Men’s fashion has a lot of variety of pants. Dress pants vs khakis are two of those pants that are hard to tell apart. In the article, we’ll clarify the main differences so that you have a more suitable view of any situation.
What is Dress Pant?
Dress pants are suitable for formal or semi-formal dressing styles. Wool or polyester is the material that makes these pants. Its design is suitable for many different types of jackets.
Dress pants are tight pants so it is easy to fold. You can wear dress pants to many formal and semi-formal occasions. The fashion style of dress pants is extremely comfortable. You can even wear it with simple shirts.
There are many types of dress pants today. Chinos and suit pants are both dress pants for men. A type of twill fabric is the material for the production of Chinos pants. In the 19th century, soldiers in the British and French armies used Chinos as their uniforms. Since this time, Chino pants are more popular in everyday fashion.
Suit pants are also a type of dress pants. People who wear suits often wear these pants. A suit outfit consists of a pair of suit pants and a fitted jacket. Suit pants are formal, so people often wear them on formal occasions.

What is Khakis?
Khakis is a type of pants that lives up to its name. Khakis is the name derived from “kaki” which is an Indian word. Kaki means earth or dust color. Because khakis are usually light brown with a bit of yellow.
The look of these pants is usually brown and beige. The weight of khakis is heavier than chinos. You can pleat or flatten the front of khakis like velvet. These pants are the perfect match with a fleece jacket.
The origin of khakis is military pants. In the 1800s, soldiers in the British army used soil and tea to dye their clothes. This is a camouflaged way to blend in with the surroundings. The color of these pants looks like dusty and earthy tones. So today, khakis is the name for pants of similar color.
Khakis are usually for working men. They wear them for work protection because this type of pants is very suitable for daily life.

What are the Differences between Dress Pants vs Khakis?
Material
Dress pants are available in different materials. They can be fine comfortable wool or a wool blend gabardine.
This material is less transparent than cotton pants. This fabric is also more resilient than many other fabrics. Therefore, dress pants will not lose shape over many years of use.
In addition, many designers also use polyester fabric to produce dress pants. The water resistance of both wool and polyester is very high.
However, polyester will likely dry faster. A dress pants from polyester will be suitable for those who often get wet in the rain.
Khakis’ material is a woven yarn from the hair of the Khaki species. This is a small rodent with the same color and name as the fabric.
Military uniforms often use this light brown fabric. This fabric has a twill weave. Its color resembles the classic sand color. So khakis look both more solid and neutral than dress pants.
Design
The design of dress pants feels more smooth and comfortable. It has no lint, no roll, and no excess fabric.
These are ankle-length pants with a wide waist. Dress pants are tailored with straps and high elevation. However, even without a belt, pants can’t slip off your body.
Meanwhile, khakis are thicker so they are heavier than dress pants. The design of the front of the pants is very simple and has pleats.
The stitching on khakis is more visible than on dress pants. Therefore, dress pants have a more complete look. So its style is a bit more luxurious.
Dress pants are thinner than khakis with a snug fit. Therefore, dress pants are more comfortable and versatile. Many people tend to wear dress pants both on formal and informal occasions.

Color
Dress pants have more color choices than khakis. The color of khakis favors only fawn tones. Meanwhile, dress pants have more tones. With dress pants, you can choose beige, black, navy, brown,…
Flexible application
Many people think that dress pants can only be worn as part of a suit. It is only for people who wear business attire. In fact, dress pants are much more practical than khakis.
Dress pants have a multitude of uses that extend beyond office wear. Khakis are a perfect alternative to jeans. Its style is more casual with dress pants. During travel or casual events, it is appropriate to wear khakis.
Frequently Asked Question
1. Dress pants vs khakis: Which is more expensive?
The price of pants depends on the brand you buy. So we can’t decide which is more expensive.
If you buy pants with a premium brand, the price will be more expensive. On the contrary, the price is lower if you choose the regular brand.
2. Should I Choose Khakis or Chinos?
The choice of fox will depend on the preferences and style of each person. In addition to the above differences, we will mention a few criteria for you to choose easily.
- The design of khakis has more pronounced pockets. Meanwhile, the dress pants pockets are concealed, adding to the style of the dress.
- Khakis have pleats and dress pants are flatter. The folds help balance the proportions of the body. The front plane will accentuate the slim body.
- You can wear a shirt and blazer with both.
Conclusion
Now you can distinguish between dress pants and khakis. Both have different advantages and disadvantages. Let’s consider making the choice that is best for you.