The crowds gathered at the 99th New York City Veterans Day Parade last Saturday shared more than their mutual excitement. Many groups of both men and women of varying age groups wore quintessential army green camouflage attire as they cheered their veterans on.
Just last year, ‘military chic’ was declared one of the top three fashion trends of 2016, alongside off-the-shoulder tops and rompers, according to Google Fashion Report.
However, what may be perceived as a heightened sense of patriotism was received with criticism by both veterans and current service members who were at the parade.
Retired servicemember Ed Jorgensen, 71, who was visiting with his wife from Pennsylvania, said that the meaning behind military uniform was being diminished by modern fashion trends.
“Both of my brothers also served in the military, one of them in the Army, the other in the Navy,” said Jorgensen, 71. “And I think we would all find it quite offensive. You look around today and see people dressed in military jackets, but I think it’s more of a desire to be fashionable. The jacket should be reserved for those who really understand the symbolisms, because the significance of the patches are getting diluted casually as the respect is waning too.”
Ed’s wife, Barb Jorgensen, 68, said that some of the people may just be blindly misinformed due to a lack of exposure.
“I don’t think it’s fair to the military that people are representing something without knowing what it means,” said Jorgensen, 68. “However, it may be unintentional, especially if they weren’t raised in a military family who took the time to explain the meaning behind certain symbols of the uniform. That being said, this generation could use a bit more civics.”
However, Rose DeWinter, 28, a civilian who was in a classic fighter pilot bomber jacket, said that her clothing was a harmless statement of self-expression.
“In no way am I disrespecting anyone,” said DeWinter, 28. “Here I am cheering on our veterans at the parade. Me wearing a military inspired bomber jacket comes nowhere close to disrespect. Frankly there are more urgent issues to be concerned about.”
The journey from military to mainstream is a frequent sighting that first sparked in 2001 when Marc by Marc Jacobs released an army green jacket with voluminous puffs on its sleeves. Now the list includes Ray Ban sunglasses, camouflage prints and patterns, peacoats and more– everyday staples of modern fashion.
Air Force ROTC cadet Samuel Kim, 20, said that mainstream clothing companies may be to blame.
“Sometimes the actual company that makes the jackets for the military sells directly to the public,” said Kim, 20. “But more often than not, middle- and low-tier fashion retailers like Forever21 and H&M just make something similar at a lower price point. So you end up with a bunch of wacky looking bomber jackets with random military patches and the U.S. flag on the wrong way. People will always wear clothes they don’t know the meaning of, but so long as these mainstreamed products exist in the market, people will continue to wear them.”
Image Courtesy VOGUE and Megoosta Fashion