Camo Pants for Women

Camo Pants for Women

Camo Pants for Women l Stylish, Modern & Comfy Camo Pants

It’s ironic that camo pants were designed to blend in because fashion-forward ladies do not wear them to fade into their surroundings. They wear them to stand out. From skinny to baggy, paired with sporty sneakers or sultry stilettos, camo pants draw attention to the legs and speak volumes—everything from tough and androgynous, to feminine and sexy.

And the colors … who doesn’t love an outfit that makes bold use of color? Of course, you can go with classic green and brown, made famous by the original garments that helped soldiers go unseen in forest warfare.

But camo pants have not stayed put and refuse to be stereotyped. As fashionistas the world over have embraced them, celebrities and influencers have sported camo pants in bright blues, oranges, yellows, and everything in between. Camo pants are the movie stars among garments; the only rule is that there are no rules, a universe of hot outfits can be built around them.

History of Camo Pants

The goal of military uniforms has not always been to blend in. Think of the British “Redcoats.” Soldiers wore their colors like team jerseys, so you could tell at a glance who you were supposed to shoot.

With individual lives considered expendable in service to the King, medieval power brokers waged war like modern rugby matches, smashing crowds of men together until someone surrendered or everyone was dead.

In the American Revolution, the Redcoats lost to the technologically inferior American militias in part because the Americans adopted “guerrilla” warfare: sneak attacks that utilized the terrain to gain the element of surprise. Soldiers began to favor green and brown clothing so they could blend in with trees and shrubs.

The term “camouflage,” a French slang term, entered the English vocabulary in World War I, when many English soldiers wore uniforms in multiple shades of green and brown to blend into the French countryside as much as possible.

Camouflage, or “camo” for short, has remained standard-issue for soldiers ever since, with different tones evolving to suit different terrains—yellows to fight in deserts, white and gray to fight in the snow, etc. Modern camo uniforms use “pixelated” patterns that effectively confuse the eye from long distances.

Fashion historians often attribute to Andy Warhol the transition of camo prints from the military to high society. The pop-art impresario framed camo prints as wall art for trendy exhibitions.

Fashion designers took notice—with so many appealing color combinations and patterns, this once-drab military uniform began to appear on runways. Jean-Paul Gaultier and John Galliano designed collections around camo.

It also began to appear at protests. Opponents of the Vietnam War often wore camo outfits ironically, to identify themselves as militant against the overseas bloodshed. Non-military personnel wearing camo prints became controversial; some people regarded it as disrespectful to those who serve.

In recent years, camo has become a staple of fast fashion, as well as a staple of urban wear embraced by hip hop culture.

What do women usually wear with camo pants?

One of the biggest things to love about camo pants is their versatility. Camo pants are really only limited by the color of the print. Surprisingly, they tend to be the most colorful and attention-grabbing aspect of the outfit.

Like the focal point of a room, the rest of your outfit gets built around camo pants. If you want to pair them with colorful tops and shoes, the colors need to work together. Alternatively, pairing them with whites, blacks, and neutral tones gives the colorful pants an opportunity to shine.

Examples of garments to pair with your camo pants include:

White Tee

A white tee-shirt goes with everything. It’s the blank canvas on which you can build any outfit. With a classy or casual white tee as your top, your camo pants become the star of the show. A perfect casual outfit to wear with sneakers … but dress them up with some heels, and the outfit becomes surprisingly dressy.

Denim Jacket

When camo pants default to casual, the classic casual outerwear is the denim jacket. Pairing cool blue or gray denim tones with cool green camo print results in a showstopper of an outfit. Feminine denim jackets add flirty charm to contrast with the martial attitude of the camo pants.

Leather Jacket

The leather jacket takes the flirty insouciance of the denim jacket and ups the ante with a healthy dose of attitude. A woman in camo pants and a leather jacket is someone you want to meet—but no one you want to mess with. Adding a leather jacket is the perfect go-to look for an assertive woman to take the town by storm and get what she came for.

Camo Jacket

If you’re feeling really sassy, double down on the camo look. If you pick a camo jacket that matches your camo pants, you will start to look like a woman in uniform—but that can actually be a fantastic urban look. Alternatively, you can pick subtle contrasts in your camo prints to create a one-of-a-kind impression.

Trench Coat

A nude trenchcoat is a classy, upscale accent and one of the only outerwear garments that can truly compete for attention with the camo pants. Consider pairing it with a dark, subtle camo print that could almost be mistaken for black slacks or chinos—but on further inspection it reveals itself to be far more dramatic.

Crop Top

If you want the uniform of a sexy, assertive hip hop street dancer, you want camo pants paired with a crop top. This look has sass and sex appeal to spare. It works with baggy camo pants and sneakers just as well as it works with snug camo pants and heels. Either way, look out, world.

Tube Top

A tube top is a similarly aggressive choice to pair with baggy or skinny camo pants. Want to up the ante even more? Try a cropped tube top, in either white or black. This outfit will make you look like one of Beyonce’s back-up dancers—sexy and confident for days.

Tank Top

If you want to come back to earth a little, but still keep it sexy and summer-ready, try pairing your camo pants with a flirty tank top in white, black, or earth tones. This looks fantastic with heels and just the minimum of accessories: a necklace, shades, and a summery hat. Cami

Take the tank-top-and-camo-pants concept up a notch with a little sultry lingerie flair. A cami contrasts the military masculinity of traditional camo pants with boudoir femininity. This look is especially effective with heels. Watch the heads turn, and be wary of causing traffic jams and fender benders with your nuclear sex appeal.

Pullover

When the cooler weather comes back, a perfect way to wear snuggly camo pants is to throw a pullover on top. A baggy pullover with skinny camo pants and booties makes a smashing impression in the fall. Choose earth-toned pullovers that don’t clash with the color palate of the camo pants.

Graphic Tee

You don’t have to go plain on top to accommodate the loudness of your camo pants. Why not pair them with a white or black graphic tee? As long as you coordinate the colors, the graphic won’t clash—in fact, it will add artsy pop and drama to an already dramatic outfit.

White Button-Down

Want to wear your camo pants to the office? It would have to be a pretty creative office, but to bring camo into the realm of business casual, try pairing snug camo pants with classy heels and a white button-down. It instantly dresses up the look, especially when paired with conservative earrings and stylish eyewear frames.

Cardigan

Another way to make your camo pants a little more preppy and conservative is to throw on a neutral or argyle cardigan. The “girl-next-door” vibe provides an appealing contrast to the androgynous affect of the camo pants. Try wearing your cardigan with snug camo pants and booties or heels. The perfect casual look for a new school year.

Sweatshirt

As winter approaches, it will be time to layer. One of the best ways to cut the cold while continuing to rock your camo pants is to cover it up with a cute sweatshirt. Like the cardigan, it gives a scholastic look to the outfit, but it’s also a little more sporty and dressed-down. Try a neutral sweater. If it has a print, make sure it doesn’t clash with the camo pants.

Sneakers

Since camo pants are inherently casual, they are a natural match for your favorite pair of sneakers. Snug camo pants work perfectly with Chucks or Vans, while baggy camo pants pair well with Nike or Adidas athletic shoes. You can either go all-casual with this approach, or use the casual footwear to sass up a dressy top.

Booties

If you want to split the difference between dressy and casual, booties are the way to go. Camo pants are so versatile you can put almost anything on top when you choose a flexible shoe like an ankle-high bootie, either with or without a heel or platform. Don’t be afraid to try blingy booties either—the feminine pizzazz will contrast perfectly with the martial camo print.

Heels

Camo pants with heels? You better believe it. Pairing heels with skinny camo pants results in an outfit that has sex appeal to spare. You can put on almost any neutral top and this look will kill. With the right outerwear, heels and camo pants will look right at home on the runway or red carpet.

Q&A Camo Pants For Women

What are camo pants?

“Camo pants” can be used to describe any pant that features a multicolored “camouflage” print, in the tradition of military camouflage. Earthy greens and browns are the most traditional color for the print, but camo pants have evolved to feature every color of the rainbow, from blue to fire-orange.

Camo pants vary not only in color but also in style. Almost any variety of pant can be augmented by the camo print, including baggy pants, skinny chinos, leggings, cargo pants—really any pant style you can think of, you can find them with a camo print.

Why do women wear camo pants?

Women wear camo pants for a variety of reasons—most of all, to look sexy and make a statement. The bold colors and martial heritage identify the woman who chooses them as assertive and capable.

Women also love camo pants because they are casual and versatile—as long as the colors don’t clash, you can pair them with a vast variety of tops, outerwear garments, and shoes. Camo pants also play a key role in several style profiles, such as urban hip-hop wear.

How do I determine which camo pants are good for me?

If you want to accentuate your legs, hips, and shoes, consider slim-fit or skinny camo pants. If you want to be more subtle with your lower body or draw more attention to your top and torso, baggy camo pants might be the way to go.

Consider your tones. If you have a warmer skin and/or hair tone, try warmer camo colors, like olive green or orange. For cooler skin and hair tones, greens, blues, or grays may be the way to go. Autumn and winter complexions favor dark and earth tones, while spring and summer complexions reward bright colors.

Should I buy camo pants?

Yes! They are attractive, exciting, and versatile. You can find them in a variety of colors and fits—there’s a camo pant for everyone. You can wear them to a variety of situations, from daytime casual to a night out and even some upscale or formal settings.

They are creative, fun, and flirty—androgynous and feminine, depending on how you wear them. Buy a great pair of camo pants, and you will immediately add dozens of new outfit possibilities to your wardrobe.

Are camo pants for women still in style?

Absolutely—in fact, they never went out of style. Camo pants tend to come into special favor during periods of high-fashion revival. If fashion is suddenly everywhere and supermodels or designers become celebrities, look for camo pants to make a comeback.

Camo pants aren’t a flash-in-the-pan fad—they have a rich heritage tied to the military. They will probably never go out of style. Instead, they will find new niches, like the current urban-wear craze for camo. As styles and tastes evolve, you will find new uses for your camo pants and fun new outfits to build.