As one in all Who What Wear UK’s resident Gen Z style editors, particularly one who prides themselves on in search of out the area of interest tendencies circling the zeitgeist, there’s nothing I take pleasure in greater than a divisive pattern. Be it Napoleon jackets or layered T-shirts, there are a number of trending gadgets doing the rounds proper now that could possibly be deemed controversial, and they’re actually dividing the Who What Wear workplace. Is it stylish or cheesy? Are we within the midst of a revival, or just one other fleeting TikTookay fad? When my editor antenna piqued on the camo-print trousers pattern flooding my social media feed, the pack was already cut up. So, I figured that letting you determine simply may be the very best factor.
To me, camo-print trousers have all the time been a signifier of cool. With navy origins, these unfastened trousers have been designed for utility and are sometimes completed with massive, cargo-style pockets and cozy adjustable waistlines. Yet it is the unmistakable sample, historically a mismatched array of inexperienced, that makes them distinguishable.
When I consider camo-print trousers, I’m immediately transported to peak Y2K. From All Saints to Destiny’s Child’s now-iconic “Survivor” music video to that scene in Spice Worldlots of the period’s finest lady bands have been usually awash with camo. I’d even go so far as to say that the print’s connotations of energy and power helped push the pioneering “girl power” message of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s.
(Image credit score: Getty Images)
With style being so cyclical, and a plethora of Y2K tendencies having already made an affect for the second time round up to now few years (suppose child tees, capri leggings, babydoll clothes and even denim miniskirts), it was solely a matter of time till camo-print trousers had the comeback they deserve. Last summer season, we noticed some trendy Bermuda shorts on this print, typically with flip-flops, different occasions with knee-high boots. I additionally seen just a few camo miniskirts paired with satin ballet flats on my feeds, too. But as we’re within the midst of winter, proper now, it’s all concerning the trousers.
Camouflage pants have been, in fact, initially designed for the navy to mix into their environments while in fight, however satirically, they’re now worn by London and New York’s best-dressed to face out from the gang. Nowadays, this pattern is undeniably rooted in streetwear, and while it won’t be one for the classicists amongst us, whether or not styled with boots and a sweeping black maxi coat or paired with a easy white vest or tee, I can’t assist however be swayed each time I spot a pair.