Military Chic

The military trend is back and making its mark this season. This trend has been hanging around for quite a while and is bigger than ever this summer and could not be easier to pull together. In its simplest form the army look is all about teaming khaki with a range of colours including bold red and accents like animal print.

What I'm wearing:

Blazer: Zara, Skinny jeans: Zara, From Temptation Boutique: the shirttail hem, Feather waist belt and Rhinestones earrings, Booties: H&M

As usual www.very.co.uk is right there with the hottest of this season’s trends and has a variety of items to help everyone, no matter their size, shape or budget, be bang on trend this season. The quintessential item for the army look has to be the military style jacket and a stunning offering of this comes from South. Their Peplum Military Jacket comes in a gorgeously soft mink or bizarre sounding petrol-blue (a far nicer colour than it sounds!), this double-breasted jacket has button detailing down the front as well as a button tab on the collar. There is also a delightful button detail on the sleeves with deep cups.

 Another must have for the military look is the sturdy boot, proving that footwear can be comfy and practical as well as high fashion! Bench offers the stunning Jane Leather boots in distressed leather for an authentic ‘trail through the desert’ worn look. Combine this with khaki trousers and a strap top and anyone would wonder how someone so stylish can have made it out of the army base.

Love the shirttail hem!!!! They cover, yet they expose. And they’re a simple way to freshen up your spring 2012 wardrobe with a new type of cut.

For a slightly more feminine twist on the army trend, try a gorgeously seductive sleeveless slinky pin tuck dress, a must have for this summer; this dress is delightfully carefree and a classic number. Add a pair of killer heels and a tailored military jacket to get that army look for the evening.

It's hard not to love the resurgence of structured military-inspired silhouettes, utilitarian-style belts, and a whole new crop of cool olive-green pieces to soup up our wardrobe color palettes. Lucky for us, this "military moment" happens to fit right in with Spring's transitional styling MO. 

Looks straight fromTopshop Unique, Balmain, and McQ Alexander McQueen runways have revamped the way we've been thinking about the army-heavy trend. Here's the deal: forget cargo pants and parachute tops, it's all about classic gold buttons à la Sgt. Pepper, clean lines, zipper detailing, slick leather add-ons, and two-tone paneling. For a military-chic look — that covers all the Spring '12 bases — take styling notes on Victoria Beckham's sleek dress with tough waist-belt cinching, Rachel McAdams's The Row sleek toggle-buckle overcoat, or Rooney Mara's edgy peplum-infused Givenchy jacket. 

Now that you know what’s hot for spring, I’m going to show you how to wear the items on my list of spring trends. First on the list? How to rock the military trend! So pull out your trench coats, doc martens, and anything olive green, because I’ve made three easy to throw on outfits for any occasion. Interested? Read on!

How to Wear the Military Trend for college

For college outfits should be two things – easy to put together and comfortable. So for my first look, I pulled garments that look sophisticated but are also easy to move around in.

First off, I pulled this great ruffle blouse and paired it with these army-inspired khaki skinny pants (reminiscent of the uber popular J Brand Houlihans!). The fact that these pants are brown and multi-pocketed makes them very military-esque. For chillier days where a light jacket is needed, I pulled this adorable capelet. The olive green color is a must this season, and I love the detailing- toggle clasps are so cool!

For your feet, I picked out a pair of awesome lace panel boots- they come complete with little cutouts in the lace, to show off your feminine side, while still giving off an edgy vibe. Finally, to hold all your belongings, I picked out this classic and functional canvas backpack in camel. It has lots of pockets to give off the “army” vibe while keeping you organized. So whether you’re running to Chem or jetting to Poli-Sci, you’ll look stylish and military chic.

How to Wear the Military Trend for Nights Out

Military Chic is way easy to pull off for those nights out, so don’t sweat it.

For this look, I started with a fabulous tube dress that combines two big fall trends- the animal print trend, and the military trend. I love the buttons on the bust, and how catty-yet-sophisticated the dress looks. For shoes, I picked out some awesome lace-up booties; they’re professional and flirty at the same time, and that is why I love them.

Since we’re talking about the military trend, I’d be remiss not to mention the army trench coat. Warm, long, and easily layer-able, this baby is the ultimate fall piece, and perhaps the chicest way to wear the army look. Just throw it over that tube dress, grab this cute quilted chain purse I found, and you’ll be golden for that night out.

How to Wear the Military Trend on Lazy Days

Ah, the lazy day – easily my favorite occasion to dress for, and the best part is it’s pretty easy to wear the military trend while still being lazy.

To start off, I pulled a long gray tunic tank that falls mid-thigh and a pair of black tights. The combination of a long blouse and black tights is so awesome because it creates a blank slate for you to express your creativity- which means, it’s accessory time!

For accessories, I picked out these way cute brown lace-up booties. With their short heel and rich chocolate color, they instantly transform your look from lazy to luxurious. Next up, I added a black band watch, infinity scarf, and slouchy olive beanie- you don’t have to necessarily wear them all at once, but choosing one or two of the three will keep your look fun and flirty, yet still comfortable and army-chic.