# Work pants that aren't Dickies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920 "2008-12-28T03:37:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/1 "2008-12-28T03:37:32Z")
OK, so I got a new job waiting tables, and I have to buy some black pants to work in. The job guide specifies no jeans, and no dockers, dickies brand work pants preferred. I don’t like to wear some humongous pants. Is there any brand of work pants that are a bit slimmer fitting? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/2 "2008-12-28T04:38:21Z")
Land’s End’s khakis are, IMHO, indistinguishable from Dickies at 5 paces and fit much better. Spendier, though. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/3 "2008-12-28T07:35:13Z")
Can you get Rustlers? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/4 "2008-12-28T16:26:42Z")
How about LL Bean? Their chinos are like 30 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/5 "2008-12-28T16:55:51Z")
What’s the diff between Dockers and Dickies anyway as far as an employer is concerned? I sense a control freak at work. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/6 "2008-12-28T17:01:12Z")
Minor hijack: You know those dark-green work pants that you often see worn by people who do manual labor? Where do you get those? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/7 "2008-12-28T17:36:50Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > What’s the diff between Dockers and Dickies anyway as far as an employer is concerned? [**Panda** ’s boss] Dockers are made by Levis, a _jeans_ company! [/ **Panda** ’s boss] ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/8 "2008-12-28T18:22:14Z")
[Carhartts.](http://www.sierratradingpost.com/search/SearchResults.aspx?Ne=9900000&anyWords=&N=9410016+9903120&allWords=&exactPhrase=&allAnyWords=&searchWithin=) I’m a chick but usually wear men’s pants and these things fit beautifully and you can get them in some really tough material–reinforced at the knees, sometimes, and they even make flannel lined pants too. The link goes to Sierra Trading Post, which has some very good deals. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/9 "2008-12-28T18:34:21Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [**Panda** ’s boss] > Dockers are made by Levis, a _jeans_ company! > [/ **Panda** ’s boss] Panda’s boss is a shitferbrains. If you have Dockers, rip the label off (carefully - we want to stay presentable!) You might look for some U.S. Navy “Winter Working Blue” pants. (Regulation Navy blue is pretty much black.) They’re poly or poly-wool twill, pretty rugged, and should’nt cost much. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/10 "2008-12-28T20:12:46Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > What’s the diff between Dockers and Dickies anyway as far as an employer is concerned? I sense a control freak at work. Dickies work pants are usually treated with some sort of stain-lifter stuff. I have to wear Dickies at work, and any stains come right out in the wash. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/11 "2008-12-28T20:15:43Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Panda’s boss is a shitferbrains. Panda’s boss is a huge national corporation. So…yes. I’ll check out the Carhartts. They look decent enough, and from how the pictures look don’t have legs massive enough to hold Jabba the Hut. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/12 "2008-12-30T16:29:46Z")
Come to think of it, the problem with Dockers might be the material. Mine are much closer to polyester than cotton. > [@BiblioCat](#): > > Dickies work pants are usually treated with some sort of stain-lifter stuff. LL Bean pants do as well, IIRC. I know their shirts are stain-resistant. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/13 "2008-12-30T17:16:26Z")
I found a skate shop online that sells black slim-leg chinos, hopefully they’ll fit me pretty well. ([Here’s the boys’ section](http://www.hostelboardcompany.com/p-377-volcom-friggin-slim-chino.aspx)). Look pretty decent. I’m a bit weird about having clothes that stick somewhat close to my frame. Not skintight, really, but if it’s not form-fitting I feel like I’m in pajamas and get lazy with it. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/14 "2008-12-30T17:27:28Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Dickies work pants are usually treated with some sort of stain-lifter stuff. I have to wear Dickies at work, and any stains come right out in the wash. Good post. **Panda** , I used to wear black Dickies pants for waiting tables, too. Aside from the stain-fighting Scotch-Guard **BiblioCat** mentions, black Dickies pants practically never fade. They really are the right “tool” for the job – your boss is not recommending Dickies to be difficult or controlling. If you go out and buy black Docker-type pants or expensive black chinos from L.L. Bean or something like that … they’ll look like hell within a few months. They’ll be faded and stained-up in no time. I’m not sure where you got the impression that Dickies are “humungous pants” … their black work pants are just regular ol’ straight leg. Maybe some of Dickies’ fashion wear is oversized, but their core business is work clothing and uniforms. You may need to go to a uniform shop to find the right kind of black Dickies pants. I’d get them from WalMart in the mid-1990s, and the local WMs still have a dedicated section for Dickies clothing. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/15 "2008-12-30T17:30:13Z")
> [@Influential\_Panda](#): > > I’m a bit weird about having clothes that stick somewhat close to my frame. In this case, I’d take some black Dickies to an alteration shop and ask them to take in the legs a bit. That is, if you feel you need to after checking out the non-fashion-wear Dickies at WalMart or at a uniform shop. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/16 "2008-12-30T19:58:02Z")
Carhartt jeans would be wrong for several reasons - they’re cotton, so they’ll stain pretty easily, they are not even remotely colorfast and will start fading immediately, and the restaurant probably doesn’t want its waitstaff looking like carpenters. Check out places like Sears and hardware stores to find regular Dickies workwear. And yes, the key word is “workwear” - Dickies does make some clothes more suited to skaters and clubbers. ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/17 "2008-12-31T02:19:18Z")
Fourth-ing (fifth?) the suggestion to look into Dickies a bit farther. I have 4 pair of black work pants from when I was waiting tables at Waffle House, and your pants take more mess and wear there than many other restaurants. They won’t bleach, stains come right out in a cold water wash, and after all these years they’re still blackest black and not pilled at all. I even tend to walk on the cuffs of my pants and they’re still intact. [Here’s](http://www.dickies.com/wc2/product_list.asp?cat=101&type=A&tdscr=Pants) Dickies’ core line of men’s work pants. They have many styles and most of the basics are available at Wal Mart as mentioned above. Also gotta keep in mind that people who buy them for fashion get them about 5 sizes too big. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/18 "2008-12-31T16:49:50Z")
If I’m not a fan of these pants coming in the mail, I might pick up a pair of Dickies. My primary concern is the “full seat” they boast, which makes me feel like a slob, and I don’t think I work as well when I don’t feel like things are well fitting. I’m already considering altering my company-provided polo shirt and taking in the sides. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/19 "2008-12-31T17:02:02Z")
> [@Influential\_Panda](#): > > If I’m not a fan of these pants coming in the mail, I might pick up a pair of Dickies. My primary concern is the “full seat” they boast … If you decide to shop for Dickies, don’t settle on the fashion-wear stuff meant to be worn with oversized T-shirts and the like. Try a uniform shop, WalMart, or Sears first – or whatever your local equivalents may be. [Here’s the type of pants you are looking for](http://www.dickies.com/wc2/product.asp?cat=101&type=A&styd=874BK&pdscr=%2ASALE%2A+874+TRADITIONAL+874%99+WORK+PANT). Notice the mention of “classic fit” – that’s in opposition to “relaxed fit”, so the classic-fit styles should be closer to what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/work-pants-that-arent-dickies/478920/20 "2009-01-05T23:33:59Z")
> [@Influential\_Panda](#): > > I found a skate shop online that sells black slim-leg chinos, hopefully they’ll fit me pretty well. ([Here’s the boys’ section](http://www.hostelboardcompany.com/p-377-volcom-friggin-slim-chino.aspx)). Look pretty decent. I’m a bit weird about having clothes that stick somewhat close to my frame. Not skintight, really, but if it’s not form-fitting I feel like I’m in pajamas and get lazy with it. They got in, and I’ve to to say: FUCKING AWESOME PANTS. My favorite part is the addition of 2% lycra, which makes them just the slightest bit stretchy. I’d add these to my normal day wear. Hell, I might buy another pair just for the hell of it. They were a bit pricey at $50/pair shipped, but the skinny leg combined with a square toed shoe is an awesome look and now I don’t look like every other waiter on earth.