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Back in the day, before The Gap, Old Navy and the globalization of the blue jean, the army/navy store was the headquarters for the denim look.
While the ubiquitous denim blue jean now belongs to the masses, old habits die hard and the army/navy store can still find some loyal buyers of Levis and the like, especially when your customers have plenty of other reasons to shop in your store. And today's army/navy store is still a desirable shopping site for those looking not just for commodity-type casual apparel, but also for the fashion-conscious.
That's because the military look is still in vogue, although perhaps not with quite the ardor of a couple of years ago.
But perhaps a boomerang effect is now in play, according to John Ottaviano of Rothco.
"What I'm marveling at of late is how quickly the ship is returning to the dock," said Ottaviano, referring to the re-energization of the military fashion craze.
Specifically, according to Ottaviano, is the new appeal of military style that goes above and beyond camo.
"The military and vintage look that includes epaulets, medals, ribbons, patches and other military-style accessories is part of the new wave of military casual apparel," he stated.
This time around, consumers are favoring solid colors - khaki, black, brown, olive and even pink - rather than a preponderance of camouflage patterns.
Camo craze curbed?
Camouflage, meanwhile, has lost some of its hidden charm with women and youth in particular. While monochromatic camo is still in play and pink camo is trendy for the ladies, items like urban camo have become more a niche item than a universal trend.
Part of the explanation for the decline of camo as a fashion statement (aside from just the cyclical nature of fashion trends) is the lack of acceptance of the new digital camo patterns as a casual fashion statement. It seems that the camo pattern is perceived as not very form-flattering or esthetically profound, particularly by women.
But the ACU camo pattern is taking root as a child fashion and also by the male of the species as a soldier "wannabe" look.
Ottaviano reports that Woodland camo is still in demand and that the ACU pattern is winning some friends.
And pink camo is still a "monster," according to Ottaviano's sales figures.
Fatigue frenzy?
Basic military or military-style fatigue pants, shorts, shirts and caps are at the top of the fashion parade right now, again as mentioned above, in solid colors.
The fatigue cap remains a popular head covering, boonies not so much, according to Ottaviano.
Rothco is also doing extremely well with vintage washed infantry utility shorts that feature plenty of pockets and a below-the-knee length.
The booty short and tank top, in military colors are going great guns with the ladies.
T - time
Of course, the t-shirt is the single most popular casual apparel item, and the army/navy store offers just about any style and look that the fashion plate desires.
Ottaviano noted that basic solid color tees with simple vintage-style iconic military graphics are big right now, as are tees with elaborate, coast-to-coast graphics of an edgy, gritty nature.
"The look is not necessarily dark or violent, but conveys a simple but stark message," he added.
Successories
Opportunities for accessorization of the sale of military casual apparel abound for the creative army/navy retailer, according to Ottaviano.
"Retailers should sell insignia and patches in a kit or create their own shirt-accessory combinations, then put them on a mannequin," he said.
There is no shortage of accessories for military casual apparel - some of the obvious choices include bags, sunglasses, caps dog tags, medals, ribbons, badges, insignia, patches, jewelry and watches.
It's the latter item that Ottaviano claims is the newest, hottest accessory.
"The growth of watch sales in the apparel market is insane," he opined.
He added that fashionable watches, notably in military styles, do not have to be expensive and that buyers, especially men, now will seek to own many watches rather than just one or two.
Looking towards the fall of 2008, Ottaviano also forecasted the popularity of the M65 jacket.
"The vintage M65 in nylon and leather was a big seller at the recent MAGIC Show," he reported.
author: by Mark Hawver