Military and fashion might sound like opposites. One is built for survival, and the other for expression.
Many of the staples in your closet today trace their roots to the battlefield: rugged fabrics and functional designs were built for necessity before becoming cultural icons.
Aviator sunglasses and cargo pants are the obvious examples. But cardigans? Chinos? Those too, began with military origins.
doesn’t just borrow from the military. In many ways, it’s built on it.
Military Inventions in Everyday Life
Military innovations shape more of your daily routine than you might realize.
When you check directions on your phone, you’re using GPS, first developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1970s. The internet itself began as ARPANET, a Department of Defense project.
Even microwaves, duct tape, and superglue all trace their origins back to military necessity.
So it’s not surprising that iconic fashion pieces, from aviator sunglasses to cargo pants, trace their roots to the military.
5 Fashion Icons with Military Roots
How does a trend leap from the battlefield to the runway?
Sometimes, it’s the influence of military-inspired films and TV shows, where heroes become style icons and cultural symbols.
But the connection runs deeper than Hollywood. Long before screens, soldiers were immortalized in paintings, poetry, and plays.
Whatever the medium, the result is the same: functional military design finds its way into everyday wardrobes.
Here are five surprising fashion trends with military roots.
The Necktie
Ever sweated through a summer wedding in a too-tight tie? You can thank Croatian mercenaries during the Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648). Their distinctive neckerchiefs caught the eye of the French, who called them “cravates” after the word “Croat” or “Hravat.” When King Louis XIII picked up the look, the trend stuck.
In 1922, New York tailor Jesse Langsdorf popularized the modern necktie. Since then, ties have been reimagined in countless ways, like silk staples on Wall Street to casual reinventions made from scarves, bandanas, and other unexpected fabrics. Today, however, the French word for tie continues to be “cravate,” and Croatia continues to proudly celebrate International Necktie Day every October 18.
Chinos
Chinos are a classic example of military attire being repurposed for modern fashion.
First developed in the 1800s for British and French troops, chinos were durable, breathable, and ideal for blending with dusty landscapes.
Chinos are specifically linked to a British Army officer named Harry Lumsden, who decided his troops would perform better in India and Ethiopia in uniforms that matched the surrounding earth. He swapped the classic bright red-and-white tones for earth-colored fabric.
The popularity of chinos surged when American veterans returned from the Spanish-American War in the Philippines, bringing the style home.
It’s not actually clear why they’re called chinos. Some people claim it’s because the pants were made in China. Others claim it’s because the word “chino” translates to “toasted” and is a reference to the color of the pants.
Naming controversy aside, chinos remain a staple to this day, defined by cotton twill and their signature khaki tone.
The Cardigan
When you think cardigans, you may not think of rugged soldiers charging across a crater-filled battlefield.
The cardigan, however, traces its roots directly to James Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan. Better known as Lord Cardigan, James was the guy who led the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. His unit was known for wearing wool waistcoats and, after the battle, other soldiers adopted the look to honor the Light Brigade’s unfortunate bravery.
What started as military knitwear is now a universal layer of comfort and refinement.
The Trench Coat
The name says it all: the trench coat was built for the trenches of World War I. Lightweight, waterproof, and durable, it was essential for British troops slogging through mud and rain.
There’s some debate among British fashion circles on who developed the trench coat first: Burberry founder Thomas Burberry claimed to have crafted the first trench coat from durable gabardine in 1879. Burberry’s rival, Aquascutum, however, claims to have invented it during the Crimean War decades earlier.
The debate remains, but one thing is certain: The trench coat remains one of the most iconic crossovers between military necessity and civilian style.
Aviator Sunglasses
Before aviators, pilots wore heavy, uncomfortable goggles that fogged in mid-light. In the 1930s, Colonel John Macready of the United States Army Air Corps teamed up with Bausch & Lomb to create lightweight glasses that filtered glare.
The glasses were called “Ray-Bans” because they “banned rays”. They soon became icons of both aviation and pop culture, worn by everyone from General MacArthur to Freddie Mercury to Tom Cruise in Top Gun.
The Grounder: Built for the US Army in the 1940s, Repurposed for Today
In the 1940s, P.F. Flyers joined the tradition of military-meets-fashion by developing the Grounder for the United States Army.
Built from heavy-duty canvas, reinforced stitching, and a lugged rubber sole, the Grounder proved sneakers could be just as tough as leather boots. In an era when the world demanded durability, P.F. Flyers responded with an innovative design that transformed canvas footwear and helped troops succeed.
