The Minimalist Men’s Pants Collection (3 Examples)

Here’s a minimalist pants collection that will have you covered for pretty much any season and occasion.

How many pairs of pants do you actually need?

10? 5? 2?

I think most men can get away with owning just 5-8 pairs of pants, and in this article we’ll take a look at this minimalist collection.

But first, why minimalism?

Benefits of a Minimalist Wardrobe

Yes, minimalist is very trendy, and no, it’s not for everyone. Perhaps in response to the excessive lives many modern humans live, minimalism has become a sort of virtue.

It almost feels like a competition sometimes. Who can survive with the fewest pairs of shoes?

I don’t think that sort of approach to minimalism makes sense, but I do think the philosophy can be helpful when applied to our closets.

First off, having a minimalist clothing collection takes up less space, both physically and mentally. You need less room in the closet, and you don’t have as many options to choose from when you’re getting dressed.

See Also: The Minimalist Shirt Collection (opens in new window)

Since most people don’t wear most of the clothes they own, they have less real options than they think. Why not just get rid of those items?

Second, if you build a minimal and interchangeable wardrobe, putting together a cohesive outfit becomes a very easy task. When every top goes with every bottom, getting dressed is easy.

So it’s not about owning the fewest possible garments. It’s about trimming the fat from your wardrobe and being intentional about what you own.

The Minimalist Pants Collection

Of all the different types of garments in your wardrobe, you might get the most wear out of your pants. They don’t need to be washed as often as shirts, and they tend to last a long time before needing to be replaced.

For that reason, most men don’t need a hundred different pairs pants in their closet. In fact, you can own very few pairs of pants, compared to shirts, for example.

Of course, it depends on your situation. A college student can get away with owning just a couple pairs of casual pants, while a traveling consultant will need both casual and dressy pants (and probably more pairs total).

But no matter your age or situation, you’ll probably want to own some jeans, chinos and dress pants (i.e., trousers or slacks).

Jeans

Jeans come in different colors, washed, weights and styles, but the most versatile colors are dark, light, grey and black.

Sure, some guys love medium blue, tan or white, but if we’re talking about minimalism, I don’t think these are the best choices.

If you’re super minimal, you can get away with one pair of dark wash or black jeans. But most guys should probably have two pairs (e.g., dark and light, or grey and black).

Chinos

In my modest opinion, chinos are even more versatile than jeans. If I could only own one pair of pants, it would be a comfy pair of chinos in a neutral color like dark blue.

Chinos can be worn casually with t-shirts or polos, but they can also be dressed up for business casual environments. Chinos even look great with tucked in shirts and jackets.

Just like with jeans, you only really need one or two pairs of chinos.

I probably get the most wear out of my olive chinos. They’re surprisingly versatile and look great with both light and dark tops.

Dress Pants

Here’s where things get a bit subjective. If you’re a working professional, you’re going to need a few pairs of dress pants (e.g., wool trousers). The good news is you suits include dress pants, which can be worn separately, without the jacket.

On the other hand, if you’re a college student, you really don’t need more than one pair of dress pants. If you have one navy suit, for example, you’re covered.

Let’s say you’re a 20- or 30-something professional who works in a business casual environment. Here’s what your dress pants collection might look like:

If your office is more casual (i.e., jeans and chinos are acceptable), you can just pick two pairs of dress pants in neutral colors. Again, these may be part of your suits.

Shorts

Some guys don’t like wearing shorts, but I think they’re a necessity for summer, especially if you live in a hot, humid climate.

The most versatile type of shorts are chino shorts. These days, many chino shorts are made from performance fabrics that have four way stretch and moisture wicking properties. This is great news for guys everywhere!

No matter what kind of shorts you like, I recommend flat front, above the knee, slightly tapered shorts (no cargo pockets, bright colors or crazy patterns):

Just like with chino pants, I get the most wear out of navy, tan and olive colored shorts. If you could only own one pair, dark grey is a great choice too.

Extras

Almost every guy will need a pair of super casual “lounge” pants. These could be joggers, sweatpants, athletic pants or something else, but they’re the pants you really only wear around the house (or maybe to run a quick errand).

For example, I really like the Hylete Flexion pants and All Day Sweatpants from Peter Manning NYC.

Similarly, you’ll need a solid pair of swim trunks. My favorites are the Bulldog Sport from Orlebar Brown. They go with almost any shirt I would wear to the pool or beach.

Granted, you may need other pants and shorts for specific activities like running or lifting weights. Since we all have different hobbies and fitness routines, I’m not including those types of garments in this minimalist pants collection.

Example Pants Collections

Knowing that we need some jeans, chinos, dress pants, shorts and extras, let’s look a couple of example collections.

Basic Bastard

Here’s your basic men’s pants collection:

• Dark wash jeans
• Light wash jeans
• Tan chinos
• Olive chinos
• Grey flannel/wool trousers
• Tan chino shorts
• Navy lounge pants
• Navy swim trunks

Note: If you live somewhere very warm or tropical, you can swap the wool trousers for lightweight cotton or linen, or a tropical weight wool/blend.

In the above collection, I’ve kept the color palette very neutral. You can wear all of those pants with almost any color shirt.

Monochromatic

You can swap colors out if you’d like. For example, if you really love the monochromatic aesthetic, your collection might look like:

• Black jeans
• Grey jeans
• Grey chinos
• Light grey trousers
• Charcoal trousers
• Grey chino shorts
• Black lounge pants
• Black swim trunks

Just like the basic bastard collection, the monochromatic palette is extremely interchangeable, especially if your shirts and outerwear also stick with this greyscale color scheme.

More Color

You can also add more color to your pants collection, although this may decrease the versatility and interchangeability or your wardrobe.

For example, if you love burgundy:

• Dark wash jeans
• Light wash jeans
• Olive chinos
• Burgundy chinos
• Blue wool trousers
• Olive chino shorts
• Navy lounge pants
• Navy swim trunks

Burgundy may not be as neutral as khaki or navy, but it still goes with many different colored shirts and jackets. It works especially well with black and shades of grey.

Versatile & Interchangeable

The cool thing about these collections is their versatility.

The jeans and shorts go with t-shirts, polos, Henleys, sweatshirts and casual button up shirts.

The chinos go with all of those shirts too, but they also look great with a tucked in shirt and jacket.

The trousers can be worn together as a suit or separately with odd jackets or tucked in shirts (tie or no tie).

And the lounge pants go with all of your casual shirts, such as tees, Henleys and sweatshirts.

All of these neutral colors work with almost any color on top. They’re totally interchangeable, which is why this pants collection works so well with a minimal shirt collection.

“But That’s Not Minimalist!”

Like I said at the beginning of this article, minimalism shouldn’t be a competition. You could apply the minimalist mindset to two different people and end up with two totally different pants collections.

That’s okay! It’s not about who own less. It’s about making your collection work for your situation.

If minimalism becomes a chore or causes you to feel anxiety or jealousy, it’s not worth pursuing, so don’t take it too seriously.

After all, we’re just talking about clothes here 😉