Note: this item was provided for review.
Dressing for summer weather always presents the same problem: there’s not a lot of cool-wearing, but casual pants for men. There’s effectively linen pants and a plethora of “lightweight” variants of standard pants, most of which are hardly lightweight enough. (Which I assume is also why so many men turn to synthetic pants better suited for hiking.) The problem with linen is that it is hard for most men to wear it in an easy going fashion as it can read formal, or quickly be engulfed in creasing — which bothers most people.
Enter these Linen Drawstring Pants from Patrick James, a linen blend ‘easy’ style pant with the perfect toss on to stay cool style, all while keeping the ease of wear like denim is.
Materials
Made from a 55% linen, and 45% viscose material which has enough structure to it that even in the sand color I have there’s no opacity issues. The viscose helps keep the linen looking tidy, and generally shows fewer wrinkles than my 100% cotton chinos would.
They will crease here and there, but typically anything falls out as you move about (all images were taken after a full day of wear and sitting at a desk). The fabric is very soft in hand, and has an excellent visual texture to it.
These feature a full zip fly, and button closure, with elastic along the back half of the waist, and a drawstring tie at the front. Best of all, they are machine washable.
While these won’t wear as light as pure linen, I’ve not found them to be too warm in any scenario as of yet, thus I am a big fan of this material for the style of pant.
Wearing
I’ve found that these pants strike a great balance of something comfortable and casual you can put on as you spend a hot day around the house, while also being sharp enough to comfortably wear out of the house when the weather heats up. I’ve been wearing these every time the mercury climbs up to 80°F outside, and found that they keep me cool, without causing me to be cold when I stop in to cool off in A/C.
The material means there’s no wrinkles or fuss. Anything which ends up creasing (say from crossing your legs or sitting in a car), tends to drop out rapidly once you start moving again. This adds to the ease of wearing these pants, as I can toss them on from being folded on a shelf, to looking like they have been steamed free of wrinkles without actively thinking about it. And as I go about my day, I don’t have to worry about increasing creases in the fabric.
The fly is a nice addition, and means that you don’t have to fuss with drawstrings as much and the pants are much easier to take on and off. It would be nice if this were a button fly, but I had no practical issues with the zipper. While the pockets are on the small side, I found they still do a good job keeping the items I stow in them from falling out when I sit down. Thought you won’t be holding much, and might consider a sling if pocket capacity will be needed.
These are not as light and breathable as more open weave linen pants I have, but the upside is that they are easier to wear, while offering a lot cooler wearing experience than chinos do. Almost like a half step between a chino and a full linen pant — while still being as carefree as a chino is to wear.
The material cuff-rolls well if you have occasion to shorten them for a walk in the surf. The can also easily be adjusted by a tailor — I found the stock 32” inseam to be a touch longer than expected, but all in all the fit is great. Nice flow without them feeling overly wide or boxy. They hang a little better with the added weight of the viscose, while still looking like linen pants texturally.
I keep turning to these pants on days when things are going a little slower and a lot more relaxed, and the only downside that I have found is that I can tend to run a little cool when the A/C is cranking to keep the house cool. I’ve walked around town in the heat in these pants though, and found that I stayed comfortable the entire time.
Overall
I’m a big fan of these pants, and would not be surprised if they were among my most worn this summer. I would even say these could make solid travel pants if you are one to run warmer on flights — they are very comfortable and easy to lounge about in.
They’ll certainly be worn on many a pool day over here. On top of all of that, these are priced well at $128 out the door. Since the style is relaxed, if they run too long on you, a roll or cuff will look right at home on them.
Highly recommended.