Trendy and stylish cargo pants

Cargo pants, a heavyweight style of trouser designed to withstand rough outdoor activities, are also popular today as casual wear for men and women. Easily identified by the many pockets and pouches attached to the outside, cargo pants were used to carry a variety of useful outdoor equipment, such as knives, maps, compasses and other small items.

In their more fashionable forms, the pockets are still functional, but rarely used. Sewing your own cargo pants is much like sewing a normal pair of trousers, only with many more embellishments placed to reflect the laid-back military look of the 1980s.

New colorations are another strong factor in bringing the cargo pant to the forefront of fashion again. Basic dun and khaki are just the tip of the iceberg. Bleached-out pastels are a hit in juniors and girls–look for neon in 2004–while special-ops-inspired black is a winner in men’s and boys.

Cargo pants keep holding their own across men’s, children’s and especially, women’s wear. Inspired by runway reinventions from Balenciaga, the updated look is prevalent in brands from Bisou Bisou at JCPenney to Faded Glory at Wal-Mart.

It seemed as if these pants had barely made their way to the back of dresser drawers since their last major spike in popularity about four years ago, but this time around, they are more eye-catching designs that belie their utilitarian origins.

A broad variety of sizes, shapes and placements are keeping their hallmark pockets exciting to consumers. Dropped sash waists and cropped lengths are on fire in women’s and girls.