# Pet Peeve #2: "stone" chinos



## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

We'll get to #1 later. Anyway, am I the only who has the idea that "stone" colored chinos are absolutely declasse? I wince when I see friends wear them... but I suspect that, if I brought it up, nobody would be able to understand what I was talking about. 

In my mind, the social scale of chino colors is, from top to bottom, KHAKI, "Nantucket red," sky blue, then, way down the list, stone. Olive is of course rock bottom. Other colors are amusing eccentricities, and therefore may be worn, very occasionally, in a GTH spirit, which is, after all, part of the fun of Nantucket red. But for stone there can be no excuse. People wear them in a serious spirit. (Let's not even talk about olive.) 

Do you guys know what I'm talking about? Maybe I'm going 'round the bend on this one. Let me know.


----------



## bigCat (Jun 10, 2005)

I know what you are talking about.

I would just add navy blue somewhere towards the bottom of the list.


----------



## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

I'm beginning to wonder if all this discussion of what is déclassé is déclassé.


----------



## cglex (Oct 23, 2006)

You have at least one too many pet peeves.


----------



## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

I think that stone chinos can look fine when worn in warmer weather and with similarly light-colored clothing. I imagine that, like most things, more often than not they are not executed properly by men, but when done correctly they can look just fine. To my eye they are more casual than khaki chinos, so I wouldn't want to pair them with a navy blazer, but I'm sure they'd be fine with a lighter-colored spring/summer jacket, preferably tie-less.

And like most things, I'm sure it comes down to one's skin coloring. Certain people are going to look horrible in stone (or in olive, since you brought it up). Likewise, others are going to look just fine in either of those colors.


----------



## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

Instruction of the dogmatic variety, as given by the OP, does not always necessitate the raised hand of protest. 

Chinos, more commonly know as khakis, are best produced and procured in khaki. 

Wear stone if you like, but I for one will think the lighting is poor where you shop.


----------



## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

*stone*

I have never worn stone or olive khakis- declasse might be a bit harsh .
I can suspect it comes down to environment you were raised in (or ultimately work in) but i dont want to see the chino class warfare show -even though I agree w/ Nathan Detroit's color opinion.

navy never cut it because the dye never held.-but looked great in a navy poplin suit (not common now)


----------



## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

AlanC said:


> I'm beginning to wonder if all this discussion of what is déclassé is déclassé.


What he said... +1


----------



## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

I would guess at least half my chinos are stone, as are all my poplin trousers, and I find them to go extremely well with a blazer, not unlike an off-white linen, although a touch less formal. I find it quite sad someone wastes any energy at all on being "peeved" over the color of a pair of pants.


----------



## tripreed (Dec 8, 2005)

Stone chinos: a poor color choice? Perhaps. Declasse? Ridiculous.


----------



## Brownshoe (Mar 1, 2005)

The longer I persist in this clothing obsession, the more convinced I become of of one axiom when it comes to questions like "is this bad? is this color okay? can I wear x with y?"

The answer is:

It depends.

I've seen examples of pretty much every mortal sartorial sin looking pretty good: tie with short sleeves, sport coat with shorts, shocking colors, crazy pattern combinations, streetwear mixed with tailored clothing.

Wit, creativity, allusion, self-confidence, personal expression, and a sense of what "works" can redeem almost anything--and that might be a workable definition of "style."

Stone and olive chinos might be poorly used much of the time, but they can surely look great in the right context.

Say...stone chinos, tan driving mocs, pale pink shirt, and an unconstructed navy linen jacket? Sounds sharp to me.


----------



## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

You are ALL getting too serious.

Wear what you like and do not get uptight about what others think. one of the problems with all these clothes sites is that that create barriers as to what is 'good' and what is 'bad' in whatever context the question is raised.

the reality is that the world is free and few actually fret about this.


----------



## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Stone chinos look fine in the summer with lighter colored clothing and shoes. What kills them is when people wear them the other three seasons with darker colors. 

I tend to avoid them.


----------



## PittDoc (Feb 24, 2007)

Pictures - we need pictures of what is perceived as declasse' versus what is considered appropriate or even attractive. Stone, worn with the right shirt and jacket can certainly superior to traditional khaki (or British khaki) with the wrong shirt/jacket.

So-called rules are useless w/o an example of the "don't" side by side with the "do." Every OP with a strong opinion should back it up with some pictures of what is right and what is wrong about a fashion choice.


----------



## Teacher (Mar 14, 2005)

GBR said:


> You are ALL getting too serious.
> 
> Wear what you like and do not get uptight about what others think. one of the problems with all these clothes sites is that that create barriers as to what is 'good' and what is 'bad' in whatever context the question is raised.
> 
> the reality is that the world is free and few actually fret about this.


No kidding! I for one have enough important things to worry about without getting worked up about what others are wearing. I don't have any stone chinos right now, but if I saw a pair I liked and needed more chinos (I don't), I'd get it.


----------



## abc123 (Jun 4, 2006)

What in the hell could possibly be "declasse" about a pair of stone chinos? They're about the least offensive choice of pants that I can imagine. Don't understand the hatred for olive chinos either. I know a lot of people wear them poorly (which is a piss poor argument, as this occurs with every item of clothing), but lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater.


----------



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

GBR said:


> You are ALL getting too serious.


As my three year old grandson would say..."yep!"


----------



## Markus (Sep 14, 2004)

*Huh?*

"sky blue" "above" olive? Nantucket red?

Well. Since we're talking opinions here guess I'll chime in and share mine.

Where I live nobody wears nantucket reds. Not that that matters.

But to wear new reds would probably be considered garish. To buy pre-faded reds would be (imho) declasse. Buying pre-faded, pre-washed, pre-torn, etc clothing is sort of like playing "dressup".

Maybe I've just been around too many guys who wore olive chinos and made them look great. But to me, a well made pair of olive chinos, paired with a cordovan belt and cordo penny loafers and laundered ocbd look completely natural and, if anything, a touch dressier and more together than plain khakis.

Just my .02. Its just an opinion guys.


----------



## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

A lot of people appear to think that their dress style is a proud representation of their ethnic group or religion or imagined social class. I am sure that the OP was lightheartedly spoofing that idea while being serious about not liking olive or stone. I think Brownshoe has the right idea in thinking about coming up with some creative looks in stone.

Here's one I recently took of a new jacket I got during the Brooks Clearance. Declasse or not is up to you to judge.









BB Blue Oxford Cloth Sack
Light Grey Jantzen Royal OCBD
Solid Burgundy BB University Tie
(No Belt, as seems apparent)
STONE Bills M1P in Twill 
Light Blue Uniqlo Crew Socks
Chestnut AE Norse Bluchers


----------



## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

For good measure, here is one of me doing the tourist thing in Japan. I was travelling light, and I didn't have a lot of options, but I was happy with the way it worked out. 








Green and Brown Check Gitman Brothers Sport OCBD
Yellow & Black LE Backpack
OLIVE Bills M1 in Oxford Canvas
(Again no belt, though I almost always wear one).
Caramel AE Wilbert Blucher


----------



## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

AldenPyle said:


> Here's one I recently took of a new jacket I got during the Brooks Clearance.


Looks good, AP.

I picked up a pair of Bills in "Cement" this spring, but decided I wasn't crazy about them, so I had them hemmed up for shorts. Since then, I've paired them with OCBDs and either dirty bucks or weejuns and they work nicely.

I like Bills "" and "" colors best; I don't believe I've seen the "" color in person.

Cheers,

EGF


----------



## Teacher (Mar 14, 2005)

AldenPyle said:


> A lot of people appear to think that their dress style is a proud representation of their ethnic group or religion or imagined social class. I am sure that the OP was lightheartedly spoofing that idea while being serious about not liking olive or stone. I think Brownshoe has the right idea in thinking about coming up with some creative looks in stone.
> 
> Here's one I recently took of a new jacket I got during the Brooks Clearance. Declasse or not is up to you to judge.


I vote "NOT declasse."


----------



## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

AP. that is a classy outfit.

your pants have too much break though.


----------



## DocHolliday (Apr 11, 2005)

I've always liked stone chinos, but then, no one's ever accused me of being classé.


----------



## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

Untilted said:


> AP. that is a classy outfit.
> 
> your pants have too much break though.


W/O a doubt. I let my alterations tailor prevail when I had those cuffed but I've since gained the upper hand. They are a little loose in the waist and it wouldn't look so bad if I had a belt keeping them up at my actual waist.

Another role for the stone chino's is when you have a light brown sweater or polo (which I like a lot). You can't wear khaki. If you can't wear stone or olive, what would you wear?


----------



## paper clip (May 15, 2006)

Stone = summer with lighter color/weight shirts. Olive = fall option when I do not like to wear khaki colored pants 5 days a week.

I had never heard a discouraging word about stone colored chinos until reading this thread.


----------



## wolfhound986 (Jun 30, 2007)

I think that stone khakis (or cement Bills), are fine whenever it's warm and sunny outside. The color itself does not seem practical when it's the rainy season; then my olive khakis come into play.

I think khaki and British khaki look great with practically everything and are the colors I go to the most, but every now and then I want to mix things up a bit, and stone (and olive) fit that bill.

Picture a blue or pink OCBD with stone or olive.


----------



## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Surprising reactions, a lot of anger and posturing in the early responses... I thought I'd let it go until it petered out (I started the thread). 

Folks, when you see that little icon on the original post, the smiley face with the wink... that means the Original Poster is pulling your leg.


----------



## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Surprising reactions, a lot of anger and posturing in the early responses... I thought I'd let it go until it petered out (I started the thread).
> 
> Folks, when you see that little icon on the original post, the smiley face with the wink... that means the Original Poster is pulling your leg.


I don't know if there was any anger shown, just disagreement. That's how I meant my original post, anyway. And for the record, sarcasm is difficult to pick up when the only means of communication is text, winking smiley face or no.


----------



## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

Personally, I cant' stand "stone". I'd much rather wear "British Khaki" than "stone" any day. I also don't like "olive". I do like "Army Green" and "Moss" however. I don't like "Seafoam Green", but absolutely adore "Mint Green". I'd never, ever wear "wheat", but do like the color the James River Traders catalog once labeled "Breen". Others called it "British Tan". I like "walnut brown", but would never be caught dead wearing "honey brown". I don't much care for "taupe", but am quite fond of "dark beige".

Please, please, please don't tell me I'm uncool for liking "Beige".

Khaki, of course, is a sort of catch-all phrase. It describes the whole spectrum of brownish. grayish, gray-greenish, predominantly light tan earth tones.

I'd love to tell you the story of how Khaki made it to the western hemisphere...

How the British Troops were all decked out in red or white jackets with white breeches and white pith helmets... and that a group of British soldiers bathed themselves in mud, turning their white, drill cloth uniforms the same color as the dirt surrounding them... that they were the only ones who survived.

I'd like to tell you that Khaki is based on the Punjabi word for "earth", and that the uniforms were all dirt colored after this particular skirmish-an early form of camouflage.

I'd love to tell you all about the word Khaki, and why so many colors correctly mimic the color of "earth", but alas, I don't have the facts at my finger tips.
_________________


----------



## Rocker (Oct 29, 2004)

You can't be serious?

Stone and olive are absolutely fine and all year long, as well. 

I would consider sky blue chinos to be a bit questionable unless you're over 65 and paying golf.


----------



## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

This is one of the more funny threads as I've seen in a long time.

Skyblue - LOL - yeah - I like that one.


----------



## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

Can we at least all agree that gray chinos are a disgrace?

EGF


----------



## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

no. I love grey chinos. They looked darn sharp on the Polo models last season.


----------



## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

Untilted said:


> no. I love grey chinos. They looked darn sharp on the Polo models last season.


Ugh. Well, at least they can't say that all Trads dress alike.

EGF


----------



## JDDY (Mar 18, 2006)

I like stone in poplin worn in the manner described by Brownshoe, but don't have too much use for them in the standard twill.


----------



## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

Rocker said:


> You can't be serious?
> 
> Stone and olive are absolutely fine and all year long, as well.
> 
> I would consider sky blue chinos to be a bit questionable unless you're over 65 and paying golf.


Yeah, life without olive and stone would be like life without water. I was just trying to get into the spirit of the joke.



mpcsb said:


> This is one of the more funny threads as I've seen in a long time.
> 
> Skyblue - LOL - yeah - I like that one.


Yeah, skyblue dress slacks--especially with white patent leather shoes! Actually, I did own a pair of trousers once in a very light blue. They looked pretty good, but only in a verrry casual setting. Think "clam diggers" and you'll have the right idea.


----------



## crazyquik (Jun 8, 2005)

Sky blue
white
stone
khaki
brown
olive

I've got and wear them all depending on the season. Obviously the first three are more appropriate for warm weather.


----------



## Tom72 (May 8, 2006)

Declasse? Perhaps.. and perhaps I would feel less declasse if I knew how to type the accent aigu. 

Stone chinos are not the reason I feel declasse, though I wear them frequently (and starched to a fare thee well) on casual Friday with a blue blazer, a red knit tie, blue BB ocbd, burgundy pennies, argyle socks - you get the picture. Don't come too close, that crease can be deadly.

Perhaps it is squirrel hunting off the back deck that makes me feel so prole...

Yours,


----------



## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Surprising reactions, a lot of anger and posturing in the early responses... I thought I'd let it go until it petered out (I started the thread).
> 
> Folks, when you see that little icon on the original post, the smiley face with the wink... that means the Original Poster is pulling your leg.


Well geez, can you at least tell us what is pet peeve #1?

Brian


----------



## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

vwguy said:


> Well geez, can you at least tell us what is pet peeve #1?
> 
> Brian


Sorry, I wasn't trying to be coy. #2 had such a frosty reception... Olive chinos is #1. Let the attitudinizing begin!


----------



## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Sorry, I wasn't trying to be coy. #2 had such a frosty reception... Olive chinos is #1. Let the attitudinizing begin!


Whew, now I feel better! Wait a minute, I like olive chinos 

Brian


----------



## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

i love olive chinos and olive cords.


----------



## JRR (Feb 11, 2006)

What about black chinos?


----------



## Tucker (Apr 17, 2006)

This thread is giving me a headache.

Emoticons (smilies) are about as 'trad' as parachute pants. Olive parachute pants.


----------



## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

JRR said:


> What about black chinos?


I wear em.


----------



## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

JRR said:


> What about black chinos?





AldenPyle said:


> I wear em.


There we go, folks: Godwin's Law for Trads.

EGF


----------



## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

Tucker said:


> This thread is giving me a headache.
> 
> Emoticons (smilies) are about as 'trad' as parachute pants. Olive parachute pants.


:icon_hailthee: :icon_hailthee: :icon_hailthee: :aportnoy: :aportnoy: :aportnoy:


----------



## Brooksfan (Jan 25, 2005)

egadfly said:


> Can we at least all agree that gray chinos are a disgrace?
> 
> EGF


Oh sure, and next I suppose you'll suggest we walk away from black, too?


----------



## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

egadfly said:


> There we go, folks: Godwin's Law for Trads.
> 
> EGF


What does that mean?


----------



## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

mpcsb said:


> :icon_hailthee: :icon_hailthee: :icon_hailthee: :aportnoy: :aportnoy: :aportnoy:


Long live emoticons!

Brian


----------



## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

^
You guys are good!


----------

