The Heddels Fatigue Pant Guide 2023

We delve deep into the world of fatigue pants, exploring the wide range of OG-107 inspired pants on the market. 

James Smith  |  May 18, 2023

One of the true year-round garments, Fatigue Pants can be a cornerstone in the modern wardrobe — especially if you’re into clothing with a vintage or military-centric aesthetic. They’re workhorse pants that can be dressed up or down, and I’ll go on record to say that in my opinion,  they’re the most essential non-denim pants you can invest in.After their meteoric rise to popular fashion in the late 2010s, fatigue pants are now a mainstay in modern menswear, with many makers trying their hand at this military classic. With so many options out there now, we thought it was time to put together a comprehensive fatigue pant buyer’s guide for our H+ subscribers.While many loose, olive-green military pants have been referred to as fatigues, we will be focusing on the OG-107 silhouette made famous in the Vietnam War. This is the archetypal ‘fatigue’ pant, and while it was traditionally issued in sateen, modern takes on this pant by contemporary brands mean you can pick up this legendary silhouette in a wide range of materials and colorways. Olive green will always be the champ, though.This guide will be your companion for investing in your next pair of quality fatigue pants, be that an OG green pair or something a bit more modern. We’ve separated this shortlist into fits and colors, and put a budget-friendly section at the end to cover the full spectrum of quality fatigue pants out there in a clear and concise way. 

A Brief History of the Fatigue Pant

“U.S. Draftee 1955”. By Michael Rougier. Image via The Life Photo ArchiveThe U.S. Army replaced its M1943 uniform with the OG-107 Uniform in 1952. Made up of trousers and a jacket, the OG-107 Utility uniform was became one of the longest-issued uniforms in the U.S. military, named after the carded color of the 8.5 oz. cotton sateen it was made from — Olive Green 107.The design of the OG-107 pants was simple – a Straight leg silhouette with large L-shaped patch pockets at the front, flap-closure patch pockets on the back, and adjustable cinch tabs at the waist.This wasn’t a revolutionary pattern. Front-facing patch pockets can be seen on pre-WWII US Army denim dungarees and on models of the USMC P41 trousers. The 1947 model HBT trousers, in fact, are essentially the same design as the OG-107 trousers. The OG-107 pattern remained nearly unchanged during its issuing from 1952 to 1989. Just like the M-65 , humongous manufacturing contracts meant that hundreds of thousands of OG-107 uniforms entered the civilian market. They became symbolic as they appeared en masse as Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) protested the war in their issued fatigues.As is the case with many surplus military items, early generations of hikers, rock climbers, and hippies donned OG-107 trousers. Surplus items like the OG-107 pant were valued for their durability and cheap prices, either for hardwearing outdoor people or those looking to remove themselves from a consumerist-centered society. 

A Word on the term ‘Baker Pant’

You may often find Fatigue Pants being referred to as ‘Baker Pants’. While there is no clarity on exactly where this term came from, there is a theory that Bakers were known to wear Fatigues and make use of their large patch pockets.We’ve researched this and can’t find an answer, but just know that the moniker ‘Baker Pant’ is often given to Fatigue pants with the OG-107 silhouette. 

Fatigue Pant Shortlist 2023

Green – Straight & Wide Leg

  Imogene+Willie

Whilst not the first brand that comes to mind when I think of military reproductions, Imogene + Willie have made a pretty compelling pair of Fatigue Trousers that should be near the top of your list if you want something that’s already pre-loaded with patina.These Fatigue Trousers in Olive Green are based on an old pair of worn OG-107s. Imogene + Willie procured a slubby sateen fabric from Japan,yarn-dyed for an authentic texture and feel, and by the looks of the roping on the seams, they also washed the finished pant to soften it up and improve the drape of the overall slouchy fit.Made in the USA, these Fatigues are built with the iconic OG-107 pattern including the large patch pockets, and finished with period-correct buttons and a Caballo out seam.Available from Stag provisions for $195 ($166 for Heddels+ members) 

orSlow

Perhaps the overlord of all OG-107-inspired pants, orSlow’s Regular Fit US Army Fatigue pants are universally appreciated in heritage menswear. And for good reason – they’re made in Japan from a heavyweight sateen that’s full of slub and texture like no other.This season, orSlow have put out a “used wash” pair of their Fatigue Pants, mirroring the brands’s revered pre-washed denim offerings. Having personally worn a pair from their raw sateen state for a few years and outgrowing them, I invested in a pair of these myself and have to say, the wash is spot on. They look just like my old worn pair, meaning I don’t miss them half as much anymore!Each pair of orSlow fatigue pants is constructed in Japan from Japanese sateen and finished with tonal buttons, a chain stitched waistband, and a branded orSlow tag inside.Available at Canoe Club for $268. 

Those orSlow Regular Fit Army Pants we mentioned earlier? Yeah, they come in this olive ripstop poplin fabric, too. This proprietary fabric has been re-developed using a 1960s example, and it looks fantastic.While you won’t get the fade and ultimate softening of their sateen counterparts, you can bet the ripstop cells on this 100% cotton ripstop will become more pronounced with wear and washing, all while being super hard-wearing and practical.Available from Calculus for $256. 

Kaptain Sunshine

Founded in 2013, Kaptain Sunshine is a Tokyo-based designer that offers unique takes on military, workwear, and menswear classics. The brand is like Kapital if Kapital took like 20 chill pills, and that leads to laid-back silhouettes that still have an ounce of Japanese flair.The Kaptain has thrown its 2 cents into the Fatigue conversation this year, with an interesting pair made from a 100% cotton twill that resembles both sateen and denim. Coming in that iconic olive drab colorway, they’re loose wide through the leg, with a gently applied center crease in the leg keeping things articulated.Available from Namu Shop for $348. 

Beams Plus

Leave it to Beams Plus to come in with the wide-tapered, slightly cropped fatigue pant. The Japanese label is known for its 2-pleat pants which make an appearance in pretty much every Beams Plus Collection ever, but for this pair of 1-pleat Baker Pants, they’ve cleverly worked the singular pleat into the archetypal L-shaped patch pockets of classic fatigue pant silhouettes. Clever, huh?Made in Japan, these 1-Pleat Baker Pants are constructed from 100% cotton back sateen – a more compact and dense version of sateen. They feature the heaviest taper in this guide, but they’re by no means slim — they’re just roomy up top and tapered to a smaller hem opening. An instant Beams classic.Available from Lost & Found for $299. 

Studio D’Artisan

While these Studio D’Artisan 1845 AG Baker Pants in Army Green pants came out in 2022, Brooklyn Clothing still has a decent range of sizes in them, making them worth a look this year, too.We know and love Studio D’Artisan for its denim goods, but they make some pretty tantalizing non-denim apparel, too — these fatigue pants included. Made in the brand’s homeland of Okayama, Japan, the 1845 AG Baker Pant is constructed from a 100% cotton lightweight sateen and features all the hallmarks of a classic fatigue – straight leg fit, L-shaped patch pockets, olive green color, and tonal hardware.They’ve also been one-washed, which hs softened the fabric, added some character, and taken care of the shrinkage, too.Available from Brooklyn Clothing for $329CAD (~$245USD). 

Yankshire

If you want to get as close to a pair of original deadstock OG-107s as possible, look no further than Yankshire‘s Fatigue Pants 1960s Vintage Sateen Olive Green.Yankshire is one of Kinji Teramoto’s labels under the 35 Summers umbrella, centered on reproducing army and workwear pieces. In this case, Teramoto has reproduced a pair of OG-107 pants using actual deadstock sateen from the 1960s — right down to the fit, button, belt-loop width, and military contract-style label inside the waistband. Investing in these is the closest thing you’ll find to buying a deadstock pair of OG-107s, and they give you a chance to see how the original fabric would have worn and washed down to become soft, textured, and drapey.Made in Japan, the Yankshire Fatigue Pants feature a regular straight fit with a high rise. The deadstock sateen is unwashed, so there will be some shrinkage, especially in the inseam length, so consider that if you’re into these bad boys.Available from Clutch Cafe for $325 ($292.50 for Heddels+ members) 

Green – Slim

  orSlow

Leading the charge for Slim fitting Olive Fatigue pants is orSlow again, with the Slim rendition of its US Army Fatigue Pants. These feature all the hallmarks of the aforementioned Regular Fit orSlow Fatigues, but they’re in a slimmer fit and made from an unwashed sateen.Each pair of orSlow fatigue pants is constructed in Japan from Japanese sateen, and finished with tonal buttons, a chain stitched waistband, and a branded orSlow tag inside.Available from Maple Store for $238. 

Tellason

We’re glad that Tellason is making an appearance in this guide with a pair of slim-fitting fatigue pants. Made in Italy from an 8.5 oz. Italian olive drab sateen, these are one of Tellason’s best-selling garments and it’s easy to see why. The sateen is highly textured from the get-go and the fit this tapered fit is something that is harder to find in the world of fatigues.All the OG-107 hallmarks are to make your fatigue dreams come true.Available from Tellason for $198.

  Shockoe Atelier

Virginia-based Shockoe Atelier has applied a 7.5 oz. olive ripstop fabric to its slim-fitting Fatigue Trouser silhouette. Made in America, they pay homage to the Fatigue Pants of yore with the patch pockets and fabric choice, but they enter their own modern lane with a slim fit(with a broader thigh and seat area), branded waist patch, and additional rivet reinforcements.Available from Shockoe Atelier for $195. 

Non-Green Fatigues – Straight & Wide Leg

Engineered Garments

Engineered Garments stepped off the sateen train for this edition of its Fatigue Pants, rendering them from a 6.5 oz. Flat twill that comes in the above Natural and below Pink colorways. Coming in a trim straight-leg fit, they’re made in the USA like the rest of Engineered Garments’ roster of workwear-centric garb.While they follow the blueprint of the OG-107, they’re slightly slimmer in the leg than the originals, and the flat twill provides a smarter aesthetic closer to a chino than a traditional fatigue. If you like the schematic of the OG-107  but aren’t crazy about olive green or darker colors, this duo from EG could be up your street. 

Both pairs of Engineered Garments Fatigue Pants in Flat Twill are vailable from Lost & Found for $239.

  Studio D’Artisan

Studio D’Artisan‘s aforementioned 1845 pants also come in a navy colorway, made in Japan from the same lightweight-yet-slubby sateen.Available from Brooklyn Clothing for $320CAD (~$245USD). 

orSlow

orSlow‘s aforementioned Regular Fit Fatigue Pants also come in Ecru, Khaki, and ‘used’ Black sateen. 

orSlow Regular Fit Fatigue Pants in Ecru, available from Blue in Green for $225 ($202.50 for Heddels+ members) 

orSlow Regular Fatigue Pants in Khaki Sateen, available for $265 from Calculus. 

orSlow Regular Fit Fatigue Pants in Used Black, available from Blue in Green for $265 ($238.50 for Heddels+ members) 

TS(S)

If this were an edition of Five Plus One, these Garment Dye Paisley Fatigue Pants by Japanese imprint, TS(S), would be the plus one. Made in Japan, the star of the show on this piece is the absolutely whimsical 100% cotton fabric, which features a three-dimensional paisley print throughout. How did they do it? I don’t know. All I know is that it’s nothing short of sensational.The relaxed-fit pants are garment-dyed, so, as well as numerous questions/compliments whenever you step out in them, you can also expect some pretty fast character and patina build-up.Available from Namu Shop for $435. 

Non-Green Fatigues – Slim

Tellason

If you’re used to wearing indigo bottoms like raw denim jeans, you’ve probably been pining for more Navy whilst reading this article. If that is you, then this pair of Tellason Fatigues might be your thing.Coming in Tellason’s Original Tapered Leg fit, these Fatigues come in a range of non-green colors, including this gorgeous navy sateen. Each pair is made in Italy from Italian sateen that’s slibby and hardwearing, and comes finished with tonal hardware and a branded woven patch inside the waistband.Available from Tellason for $198.

  orSlow

orSlow, again? Yeah, they kinda have this whole Fatigue thing wrapped. Their Slim Fit Fatigue Pants also come in the brand’s ‘Used Black’ sateen, which is washed for softness and character.Available from Vestis for $275. 

Shockoe Atelier

The US Armed Forces never issued camouflage OG-107s, but Division Road and Shockoe Atelier teamed to issue us with a modern edition in two delightful camos.These Fatigue Trousers feature a mid-rise slim fit with a broad thigh, traditional patch pockets with rivet reinforcements, and a branded leather waist patch. Whether you want to blend in or stand out, you can choose between Desert and Black Tiger Camos, both printed on a 9 oz. 100% cotton Japanese twill that will last a lifetime.Each pant is made in the USA with a lock and chain stitched waistband, herringbone pocket bags, and a chain stitched hem.Available exclusively from Division Road for $235. 

Under $150

  Universal Works

You can always count on Universal Works to offer up a high-quality rendition of a timeless style at an affordable price point. Seen here in light olive, Universal Work’s Fatigue is made from a proprietary 3×1 twill and features a relaxed fit with the classic patch pockets on the front and back.While there are hundreds of fatigue pants out there, you rarely see contrasting gold stitching for the button-hole on the rear pockets — a subtle yet accomplished detail that quietly sets these UW pants apart.Available from Grandpa Store for $149. 

Stan Ray

We usually have Stan Ray pants stocked up at the Heddels Shop, but they sell like hotcakes. Luckily for you, Stan Ray’s webstore is stocked up with more fatigues than you can shake a stick at — all made in the USA and under $100. They come in a range of fits from loose and wide to slim and tapered.Available for $96 from Stan Ray. 

Non-Stock Mfg. Co.

The Jury may still be out on Bronson, Non-Stock Mfg. Co. and their Chinese manufacturing, but if brands like Bob Dong or Red Cloud are anything to go by, Chinese-made workwear is nothing to be sniffed at. I guess something that raises eyebrows is the price point. I mean, these Vietnam War OG-107 Utility Fatigue Pants are $54.99. That’s affordable and then some.If you’re a fatigue skeptic, trying these Non-Stock Mfg. Co. Fatigues out for under $100 is probably a good move. They’re made in China from an 11 oz. 100% cotton sateen and come with urea buttons, and come in a straight-to-wide leg fit inspired by OG-107 pants from the 1950s and 60s.Available from Bronson Shop for $54.99 

Etsy, eBay, and Flea Markets

You can find a range of used (occasionally deadstock) fatigue pants on secondhand outlets like Etsy and eBay, and at flea markets like the Rose Bowl.

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