The Versatile Olive Khaki Color

Following World War II, military-issue khaki-colored chino cloth twill trousers became mainstream civilian wear. Today, their color is typically associated with casual yet utilitarian styles like cargo pants and camo pants.

Olive is a warm hue with shades ranging from dark to light green that work well when used alone or combined with other hues such as blue, brown, and yellow – but can also pair well with neutrals such as white, beige, and black.

Professional Career

Khaki first gained prominence during the Spanish-American War of 1898 and has remained one of the most versatile and timeless military uniform colors ever since. So much so, that in 1902 it was adopted into continental British service dress uniforms as olive drab.

Khaki remains a beloved style staple among streetwear brands like WTAPS, Kapital, Neighborhood, Engineered Garments and Porter. Its wide acceptance speaks to its timeless quality with deep historical roots that date back centuries.

Olive green pants make an effortlessly cool statement when worn with neutral hues, such as neutrals. Olive green trousers also complement earthy makeup colors like tan, red and berry very nicely; it would be best to avoid clashing colors such as bright green or orange when pairing these trousers.

Personal Life

Khaki can easily be combined with other colors to create stunning, eye-catching ensembles. It pairs beautifully with brown and green shades, as well as black, white and purple hues. Plus, its easy styling and layering capabilities make khaki an invaluable wardrobe addition.

Khaki clothing first made its debut during World War II as camouflage, later becoming popular civilian wear. Today, variations on this shade are most often associated with chinos style trousers but may also apply to other pants or skirts styles.

Junya Watanabe, known for his adept use of both appropriation and utilitarianism in his designs, often incorporates military fabrics into his collections. For his 2006 show inspired by Taxi Driver and Vietnam military uniforms – including olive drab cargo pants worn by soldiers during a Vietnam war conflict – Junya used olive drab fabric cargo pants.