Whenever the weather is sweltering hot, sometimes you can’t be bothered with jeans, let alone stiff dress pants. And who wants to be weighed down with a belt? Drawstring trousers are the easy answer to solve your summertime style angst. Easygoing and non-constrictive, the hybrid designs have become ever more popular in our hybrid working landscape because they always look way more polished than they feel.
If you’ve been on the fence, we get it. For a while, they were a little too associated with the athleisure boom. I’ve only recently hopped back on the elasticated drawstring bandwagon. There was some slight hesitance because I remember guys wearing a little too-tight elastic ankle joggers in the mid-aughts with Gel-Lyte Asics, and that’s a trend I’m happy to see in the rearview. But times have changed. Today’s best styles have a more relaxed leg opening and are cut from lightweight materials like nylon, linen and seersucker. Dress them up as needed—you wouldn’t wear them with a tie, but they’re perfect with professional basics like knit polos, oxford cloth button-downs, camp collars and luxe tees. When it comes to fit, don’t be afraid to go up a size. The beauty of these pants is that you can cinch them at the waist and a little extra room keeps them nice and airy. As for the best styles, we’ve pulled over a dozen for you to choose from before summer comes to an end.
