As fashion trends continue to pull back from head-to-toe athletic looks, cargo pants have vaulted to the head of the line to take the place of sweatpants. Since last summer, we’ve seen the look worn by the fashion world’s most stylish whether Rihanna baby bumping in a camo pair by The Attico, Bella Hadid in a cargo skirt by Coperni or Kendall Jenner making a summer white statement in a pair by Local European (now sold out along with all the label’s cargo styles!).
How to Style Extra Big Cargo Pants
While still comfy and cozy, cargo pants are a tad more tailored and thus more versatile than sweatpants. Because cargo pants are roomier and by their nature associated with the great outdoors, they are best balanced by a more substantial shoe like a Solomon trail sneaker. Given the shoe will be mostly covered, hightop sneakers don’t make a lot of sense. For a dressier look, pair your cargos with a with a pair of strappy sandals and take a page out of Rihanna’s page by pairing a military green or khaki pair with a bright-white or crystal-covered sandal.
While the look is very much relaxed with the waist sitting at the hips or lower, some silhouettes (like Motel Rocks and Dion Lee‘s now sold out parachute pants) offer a drawstring closure at the hem that can be worn loose with pull strings purposely left dragging or pulled tight and paired with heels.
Staying true to a combined military and work ethos, cargo pants are most commonly offered in army green, khaki or grey. That said, for those who are simply going to brunch and don’t want to look like they’re on a tactical mission, there are options in other colors.
Cropped Everything!
Kim Kardashian in LA today. pic.twitter.com/3bK78E0qke
— Kimberlina (@KNKWupdates) May 15, 2022
If there’s one rule around styling cargo pants that appears to be law, it’s to provide the look with some feminine levity by pairing them with a cropped top whether a very of-the-moment corset top or a form-fitting t-shirt a la Kim Kardashian. If the weather is still chilly, the cropped rule remains with a bikini swapped out for a midriff revealing fuzzy cardigan or a Miu Miu style chopped button down.
The Best Extra Large Cargo Pants
Check out all our selections below. They range in price from $39.99 for a pair of Dickies up to $502 for Dion Lee’s version of the trend, and don’t include any obvious fast-fashion retailers.
