The men’s department: sometimes it seems two out of every three items are “Slim” or “Athletic” fit. You look around and observe two thirds of the customers are neither.
Keep in mind that the retail price of clothing is perhaps four or five times the manufacturing cost, so trousers retailing for a hundred dollars have, perhaps, twenty bucks in labor and materials in them. I think the only way that’s possible is if the clothing is sewn in a country with low labor costs. An overseas sweatshop in other words. I am willing to pay more to ensure that the employees were not being exploited.
And here is a gift link to a favorite article of mine; a sixteen-year-old one that explains in detail how a pair of cotton trousers sell for $550; four hours of labor in a unionized factory in Brooklyn, two yards of fabric at $24 per yard and so on.
Some of the expensive stuff in stores seems much the same as the cheap stuff and the high price mostly because of the designer label but if there’s a real difference, it may be worth paying more.
I do not have a membership. I’m going to start at Kohl’s and see what theirs look like. The closest one is 20 minutes away.
Ohhh…that’s why I got permanently banned from Costco.
I think pleats are more of a mistake for a heavy person than for a thin one*, they just make you look more fat than you are. Buy a waist that fits (when you get to 44 or larger, most of them come with stretchable waists anyway) and a flat front.
*If this leaves anyone in doubt, I think pleats are always a mistake and should be given a miss.
I’ve had some with pleats, and I agree. Thanks for this, I’ll go flat front. You’re the style guy anyway, right? (I certainly am not)
Sadly, a different country, but perhaps you have something similar. I buy all - or most - of my clothes from a store called Agrimark.
They are not particularly stylish, as the name suggests, this store is for farmers. They sell all sorts of stuff, clothing is just a small section of a mainly agricultural supply store.
But I swear by the brand Jonsson, these pants are near industructable.
They look like they sell good gear, but if I’m going to have to travel to South Africa to get their trousers, that might get a little pricey. 
Tractor Supply seems similar to Agrimark, if that’s what you’re looking for. Brands like Carhartt or Duluth Trading sell a similar sort of hard-wearing work clothing. I mostly work in an office, so that’s not what I need.
Guys, thank you! I finally made it to Kohl’s. The one near me is gone so the next nearest one is 4x farther. ( @blondebear it’s the one in Campbell.)
I’m really impressed by their selection. I really like it. That should tell you that I’m not a big shopper or a clothes horse. I quickly found one pair and it’s their basic brand for $35. I didn’t look around a whole lot and I found one that I liked so I’m starting with that. Just the one for now. I only need khakis for church, so not every day (shorts are every day; or jeans for the motorcycle).
I also like their shirts so I got 2 for with the khakis and one for summer casual wear. For church I’ll be set for the next 3 Sundays which will give me enough time to see if this inexpensive pair of khakis will serve me.
$35 — Men’s Sonoma Goods For Life Flexwear Straight-Fit Chinos
98% cotton, 2% spandex
Now, to Falafel’s Drive In for lunch. A San Jose favorite. And they’re celebrating 60 years(!).
Thanks again all y’all.
Remember the banana milkshake!
late to the discussion, but I am a big fan of the Eddie Bauer Rainier travel pants. Not exactly traditional khakis, but they have the look. My go-to pants for travel, breathable, shed dirt pretty well, fast drying. I can wear all day - hiking during the day, most levels of restaurant at night.
Eddie Bauer closed all of its stores and is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
You know it!
Figures. Still available on Amazon, maybe I better snag a pair or two…
Kohl’s also had some Eddie Bauer clothes on their racks.
Armed with a 20% email coupon I went to KOHL’S yesterday and bought another pair of khakis, and also shorts, and shirts both SS and LS. I spent about $250 and saved about $50 from the coupon. The brands included Lee’s, Izod, Eddie Bauer, and Columbia. KOHL’S has a nice selection and good prices (I have not comparison shopped; the prices seem good to this unseasoned shopper).
I went to two different KOHL’S, so in all I’ve been to 3 of them now. I really like that their signage is clear and easy. It’s easy to find the different departments, and my 65yo bladder is grateful that it’s easy to find the restroom.
Thanks again you guys.