Guide - Camouflage Jackets

This thread inspired me to write this guideToday I’ll be discussing different camouflages, which type you should look out for, which ones to avoid at all costs, and how to style them. Keep in mind that I’m really only referring to camo jackets, rather than shirts or pants (although some tips may apply to those as well).Brief history of camouflage in fashion:Although different types of camouflage has been around for centuries, the war camos we’re more familiar with originated in WW1 by the French, first devised to conceal equipment, and then to conceal troops. Many other countries quickly followed, and from there patterns and colors kept being devised and tested for decades, with militaries changing their camo patterns for wars they were currently involved in. Camo became much more significant in fashion in 1990’s.Notable camos include:US Woodland (Unoffically called M81, this is the most famous camouflage pattern.)German FlecktarnBritish Disruptive Material Pattern (DPM)South Vietnamese Tigerstripe (adopted by the US during the Vietnam War)Swiss AlpenflageUS Desert Night Camo (Supreme actually made a parka based on this camo pattern, shown here)Where do I cop?You have two options: military surplus (milsurp), or from retailers, which both have pros and cons.Surplus:+Genuine.+Built for battle, so they will be durable as hell and will take tons of abuse.+You can find some crazy milsurp items.+You can find insanely good deals+Pieces probably have some crazy history behind them.-Tend to fit oversized, as they were made for combat and practicality.-No guarantee you will get a piece that is 10/10 condition. It might smell, have rips everywhere, be faded, have stains, etc.-Some may come with unit/branch patches. NEVER WEAR ANY JACKET THAT HAS THESE ON. REMOVE THEM ASAP.-Limited quantity. Usually when a website runs out of stock, they will never restock.-They might be overpriced (I’m looking at you, OD M65 jacket).-Someone could've died in it, but that is astronomically unlikely.Retailers:+Guaranteed 10/10 condition, will not smell or be ripped (unless that’s the design).+Usually better fit.+Usually a good price.+Retailers may have their own unique camo pattern (most notably BAPE) and colors (most notably Rothco).+Usually unlimited quantity and frequent restocks.-Not military issue and genuine.-Camo pattern and color may be shitty as hell.-May not have great materials or construction.-Most camo pieces retailers make are based off the US Woodland camo, meaning you may not find any other cool camo patterns. Because of this, it is VERY hard to find inspo for other camo patterns, which will be evident later in this guide.-Might have random ass patches that mean nothing on them.-They might be overpriced.Copping milsurp:These are two milsurp websites that I have ordered from before and have had no problems. There are so many others out there, but I have yet to explore them. Your local thrift store or army surplus store may have items too.Sportsman’s Guide - Military Jackets and CoatsVarusteleka - Field JacketsCopping retail (there are many other stores that sells camo jackets):Alpha IndustriesRothcoBranditGAPOld Navy(note: I can only vouch for Alpha Industries and like one Old Navy jacket quality, the others I do not own)How do I style camo? (disclaimer: for this entire section, it’s all opinion):Camo jackets are statement pieces. You have two main options: military-core, and “I-don’t-wanna-look-like-a-school-shooter” core (note: for both styles, leave the jacket open at all time unless it’s cold). Unfortunately I can’t go into the hip-hop/punk styles of camo because I have no real experience in them, but it isn’t too hard to find inspo pics of them.Military-core:Wear earth tones that compliment the camo pattern.Wear any shoe that is a boot (Nike SFB, Dr. Marten) or resembles a boot (Converse boots).If you want, tuck your pants into your boots, or use blousing bands (although I have no idea how this will work with non-military pants) .Black is the best color to make the jacket pop. Muted colors work as well.Cargo pants can work, but depending how “military” they are, that might take it a little bit too far. You really can’t go wrong with jeans.Don’t match your top with anything of the same camo pattern. That’s taking it too far.Going military-core is a very easy way to style the jacket without stepping too far from your comfort zone.Examples:1234567“I-don’t-wanna-look-like-a-school-shooter” core:AVOID EARTH TONES AT ALL COSTS. Don’t worry, you can still find other colors that will compliment the jacket’s colors.You should usually avoid black, but for some fits black jeans can make the jacket look great without going overboard. All black fits though? Absolutely not.Don't wear any combat boots, or any type of boots that can be taken as a combat boot (Dr. Martens, etc).If you can, try not to get oversized camo clothes.Wear trainers (Stan Smiths, Nike Cortez, etc) or skate shoes (Vans Old Skools, Converse Chuck Taylors, etc). Make sure they aren't fully black or similar shade. A safe bet is a black shoe with white accents, a plain white shoe, or a white shoe with some color on it.Blue jeans are your new best friends. Lightwash works best, but you can get away with other shades too.Don't wear really dark values. If you have a US Woodland jacket, you can wear lighter colored clothes, like lightwash jeans and a white hoodie.Generally, whatever you wear underneath the jacket should be a much lighter value than the camo.To help dress down the camo, wear something underneath that has some kind of graphic on it. A college hoodie, band shirt, or graphic hoodie are some good examples.Focus on good posture and confidence. A lack of both of these will have people thinking "fuck, this guy prolly has a jammy in his jacket, time to be his best friend."Going “I-don’t-wanna-look-like-a-school-shooter” core requires you to work more with color, wear blue jeans a LOT, and step out of your comfort zone. Once you get this down, you’ll stand out in a very good way.Examples:1 (second picture)23456789IMPORTANT: Camos to avoid (opinion)Avoid all MODERN camos that are currently in use by most world militaries. These camos are a part of their uniforms, and some high school nerd wearing current issued jackets for fashion will be looked down upon. The modern patterns and color shades are also designed with practicality and function over looks, and they really don’t translate well into streetwear; they’re unflattering. Rule of thumb: avoid camos designed in the 2000's and beyond, and maybe late 1990's.Older camos work because they are phased out by most militaries (with some exceptions such as Flecktarn). They also have more pleasing patterns and color shades, as looks were still being held to the same standard as functionality at that time.Notable camos to avoid:Multicam.Any type of Digital camo (MARPAT, NWU, etc).Anything Germans wore during WW2 (not modern, but you get my point).Any desert camos similar to this. This is because your torso becomes a huge blob of sand and khaki. Generally, desert camo is very hard to pair, and very unappealing. You'll also look like you just came back from the Middle East.Realtree (non-military).This was made for hunters staying in one place for hours at a time, and usually worn by your southern white redneck neighbor. Yes, Tyler, The Creator wore it before and rocked it, but it only looks good on him literally because it’s Tyler that’s wearing it. Any ordinary person would look wack as fuck wearing it.That is all. If you believe I should add anything, please let me know.Additional reading:[Guide] Core Pieces - 008 (Camo)Top Rank Vintage - Flashback: How Camouflage Clothing Became a Fashion Trend via /r/streetwear http://ift.tt/2Bp6P4V