Cargo Pants Outfits to Inspire You When You're Tired of Jeans

These pocket-clad pants will be your new fave.

Sara Holzman's avatar
By
Published In How-to
Closeup of the lower half of a woman wearing cargo pants walking while holding a purse.
(Image credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

You've likely sported a pair of cargo pants before. You've also likely tried to forget those years, which were filled with cringe-worthy fashion choices. The baggy cargo pants silhouettes of the aughts were undoubtedly comfy, but were they flattering? Not so much. Historically worn as military fatigues and later, as one of dad's bad sartorial choices, cargos are now straying from their strictly functional roots. The cargo pants of the runways are made to flatter the female form: Designed with higher waists, slimmer side pockets, and tapered hems, these fashion-forward options are made for pairing with your delicate ruffle tops and playful summer heels. Officially It-girl approved, the pants that were once synonymous with bad fashion have been given their second chance. Ahead, you'll find five new, no regrets, cargo pants options to shop right now.

Sara Holzman
Sara Holzman
Style Director

Sara Holzman is the Style Director at Marie Claire, where she oversees fashion coverage spanning seasonal trends, celebrity style, designers, Fashion Month, and shopping. With more than a decade of experience in fashion media, she has held roles at Condé Nast’s Lucky and Self and contributed style and travel coverage to Equinox’s Furthermore. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is based in New York City, where she writes about fashion through both an industry and personal lens, including the realities of getting dressed as a working mom. Follow her on Instagram at @sarajonewyork.