Utility clothing and streetwear specialist with over 10 years' experience in customer advice, fit and fabric selection.
What are Cargo Pants?
The traditional cargo pants are utility khaki pants, distinguished from regular trousers by their cargo pockets. Cargo pockets are large patch pockets with a square shape located on the side of each leg, usually at the lower thigh. They are in addition to standard front pockets.
Cargo pockets are typically closed and secured with a snap or velcro and are pleated to expand, allowing for the storage of bulkier items.
The Origin of Cargo Pants
Cargo pants were first worn in 1938 by British military personnel. These pants were part of their combat uniforms. The original cargo pants featured one pocket on the side of the thigh and another on the front hip.
Cargo pants were first worn in the United States on military uniforms in the 1940s. Initially, side cargo pockets were only found on paratrooper uniforms, allowing them easy access to ammunition and radios.
The Start of the Cargo Pants Trend
Cargo pants appeared on the fashion scene in the mid-to-late 1990s. Following a “trickle-down” theory of how fashion spreads, cargo pants were first worn as fashion by urban hip-hop artists in the 1990s.
This trend expanded to the mass market; cargo pants were then ubiquitous at almost every men’s or women’s clothing retailer. Although the cargo pockets on most items are functional, they are often unused and worn only as decorative details.
Variations of Cargo Pants
For women, cargo pants are offered in a variety of softer fabrics and colors, sometimes with ribbons or embellishments.
American fashion designer Ralph Lauren introduced silk cargo pants as part of his 1998 fashion show. In addition to pants, the cargo pocket has appeared on jeans (cargo jeans), skirts, shorts, and capri pants. Cargo pockets have also been added to shirt sleeves, usually located between the shoulder and the elbow.
Cargo Pants Today
Although cargo pants are no longer as trendy as they were in the 1990s, they are gradually becoming a staple again for both men and women and appear in every imaginable style (streetwear, chic, workwear, baggy, etc.).
Furthermore, cargo pockets are still used as a functional detail. Men’s and women’s military uniforms, police uniforms, emergency service uniforms, and medical scrubs are available with cargo pockets on the pants.
