Am I Wearing Pants? Or Slacks?

[Nickb333]

If your pants have a pleat, they are slacks. 

[TiScape]

8 minutes ago, jholz said:

 

Your rep is stellar as far as I'm concerned. Really appreciate you dude!

Appreciate you as well brother. Always been one of the good ones jholz 😊

[smashdn]

On 10/11/2023 at 2:43 PM, jholz said:

So, I'm sitting here at work late in the afternoon, (IN AMERICA) and I'm looking at my legs, and I'm thinking to myself...

"I'm presently wearing pants." 

I mean, it's abundantly clear.

 

The article of clothing covering my legs, etc. is generally referred to - colloquially and in my local culture - as "pants." (Again, I'm in AMERICA. Limey jokes about underwear are not appreciated...)

In any event, pondering the subject of "pants"....

 

I eventually began to wonder...could it be that sometimes, or perhaps under certain conditions, that I'm not actually wearing "pants?"

 

It seems theoretically possible that in some occasions (or situations) I could, in fact, be wearing "slacks"?

 

If that is the case...how could I even tell the difference? This will keep me up tonight. 

Any thoughts on the subject are greatly appreciated...

 

 

Slacks, trousers, chinos, dungarees, jeans, breeches, culottes - all types of pants.

[jholz]

23 minutes ago, Nickb333 said:

If your pants have a pleat, they are slacks. 

 

Yeah, this seems like a crucial distinction as well - but I'd argue that we have to parse it down to the "crispness" and "persistence" of the pleat, if you get me. 

 

Like, is the pleat something that has been worked into the tailoring of the garment? Is it permanent?

 

I've got cotton pants that will evidence a pleat just because of folding - but it isn't like rental tuxedo action. 

[jholz]

1 minute ago, smashdn said:

 

 

Slacks, trousers, chinos, dungarees, jeans, breeches, culottes - all types of pants.

 

I think culottes are going to make a major resurgence in 2025. Stocking up on them now. 

 

I'm envisioning something like this:

[smashdn]

More wool content = trousers (also winter weight type of pants)

More cotton and/or polyester = slacks (also lighter weight and less formal)

More formal (pleats, cuff, tailoring of the break) = dress pants

Less formal than even slacks = chinos and khakis (in the US one can have "khakis" any color including khaki)

Khakis/chinos with extra storage = cargo pants

 

I also failed to mention corduroys in my previous post.  Supposing one could even call them corduroy trousers if you were want.

 

The pocket style may also play a role in the distinction as well.  The five-pocket or "jeans-style" pockets are less formal than the slash or hidden front pockets.  Same with rear pockets.  Hidden pockets are more formal than patch style pockets.

 

 

---

 

I don't care to start a new thread on this but what people call "tennis shoes" around the world is also varied and likely no more fascinating than the current discussion.

[smashdn]

7 minutes ago, jholz said:

 

I think culottes are going to make a major resurgence in 2025. Stocking up on them now. 

 

I'm envisioning something like this:

 

Sans socks and the orthopedic shoes, that is a very European look.

[jholz]

13 minutes ago, smashdn said:

More wool content = trousers (also winter weight type of pants)

More cotton and/or polyester = slacks (also lighter weight and less formal)

More formal (pleats, cuff, tailoring of the break) = dress pants

Less formal than even slacks = chinos and khakis (in the US one can have "khakis" any color including khaki)

Khakis/chinos with extra storage = cargo pants

 

I also failed to mention corduroys in my previous post.  Supposing one could even call them corduroy trousers if you were want.

 

The pocket style may also play a role in the distinction as well.  The five-pocket or "jeans-style" pockets are less formal than the slash or hidden front pockets.  Same with rear pockets.  Hidden pockets are more formal than patch style pockets.

 

 

---

 

I don't care to start a new thread on this but what people call "tennis shoes" around the world is also varied and likely no more fascinating than the current discussion.

 

Damn, great content. The corduroy question is one that I'm not sure I'm prepared to entertain, presently. I'm honestly so befuddled by the challenge of incorporating corduroys into the general theory that I'm willing to simply suggest that anyone wearing corduroys should be mildly beaten. 

 

But amidst all of that, gotta commend your for the nice dig at the end, buddy! Ha ha. I know dude. Just trying to keep things lively and mildly amusing around here. I'm the first to admit to an odd sense of humor. 

 

And just for the record - I've forced everyone in my household to refer to them as "trainers" - just to be annoyingly idiosyncratic. 

Edited October 12, 2023 by jholz

[jholz]

10 minutes ago, smashdn said:

 

Sans socks and the orthopedic shoes, that is a very European look.

 

OMG, the sandals....

[smashdn]

9 minutes ago, jholz said:

And just for the record - I've forced everyone in my household to refer to them as "trainers" - just to be annoyingly idiosyncratic. 

 

I feel like trainers are something that well-off middle aged stay at home moms and hollywood actors have.

 

As in, "Mom got a little too close with her last trainer so dad is screening them this go round," and "I can't believe my trainer wanted me to read the draft of the script he is writing, the nerve."

 

I am quite decidedly red-neck and all my like they have been "tenn-uhh shoes."

[dashanks]

2 hours ago, jholz said:

 

I think culottes are going to make a major resurgence in 2025. Stocking up on them now. 

 

I'm envisioning something like this:

You're going to look fabulous in those.   They would go well with a Seinfeld puffy shirt.

[bigred90gt]

14 hours ago, smashdn said:

 

I am quite decidedly red-neck and all my like they have been "tenn-uhh shoes."

I can get on board with this. That's all I've ever known them as, and will likely remain the same until my last utterance of the word. 

 

For the topic at hand, they're all just pants to me, or britches depending on the context. Unless they're denim, then they're jeans. 

 

And now that I've read this entire thread, I'm questioning everything everything I know about britches. Going to be an interesting day with my extreme ADD in full swing. 

[j.b.newton]

Why do we call them golf shoes if they all have some sort of traction component?

- We don't call them baseball or football shoes - they are cleats, spikes, or even turf.

 

I know I've heard some golf footwear termed spikes - but usually only those with the metal spikes.   

 

This is either the best or worst thing for those of us with random thought ADD - oh look squirrel!

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by j.b.newton
typo