Tough and rugged, cargo trousers offer comfort with laid back style. Defined as casual loose-fitting trousers with many spacious pockets on the side of the thighs, they are also called khakis or utility trousers.
Army fatigues were the earliest type of cargo trousers. They were robust and baggy in shape to allow freedom of movement and comfort. Constructed of thick fabrics with tough stitching to endure wear and tear, they had large belt loops for special bullet belts. Many spacious pockets were stitched on to give somewhere to store compasses and maps with easy access. Since then, cargo trousers have been associated with outdoor activities and ruggedness.
Around the 1980s in the UK and the 1990s in the US, the fashion world modified the design of cargo trousers to suit the urban man. Preferred mainly in cottons or cotton blends, cargos are constructed in a robust style. The fabric is cut into rectangular panels to allow comfort at the knees and hips when bending. Large and thick stitches in either the same or a contrasting colour add to the style as well as increasing the strength of the trousers. Some cargo trousers can be turned into zip-off capris or shorts during summer by unfastening the zip or Velcro and detaching the lower portion. Obviously, they can be converted back into full-length trousers whenever needed. Another style is to roll up the hem of the trousers and secure the roll in place with either a snap, Velcro or buttons. Those designed especially for outdoor activities have water resistant seams. The pockets are made spacious by accordion folds, and large pocket flaps, secured with either Velcro or snaps provide security. They are perfect for youngsters, travellers, hikers and adventurers because there is so much room to carry personal items such as wallets, iPods, mobile phones, PDAs, film rolls, batteries, maps and money.
Cargo trousers were initially designed keeping the male physique in mind, but later the trend caught on with the women too. While keeping the baggy and many pocket style, cargo trousers for women took into account the female physique so the trousers were made tighter around the waist and wider around the hips.
Each season cargo trousers bounce back with interesting new patterns. Whether they have flared bottoms or a drawstring waist, more pockets or no pockets, each style is popular. Available in varying colours from pastels to bold colours, the most popular colours are earth tones like beige, fawn, brown, off-white, black, grey, dark navy and military green. Cargo trousers team up well with T-shirts and shirts, and allow you to make your own fashion statement.
