“One time I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip-flops, so I bought army pants and flip-flops.” Remember that iconic Mean Girls quote? Half of it came to fruition on a recent Friday, when three Vogue editors—Fashion News Director Chioma Nnadi, Emerging Platforms & Fashion News Editor Steff Yotka, and Living Editor Ella Riley-Adams—happened to wear three variations of camouflage cargo pants to the office. Each had a different reason for wearing the combat-ready trousers (the search for a “subversive uniform,” or an “office-to-Netflix” transitional piece).
This trifecta of camo had a strange effect on me, too. When the next Friday rolled around, I found myself gravitating toward a pair of camo Wranglers—not quite as casual as jeans, not quite dress pants. They had just the right amount of printed funk to add some kick to my standard lazy look, and suddenly, I was ready to match with my colleagues, too.
