The Fog Of More | Streetwear Magazine

In a nutshell, finding the best sneakers to wear with chinos is merely a matter of matching up silhouettes. Straight-leg chinos go easily with minimal, low profile Adidas Stan Smiths or Vans Slip-Ons. Relaxed-fit, baggy chinos prefer chunkier kicks like Converse Chucks or Nike Dunks. Chinos are known for their lightweight, keep-you-cool-in-summer, cotton fabric. They’re also popular for being softer and comfier than jeans. Sneakerheads love them for the full range of colors they come in; far more than jeans do. This makes them perfect for colorblocking against whatever colorful Sambas or Authentics you own. Likewise, the no-frills nature of a chino’s design (no pleats, distressed fabric, frayed knee holes, or thigh pockets) doesn’t steal focus from your design-heavy creps. In short, chinos are a sneaker fan’s ideal dance partner. They’re a clothing item humble enough to never overshadow your footwork, but noble enough to bring out the more subtle design features of your kicks. Below, we’ve matched up different chino leg widths with different sizes of shoe. It’s all about the silhouettes. As is The Fog Of More M.O., all pairings come with t-shirt suggestions too. Minimal Sneakers Go With Chinos 30 years ago, the number of brands making unfussy, slim-silhouetted, feature-lite, minimal sneakers was, well, minimal. There was Adidas, with its tennis-themed Rod Lavers and Stan Smiths. And, Vans’ boat-shoe-mimicking Authentics. But how many other minimal sneaker models could claim worldwide fame? Almost none. Then, in 2004, the Common Projects’ Original Achilles debuted, and its massive success reminded us all of the virtues of minimalism. Ever since, the minimal sneaker sector has been on an endless expansion. Twenty years later, it’s now positively overflowing with choice. Which is music to the ears of chino wearers, eager for more minimalist shoe choices to wear with their equally minimalist pants. It creates a look both smart-casual and street-chic in equal measure. Minimal Sneakers Work Best With Straight-Leg Chinos If you want to wear minimalist sneakers, don’t disrupt their svelte profile by pairing them with loud, roomy, wide-leg chinos. A sleek silhouette sneak needs a similarly crisp pant line above it, i.e. a straight-leg fit. And when you wear such sneakers with some classic navy chinos and a slim-fit t-shirt in a crew-neck collar, you'll be in minimalist mecca. This timeless look is preppy enough for smart-casual occasions, fresh enough to still qualify as streetwear. Minimal Stan Smiths And Straight-Leg Chinos Some guys deride Adidas Stan Smiths for being too simple. But wear these sneakers with unfussy straight-leg navy chinos, and you’ll completely understand why Adidas sell so many of them each year. TEE : Won't Name Names | kelly greenSNEAKER : Stan Smith | AdidasMORE OF THIS LOOK : T-Shirt Colors That Work With Navy Pants Minimal Rod Lavers And Straight-Leg Chinos Chinos are defined by their lightweight cotton, making them a natural summer pant. Wear chinos with an equally summer-centric yellow t-shirt, and white sneakers named after Australian tennis icon Rod Laver for an all-court, warm weather look. TEE : Won't Name Names | yellowSNEAKER : Rod Laver | Adidas | white mesh leather Minimal Achilles Worn With Straight-Leg Chinos Lovers of minimalist chic have been wearing the black tee/black pant/white sneaker combo since the day the minimal movement was invented. I have no idea whether Common Projects had this look in mind when they released their Achilles sneaker in 2004. Although, when you see them worn as effortlessly as they are here, I could well imagine that they did. Wear your Achilles sneakers with some tech-shell chinos and an equally minimal typographic-printed black tee featuring Japanese Kanji text, to complete this Zen vibe. TEE : Hito | Many MigosSHOE : Achilles Original | Common Projects MORE ON THIS LOOK : Can Older Men Wear Graphic T-Shirts? Minimal Gucci You Can Wear With Straight-Leg Chinos Given that Gucci’s Ace Webbing Trimmed Leather Sneakers debuted many years after Common Projects’ Achilles, it’s hard to think the chronology is coincidental. Both are made in Italy, both of premium leather, and both similarly priced. Yet unlike Common Projects, Gucci’s sneaks always come with splashes of color each year (and the occasional Disney character), for a fresh point of difference. And if you’re looking for a simple style hack, then mimicking your footwear’s color scheme with your t-shirt’s - as we’ve done here - is always a surefire trick. TEE : Andy | Trez FrezSHOE : Ace Webbing Trimmed | Gucci Minimal Cream Sneakers With Straight-Leg Chinos Keen-eyed readers will have noticed, as we’ve moved through this guide, how the sneakers have become increasingly modern in their design cues. And wearing cream kicks is about as zeitgeist as it gets right now. It’s the color of choice for guys who still love a white shoe but don't want to wear it all the time. Minimal Acne Studios Sneakers And Straight-Leg Chinos These Distressed Organic Cotton-Canvas Sneakers by Acne Studios are the newest shoe on this list, despite looking like they’re the oldest. Obviously, you pay extra for the out-of-the-box battering they appear to have received, but that’s part of the charm. As is that they, to my eye at least, look like a slimmed-down, less chunky, version of a Converse Chuck Taylor All Star. New school meets old school, in one kick. Now that’s how I like my iterations served. TEE : Won't Name Names | brownSNEAKER : Distressed Organic | Acne Studios | creamMORE ON THIS LOOK : What Shoe Colors Work With Green Pants? Minimal Vans Worn With Straight-Leg Chinos If the Acne sneaker above is the newest kick on this block, then the below Vans Authentic is the oldest (after the Converse Chuck, of course). Debuting in 1966, the Authentic was originally named The #44 Deck Shoe. 'Deck' referred to a boat deck, not the skateboard deck Vans would soon become famous for being used with. Vans just thought sailing shoes looked classically cool, and wanted to make one for themselves. I concur. Update this timeless tee/chino/boat-shoe get-up with a trippy postmodern tee print from Lacazette. Swap out traditional white sneaks for some contemporary cream Vault OG Authentic LX by Vans. TEE : Postmodern | LacazetteSHOE : Vault OG Authentic LX | Vans | cream suedeMORE ON THIS LOOK : What Color T-Shirt Goes With Light Blue Jeans? Sneakers You Can wear with relaxed-fit chinos The pant purists of this world consider only straight-leg chinos to be true chinos. And I can respect that. Trouble is though, the original definition of a chino never mentioned 'trouser width' as one of its defining characteristics. I mean, why would they? They invented chinos when straight-leg was the only fit any trouser came in. It was just assumed. This, therefore, leaves plenty of room for designers to still respect the essence of a chino, while experimenting with the pant’s dimensions. Needless to say, the more voluminous the chino, the more of a statement pant they become. And that requires sneakers equally as loud, in color, or fabric variation, or shape. Adidas Hamburgs With Relaxed-Fit Chinos These Adidas Hamburgs, while low in height profile, pump up the volume with their orange color and suede fabric. Ordinarily, this would make the shoe too loud. But with relaxed-fit chinos above them, in mid-tone brown, the Hamburgs' noisiness dampens. TEE : Samo | Lacazette | mauveSHOE : Hamburg | Adidas | orange suedeMORE ON THIS LOOK : Colors That Look Cool With Brown Pants Vans Slip-Ons With Relaxed-Fit Chinos We raise the size profile with these Vans Slip-Ons. The white rubber foxing makes them more muscly in appearance than the aforementioned Hamburgs. But this loud sole is balanced out by the overall quietness of the Slip-On’s simple design. We dial down the volume even further by color-matching the shoe’s black canvas with the black cotton of the chino above it. All this smooth symmetry below the waist affords you the decibel space to be color-bold with a saffron t-shirt by Lacazette. Having put this much thought into your outfit, you too have earned the right to call yourself a Designer. TEE : Designer | LacazetteSHOE : Vans | OG Classic LX Slip-OnMORE ON THIS LOOK : How To Style Black Vans Slip-Ons Men's Sneakers And Wide-Leg Chinos The more you exaggerate your thigh width, as these Japanese Tobi-style pleated chinos do, the more you will be tempted to beef up your sneakers too. And Converse Chuck 70 sneakers can always be relied upon to add some heft to your look. Their soles are thicker than Vans, and then there’s the white rubber toe cap to push the chunkiness up even further. Double-down on the chinos’ Japanese aesthetic, with a Kanji typography tee designed by nomadic label Many Migos. TEE : Hito | Many MigosSHOE : Converse | Chuck 70 Low | brownMORE ON THIS LOOK : What Pants To Wear With Converse Chucks? Sneakers That Go With Cuff Hem Chinos No chino lovers’ guide would be replete without featuring a pair with cuffed hems. If you’ve read this far, then your mind’s (hopefully) started thinking what I’m thinking…that minimal sneakers won’t work with these hems. They’d be overwhelmed by the cuff’s eye-catching presence. However, with chunky Converse Chucks, both above and below the ankle are well-represented. TEE : Art Dept | Lacazette | navySHOE : Converse | Chuck 70 Low | brownMORE ON THIS LOOK : What Jeans To Wear With Converse? But what I love most about these classic cuffs is how they cast the Converse’s toe cap in a new light. Paired together, they evoke classic wing-tip brogues that were all the rage in the Roaring 1920s. And I’m sure even the chino traditionalists wouldn’t begrudge us streetwear fans this old school meets new school style moment. With that said, I’m off to re-watch Boardwalk Empire. Chin chin.

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