Sick of Jeans? Swap Them for Cargo Pants

Closeup of the lower half of a woman wearing cargo pants walking while holding a purse.

(Image credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

published 25 June 2020

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.

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Sara Holzman is the Style Director for Marie Claire, where she's worked alongside the publication for eight years in various roles, ensuring the brand's fashion content continues to inform, inspire, and shape the conversation about fashion's ever-evolving landscape. With a degree from the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is responsible for overseeing a diverse fashion content mix, from emerging and legacy designer profiles to reported features on the influence of social media on style and seasonal and micro trends across the world's fashion epicenters in New York, Milan, and Paris. Before joining Marie Claire, Sara held fashion roles at Conde Nast's Lucky Magazine and Self Magazine and was a style and travel contributor to Equinox's Furthermore website. Over her decade of experience in the fashion industry, Sara has helped guide each brand's style point of view, working alongside veteran photographers and stylists to bring editorial and celebrity photo shoots to fruition from start to finish. Sara currently lives in New York City. When she's not penning about fashion or travel, she’s at the farmer’s market, on a run, working to perfect her roasted chicken recipe, or spending time with her husband, dog, and cat. Follow her along at @sarajonewyork

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