Camo Leggings

Camo Leggings

Camo Leggings | Women’s Camo Leggings | Ships Next Day

Camo leggings are about as close to perfect as casual wear gets. A proud heritage, eye-popping colors, the perfect blend of martial and feminine … It's a match made in heaven. They pair with an astonishing number of garments and accessories, and they’re fashionable enough that you can class them up and wear them as dressy attire. Leggings at a dressy event? Absolutely.

To people who say leggings are intimate wear that are not to be worn in public, we say ‘wanna fight about it?’. Like the soldiers who made it iconic, camo doesn’t go down without a fight. Never absent from the runway or the red carpet for very long, camo is never in bad taste. Camo leggings can be subtle or they can command attention. It all depends on the outfit, the coordination, and the personality of the woman bold enough to rock them.

History of Camo Leggings

Everyone knows that camo prints have their origins in the military. Few people remember, however, that several hundred years ago the goal of soldiers was not to blend in, but to stand out. Armies wore bright colors —for instance, the British “Red Coats” in the Revolutionary War—so the opposing sides knew who they were supposed to shoot or stab.

In the mid-1700s, military leaders began to realize the power of “guerilla warfare”, the ability to blend into the terrain and attack those brightly-dressed soldiers by surprise. Martial uniforms began to transition away from bright colors and toward earth tones 9especially green0 to blend in with foliage.

By World War I, the French slang word camouflage had entered popular English use to describe uniforms in multiple tones of green to provide maximum stealth capability. Camouflage prints evolved into different color palettes to suit the terrain—yellows for desert warfare, blues for marine warfare, white and gray for snow warfare. The digital age introduced pixelated camouflage, which was particularly effective at confusing or disrupting the view of observers from a distance.

So whence the transition from battlefield to runway? It seems to have stemmed from Andy Warhol. When he wasn’t framing images of soup cans, the famous pop artist also produced wall-art prints of military camouflage in various colors. These prints made camo top-of-mind for the glitterati who idolized Warhol. Camouflage was soon in-demand by elite designers and fashion houses.

This was at the height of the outcry against the Vietnam War. Protestors often wore camo ironically to express their opposition to the war.

John Galliano and Jean-Paul Gaultier designed extension collections around the camo theme. Camo also became a staple of fast fashion and urban wear, particularly in the hip-hop community.

People have strong feelings about the military, so the appropriateness of camo as civilian wear inspires lively debate. Nevertheless, camo is a print that refuses to die. It may fall out of fashion, but never for long—it always comes surging back.

What to wear with Camo Leggings

Boat-Neck Sweater

When you choose a snug bottom like leggings, a roomy top makes a great counterpoint. Try pairing your camo leggings with a loose boat-neck sweater for the perfect contrast. Consider a white, black, or light neutral color that coordinates with the camo print. It makes a great snuggle-up outfit, too.

Chunky Sweater

Leggings are a great element of a dressed-up autumn look. You can show a little leg while staying toasty during the cooler months. A solid color chunky-knit sweater is a great choice to put on top of camo leggings. It not only keeps you warm—it provides texture and contrast with the smooth, color-intensive presentation of the leggings.

Leather Jacket

Any way you slice it, camo leggings are an edgy, assertive look. Why not double down on that sentiment with the edgy, assertive outerwear that never goes out of style? A leather jacket paired with camo leggings exudes cool from every pore. Dress it up with your top and shoes, and you have a spicy approach to business casual.

Tunic Dress

A tunic dress adds modesty and mystery to the legging look, leaving something to the imagination while maintaining that eye-catching pop of color from the thigh down. It’s also casual, playful, youthful, and easy to layer with any number of sweater or outerwear selections.

Cardigan

Pairing a knit cardigan with your camo leggings adds a little snuggly, preppy girl-next-door charm to the strong statement of camo leggings. Try classic grey or an earth-tone solid color to add balance to the busy camo bottom.

Long-Sleeve Printed Tee

Camo leggings look amazing paired with a long-sleeved, baseball-style two-toned tee. A shirt like this is sporty and casual, making it the perfect complement for your martial leg styling. Choosing a long-sleeved tee gives you the chance to play around with prints to make unique statements to pair with your camo leggings.

Bomber Jacket

The bomber jacket has a military heritage that rivals camo—hence the name. They were developed as uniform wear for fighter pilots in WWI and WWII, the same era from which camo prints emerged. Pairing a lightweight bomber jacket with camo leggings creates a unified, attractive outfit that you can wear throughout the fall and winter.

Blue Denim Jacket

A blue denim jacket is a youthful statement of a girl who has style and not a care in the world. Cool blue also works wonders with the most popular tones you find in camo leggings—deep forest and olive greens. With the right shoes, they create a chic mix of casual and elegant.

Gray Suede Jacket

A grey suede jacket is a kind of “urban camouflage”—soft, matte texture that makes city girls blend in and look at peace with their surroundings. Add camo leggings, and you have an autumn outfit for the ages. It’s also infinitely touchable. Pair a dark-gray suede jacket with darker, subtle camo tones with minimal contrast.

Cami

Pairing your camo pants with a light or dark silk cami leans into the intimate nature of leggings. It conveys vulnerability without making you out to be a shrinking flower—it’s a power move. Pair them with strappy heels and some boss outerwear and you will project the unforgettable image of a powerhouse girly-girl who is not to be messed with.

Longline Coat

For women who want to rock a “unisex” look, they can leverage the masculine history of camo in their leggings, and complement it with a double-breasted wool coat or trenchcoat. If you want to turn a few extra heads, add some feminine drama to this androgynous outfit with some tasteful heels or wedges.

Sleeveless Mock Tee

It’s easy to pair camo leggings with a plain t-shirt or top. Why not add a little flair to the simple-top approach with a sleeveless mock-neck tee? It’s a fresh approach to a classic look.

Button-Down Top

Want to add just the right touch of class to take your camo pants to business casual, brunch, or happy hour? Layer on an untucked button-down top and show your friends and colleagues that for an artistic soul, camo leggings can go almost anywhere.

Faux-Fur Jacket

Ready to take your camo pants on a red carpet? Pair them with a faux-fur jacket and a smashing pair of heels. It strikes the perfect note of upscale and effortless—it’s like you’re not even trying. Smile for the paparazzi.

Infinity Scarf

A great scarf can be all the reason you need to leave the house in the cooler months. A bold infinity scarf makes a powerful statement when paired with an abbreviated garment like camo pants. Pair with your favorite sweaters and jackets and you’re ready to rock the fall in style.

Scoop-Neck Tee

Fall and winter aren’t the only time to pull out the camo leggings. Wear them into the warmer months with a breezy scoop-neck tee. Try long sleeves and light earth tones that both complement and contrast with the camo print.

Tall Boots

Camo leggings already do wonders for shapely legs. Tall boots take that effect to the next level. Pick the right color pairing, and you will draw attention to the boots and the leggings in just the right proportions for a chic, upscale look.

Wedge Boots

If camo leggings are designed to flatter your lower body, elevating your heels is just what you need to kick it up a notch. Wedge boots are perfect to add perky elegance to your outfit during the autumn months.

Booties

Pairing your camo leggings with booties is a nod to the military history of the camo print, but with a feminine twist. They’re just the right amount of cute and flirty to take your camo leggings out for a night on the town.

Sneakers

Leggings are inherently casual, which makes them the perfect accoutrement for a beloved pair of sneakers. From classic Converse to cushy running shoes, you can’t go wrong wearing cute sneakers with your camo leggings.

Heels

Just because leggings are casual, don’t be afraid to pair them with a pair of stunning high heels. Classy or sassy shoes create irresistible tension with the martial utility implied by the camouflage print. With an assertive top, heels and camo pants absolutely slay any competition in the game of one-upmanship.

Q&A Camo Leggings

Are camo leggings still fashionable?

Camo is one of the most consistently fashionable prints of all time. Its military heritage is above reproach, and new designers and subcultures keep returning to the camouflage well for inspiration.

Some critics believe that civilians should not wear camouflage, but this controversy is part of the appeal. If you want to make a strong statement, camo is one way to do it. It can be patriotic, ironic, aggressive, or anything in between.

Add the feminine intimacy of leggings into the mix, and you have an edgy statement piece that borders on timeless.

Are camo leggings flattering?

Few garments show off a shapely lower body better than well-fitting leggings. In fact, they border on scandalous, with some critics claiming they are more underwear than outerwear. But let them clutch their pearls. For women who want to show off banging legs and booty, leggings are a no-brainer.

Camo leggings are particularly good at showing off while preserving the mystery. The camo pattern is designed to confuse the eye. Dark camo patterns help disguise imperfections, while the camouflage itself hints at allure while leaving plenty to the imagination.

What do you wear with camo leggings?

Leggings are the essence of casual wear—some people think they don’t belong in public, restricting them to lounge wear. For bold souls who want to make a statement outside of the house, the choice is whether to dress your camo leggings up, or lean into casual mode.

If you want to transform your camo pants to business casual or even upscale attire, choose sexy boots or sleek heels and cap the whole thing off with stunning outerwear and your best accessories for the perfect counterpoint. Casual? Sneakers and a t-shirt or roomy sweater will take you far.

What top goes with camo leggings?

We love leggings because they keep you warm without burying you in fabric. Because they are snug, they tend to work well with roomy tops to contrast them. You can also try out layers with them to spectacular effect—for example, a v-neck pullover under a sassy denim jacket or leather jacket.

Camo leggings are also colorful, so consider going with whites, blacks, or earth tones in your tops to let that color stand out. You can contrast the shade of your leggings, or lean into it—dark top with dark camo leggings, for example.

What shirt goes with black camo leggings?

Whatever style of shirt you decide to wear with your black camo leggings, consider making it a solid color. Your black camo pants will draw enough attention (and flatter your lower body) without having to fight with a loud or busy top.

You can pair black camo leggings with a printed top—possibly white, black, or gray with a colorful print. Your black camo leggings will be the perfect accent to complement a statement shirt.