klondike

Slacks my husband currently has need ironing for the most part...we don't iron while on vacation. I want him to look nice, not like he slept in his clothes.

He doesn't really wear shorts or jeans when we travel, so we need kahkis/Hagar style pants, and something for a larger man (with pleats? or does that accentuate the abdomen?). Don't want to fuss with dry-cleaning either.

He is very pleased with his micro-fiber sportsjacket from Travel Smith. Has anyone tried microfiber pants from them or a similar company?

He's buys me outfits and jewely (even when I don't need them) and has me feeling like a fashion plate, but isn't particularly inspired for himself. So I end up having to "dress" him. I'd like to surpise him with comfortable yet good looking.

Thanks in advance for suggestions!

Vera

My husband has lately been buying microfiber slacks and loves them. Doesn't really matter what brand, I think. They don't wrinkle, and also can wash and dry quickly.

Vera

abram

I think flat front are more flattering than pleated--who wants their abdomen to be any puffier than it already is?

Many brands of mens' pants are now wrinkle free, and come out of the dryer ready to wear. Just look for a tag that says they're wrinkle free.

ira

Hi K,

Check out Land's End and LL Bean.

eliztrav

I just got a catalogue (can't recall if it is their "travelers" or regular one)from LL Bean and it has MANY wrinkle free and wrinkle resistant men's items in it....pants, shirts, jackets...

djkbooks

My husband loves (and so do I on him) the Lands End "60/40 dress twills". (He did switch from pleats to plain front several years ago, as the pleats add unnecessary...). He switched to these from L. L. Bean many years ago because the pockets are deeper and the construction and fabric are better.

I like microfiber, but my husband prefers a "crisper" fabric and claims the poly cotton is just as comfortable in hot weather.

klondike

Thanks, everyone. I will look into these.

Seamus

Fabric - I hate synthetics, microfiber (a marketing ploy to push another cousin of polyester) included, finding them hot and uncomfortable, so go with cottton or wool, or linen in summer. Of course that doesn't solve the issue with wrinkling (especially linen) but you can find some cotton slacks that are wrinkle resistant at least through several washings. Land's End has some great ones.
As for pleated versus flat front - flat front is more flattering for those of us with zaftig tendencies. With either, appropriate size is vital - too small/tight will accentuate the dread excess poundage. Some guys have a mental thing about buying a size that they would like to be rather than what they really are, with unfortunate results. To be truthful, I've done that myself. Recently I bought a pair of slacks that were a size larger than I intended and did not notice until I was removing them - after a day when several people asked if I was losing weight.

Neopolitan

A couple of years ago I would have agreed with Seamus, but for our current trip, I bought two pairs of light weight pants at Steinmart, both new variations of mirofiber. They are much cooler and lighter than my silk or linen ones, and absolutely do not wrinkle. With our hot weather in Florida, like it's been here in France, I'm ready to throw out all my cotton khakis and silk slacks (which I have found particulary hot)when I get home and switch to more of these new generation microfiber ones.

starrsville

P, hope you and Lee are having a great time in Paris!

xxxx

My husband has 2 pair of travel pants from LL Bean. They weren't the cheapest but they've survived several trips. They don't wrinkle and have some extra pockets that zip. They wash easily and dry quickly. The black hides the dirt well. They do come in larger sizes. For us, it's been money well spent.

BayouGal

We've been buying lightweight microfiber slacks for my husband to wear to work from Sam's Club. So if you have a Sam's or Costco in your area, check there. We have gotten good deals, they wash and wear well (<i>no</i> ironing), and are quite comfortable--we live in the deep south of the US and he wouldn't wear anything that doesn't breathe. Good luck!

chicagolori

My husband wears the same pants he would wear golfing. They are lightweight, wrinkle proof, and very nice.

Not sure what brand he buys though. Maybe Greg Norman?

JackOneill

A warning: You sweat more in microfiber! It doesn't breath, like natural fabrics.

I normally just take cotton slacks, shake 'em out when I get where I'm going, hang them up, and they seem to be okay by morning.

I also have some linen/cotton pants that do surprisingly well in the wrinkle (or lack thereof) department. And they are cool (as in temperature).

kswl

The current incarnation of polyester as microfiber is actually quite nice. It is comfortable, keeps its shape and washes/wears like iron. Ditto the dry-cleanables. I bought a microfiber blue blazer from Tilley's and it is fantastic. I wear it right up to June, then switch to the RL linen blazers in blue or white. (Dressing oneself is pretty easy when you wear a self-imposed uniform )

starrsville

Tell me about it k! You are going to see me in variations of virtually the same outfit. I have my &quot;work&quot; uniform and my &quot;casual&quot; uniform. If you see me four days in a row, you are going to see four variations of that uniform. That's one of the great things about working from home!

Makes it easy to pack for trips - rather than business or leisure!

WallyKringen

Ex officio, Travel Smith, Blair

kswl

Hi Starrsville---the only downside to this sartorial methodology is that apparently it confuses young children. We were preparing to go out in Orlando and I was wearing my usual linen slacks, navy blazer and white t-shirt, sensible heels, etc. My nephew looked at me and said, &quot;Why are you dressed like a man?&quot;

(His mother, my late brother's wife, looked at me and mouthed, &quot;sorry.&quot

klondike

Thanks to everyone, especially those with tips for a larger man...trips to France just don't trim the waistline, either.

hopscotch

klondike,

My trips to France usually result in losing about 5 pounds a week.

My slacks for everyday business and European travel are Dockers &quot;classic fit&quot; dark charcoal, pleated. They are 55% cotton and 45% MicroPolyester.