately, these are so popular that there are few sizes left at the time of this post. When fully in stock, you have 5 different fits to choose from, which makes it easy to match your body shape and style type.
The option from Kuhl (pictured center), a popular workwear brand, is perfect for those who prefer a more rugged look or need something with the versatility to go from the city to more outdoorsy pursuits. Kuhl is well-known for durability and performance, making this a go-to for those who need a little extra robustness from their pants.
For those on a tighter budget, Eddie Bauer (pictured right) offers a great option when on sale. These are fleece lined chinos, but they offer all of the warmth and functionality of their flannel lined cousins. The fabric on these is a little hardier, so you can wear these for more rugged pursuits if needed.
Conclusion
While the right pants can make the cold weather much more bearable, you’ll need to stock up on the other basics too. Especially if you want to carry your gentlemanly vibe from the warmer months into the cold weather.
