# chefs 'pants'....



## andersen28 (Sep 26, 2006)

So I was thinking.......the pants that they gave me at school were the least bit flattering.......they are sooo big and I even got a size small. PLUS they are super tappered at the feet. Does anybody know of a website that I can order a more 'flare' type pants? I know wne I worked in the dental office I got some cute flare pants......does that exist for culinary students as well? Please help!


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## aprilb (Feb 4, 2006)

I'm assuming you mean those black and white herringbone type pants...(darling aren't they?)

They're easy to clean and pretty tough to get mixed up with your street clothes.

I'm not sure about the 'too big' thing. I'm 5'10", not particularly slim, and large in some types are like tents. Other patterns in large or medium fit just fine. Different types of pants seem to have their own set of size rules. 

If you're willing to invest in your own Chefwear (you can deduct them on your income tax) you have a much wider range of options. I personally like my pinstripe for fit (but my chili's, fruits, and mushroom patterns are fun if your establishment allows it) Plus if it's too big you can wash it in hot water and it will shrink a little.

The reasoning behind the small ankles though is to keep you from hanging up while walking. Imagine if you have flared pants and one of your non-stick shoes got caught in your cuf while carrying knives or a large pot of boiling liquid.

Just keep remembering that you can look good after work. A box of tomatos that you have to prep doesn't give a hoot what you look like. Leave looking good for the front of house.

April :bounce:


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## zen!!! (Jan 21, 2005)

It's funny. One of the cooks at my restaurant and I were talking about Chef's pants the other day. He said he was about to order some from Chefwear when he saw how much just three pairs would cost him. So instead, he went to TJ Maxx and bought a bunch of cheap dress pants and wears those instead. So, maybe that's an option for you.


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## jessiquina (Nov 4, 2005)

why dont you let your skills make you look good in the kitchen, rather than your pants. seriously, nobody gives a poop about what you look like in BOH.


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## eeyore (Nov 26, 2000)

I have to wear the herring bone or checked black and white pants. Rest assured there is no way to look good in chef clothes. But like you I HATE the bagginess. Most companies I've seen will say "baggy" in the catologue for the really baggy ones. Sometimes the picture in the catalogue will help. But as far as sizes....its tough. The size you wear in a baggy elastic waste pant could be quite different from what you might wear in some to the newer chef pants that look more like traditional pants.

We found a place that's sells womens sizes. I haven't looked at the catalogue so I dont know what all they sell. But we bought some pink chef jackets that have tapered wastes, pockets in front and a tie in the back. They still look like chef jackets. Most of the employees at our shop are women. The problem is, they sent us example coats to determine sizes. I tried on the extra small and it fit...which amazed me. I thought maybe they still used mens sizes to describe them. When we finally got them in, my extra small was way too small. We took them off and compared them. Mine was the smallest. Another ones "small" was next. Then anothers "extra small" was larger still and the "extra small they sent us was much larger than them all. Crazy

And they were all monogrammed.

go figure. 

so have fun getting chef clothes that even fit much less look halfway decent.

eeyore


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## hotchef (Jul 25, 2006)

..comfortable to wear and you should feel 'at ease' in them.
..secondly they should be easy to clean / launder and still keep their form after 100 x laundry.
..i wear black pants, of thin cotton material, 'one fits all' (there are SEVERAL sizes..), no belt needed..they are cut like 'normal' dress pants and I feel very comfortable in them.
Price:300 Rubles, that is 12 $ ( sorry I work and live in Moscow,Russia..)


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## spicypickles (Apr 8, 2005)

The pants might be a big issue but careful of those sheet trays, that stuff is permanent. I wore my cookin pants home last night with a kmart t-shirt and sandals+socks on the train; I was lookin hot. The stains from sheet trays are rough though


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## blade55440 (Sep 9, 2005)

To be honest... you work in a kitchen, you should've be thinking about lookin stylish. It should be comfortable and not get in the way. That...and look professional.

I honestly think that kitchen staff needs to go back to the herringbone design, or at the very least a pinstripe or all black chef pant.

*shrug* Call me boring, but I think the chili pepper pants just look goofy.

p.s. Only thing that drives me nuts about chef's pants are the fact that I end up having to hem a good 6in off them so they fit my length.


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## hotchef (Jul 25, 2006)

..fair enough up to a ceratain point..
i wear black pants, 100% cotton BUT i do make allowance, they are that 'one size (nearly) fits all, with a rubber band around the waist instead of a belt. it is indeed more comfortable.
and most of the time still a white jacket, with thw rows of black buttons, a necktie and a long apron. and a hat, fair enough it is made of 'one way' materal but not paper. it is nothing nicer for me to go out into the restaurant and the guests can see the CHEF!


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## spicypickles (Apr 8, 2005)

the prints look goofy to me, I have a bunch of the grey/black stripe chef works pants and there tame enough. Maybe one day ill get some hot pink pants with yellow lobsters on them, just to cause a stir.


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## jox (Sep 22, 2006)

I dont know about any of you but I live in a very small town and stopped wearing my daggy chef pants not long after we moved here, as they had'nt seen anything like them...I was getting the clown comments etc...but have decided too bad !!! Dont know about the sandles and socks pickles, they may have been the fashion statement themselves !!


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## inabox (Nov 27, 2006)

i get mine from chepscrumbs.com the paints i get are the good old black and white ones, but one differance, a zipper, buttun and belt. there comfotable baggy and look like normal paints. if not for the colour i'd wear them out lol.


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## sugar (Jul 22, 2006)

I totally agree that chef wear largely makes people look a bit on the goofy side. Most of the pants balloon out and make women's butts look HUGE, and the coats, which are double breasted, make any women who has large breasts look like she has a BIG RACK. I agree that being a chef we shouldn't be so concerned about our looks and such since that won't affect the food in a way, but part of being confident with our selves is to feel good inside and out. It's not really saying that we should be shallow and ONLY focus on how we look on the outside, it's just if we look like a dork it's hard to feel confident. I struggled with this quite a bit in my youth working at Hot Dog on a Stick and having everybody walk by and laugh at my uniform. It did eventually build my character as I got older, but it sure made me feel uncomfortable as a young teenage girl.

I do wish there were more options for professional looking women's chef wear. Yes, there are coats that are fitted better, but they sure are spendy! I am going to switch to scrubs, and there are a few more options with fit styles etc. Try allheartchefs.com for some different options.


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## greenawalt87 (Jul 26, 2004)

I wear all those crazy pants and I work on a cattle ranch and the staff and guest love them . when I wear jeans the ask where are my pants. It takes a real man to wear gold and red pepper pants with kermit the frog green clogs. The pants should be baggy so when you spill something hot on yourself you can pull yopur pants away from your body so you do not get burnt.


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## mredikop (Dec 6, 2006)

First I will say I am working a "day job" as a sales rep for *Chefwear. *Yes our prices are a little higher but having compared Chefwear pants and jackets, personally, side by side with Culinary Classics, Chef Works, Dickey and even Bragard the quality really is there with Chefwear.

If anyone has any questions please let me know. I am happy to help out with a price break, advice in choosing what colors or patterns work best or are most popular etc.


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## steve a (Mar 13, 2006)

I own lots of 'work' pants. Most of them by choice are Chefwear because they ARE durable. Most that I own are better than 10 years old. While they may be a little faded, okay a little more than 'little,' they're in great shape.

Some of the other brands I have aren't near as durable, but then again, because of their lower costs, they're more often replaced. It's a trade off.

My suggestion is to wear the most comfortable pants you can get within the guidelines of your establishment.

Ciao,


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