Side by Side: Jack Donnelly Regulars vs. Slims

Red Clay Soul readers have heard me sing the praises of Jack Donnelly khakis for quite some time.  Their quality and style are exactly what you want in a pair of pants that are going to last for a long time.  Recently, Jack Donnelly released their ‘slim fit’ version of their iconic Dalton Pants, and I thought a side-by-side comparison would be in order.  On the left, the traditional fit, and the right, the new slim fit:

As you can see the slim fits are just that – a slimmer silhouette.  The waist is exactly the same, but the cut is much more fitted across the hips.  The rise is about 1″ shorter in the slim fits, which sets up the legs nicely.  FYI – I had the slims tailored a little shorter for the (almost) no break look.

The aesthetics are the same on both pairs.  The 8.5 oz. cotton twill fabric, the zipper, the buttons, and the pockets are exactly what you’ve come to expect.  Both are made in the USA.

Inside, everything is exactly the same.  The thick waistband and alterable waist give ample opportunity to take them in after a couple months of CrossFit or let them out after the holiday eating season.

The leg opening is a full 1.5″ smaller in the slim fits – coming in at 7.5″.  The slim fit’s legs have a great shape, with the tapering starting at mid-thigh and staying relatively straight through the bottom.  The traditional fits are a fuller fit, but not too baggy.  They definitely have an off-the-rack tailored look.

The best part about either of these khakis is how they iron.  Since the fabric is a mid to heavy weight, they don’t need to be taken to the dry cleaners to get a crisp look.  My process is this:

1. Wash the pants in cold water (this freshens them up)
2. Dry for roughly seven minutes in medium heat (this gets rid of of the hard creases during the spin cycle)
3. Hang dry.  They won’t be overly rough when they are fully dry, mainly because of the softness of the fabric.
4. Use a hot iron on ‘cotton’ setting and go to work.

The pants are available in khaki and British khaki (for now), and are available at www.jackdonnelly.com.  Tell ’em we sent you.

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9 Comments

  1. Jason K
    03/06/2013 / 7:09 PM

    FYI – broken link to Jack D website

  2. 03/07/2013 / 8:51 AM

    Informative post, I think the slim fit JDs are almost the perfect cut for boots.

  3. WarEagleDG
    03/07/2013 / 11:38 AM

    Thanks to Crossfit, none of my pants fit properly anymore. It’s going to cost me a fortune to have them all taken in.

  4. Gregg Donnelly
    03/07/2013 / 11:42 AM

    Very well done, appreciate the in depth look Jay!

  5. Reactionary Trad
    03/07/2013 / 11:42 PM

    One simply has to decide whether he wants to dress like a gentleman or gigolo.

  6. Tommie
    03/08/2013 / 2:12 PM

    Just ordered my first pair of Dalton’s. Can’t wait until they get here.

  7. Tommie
    03/08/2013 / 2:13 PM

    I meant the Dalton Slim. I’m a goober.

  8. Kory
    03/11/2013 / 9:05 AM

    I just received mine first pair on Friday. They fit great! Can not wait to get them back from the tailors and the personal note is a great touch. Customer for life.

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