The Emergence of the Khakis
Denims have made their presence felt for quite a while now, leading to a gradual shift to non-denim casual dress. The fall of 2006 has seen this shift occurring at the cost of the all-time flavor – denim. Denims are not losing out on loyalty, but the novelty of non-denims such as khakis has people turning to it.
Khakis are making a comeback after a long time with the purpose to stay put longer this time around. Backed by detailing, design, new fits, washes, and good hardware, manufacturers are in the mood to give tough competition to the ubiquitous denim. Surveys have shown that the preference for the casual slacks have gone up in comparison to the denim jeans from 26% in 2004 to 33% in 2005. The change in trend needs to be strengthened further giving the khakis the modern feel. Gap has come out with a beaten up cargo-style chino, which pairs well with an unstructured blazer, or a zip front hoodie.
Dockers is promoting its khakis as an alternative to the jeans, giving it a cool, sporty, relaxed and broken-in look. The other options offered are cargo and utility looks. Original Penguin have come out with a premium technology cotton bottom style. According to Kolbe, they have about 15 – 18 styles that fit into washed, non-denim bottoms. All flat front, some are slim-cut to give that trim look, while others are more relaxed and easy fitting.
A survey from Monitor shows that men in the 35 to 55 years age group showed growing preference for casual pants (26% to 34%), while men in the 16 to 24 years age group depicted a growing preference from 25% to 29%. Casuals with sports jackets make a cool combination, though khakis go with about everything. There is an increased preference for wrinkle-resistant slacks (67%) to regular cotton slacks (24%).
Eddie Bauer’s nanotex khakis with stain release and fade resistant properties in addition to their wrinkle and stain-resistant styles make for a tempting buy. Time is ripe for buying casuals that suit the individual style. Competition from khakis to denim translates into better and greater choices for men.