Like jeans, hues are neutral

On the color side, choices include navy, stone, black, olive and, of course, khaki. Like jeans, hues are neutral. Dickies' Ragsdale notes that khaki has become the category's name, even when it is not a product's color. "Today's consumers and trade buyers use khaki as a designation for a category," he adds. "The word `khaki' denotes color, although it's come to mean a certain type of pants as well. We have consumers calling our navy pants khakis."

Still, there are wide differences in opinion over what is and is not a khaki pant. For many experts, though, the deciding factor seems to be the fabric. "It's a lighter fabric," says Leuhrs. "In jeans, you mostly use 14.75-ounce denim; in casual pants, you're talking 8-ounce fabric."

Everybody also has a different theory on when khaki pants first became popular: One retailer says they were popularized in the 1940s via Gregory Peck movies; Dickies, which has offered its classic "874" khakis for years, says its production of khaki uniform pants for World War II spurred the original trend, and a regional retailer says they were the East Coast college "uniform" during the early 1960s.

Whatever the true story may be, most suppliers are reporting even larger gains in casual pants than retailers. Since many of products have been sold to chains but have not yet hit the retail floor, the increase could be a harbinger of even better days to come.

Luehrs says-khakis now represent 35 to 40 percent of his overall pants business; growth of five-pockets has slowed to "less than 5 percent," he adds.

Thomas R. Jennings, president of Barrow Manufacturing Co. of Winder, GA, says cotton twills now comprise 75 percent of sales; jeans represent a mere 5 percent. Five years ago, about 40 percent of the company's business was in casual pants and 25 percent in jeans. Remaining business is and has been done in dress pants and other products. "Five or six years ago, cotton twills weren't that much in demand," he adds, "although we had them."

NOT JUST FOR CASUAL FRIDAY

Casual Fridays have played a major role in khakis' resurgence in the 1990s. But while Wall Street employees may shop for Friday garb at The Gap, khakis can take on different meanings at mass, where many shoppers are employed in blue-collar occupations. yanzic0710.

www.mltailor.com is a premier online tailor, custom making high fashion event dresses, wonderful and good designed  dresses. Look at The dress sheath-drape-neck-floor-length-elastic-satin-charming-evening-dress we recommended for your good taste.

http://newfashionlover.wallinside.com/