Modern camouflage dates to the First World War, when the French army set up a dedicated camouflage unit in 1915 and recruited artists to design disruptive patterns. Camo pants took that idea out of the trenches and into streetwear and fashion. This edit gathers the best camo pants available now.

 

The first eight are camo jeans, which is the easiest way into the pattern because the denim cut already feels familiar. ASKK NY's Virginia ankle jean and its pink camo Carpenter are the softer ones, Hudson's Rylee and Edikted's Soya are the low slung Y2K pair, and DKNY Jeans and Silver Jeans Co. keep the shape classic. Blue Revival adds sequins to the camo, and ASKK NY's Twisted Barrel jean in a floral camo is the one for anyone who wants the pattern to read as a print first.

Wide-leg and relaxed camo pants make up the rest of the edit. Edikted does most of the sweatpant versions, from the Allen wide leg to the Lumielle foldover, and Sanctuary's Rebel and Hiker pants are the cargo ones. Fashion Nova fills out the cargo and flare cuts, from the Roll Call to the Eliza flare.

 

Newer here are the adidas Camouflage Adilenium track pants for a sporty day, Lioness's drawstring Aura pants for a baggy fit, R13's Reversible Utility pants in a loud tiger stripe camo, and Nili Lotan's Shon pants in a zebra stripe camo. ASKK NY's wide leg is the dressier pair, the one I would wear with a black knit and flat shoes. Style the rest with a plain top, so the pattern does the talking.

Keep everything else in the outfit simple, such as a white tee and clean sneakers. Camo pants look best when the pattern is the only loud thing.

 

Pair the ASKK NY wide leg with a black knit, and the Cinq à Sept Love Camo Zola with a white tee and a ballet flat so the bright greens read as a print, not a uniform. With the sweatpants and track pants, go the other way: a fitted top and a clean shoe keep them looking chosen rather than lazy. What I would skip is camo on top and bottom together, because that is where the uniform look starts. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Khaki Pants and Linen Pants Women Actually Want to Rewear All Summer.