Everyone’s style nemesis seems to be making a comeback once more and we aren’t having a hard time trusting that considering we’ve been delivering the same “cargo pants hath returned” declaration every single season. Even though we adore seeing them back, we’re wondering what shoes to wear with cargo pants.
Men’s and women’s cargo pants aren’t a Noughties no-go anymore, which means we need to figure out how to style them and stay on-trend at the same time.
Forget everything you know about glorified dad trousers or Hailey Bieber’s off-duty supermodel uniform, we’re here to offer our take on the dos and don’t of cargo pants.
Whether you’re a boy or a girl (a man or a woman), you might have noticed everyone wearing cargo pants with simple, white tees, white sneakers, and an occasional buckle belt. However, there has to be something more to cargo pants than the most basic, boring ensembles ever.
Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, and Kim Kardashian, on one hand, all recently proved how glamorous these trousers can be when you know how to style them the right way.
Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, and Jake Gyllenhall, on the other hand, hopped on the trend and showcased how attractive cargo pants can appear when you style them with the right amount of sass.
Beyond the traditional camouflage cargo, the heavily-pocketed pants have gotten makeovers from numerous designers over time.
From Bottega Veneta and Tom Ford to The Celine and Collina Strada, there’s something for minimalists searching for the most simple, subdued cargos and maximalists opting for a statement moment.
Whichever cargo style you decide to go with, we’re bringing you a rundown on the best shoes to wear with cargo pants, for both women and men.
What are the best men’s shoes to wear with cargo pants?
Guys, there’s no denying that you’ve been the number one cargo fan from the get-go.
Women haven’t really seen the beauty of wearing cargo pants with asymmetric tops, embellished throw-ons, and stilettos the way that guys have suddenly figured out the comfort (and style) that comes with utilitarian trousers, simple tees, and combat boots.
Whether we’re talking about cargo trousers with drawstring ties for a more cinched waist, or loose-fitting, flowing cargo trousers with larger-than-life pockets, there’s hardly anything more on-trend than them (at least when we’re talking about men’s fashion).
Earth tones, pockets-on-pockets camouflage patterns, and risqué slits have made cargo pants everyone’s favorite wardrobe must-have. That’s exactly why we’re bringing you the best men’s shoes to wear with cargo pants.
1. Sneakers
Sneakers might be the easiest answer to your question, but there’s nothing wrong with that.
When you’re searching for something simple and subdued to wear with your cargo pants, throw on your favorite white sneakers and a graphic tee and own up to the fact you’re wearing one of the most basic, boring outfits out there. Who doesn’t love basics?!
On the other hand, you can switch things up by wearing statement, pop-of-color type of sneakers. Sure, that might sound scary at first, but when you throw on a few accessories and accents to tie the entire ensemble together, you’re going to notice how much more polished and put-together you appear.
Some of our favorite sneakers at the moment are Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba “Cream Green” sneakers, Tom Sachs x Nike general-purpose shoes, and Adidas Gazelle sneakers, but you can pretty much go with whatever floats your boat.
2. Converse
“Aren’t Converse… Sneakers?”
Sure, but Converse deserves an entire paragraph discussing how fashion-forward and on-trend they are. Whether we’re talking about boys or girls, Converse sneakers have been stealing the spotlight for quite some time which means we have to add them to our “shoes to wear with cargo pants” discussion.
Combine your Converse with tailored cargo trousers (yes, those do exist) and a button-down for a workwear-appropriate outfit. Or, wear them with darker cargo trousers or denim cargo trousers, graphic tees, and statement jackets for a “next-door neighbor” moment.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with any style of Converse but we suggest going for Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star high-top sneakers or Converse x Rick Owens DRKSHDW “DRKSTAR” Chuck 70 sneakers.
3. Chunky, combat boots
We’re down to experiment with the “chunky trend,” and what better way to do that than to combine chunky, combat boots with even chunkier cargo trousers?
Pockets-on-pockets worn with the biggest, baddest military-inspired bovver boots promise to turn heads wherever you go which attests to the fact that chunky, combat boots are the best shoes to wear with cargo pants.
Now, you can get chunky boots pretty much everywhere these days. But, we’ve seen some of our favorites made by Prada, Bottega Veneta, and Valentino. Or you can always go for classic Dr. Martens. Breaking the bank never seemed as easy as right now, right?
4. Slip-on shoes
We decided to end the discussion of the best men’s shoes to wear with cargo pants with one of the season’s most surprising hot takes, slip-on shoes. Now, slip-on shoes have been around for quite some time, but they seemed to have gained traction over the past couple of months.
With Nick Jonas and Zac Efron rocking Vans or Bradley Cooper and Brad Pitt sporting Acne Studios slip-on sneakers, we can’t help but notice you could probably rock them with cargo trousers, too.
Wear them with sportier pieces (sweatshirts, tees, and hoodies) for running errands or patterned button-downs and leather accents for grabbing lunch.
We adore the Acne Studios “Ballow” tumbled slip-on sneakers and Vans classic checkerboard slip-on sneakers, but you can go with whichever style works for you.
What are the best women’s shoes to wear with cargo pants?
Crago trousers are making a comeback and we couldn’t be more excited about the thought of wearing something comfortable, wide-legged, and packed with pockets on a regular.
Whether you’re a minimalist searching for the simplest styles of shoes to combine with your billowing wide-leg silhouettes or a maximalist wanting to make a statement with over-the-top pockets and straight-leg silhouettes, we’ve got your back.
1. Sneakers
Argh, the moment we saw Hailey Bieber sporting olive Jaded London cargo trousers with white Adidas Samba sneakers, we knew we had to start with them. Sneakers, as you might have guessed from the boy’s section of the article, are one of the best shoes to wear with cargo pants.
Sneakers are comfortable, fashion-forward, and easy to style with pretty much everything you own which makes them a wardrobe must-have year-round.
Apart from Hailey’s Adidas sneakers, we suggest you get anything from Tod’s slip-on sneakers and Reebok classic leather 1983 vintage shoes to New Balance XC-72 sneakers and Converse High-Top Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers.
Whichever sneaker you decide to go with, wear them with baby tees, regular tees, graphic tees, and pretty much every type of tee out there for Hailey’s signature style.
2. Loafers
Now, we know we’ve talked your ears off with Hailey Bieber. But, she’s definitely not the only celebrity that’s been spotted styling lug-sole loafers with cargo trousers.
Also, loafers have been quite a fashion-forward statement for the past few seasons, with chunky silhouettes, souped-up platforms, eye-catching embellishments, metal-worked adornments, and unexpected hues stealing the spotlight.
Whether you’re searching for something to wear to the office, to a restaurant when grabbing brunch with your girlfriends, or on a date, there’s nothing stopping you from checking out some of the most talked about loafers – Gucci horse-bit loafers, Prada Monolith platforms, or Tod’s always-sophisticated flats.
While you might not think to wear these two together, the chunkier silhouettes work wonders with some of the more simple, subdued cargo styles.
3. Chunky, combat boots
And, while we’re talking about the chunkiness on the bottom combined with pockets-on-pockets on cargo trousers, we have to talk about chunky, combat boots. Don’t think anyone’s surprised that we’re suggesting styling cargo pants with combat boots because that’s exactly what we suggested to guys, too.
Combat boots are a surefire way to stay comfortable and stay on-trend at the same time. Sneakers and lug-sole loafers work great for warmer weather, but you need something more hardwearing, supportive, and protective for the winter.
Dr. Martens, for example, might be one of the best ways to add some edge to an outfit without turning to leather accents and accessories. Prada offers a similar style for those of you chasing that designer background, and Steve Madden carries a knee-high version.
4. Stilettos
If there’s anything the Kardashians have thought us, we would have to go with “you can wear stilettos with everything.” We’ve seen them wearing the highest of heels with sweats, biker shorts, and full-blown bodysuits.
We’re obsessed with the thought of styling cargo pants with stilettos. We’ve already seen Kim do the same, and we don’t see why you wouldn’t experiment with fashion-forward, loose-fitting cargo trousers and stiletto booties or pointed-toe pumps.
Whatever your style preferences might be, there’s nothing stopping you from giving the trend a go and checking whether that’s something you would want to wear on a daily. These Steve Madden heels are a great starting point and we’re sure, they’ll make you fall in love with this trend.
