File Under “Never Say Never”

Style blogger Susan B. styles a pair of camo print pants with a linen rust cardigan and metallic sandals. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

How I Styled Camo Print Pants…

In all honesty, most camo print clothing has never really appealed to me. It reminded me too much of hunting or military gear. But I’ve seen a lot of cute outfits lately utilizing this print, and my stance has softened considerably. (It started with a pair of sneakers.)

Wearing: earrings (similar) | cardigan | top | pants |
bracelet (similar) | bracelet (similar) | bag (similar) | shoes

I tried these pants on a whim, and loved them from the get-go. They fit me well, they’re comfortable, and are a fun alternative to denim. Offered in Misses, Petites and Tall sizes. Here’s a very similar pair in Plus.

Summer-to-Fall Transitional Dressing

A lightweight cardigan is a perfect transitional season piece, and an easy way to incorporate some fall color into my wardrobe. This one is budget-friendly, and I was impressed with the quality. I’m wearing “Rust Bossa Nova.” It’s available in several other colors, too. Similar style in Plus.

Detail: gold-tone bracelets and Givenchy Pandora bag. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

I kept the rest of the outfit soft and light to balance out the masculine vibe of the camo print. The agate bead bracelet is a promotional item from French Kande: until August 31st it’s only $14 with any purchase of $250 or more. Use code GREAT8 at checkout.

As part of my closet clear out, I’ve been going through bags and accessories that I haven’t used/worn in a while and have been trying to give them another chance. The wrap bracelet is definitely a keeper. It layers nicely with a lot of my other bracelets and looks good on its own. It’s no longer available; here’s something with similar look. The bag didn’t make the cut. I decided I don’t use enough to warrant keeping it, and have sent it off for consignment. (And I think this outfit needs something closer to a taupe color, maybe.)

Detail: style blogger Susan B. wears camo pants and metallic Paul Green sandals. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

I’ve had these shoes for a couple of years now, and still love them as much as ever. They’re one of the few pairs of heels over 2″ I can still comfortably wear.

Lip color is Charlotte Tilbury “Stoned Rose.”

I have a few more ideas for styling the pants, so you’ll probably be seeing them again soon.

Is there a print or item you thought you’d “never” wear but have recently warmed up to?

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67 Comments

  1. I absolutely love your handbag, and I could splurge and drop $2K on a handbag, but my conscience won’t let me.

  2. The first thing I saw was the orange cardigan, which is gorgeous. I had to look twice, thrice, to make out the camo print. In other words, you look very classy and not at all like you’ve just escaped from the trenches. The shoes help a lot. In fact, this is a great example of high/low dressing.

  3. Susan—this looks great on you. Still don’t know if I would wear the camo print mostly because the colors don’t suit my complexion. Love your cardigan in that color with the pants which compliments them beautifully. I have a question about the top—did you find that you would need a cami underneath? The website says it’s ivory but it looks white on the screen. It looks short on the model but perfect length on you—did you purchase petite or regular size?
    Would you ever wear one of your long necklaces with this look?

    1. Hi Rose, thanks! While the top is a little less opaque than I would prefer, I don’t find it needs a cami underneath as long as I stick with a nude bra. I’m wearing the Petite Small. Yes, I’d wear longer necklaces with this.

  4. I’m with you on camo, I said never for a long time. But last year the owner of my favorite shop convinced me to try an oversized jacket(I was looking for denim). Couldn’t believe I loved it! What you paired them with is great & definitely a step above normal camouflage dressing!

  5. That cardigan is beautiful! For those of us who might not wear camo, I could see this outfit working very well by pairing that cardigan with a solid-color pant in one of the olive colors pulled from the camo print.

  6. I am over 60 and just purchased a pair of camo jeans. I LOVE them! Bought them at Nordstrom and they are the most comfortable pants I have ever owned as well as being stylish.
    I think camo pants look great when styled correctly.
    Susan, your outfit is perfect!

  7. Sue-love your longer, choppier hair in this photo! and…I will never wear camo pants, or camo anything. Feel the same about skeletons/skulls.

  8. I bought my first pair of camo pants at Nordstrom this year and love them. I was also slow to appreciate them because the colours aren’t flattering on me but with a pink top, they look great. I think I have the same white blouse you’re wearing. Black also works great with camo. Boomerbroadcast.net

  9. I will not buy camo. I hope I can explain why. War is not a fun fashion trend.. It is life or death serious, Camo is for soldiers. Just my two cents. You do look cute, as always. You have the best style online!

    1. Well since I am a former “soldier”, I hope I can explain the change in my feelings about camo. I didn’t like the print because I associated it with my uniform and, frankly the prints chosen by the military were not very attractive prints for streetwear. Camoflage prints were originally designed to camouflage the troops and blend into the environment, actually a defensive rather than offensive act.

      I look at today’s camo as an abstraction of the original uniform and hunting prints. They are better designed and have more attractive coloration, for the most part. For me, today’s camo prints are to military camo as animal prints are to fur or animal skins. They are abstractions which are removed as many other prints are from the original.

  10. On our last Caribbean cruise, we were warned that camo prints and military clothing were not permitted on several of the islands.

  11. I love the entire look on you, but I really love that cardigan! Susan, would you mind telling me what size you ordered?

  12. Susan, I love this on you, gorgeous! I especially love the cardigan, are you wearing a petite? I am 5’2 and always wonder about the length. How did you find the sizing, true to size? Thank you

  13. Ha ha! How fun! I purchased a pair of camo pants against the wishes of my 19 & 22 y.o. daughters! Fortuitously, I found them while thrifting, so it was an easy try-it-out look. I’ve styled mine with a denim shirt, burgundy and teal tops/cardigans. They are so fun, and it’s all about styling to coax out the age appropriateness looks. ;).

  14. Check you out Susan! Two trends at once! You look fabulous. The rust color suits your coloring and the Camo pants are just right. Well done you.

  15. Love the entire look!
    (Usually on other sites, when I tap an image I’m able to open it and expand the image to see textures, details, etc. But I can’t do that from my phone when I visit your site. )

  16. Not a stitch of black, and you look awesome ! I went completely grey about a two years ago, and have just now come around to accepting that I can still wear bright colors. Unfortunately I gave away many items before realizing that bright jeweled colors look great with grey/white hair.

  17. I love this on you. I bought these pants for my daughter. She has gotten less adventurous with fashion since going to college and wanted me to return. I am keeping them for her and may get a pair for myself now! J Crew has 40% off promo if you purchase 4 pair of pants.

  18. I love seeing you in color. I gave up black a few years ago and find with my lighter-colored hair, color just works better on me. It does make it a bit more work putting outfits together, however, so love seeing how you have worked this outfit. I hope you give us more chances seeing how you work outfits together using color instead of blacks.

  19. Love the camo idea. I would never have thought to consider it but it looks classy on you. For me, it was animal prints. It took a long time for me to take a second look. My daughter bought a pair of leopard print ballerina slippers and they were too tight. Instead of returning them, she gave them to me. I was amazed at what they did to perk up a black top with jeans. Now, they are among my favorite shoes. I might just go try on some of these camo pants and see if anything magical happens.

  20. Yay!!! Thank you for answering the request. I would not have thought of the rust cardigan, but it is fantastic. Glad to see so many have joined the camo brigade.

    I will definitely have to check out the camo ban in the islands. I think it may be antiquated. There were comments on travel sites that some islands have it but that it is being reconsidered because of the emerging fashion trend.

  21. I love everything about the outfit except the camo pants. My daughter, son, and son-in-law have all been in the military and have worn camo for years so maybe I associate camo too much with a military work uniform. I might like it better with a t-shirt (which is how it is “styled” for the military) and then worn for hiking. I especially like the color of the cardigan and the understated elegance of the bracelets….and those great shoes!!!

  22. Camo is not my thing, but I did find a jacket a couple of years ago with a washed out camo print in nontraditional colors, pink, grey, ivory and a very subtle olive green. I really like it.

  23. I love this whole look on you! Wow. I have a rust and an orange cardi but am looking to buy some more longer cardis or dusters this year as I love the look. I will bookmark these camo pants as they look great and I have wanted a pair. Are they stretchy and soft?
    thanks!
    jess xx

  24. I’ve always avoided animal prints, but I now work for a university that has a tiger mascot. I’ve found that a little bit of a tiger stripe really peps up an all-black or a black and grey outfit. Also, since reading your blog I’m not as opposed to small amounts of leopard print as I was formerly. You wear it so well and make it look fun!

  25. I have been a fan of camo since last December when I spotted my favorite Jcrew sales lady (late 50s early 60s) wearing the Crew camo tipi sweater with red pants and silver flats. Totally cool and holidayish. .that put me on the hunt. I lucked out and found a madewell camo tee at resale. Then this summer at Nord sale I bought sanctuary camo pants. Darker than the crew ones and a nice light material. Fit great THEN i walked into Jcrew and saw the camo zip bomber sweater. Bought that and not I might be on camo overload lol but that’s ok. All great pieces. I bought your silver camo sneaks and while they look cute I would not walk around Paris all day in them. I wore them to a music festival this weekend and my feet were screaming by days end. Not enough support for me. But They will be cute for errands etc. Glad you are embracing camo!

  26. Give me a camo print in a stripe & I’m sold!! You look fabulous in this outfit!! I think the ‘hunter’ orange is paired wonderfully with the camo & I have a crush on the silver camo sneakers. Great post, as usual.

  27. You really look good in this outfit. The colors are amazing on you; maybe better than the blue you bought in France (which was really good). Your hair is super cute at this length. I ordered the whole outfit.

  28. Love this look. I recently purchased some black and gray camo pants and have been thinking about how to wear them You look so great ! You have given me the inspiration to go bold but classy.

  29. Everything looks great — especially the cardigan — except for the shoes. Guess I’m the only one who can’t stand these boot-type shoes with the toe section cut out. They look awful and awkward on everyone. This is one trend that I wish would just die. But I suppose I don’t have to buy them. And I haven’t!

  30. Ok, I have been reading your blog for several years (and learned quite a bit !), I don’t comment often, but every single time you wear these shoes, my jealous heart skips a beat! They are sooo perfect on your feet ! Love the whole outfit ! Did you have to have the camp pants shortened ? Perfect length with those fab shoes !

    1. Thanks so much, Sarah! Because these pants were offered in the Petite range, I was able to wear as-is without hemming. 🙂

  31. Julia just told me you styled camo too, and I had to laugh. Because I felt exactly the same way at first. And now?? It just seem chic!!! Heck, if I can get my 80 year old mother to wear it, it’s got to be good!!
    XOXO
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

  32. Truly amazing casual glam! You really knocked it out of the park – everything – all together from your hair down to your shoes.

  33. After inspiration from your post, I found a similar cotton blend rust cardigan (Abound brand) at Nordstrom Rack for just under $30. Heavier fabric will take me longer into fall here in Midwest. Several other colors, too. I also have fine, straight hair and swear by Big Sexy Hair root pump volumizer. Available at drugstores, Target and discounted at TJ Maxx. My hair would be flat on my head without it! Looking forward to your closet purge report.

  34. Hi Susan, I LOVE the whole outfit on you – it’s really beautifully put together, and so flattering! The cardigan is just gorgeous. I think camo-print pants are really cute and stylish, but I’ve always shied away from them because my legs are on the heavier side. If they looked the same on me as they do on you, I’d tear over to the closest J. Crew and buy them. This is off subject, but how do you stay so slim?? 🙂 Really, you look terrific. I’d love to know your diet and exercise routine. I’m a curvy 5’2″ and I’m just not liking the way any of my clothes fit these days. Any tips you have would be sooo appreciated.
    Thanks!!

  35. Hi Susan, your outfit looks great! If you’re changing your bag, I think olive green would add a fabulous touch of color.

  36. I stumbled across camo this year as I was looking for a summer jacket. I tried one on because it looked like it would match the pants I was wearing at the time. I was stunned at how great it looked on me. So I bought the white camo jacket by Sanctuary, with gray and light olive against a white background. I wear it almost every day when I go out to run errands. It goes very well with all of my summer neutrals.

    1. If you are in the states try these: macy’s.com William Rast or nordtromrack.com William Rast. Also try the Shopstyle.com web site and search gray camo or other key words.

  37. I just bought a pair of camo print pants because of this post. At 52, I thought I was too old. I’m not and I love them. Thanks for the inspiration.

  38. Even though this post is from last year I wanted to comment anyway. I too was one who would never have dreamed I’d wear Camo. But I the outfits I saw gradually changed my thinking. I bought a pair without a big investment, just in case I was uncomfortable wearing them. But I love them. They oddly function as a neutral. Wear them with black, white, denim, sandals, sneakers and heels. The orange is one I think I may have steered away from but it’s fantastic. Thanks for the inspiration.

    1. The ironic thing is that those camo pants got eliminated from the new color palette which Susan had done in Paris. If she was my size, I would have told her to send them my way!