Cargo Shorts

In the warmer months, I wear shorts, most often cargo shorts. My collection of current and past cargo shorts have mainly been through purchases, but I received a couple pairs as hand-me ups from a nephew. I am not sure how long I have been wearing cargo shorts, but it has been quite some time. I have a few pair of non-cargo shorts, that I tend to wear for better summer events (say a party). When growing up, we had what were called play clothes, and school (good) clothes. One of my kids, a few weeks ago, commented one Friday evening on the pair of play time cargo shorts I was wearing by saying something to the effect that "they are coming back in style." 

I was somewhat taken aback by my son's statement because I did not know cargo pants had gone out of style. I mentioned to my wife that I was surprised by the comment, because as far as I knew they were still in style. My wife replied with something like, "it is not surprising that you thought they were still in style." Secretly, I think she still thought they were in style, as when I bought a few pair this summer she made no comment about cargo shorts. This year I bought a couple pair at Goodwill to replace some that had worn out. I was surprised to find out that, while we went to Goodwill together, she let me shop on my own. Guessing that she trusted my judgement. Now, would Goodwill carry out of style clothes? They turn over their goods fairly rapidly, about every three to four weeks. I think back, and just about a month ago, I bought a new pair of cargo shorts at Kohls. My few trips to Kohls over the years I never noticed cargo shorts not being available. I don't think Kohls would carry clothes that are out of style. Who would buy them, as I doubt there are not many fashion trend-setters like me who purchase out of style clothing in order to be ahead of the next fashion trend curve. 

Hand me-up Cargo Shorts

The only time in the summer in which I tend to wear long pants is to a MMSD meeting, or a special event. And, in the summer they are generally my trusty tan khaki pants. Khaki pants are kind of timeless.

Hence, once again, like with eyeglass styles, and other items of clothing, I am a head of the fashion curve. I have been a trendsetter by wearing cargo shorts before they came back in style. It seems nowadays that is common to leave out certain facts to form your narrative, by concentrating on those that make your point, so I would simply leave out the part that I continued to wear them for the past two to three decades. One just needs to know that I am a fashion trend-setter, a simple unknown influencer in the fashion field who dresses under the radar.

Frank Barone dressed as "Fruity Pierre"
His pants are khaki colored

Onetime years ago my wife commented that she would like to upgrade my clothing choices, apparently taking me back to "trends", rather than allowing me to be ahead of the trends. One of her friends had done this for her husband. It reminded me of an Everybody Loves Raymond episode where Marie gets rid of most of Frank's clothes to a secondhand store or charity, and most were thrown out, because as Marie said even the bums did not want them. Frank wonders what happened to his clothes and has to wear a new shirt and sweater Marie purchased. He finds the outfit too flashy. My wife bought me new swim suits just over a year ago and of course they had to be multicolored rather than just say, navy blue. Purchased in August, she says that the pickings were not very good. 

My play clothes, which are now my everyday clothes are well worn, I even threw out a couple pair of shorts this year, yes cargo shorts, because my wife refused to repair them any more. I asked if she let me use her sewing machine and I could try to repair them, but that did not get too far. The need for some replacement shorts is what led me to purchase shorts this year, the two lightly used pair at Goodwill and the one pair at Kohls. One of the pair I purchased at Goodwill and the one at Kohls were different colors from two I purchased at Kohls several years ago.  I have come to realize that I may be forced to throw out a couple more pair at the end of this season. I have had some t-shirts that she wanted to throw out but I have saved some for when I need a shirt for those times when painting or doing other such work that can stain a shirt. I certainly would not want to get a t-shirt that is near worn out stained with paint. Even the third world is overcome by too many clothes, part of the American excess. 

Two pair, mainly used for camping
I think they were purchased 2-3 years ago

To write this blog, I went to my computer, not believing that I am out of fashion, Google with its AI approach told me the following: 

Yes, cargo shorts are still popular for men, but they have undergone a massive modern redesign. While the oversized, baggy, and overstuffed styles of the late '90s and 2000s are still considered a fashion faux pas, the "Modern Cargo Short" is highly relevant

The category is experiencing a strong resurgence on both the streetwear scene and the high-fashion runways of designers like Dior and Willy Chavarria. Today's popularity is fueled by the broader shift toward comfort, practicality, and aesthetics like "Gorpcore" and techwear.

It then went on to list what makes 2026 cargo shorts different. Well, you can have your Dior and whatever, but I will not give up my cargo shorts even if they date back over 25 years and are baggy and overstuffed. After all, who proclaims clothes as being "in" or "out"? A designer who keeps changing styles to sell more clothes? A panel of so-called experts who want to keep clothing sales up? My wife? What they all miss is that I am comfortable wearing what they call a "fashion faux pas clothes" and do not realize at some point they will be back in fashion, hence, me being a fashion trend setter. I am so far ahead of the times, people may think I am behind the times. 

Being so far ahead of fashion trends can perhaps make me subject to some looks and comments, but I proudly wear bear the title of one who is so so far ahead of fashion trends that people think I am behind the times. Cargo shorts may have gone out of fashion, but they have a certain staying power.