Spring is officially here — finally — which means it’s time to trade in your cumbersome, bulky, and heavy clothing in favor of lighter, breathable fabric. Spring also means it’s time to dive head first into the latest and greatest spring and summer fashion trends, which means now is the perfect time to go completely camo clad.

It’s extremely common for trends to go as quickly as they came into being in the fashion industry. While this can be a good thing — thank goodness shoulder pads from the 1980’s are fashionable anymore — it can also make it difficult to stay on top or ahead of what’s hot and what’s not. However, there are some styles that simply won’t go out of fashion. The little black dress is a classic example, however, camouflage has carved its own niche in the fashion industry, so much so that it has become a staple.

Camouflage clothing for men and women was never intended to be fashionable, it was intended to be practical. In fact, at the time of its creation during World War II, women were not even allowed in the armed forces! Camouflage clothing for men and women was born out of the French military’s need to conceal their personnel and gear from enemy forces. Although the French have always had an eye for fashion, they had no idea their creation would spark a worldwide fashion sensation.

Eventually, camouflage has slowly folded its way into civilian dress after several returning Vietnam War veterans donned their camo fatigues while protesting the war. From there, not only did this serve as a source of inspiration for the creation of camouflage hunting clothes, but it sparked an entire fashion revolution.

Since that time, camouflage clothing has been adopted by several different genres of fashion, from urban, to high fashion, to casual everyday wear, the appeal of camouflage lies in its versatility.