I am going to a boarding school and the dress code there is formal. It says to wear a dress pants but do I have to go shopping for dress pants or are chinos fine? Also if I buy a dress pant it will need me to go to dry cleaning which is a lot of hassle.
This is a great question that may be answered in the student handbook or by a quick email to the admissions rep you communicated with last year during application season. Have you checked the school’s Instagram or other social media to see what kids are wearing in the photos? I would assume regular khaki/chino pants are fine, but best to be safe than sorry.
We are getting ready to head to the US for a trip around the US prior to our daughter’s drop off at boarding school this fall and her school had a packing list in the “enrollment essentials” page on their website, which included clothing. It also had a note about the dress code (not formal like yours), which said, “Dress Code at Proctor can easily be described as “Neat and Tidy”…Would Mom and Dad let you out of the house? Any specific questions can reference the Student Handbook.”
5 Likes
I would add: talk to several students! They will know in practical terms what “formal” pants translates into on a daily basis. (it may not be as “formal” as we may imagine). “Formal” every day is probably not quite as formal as a “weekly formal dinner” requirement, for example. Anyway, before you load up on dryclean-only pants, I would talk to some current students. (And if you aren’t already talking to current students about other stuff, please reach out to your admissions person and ask to be connected!)
2 Likes
Chinos are probably fine. Check out golf pants. Most are cut like trousers but so much more comfortable, no wrinkle, easy maintenance. We love the ones from Lululemon but there are similar ones from other brands.
2 Likes
Have to second this. Athleisure in general is not my style but these pants are great.
H has swapped all of his chino shorts. The Lulu shorts look great and hold up much better as he goes about his day. He also loves the pants for travel (I still subscribe to looking somewhat put together for air travel-something I can’t seem to outgrow).
1 Like
Same! What I see on planes makes me sad.
Ok so I’ve got a couple dress pants and extra chinos from brooks brothers, lulu, and club monaco. Thanks!
2 Likes
What are the specific pants model you all love at Lulu?
Commission Pants (or shorts)
ABC Slim Fit are my fave.
I think that is what my H has too. They seem so similar.
That’s what my H has too. (ABC, not golf).
3 Likes
+1 on the ABC slim fit! Son is 6’3” and he has wore these for last few years, and they offer the longer inseam and 30-31” waist that often is hard to find for the tall beanpole body type of a teen boy 
1 Like
So hard to find a 31x34!
1 Like
It is!! The Lululemon pants have been clutch for us for last two years as he’s gone from a 32”, 34” and now 36” inseam with a still slim waist…goodbye to all my money!