Go the cargo way like Alia Bhatt, Gigi Hadid, Sara Ali Khan and more

In summer or winter, cargo pants are useful and stylish. Take fashion inspiration from celebrities who are rocking these pants come rain or shine

Army pants, cargos, combat trousers, parachute, utility or camo pants — these bottoms are known by many names. While the US military had a utilitarian purpose for its design during World War II, it got a new lease of life when these pants were featured in the 2004 film Mean Girls.

Still from Mean Girls (2010)

With several pockets, service people were able to carry with them their equipment, travel essentials like a compass or map, and even food and water, if needed. With several pockets, they make the perfect pair of pants for women, who usually don’t have any pockets of varying lengths in their pants. During the 1990s, these pants saw a boom, as civilians and celebrities welcomed cargos with open arms. They were a fashion staple for musicians like rapper Eminem, singers Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears and even the rock band Linkin Park.

Alia Bhatt styled her Sunira Designs fit with a floppy hat, brown and white heels, and a textured belt (Instagram)

Now, a scroll through social media and a glance at the clothing racks in stores, you are bound to notice that they are having a resurgence as model Gigi Hadid rocks the model-off-duty look in her all-grey fit or groutfit. Singer Jennifer Lopez was also spotted wearing a monochromatic beige fit, featuring cargo pants.

Gigi Hadid in head-to-toe grey with a cut-out tank top and satin cargo pants (Instagram)

Closer home, actor Alia Bhatt flaunted her casual chic style in summer whites, with a chikankari shirt, cargo pants and a hat. On the other hand, actor Sara Ali Khan showed that cargos can be elevated with satin pants paired with a sexy spaghetti strap top.

Elevate your cargo flair à la Sara Ali Khan with polished fabrics like satin or silk (Instagram)

Karishma K Tanna wore a strapless olive green cargo jumpsuit from Appapop and paired it with black Nike sneakers. She opted to keep her makeup to the minimum and got for a nude lipstick.

Stylist Lorraine Gonzalves believes cargo pants are a timeless and versatile piece. “I think they can’t go out of style keeping the fact that they keep our hands less occupied with the number of pockets they usually have,” she says.

Stylist Lorraine Gonzalves shares some styling tips:

Mix and match your tops. Pair cargos with a cropped or baby tee, and a tube top or bodysuit like singer-actor Jennifer Lopez for a casual vibe.

Cargos are usually wide-legged and loose-fitting. Wear a fitted top like actor Mrunal Thakur’s corset. You can add some visual interest by wearing a satin blouse or shirt like actor Sara Ali Khan.

Showing her sporty side, Karishma K Tanna in a strapless olive green cargo jumpsuit from Appapop (Instagram)

Previously, cargos were very neutral and limited in terms of shades. Nowadays, they are available in several colours and fabrics like the ones worn by actor Alia Bhatt or model Gigi Hadid. It allows for experimentation now.

While neutral pants are easy to style on a day-to-day basis, bold colours like the pink pants worn by actor Nora Fatehi make a strong style statement.

Footwear makes the fit go from casual to polished in a second. For a relaxed look, wear sneakers or boots like actor Karishma K Tanna, or pointy flats like Nushrratt Bharuccha to look elegant.

Add personality by accessorising with belts, shoes, chunky earrings and chains to reflect the vibe you are going for.