My mom would never let me buy camo clothing when I was a kid. I have no idea why she would not let me participate in the rich culture and long history of camo clothing.

I wished I could have explained how fashionable camouflage clothing actually was. It actually comes from a French word, and everyone knows that the French are at the pinnacle of fashion. The word “camouflage” is a derivative of the word “camoufler,” which means “to blind or veil.”

Plus, camo clothing is classic. People living in the high fashion world, used to wear it. A “dazzle ball,” which was a kind of fancy party hosted by the Chelsea Arts Club in 1919, had attendants wear dazzle patterned black and white clothing.

However, I think it was the militaristic connotations that came with camo clothing that made my Mom oppose the idea of her son wearing them. Camouflage became essential to the militar when guns with higher accuracy began to gain precedence in the military. Once an opposing force gained the ability to hit a target easier, concealment became essential in order to make the target (i.e. their bodies) harder to shoot. In fact, during the second World War, aerial observations and offenses made warring nations camouflage every different kind of target to avoid

The modern age has forced defense contractors to develop different kinds of camo to better suit new terrains that our armies face. There are also different patters to go along with the new terrains, which might be snow or desert patterns.

These new designs, coupled with their higher fashionability, led to new kinds of items being camouflaged in new colors. You can find camouflage bedding, camouflage clothing, camouflage purses, camo truck accessories and lots of other kinds of camo clothing in colors like pink or bright blue.

It was the nineties, and maybe my mom never got me camo clothing because she disagreed with the cool and edgy look, or maybe she just wanted her son to look like a dork. Either way, my inner child has never forgiven her for refusing to buy me camo clothing.

Does anyone else like camo clothing? Do you prefer the older patterns, or the newer digital kind? For more, read this link.