When I spotted that Netflix had added 2004 cult hit Mean Girls to its roster this month, I watched it to pad out a weekday evening, and not with fashion inspiration in mind. But during a scene where it’s mentioned that new It girl Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan, in arguably her best role) sported army pants with flip flops – a combination which inspires her fellow classmates to follow suit – I have to admit I paused the movie to dig out my own cargo trousers out.
I knew I had a fab pair (years old from Massimo Dutti), but much like all of my other trousers and jeans, had relegated them to the pre and post-pandemic side of my wardrobe. I’ve had my tapered khaki pair on rotation since, and can firmly say they’ve elevated my working-from-home wardrobe a treat.
While the utility trend regularly falls in and out of fashion, cargo trousers on the spring/summer catwalks of Louis Vuitton and Jacquemus hinted that the comeback was close. Some of our favourite high street haunts – from & Other Stories to All Saints to Warehouse – have a pair or two in their spring/summer collections.
They’re also just one of the ‘90s trends making a resurgence this season, and their return is perfectly timed: following The Year of the Jogging Bottom, a comfortable and stylish, but familiar, alternative is welcome. Here’s why cargo trousers are set to be a hit this season:
They offer a nostalgia hit…
…Which has been a lockdown saviour. We’ve long been looking to trends and pieces we wore pre-pandemic for a hit of nostalgia and optimism in one, but if you wore any of the most popular ‘90s trends (velour tracksuits and cowboy boots, we’re looking at you) the first time round, you’ll no doubt be a little wary. This time round, the cargo trouser is sleeker: think a stiff cotton cropped pair in a neutral shade and flattering high waist, rather than a baggy, low slung pair with hundreds of pockets.
There’s also the sustainability factor. Lockdown served to encourage a rise in conscious shopping, so rediscovering clothes and indulging in nostalgia has worked to keep fashion circular.
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