CHINOS: AN AMERICAN STYLE STORY
The rise of a former military essential turned fashion icon
The
rise of a former military essential turned fashion icon
The
predecessor of the chino was developed by Sir Harry Lumsden in 1848 while
stationed in India to camouflage his white uniform. He mixed
a combination of coffee, curry and mulberries for dye, and this new shade,
dubbed khaki (the Hindi word for “dust”), blended into the arid
setting. Although now used interchangeably with “chino,” khaki refers
to the dye color Lumsden created.
The
first reference to chinos came in 1898, when American armed forces were
stationed in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War and their uniforms
were sourced from Chinese twill cotton. This colloquial term was born from
the Spanish name for “China.”
After
World War II, returning GIs began wearing the plain-front trousers, and chinos
were a common sight on college campuses, where they began to define the East
Coast, Ivy League aesthetic. Hollywood soon followed, leading a generation to
define chinos as a symbol of effortlessly cool American style.
The boxy fits and casual Friday culture of the 1980s and ’90s sidelined chinos; however, they’ve made a comeback, with slimmer fits and fresh garment-dye colors. What was once standard issue for the military is now the style of choice for the board meeting or the wedding party.
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