The chino is the smart casual trouser and has been for long enough that it no longer needs defending or explaining. It works. It works in offices with a shirt and a blazer. It works at weekends with a knit and boots. It works in summer with a linen shirt and loafers. The reasons it works so consistently are the clean structure that holds its shape without being formal and the range of colours available that go with almost everything else in a man’s wardrobe. Navy and stone are the two we’d have first because they’re the most versatile and the easiest to build outfits around. Olive and tan are the next choices that add something without complicating your options. The fit has moved away from the very slim version that dominated for a while and the current sweet spot is a straight or slightly tapered cut that isn’t trying to be skinny jeans and isn’t so wide that it needs specific footwear to work.