Pleated pants carry with them a sense of both ease and sophistication. I think that’s really impressive because, to my mind, that ease and sophistication are difficult to get to fit together. You need to find clothes that hang off your body naturally and comfortably as well as look classy as hell. And that’s exactly what the best pleated pants for men can do.
Although pleated pants spent a long time outside of the men’s fashion limelight, they’ve come back in a big way in the past couple of years. Nobody is wearing skinny jeans or tight, tailored slacks; everyone is switching over to the loose, flowing pants that you see on the streets and on Instagram.
In this article, we’re going to go on a deep dive into 5 of the best pleated pants for men that you can order online today. I’d say it’s high time to add some of these classic fits to your wardrobe.
Let’s jump right into the list.
Key Takeaways
Men’s pleated pants are a really hot topic these days, so I searched through hundreds of product listings to come up with the final version of this list. It’s not like I did all that in one day—I’ve been following the category for quite some time. I’ve even ordered a couple of these myself and tried on a few more.
Overall, the best pleated pants for men are the Adriano Goldschmied Men’s The Rutger Relaxed Pleated Pant. Inspired by the classic styles of the past yet containing just enough of a refresh to feel modern, these are a pair of pants that anyone would be pleased to own.
I’ve also included an option that truly revives the past of pleated pants, the PJ PAUL JONES Men Vintage Tweed Pants, as well as a more modern take that reimagines what pleated pants can look like (the Floerns Men’s Slant Pocket Pleated Trousers).
In This Article
Best Overall: Adriano Goldschmied Men’s The Rutger Relaxed Pleated Pant
Why they’re great: We’re starting off the list with a pair of pleated pants inspired by the past with the Adriano Goldschmied Men’s The Rutger Relaxed Pleated Pant. These simple and easy-to-wear pants have a lot of versatility and can be paired with a casual shirt or used to set off an exceptional blazer.
Who are these for? Since there are so many ways to wear these men’s pleated pants, I’d make the argument that just about any man can find a way to wear them.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: The pants aren’t pure cotton, containing about 35% other fabrics, which some people might dislike but I don’t have a problem with. I can say from personal experience that these pants feel really great to the touch and to wear.
Sizes: 30–38 W | Material: 64% Cotton, 23% Polyester, 12% Viscose, 1% Elastane | Colors: 2 | Care: Machine Wash
Best Budget: Dockers Men’s Classic Fit Easy Khaki Pants
Why they’re great: Dockers is a well-known and accessible brand that’s been making really great clothes for a really long time. Their Men’s Classic Fit Easy Khaki Pants aren’t any exception. You can pick them up in a variety of colors, including classic khaki, so it’s easy to find a version of them that will work with your personal style.
Who are these for? If you’re looking for a pair of pants you can depend on and don’t want to think too much about it, then this is a great choice. The fact that the pants come in both standard and big and tall varieties increases the amount of people who can wear these pants even further.
Flaws but not deal breakers: They are Dockers, so don’t expect any hugely stylish notes when you click the link. But not all your pants need to make a huge fashion statement; sometimes, you can just wear a nice and simple pair of pleated khakis like these.
Sizes: 30–44 W (standard), 34–60 W (big and tall) | Material: 64% Cotton, 34% Polyester, 2% Elastane | Colors: 10 | Care: Machine Wash
Best Luxury: Billy Reid Men’s Walton Pleated Trouser
Why they’re great: I really love these pleated pants from Billy Reid, and they’d definitely top the list if we lived in a world where money was no object. The pants are beautifully designed, featuring a dark brown fabric and hidden button that can work exceptionally well when you wear them with the right jacket. And, of course, the fabric composition is heavenly.
Who are these for? Anyone who’s on the lookout for the best pleated pants they can possibly get their hands on should take a long look at the Billy Reid Men’s Walton Pleated Trouser.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: As you’d expect from a pair of pants made from cashmere and linen, the price tag is quite hefty.
Sizes: 27–36 W | Material: 56% Cashmere, 44% Linen | Colors: 1 | Care: Machine Wash
Best on Amazon: PJ PAUL JONES Men Vintage Tweed Pants
Why they’re great: The PJ PAUL JONES Men Vintage Tweed Pants follow a really interesting high-waistline concept that fans of old-school looks will love. I really enjoy the way the brand has played with both the herringbone pattern (i.e., a particular way of layering different colors) on the fabric and the Italian-style button closure.
Who are these for? These are a super sharp pair of pants for the modern office worker who likes to make an impression with both what he wears and what he does. (In fact, they’d be right at home on our list of the best dress pants for men).
Flaws but not deal-breakers: I wouldn’t really wear these outside of formal contexts, as a result of the fact that they are so inspired by the past. But some people really like to lean into those throwback moments.
Sizes: XS–XL | Material: 95% Polyester, 5% Wool | Colors: 5 | Care: Machine Wash
Best Everyday: Floerns Men’s Slant Pocket Pleated Trousers
Why they’re great: Here we have a more modern take on pleated pants. The Floerns Men’s Slant Pocket Pleated Trousers are ultra-loose and ultra-casual, something that’s easier to style for wearing to the café or the club than for a boardroom. I own a pair, and let me tell you, they’re just as comfortable as they look.
Who are these for? If you’re excited about the attention being paid to new styles of pleated pants, then I’d say that you’d miss out by not adding these to your wardrobe.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: I wish there were a few more color options on offer than the black, brown, and gray that you have to choose from.
Sizes: S–XXL | Material: 100% Polyester | Colors: 3 | Care: Machine Wash
Buying Considerations for The Best Pleated Pants For Men
Style/Fit
As you can tell from even just the entries on this list, there’s a lot of variation in how men at the forefront of fashion are wearing their pleated pants. I think it’s a great opportunity to really put your own mark on an emerging trend.
As a result, I can’t really tell you what type of pleated pants to wear—only give you all the options. Would you like to try out a classically inspired pair like the PJ PAUL JONES Men Vintage Tweed Pants? Or do you really want to get out ahead of the current fashion and get something with a cutting-edge design like the Floerns Men’s Slant Pocket Pleated Trousers? It’s all really up to you and how you want to dress.
Color
Pleated pants are an item that’s usually worn with formal clothes, or at least that has been the association through most of the garment’s history. That means that, then and now, you’ll mostly find pleated pants that are colors like black, brown, navy blue, and gray, as well as khaki varieties. All of these colors can work really well, and which you should choose mostly depends on the other items that you’re planning to wear with them. A gray suit jacket, for example, might go well with either a blue or a black pair of pleated pants, depending on its exact tone.
Material
And finally, there are a ton of different fabrics that brands are making pleated pants from. This includes blends of cotton with synthetic materials like polyester and viscose, as well as fabrics like cashmere and linen. I’d suggest that you follow your prior experience when it comes to the materials you prefer your pants to be made from. You aren’t suddenly going to fall in love with a new fabric blend simply because your pants are pleated—go with what you know and what you like.
How We Chose
It’s always difficult to choose favorites whenever we’re covering a topic that has tons of great options, which is definitely the case in this article about the best pleated pants for men. Not only do we have to do a ton of work to find great options, but we also need to make sure that our lists reflect the wide range of options you have to choose from.
That’s why some recommendations are for very office-ready pairs of pleated pants and others have a much more casual feel. We also ensure that every brand and product we recommend here on FashionBeans holds up well on the following four tests:
Brand Reputation: We always make sure that a brand that we’re recommending has an established reputation for creating high-quality products, whether we’re talking about the best men’s pleated pants or anything else.
Customer Reviews: Whenever I can hear exactly what a customer thinks about a pair of pleated pants, I learn a ton that can make my review better for you at the end of the day.
Cost: Like other items associated with formal settings, you can often end up spending a lot of money for a good pair of pleated pants. As a result, I made sure that every product I recommended has the value that’s necessary to justify its price tag.
Transparency: Finally, it’s super important to me that all the brands I recommend are honest about important matters like their return policy and where their materials come from.
Why Trust Us?
Just about everyone who works here at FashionBeans has been interested in what’s going on in the world of pleated pants for quite some time. It’s been fascinating to watch as a once neglected category has come back to life. As a result, we’ve all got pleated pants in our closets, giving us a lot of collective experience to lean on as we were putting together this list.
After reviewing all the pairs of pleated pants we’ve ever bought personally, as well as searching far and wide for new alternatives, we’re quite happy with the list of the five best pleated pants for men. Each and every product that made this list beat out dozens of competitors to be here. They really are all winners.
Final Verdict
Overall, we’ve recommended the Adriano Goldschmied Men’s The Rutger Relaxed Pleated Pant as the best pleated pants for men that you can get your hands on right now. They’re a perfect blend of classic and modern, and therefore, they’re a great example of what’s driving the popularity of pleated pants. Jump on the pleated pants bandwagon, if you haven’t already.
FAQ
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Yes, guys should definitely wear pleated pants. In fact, especially guys who are a fan of dressing well and taking care of their appearance should wear pleated pants. They are a garment that’s been around for a really long time, and they’re just now having a resurgence in popularity. Have I convinced you yet?
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There are a number of reasons that men stopped wearing pleated trousers as much as they used to (though I have to point out that men never entirely stopped wearing them). These include matters from the simple changing of formalwear fashion over time to the increased popularity of other materials, like denim, that don’t generally have pleats.
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If you ask me, I’d say that pleated pants for men have already made their comeback. They’re more and more visible in not only the world of high fashion, but also in music, sports and other entertainment. There’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t try out a pair next time you need to dress to impress.
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Ryan Jamison