A black trouser does more work than anything else in a wardrobe. Here is how to choose one and how to keep it black.
If you own one trouser, own a black one. It goes with everything, it reads smarter than any other color in the same cut, and it is the piece that lets the rest of the wardrobe be interesting.
That is the whole argument and it is a strong one. What follows is how to choose the right black trouser and, more usefully, how to stop it turning gray.
Why Black Reads Smarter
Black hides the construction of a garment. Seams, stitching, pocket edges and creases all disappear into it, which is why the same cut in black looks cleaner than in a mid color.
It also means a casual trouser reads closer to a formal one. A black drawstring trouser is considerably smarter than a stone one in the same cut, because the eye cannot see the drawstring casing as clearly.
And it removes the matching question. Anything goes with black, so the rest of the outfit becomes a free choice rather than a calculation.
The Cuts Worth Owning in Black
Straight leg. The most useful. Reads as an ordinary trouser, works with every shoe, and is smart enough for most places that are not formal.
Tapered. The sharpest with boots, and the most practical if you wear high-tops.
Wide leg. The most current. In black it reads far less casual than the same cut in a washed color.
Barrel or curved. A distinctive shape in the least distracting color, which is a good combination. The shape shows and nothing else does.
Track pant. A black track pant with no contrast stripe is one of the most underrated things you can own. It reads as a trouser at a distance and is as comfortable as it looks.
Not All Blacks Are the Same
This is the thing that catches people and it is worth knowing before you buy a second black piece.
Different fabrics take dye differently, so a black trouser and a black top from different garments will very often read as two slightly different colors next to each other. One will look faintly brown, blue or gray against the other.
This is normal and it is not a fault. There are three ways to handle it.
Break it up with texture. A ribbed knit against a smooth trouser reads as deliberate even when the blacks differ slightly, because the eye reads texture before it reads shade.
Break it up with a third color. A white sneaker, a metal buckle, a gray layer. One break is enough.
Buy both pieces together. If you genuinely want head to toe black that matches, buy the pieces at the same time from the same range and check them side by side.
Look out for washed black and faded black as named colors, which are meant to look worn and will never match a true black.
Black hides the construction. Seams, stitching and pocket edges disappear, which is why the same cut looks cleaner.
How to Stop Black Fading
Black fades faster than any other color, and almost all of that fading happens in the wash rather than in wear.
Wash cold. Warm water opens the fibres and lets the dye out. Cold water is the single most effective thing on this list.
Turn them inside out. Fading is caused by abrasion against the drum and against other clothes. Inside out means the abrasion happens on the inside face.
Wash them less. Trousers do not need washing after every wear unless they are actually dirty. Air them instead.
Use less detergent. Excess detergent does not rinse out fully and leaves a residue that looks gray on black.
Skip the fabric softener. It coats the fibres and dulls the color.
Do not tumble dry. Heat is the second biggest cause of fading after warm water, and it shrinks the length as well. Hang to dry, away from direct sun.
Wash with other dark colors only. Not because of dye transfer, but because lint from lighter clothes shows on black more than on anything else.
What to Wear With Black Trousers
Almost anything, which is the point. But three combinations are worth naming.
Black trousers, white or cream on top. The cleanest and the sharpest. A white tee, a cream knit, a snow crewneck. Nothing else needed.
Black trousers, one strong color on top. A deep green, a burgundy, a navy. Black makes any color above it read as deliberate.
Black on black, broken. Black trousers, black top, and one thing that is not black. A white sole, a gray jacket, a metal detail. The trousers guide covers how to match the cut to the shoe.
Black Trousers at Work
This is where a black trouser earns most of its keep, because the cut decides the formality far more than the color does.
A black straight leg in a smooth fabric with a plain knit and a clean shoe will pass in most workplaces without a strict dress code.
A black tapered trouser with a collared shirt reads smarter still.
A black drawstring or track pant does not, however plain it is, because the waistband is visible and it is the first thing the eye reads.
The rule is that black raises the formality of a cut by about one step. It does not raise it by two.
When to Replace Them
Black shows wear more obviously than any other color, which is a feature rather than a problem because it tells you when something is finished.
Shine at the seat or the knee means the fibres have flattened and it does not recover.
Gray patches that stay gray after a cold wash with proper detergent mean the dye has gone.
A hem that has frayed is worth repairing, not replacing. A hem is a ten minute job.
Browse the pants edit for the cuts described here, and if you want the same versatility in something other than black, the cargo guide covers the utility end of the range.
Black and Onyx Trousers
Common Questions
Are Chinos Dress Pants?
Not quite. Chinos sit between jeans and dress trousers, and the difference is in the construction rather than the color. Dress trousers are usually made from a finer woven cloth, have a pressed crease down the front, and use slanted or jetted pockets with a cleaner finish. Chinos use a heavier cotton twill, have a flat front with no crease, and more casual pocket construction. A dark chino in a smooth fabric passes in most relaxed offices, but it will not read as a suit trouser next to one.
The Short Version
Black trousers hide construction, which is why they read smarter than the same cut in any other color. Own a straight leg first. Expect two blacks not to match exactly and break them up with texture or one other color. Wash cold, inside out, less often, and never tumble dry. The pants edit has the cuts.