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I know you hate navy blue odd trousers, but why?

The Louche

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Anyone who has spent time on SF (or AAAC) knows that there is a strong collective dislike (groupthink?) for navy blue odd trousers, but I've never been able to determine the logic behind this, and can't get a good answer (I think I saw that Manton once wrote that blue odd trousers were "just wrong", which isn't exactly insightful).

I happen to think this is poppycock, and that navy blue odd trousers could be a very useful thing to have. For starters, they would work very well with two very common colors for odd jackets, tan and grey.

What's your reason for the hate?
 

Gus

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I had a tweed herringbone jacket in grey with shades of medium to light blue (rather than the usual black). Navy pants looked perfect with it. Much better than any shade of grey.

I've seen some grey and medium to light blue plaid jackets where navy blue trousers look smart.


I don't care for navy trousers with a solid tan or solid grey jacket, but I do like jeans with them.

The tan or grey jackets would need a mixed pattern with some medium/dark blue in them to go with a navy trou IMO.
 

dohare

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i have more pairs of navy trousers than any others. i don't get the hate, i never wear black trousers, so what does that leave me with, brown/grey all the time? not for me, much prefer navy over grey, looks better imo.
 

dohare

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thought this was a discussion about trousers haha, i don't wear jackets to work,
 

bradp

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The reason you "don't get the hate" is because you don't ever try and pair them with a jacket. hate is strong, they just aren't versatile and are usually suboptimal with a jacket

Hopefully this thread hasn't been inactive for too long for to revive it...I also am surprised to hear navy odd trousers are disfavored. Maybe that's bc I usually wear suits and rarely do the odd trouser/jacket thing. Can anybody give me a sense of the most conservative/business-wear type of trousers one should strive to have in his wardrobe, for days when less than a suit is acceptable?
 

TRINI

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Can anybody give me a sense of the most conservative/business-wear type of trousers one should strive to have in his wardrobe, for days when less than a suit is acceptable?


Grey.
 

GBR

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Midnight rather than navy odd trousers are fine. So too black but that excites even more opprobrium here.
 

archibaldleach

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Hopefully this thread hasn't been inactive for too long for to revive it...I also am surprised to hear navy odd trousers are disfavored.  Maybe that's bc I usually wear suits and rarely do the odd trouser/jacket thing.  Can anybody give me a sense of the most conservative/business-wear type of trousers one should strive to have in his wardrobe, for days when less than a suit is acceptable?


Light to medium grey trousers in a seasonally appropriate weight first. Tan trousers in a seasonally appropriate weight second. Brown can also work but tan is going to be more commonly seen because it is a fairly typical color for khakis and the like.
 

bradp

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Thanks much, all. Initially thought of HY trousers, but I can't get a great handle on their sizing. Since I'm in NY, I figure options for trying on trousers in person are good...considering dropping by Epaulet this week. Other suggestions? Maybe $250 for a pair or less?
 

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