admin I’m not ashamed to admit it—when I first heard of the return of “cargo pants” I was sceptical to say the least. Like most Millennnials who wore them the first time around, the cargo or “utility trouser” conjured up images of ultra-wide, rustling trousers in camouflage print, covered in pockets and usually some superfluous straps, the kind of thing we confidently wore to the school disco with a sparkly halter-neck top. But now, the cargo trouser has undergone a fashionable update. In 2023 there are fewer pockets, softer fabrics, and a refined colour palette, and after seeing just about everyone from Emily Ratajkowski to Jennifer wearing them, I have been convinced—there’s actually a lot to love about cargo pants.
Most often you’ll find me in a pair of jeans or strong tailoring when I’m heading into the office, but cargo trousers are perfect for occasions that require dress-down comfort and business-casual. You may not believe it but, the styling possibilities of these baggy trousers are endless, making them a worthy investment piece. The loose-legged silhouette is currently taking over, and as we swap our skinnies for low-slung boyfriend jeans, the cargo is the comfier, and more polished alternative that you can wear with everything from heels to trainers (and dare I say it, an ankle boot).
The Frankie Shop first grabbed my attention with a seriously chic, tailored take on the cargo trouser that changed everything I thought I knew about utility styling. Suddenly denim jackets and baby tees were no longer the only option, and any trouser that works with my full roster of blazers gets my seal of approval. As anyone in the Who What Wear office will tell you, I also own a lot of waistcoats, and after Caroline Cook wore her Frankie Shop cargos with a grey vest, I was sold on the high/low pairing of tailoring and casual cargo. It’s both functional and fashionable, what more could a girl could want?
