Cargo Pants - Should guys still be wearing them?

It is always fun to look back at old fashion styles from bygone eras. If for no other than reason to mock those that were unfortunate enough to have pictures of themselves wearing clothes from that bygone era. Fashion is one of those things that is cyclical in nature. We have seen many examples of that over time. From bell bottom jeans to skinny jeans and a host of shoe styles such as cowboy boots and wing tip dress shoes. The list can go on and on. However, there are certain fashions that probably should stay buried. Recently, I have noticed a national debate on Facebook started as a result of some articles on Inside Hook and the Wall Street Journal concerning the wearing of cargo style pants. I have somewhat strong feelings on this as I was a wearer of cargo shorts (not the long pants) back in the mid to late 90's and into the early 2000's. I loved wearing them, but even for me there came a time when that had to stop.

Lets frame the issue before we move into the analysis. Cargo pants have been around since the 1940's in one form or another and were originally made to fit a military need for more storage space that didn't involve a backpack or utility belt. Flash forward to the 1990's where teen retailers like Abercrombie and Fitch and Gap ignited a renewed sense of enthusiasm for the roomier and bulkier pants. This was primarily a style related passion for the most part, although one can make the argument that as cell phones became ubiquitous, a need for a larger pocket could be seen as a valid reason. Whatever the reasons that men started to buy them, this fad lasted well into the 2000's until about 2007 or so when the backlash in the fashion industry really started up.

The interesting thing I have learned from this debate is that cargo shorts sales declined for the first time in a decade over this past year! Hold the phone!! Seriously? How can that be? Do I see guys wearing cargo shorts still? I don't know if I have paid that close of attention. I live in an area where fashion is important to most and city life requires you to have at least some modicum of style to be accepted. So perhaps I am insulated from the areas where cargo shorts are still the norm. It is not outside the realm of possibility for those that still wear them to be clinging to a style that worked for them when younger. You see that in every generation. So this is not some new phenomenon. Guys tend to go with what they know in terms of fashion, even when what they know is so horribly out of date that they may as well wear a kick me sign on their back.

So the question is doctor, can a man wear cargo shorts/pants without the withering disapproving stares of people around them? Or perhaps a marriage ending ultimatum from their spouse? This issue has formed sides quickly and it is interesting to me how strongly people feel about this topic. Frankly, I had not thought about cargo shorts in a long time. I no longer own any. I am one of the believers that cargo shorts had their place and time in my life, but no longer. However, I can see the utility in wearing them when appropriate. So I guess I don't feel completely on one side or the other of the argument. Also it seems that today's cargo shorts are much more in line with current fashion trends. Gone are the big baggy style with the huge pockets. More current versions seem to be more slim and the pockets reasonable in size. In fact in a few examples the cargo style pockets just replace the in line pockets found in most shorts today. So its not like there is any extra storage capacity.

In my humble opinion, and by know means am I a fashion expert, but the only appropriate situation where cargo pants would be preferred is long walks where you may need easy access to certain items that you would normally carry around (keys, phone, wallet, sandwich) plus a few additional items related to your activity (bear spray, knife, cans of beer). This would include hiking, amusement park visits (especially with children which is why the need for beer is in play), and zombie apocalypse or some other world ending event where motorized transportation is no longer available. Other than that, there really is no NEED for which putting on cargo pants is acceptable. In fact, if you have any clothes that are older than 10 years in your current wardrobe cycle, you should probably get rid of them or store them in the attic until they come back into fashion. Even for a guy who is generally very fashion challenged, I understand the need to update my wardrobe every year with at least a few items of more current styling. I would not go out and buy cargo pants as part of the annual update.

Also, if you are single and ever hope to find a beautiful partner to live out your existence with, you should definitely not be wearing cargo pants. She will sense weakness and move in for the kill.

Look guys, I know. The shorts are comfortable, functional and are a better option than visiting the mall to find new shorts. However, do yourself a favor here and just put the cargo pants away. Go store them with all of the hiking gear that you always meant to use for hiking, but is actually collecting dust in the garage or attic. Furthermore, one can find many other options for carrying additional items that do not easily fit in your pockets. People have been walking around with backpacks for years. So lets leave the cargo pants in the 90's and move on to something far more serious, slim jeans! This advice could save your marriage.