In a twist of events, I’ve rather stuck with a pair of camo-print cargo pants. In fact, I’ve had them out for almost an entire week, wearing them with everything from cashmere sweaters to pretty blouses and cotton tees. It’s a surprising turn of events because I’ve had a bit of an aversion to camo print since I met my husband. 2003. When we first met he was crazy – wearing camo pants, a camo shirt, a camo jacket and I’m pretty sure he had camo print trainers. It was like dating a giant Action Man.
Anyway, it single-handedly managed to get me down, and apart from a great cotton jacket I got from Hush a few years ago, I’ve pretty much avoided camo in its ubiquitous ‘various shades of green’ form. So far.
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It is the cutting of these Me+Em cargo pants* which I love, the way they fall in such a relaxed way from the hip? Or have I finally realized that these many and varied subtle shades of green, all mixed together, make a print that is extremely easy on the eye? There is a saying that “leopard is neutral” – and I agree – but camo is even better at blending seamlessly into the background. (Quite literally. It’s designed to be the ultimate neutral, when you think about it – as long as you’re standing in dense forest or lying in bushes.)
Me + Em camo cargo pants, here* and olive jumper, here*
I think it’s both the cut and the print that make me love them. And, perhaps, a touch of nostalgia. The pants make me feel like I’ve gone back in time and managed to become the fifth member of Saints Day. They make me feel like I can take on any physical challenge despite having the upper body strength of a two month old. When I wear them, they completely change my demeanor – I positively walked around London in these the other day, feeling a bit like Bruce Willis in Die hard. I had an overwhelming urge to throw myself into a bit of parkour every time I went up a set of stairs or crossed a bridge, and when my train was held up on the tracks outside of Paddington without explanation, I was more than ready to pounce. the window between the carriages, roll commando through it and save my own skin.
Worn with a Sézane T-shirt, here*
I also found myself getting sloppy, which I would say is the only downside to these cargo pants. I couldn’t sit in a chair without my knees being at least eighty centimeters apart, which is quite the angle I can tell you. It’s not a foot position one usually adopts unless they’re doing gymnastics or something vaguely gynecological. Or they have a penis. Because it seems to be an unwritten rule that if you have a penis, you should spread your legs wide to give it enough breathing room – it shouldn’t be crowded – and to allow enough cold air to circulate around it easily and efficiently. (The ratio appears to be one cubic meter of airspace for every six inches of penis, although I have to admit that my scientific study in this area has a pretty flawed methodology. So the fact that I’m just guessing.)
I don’t have a penis, but I still find myself stretching out in the camo pants. Resting up for the fantastic parkour I’m about to do, stretching my old thigh muscles. It must be a camo print side effect because I just don’t seem to close my knees while wearing it, it’s like they repel each other.
And that’s not the only worrying development: I’m also constantly tempted to use the extra pockets on cargo pants. Those located in the middle of the foot. Obviously I’ve done my best to resist, even though it’s the perfect replacement for a bag: credit cards in one knee pocket, iPhone in the other. You could fit a paperback in there, for crying out loud. But I shouldn’t allow it – I’m not Bear Grylls. I don’t want to wake up one day and find that I’ve booked a solo bivouacking expedition in the mountains of Peru so I can fill my many pockets with foil blankets, balls of twine, and endless boxes of water purification tablets.
This is where madness lies.
Anyway, I really like the pants. I instantly warm to any outfit that can be worn with trainers and doesn’t shrink in the wash, but these are definitely something special. They have a sleek cut (I mean, they’re Me+Em, so of course they do) and pair beautifully with more delicate tops as well as the ever-useful chunky knit.
Worn with MABE clothing blouse, last season
You can find the Camo Cargo Pants at Me+Em here* – They’ll look great in the spring with a t-shirt and a little Chanel-ish jacket and will work all summer long, except on the hottest days, with a ribbed vest and flip flops. A proper wardrobe staple for all year round. Size down unless you like things incredibly loose – I’m wearing a UK8 here and it’s usually a 10-12.
Read more fashion posts….
Worn with Arket Cashmere Jumper, here* and Fitflop Rally Knit trainers, here*
I think the aforementioned “character-changing clothing” needs further discussion: is there a certain type of clothing that makes you behave in a completely different way? If I wear cowboy boots, for example, I definitely have more swagger when I walk. If I ever wear knee socks, I can’t help but talk in a baby voice. Please tell me it’s not just me…
