Mens Camo Shorts And Their Popularity

You are a man. Looking cool is important. You harbor faint hopes that you'll one day perform some useful and vigorous physical tasks. To complete those tasks you'll need certain clothing: a good pair of cargo shorts. They are the ultimate utilitarian statement, purely practical with no compromise for styling or fashion. With their multiple pockets, and pockets within pockets, they are worn by builders, plumbers, fitters and men who work outdoors with their hands where the array of tools, phones, cards and keys are what gets you through the day. And wait, they even have a special design for stealth purposes.

There seems to be a definite fashion angle with many camo and cargo shorts, which is probably what informs their street cred nowadays. The Seattle grunge music scene of the early 1990s, which gave us Nirvana, Soundgarden and Green River among others, is closely linked with a relaxed style, or at least a vision of American working class culture, for which such items of clothing fitted the bill. Soon any cycle courier riding fixed-wheel bikes would ensure loose fitting shorts complemented their trendy messenger bags. These short were ideal for holding radios, papers, maps and repair tools, in addition to keeping the rider cool and comfortable.

Camo cargo shorts, which had only been available from a few selelct sources and sometimes only from the specialist army surplus shops that were appearing on our high street, suddenly took on a new level of desirability. Who knows how many impulse buyers also came out of those places with tank driving gloves or army winter overcoats? Camouflage had a brief season in the high fashion spotlight around the mid 1990s, with practically everything from socks to skinny vest tops carrying the design. You would literally blend into the background wearing it. Then it started to get silly, resulting in pink camouflage, which some say is kept in stock by troops for exceptional circumstances. It did momentarily bounce back in 2001 with Destiny's Child's video for Survivor, but that was perhaps its last throw of the dice in the fashion stakes. Except, that is, for the cargo shorts community, which nonchalantly weathered the high fashion storms with barely a sideways glance.

Today's wearers of cargo shorts, which look set to retain their pratical status for many, include the BMXers and skateboarders we know and love from our suburban precincts. They still have the power to look a tad rebellious and slovenly when worn in the proper context. But Uncle Jack loves them too especially when he does a bit of gardening or washes his cars. They are a true working class hero of the fashion world.

Replica cargo shorts are one thing but a pair of originals is something special. Vintage clothing stores will turn up some great examples of 90s and noughties cargoes, and you might even be able to imagine they were worn in a Seattle mosh pit at the height of the Sub Pop generation. Whether you go desert beige, blue, camouflage or green, they make a cool summer look with just a hint of edge. And of course pockets for everything.