Several years ago I wrote off Dockers. The pants, regardless of the fit - classic, relaxed, straight - were extremely dumpy. Even the straight fit provided way too much loose fabric in the lower leg quadrant. The classic fit? I could practically fit my whole body in just one of the legs! The classic fit is more like a sleeping bag than a pair of pants! Then Dockers began experimenting with a slim fit, but this fit was way too slim. What about a pant for a healthy American man, tall and robust, trim, but not concentration camp skinny? One cold November day at Macy's years ago, I conceded defeat. "I'll never find a nice Dockers trouser that works for me!"
Never let anyone tell you a mass market trouser company cannot change. Within the past year or so, Dockers has reinvented itself, becoming, in this pant writer's opinion, the premiere middle brow, business casual, American public university-educated, men's pant supplier. If you work in middle management, at a less than elite company, in education or the non-profit world, or simply want to look like you're a well dressed Kohl's shopper who wears reasonably decent clothing but doesn't make too, too much money or at least doesn't care about wearing very expensive clothes, Dockers is for you.
I personally look pretty good with the Slim Tapered fit, although the Athletic Tapered fit is also nice. The Athletic Tapered fit provides a little extra room in the crotchal and buttockal regions, while maintaining a pretty nice silhouette and allowing for a nice break at the bottom of the trouser.
My current main issue is length for the Dockers pants. The 32 inseam can be a slight bit too short, but the 34 inseam, the next highest size, is too long. I recently purchased a pair of Dockers Slim Tapered pants with the 34 inseam, and had them tailored, asking for a simple 1 inch reduction. When I tried on my pants after the tailoring, the pants are still too long! It seems like taking another inch would bring them down to 32, making them that slightly too short length. Should I get another half inch taken off? Please help!
