Most chinos fail at the belt loop and that is not a small thing. Loops that are too narrow force you into thin dress belts that look out of place with casual trousers. Loops that are poorly stitched pucker the waistband and ruin the whole line. It sounds like a minor detail until you are standing in front of a mirror trying to work out why a pair of trousers that fits well still looks slightly off. This is why it matters.

We have been looking specifically at chinos where the belt loops are sized and positioned properly, wide enough to take a substantial casual belt, reinforced well enough to hold their shape after a year of wear. The cuts here work with trainers and leather shoes alike. The colours are ones we would actually wear rather than ones that photograph well and sit unworn. Get the details right and chinos stop being a compromise and start being a genuine first choice.