New Fall Trend: Cam-ooooh! or Cam-No?

Lane Bryant

Plus size trends and straight size trends are not always the same. The cultures of the demographics are just different. Plus size trends are driven now a lot by what we've always been told not to wear previously. We are proving points and creating trends at the same time- straight size generally doesn't have that element. Some of the big name plus size retailers are really trying to make camo happen this year. They have tried in years past- LB and Torrid have had a few items here and there and it just never caught on. This year it has gained a little more traction for some reason but I dont think thats what the designers had in mind when they had military elements on the runway for Fall 15. Think structured and buttoned... not camo.

Surely I've mentioned growing up in East Texas. Out of about 2K people in the whole town, if there werent 1500 of them in camo, I just didnt know what was happening in my life. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but there is literally camo everything. Camo clothes, camo trucks, camo guns and camo glasses, if you can put a print on it, there is a camo version somewhere. Out there, a lot of it is used for its actual intended use- hunting. I dont hunt therefore I dont wear camo. (How many times can I say camo?)

City Chic

I have camo in the same category as overalls simply because neither is unique to me. My dad is 60 and wears overalls so his pants dont fall down. Dad's pants falling down doesnt bring "sexy" or "cute" to mind for me. 95% of my extended family wears camo... I guess so the deer dont see them driving into town for some milk. For me, and this is the great thing about fashion, camo represents something that I am not. It represents a life and a mindset that I no longer have.  I have an association of what image the pattern projects and I don't feel that it accurately portrays who I am. 

In some areas, I can see how camo would be an appealing pattern to mix into a wardrobe to show a little edge, I would imagine those areas would be very urban. Somewhere the pattern doesn't already have a real presence. Maybe somewhere its associated more with military badassery (from before the camo was lightened in color for fighting wars in desserts) Here, for me, its a no. 

I'll always be a little edgy. Inside I'll always be the teenager with black and purple hair wearing my metal band t-shirts that I once was. Instead of camo, I'll be looking forward to leather coming back around.