Our tips for matching a shirt and chinos

However, it’s not always easy to combine them. Discover in this article how to wear them together, the faux pas to avoid, and the combinations that work well.

What style of shirt to wear with chinos?

They’re a great fit for any style and can be worn with any shirt. Be careful, though, to create a harmonious and stylish look, you’ll need to follow a few simple rules regarding color, material, and accessories to pair your chinos and shirt.

How to wear your shirt with chinos?

To create a classic outfit, chinos are worn with a button-down shirt, in dress fabrics like poplin, oxford, or even twill, textured and elegant, which will add a lot of character to your outfit. To learn more, see our article on shirt weaves . The shirt will be plain, but the more daring can wear it with fine stripes. It will also be possible to enhance your “chino-shirt” outfit with a blazer-style jacket for more formal occasions.

It is also possible with the “chino shirt” combination to create a much more casual outfit by opting for the open shirt over a T-shirt. In this case, it is best to opt for a shirt in a more casual fabric such as chambray or linen. Semi-plain and small patterns can be part of the mix, provided of course that they are worn over a sober, monochrome T-shirt in a relatively versatile color. If you absolutely want to wear a T-shirt with a message or a design, then it would be better to choose a plain shirt. Discover all the possibilities to consider in our article What to wear under a shirt? You can of course, if you like layering, add a denim jacket or a velvet-effect twill depending on the season.

What color shirt goes with chinos?

Choosing the right color shirt to wear with chinos isn’t always easy. To add some pep to your outfit, you can opt for contrasting colors. While monochrome is always a good idea, be careful not to combine colors that are too similar. Using the same shade for all the elements of your outfit remains a chic option, but it’s easy to make a style mistake. For example, you can pair purple chinos with a lilac or parma linen shirt for the more adventurous. On the other hand, pairing sky blue chinos with a sky blue shirt is a less good idea. Here are some examples of combinations that work every time: beige chinos and a white shirt , or beige chinos and a white T-shirt over which you can put a red linen shirt . With navy chinos , you can opt for a sky blue shirt or a blue checkered shirt  open over a light gray T-shirt.

Accessories to wear with chinos and a shirt to create a formal outfit

If you want to wear your chinos on formal occasions, we recommend pairing them with a poplin or twill shirt and upgrading your outfit with beautiful accessories. As for shoes, you can opt for smooth leather derbies or Oxfords, or even patent leather loafers, with tassels for the more daring. For special occasions like weddings, for example, you can add a blazer-style jacket and sport a tie or bow tie as well as a pocket square. Don’t forget to coordinate your socks with your tie and the leather strap of your watch with your belt! If the sun is out, a pair of retro sunglasses will perfectly complete your look.

If you want to wear your chinos with a shirt on less formal occasions, it’s easy to create an elegant yet casual look by opting for spiked leather loafers or boat shoes. As we saw earlier, the shirt can be opened over a T-shirt. In this case, we recommend wearing white sneakers instead. You can coordinate your canvas or leather watch strap with your belt. Sunglasses will enhance your outfit. In winter, on gray days, you can opt for a color-blocked hat and/or scarf in the same shades as the chinos or shirt to add some pep to the outfit.