This "Dowdy" Pant Style Is Set for a Return

One of the very latest trends to emerge is somewhat unexpected, but it's a classic nonetheless. If you've ever found yourself wondering what ever happened to khaki pants, the answer is now clear… Many designers' S/S 17 collections, from Dries Van Noten to Rag & Bone, have featured "dowdy" chinos, most often in the form of wide-leg styles or as part of a two-piece suit. Vogue covered the theme today, pointing out that the "straightlaced" trousers are being styled with more attitude than ever before. One explanation for the resurgence of khakis could be the safari theme that's been running through the S/S 17 collections.

We found one street style example in particular of a fresh way to style khaki pants. Giovanna Battaglia recently tucked a Hawaiian-style shirt into a pair of cropped and pleated corduroys, adding a belt and a pair of colorful heels. It's a perfect example of how to make khakis appropriate for 2016.

Keep scrolling to see the evidence of the return of khaki pants, and shop our favorite picks!

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Street style:
(Image credit: Collage Vintage )

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Runway:
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Marni S/S 17

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(Image credit: Getty Images )

Rag & Bone S/S 17

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(Image credit: Getty Images )

Dries Van Noten S/S 17

Shop our picks:

Will you wear khakis again? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! 

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.