Now the the war in the Ukraine and Russia sadly is in full swing i can't help but to be seeing inspiration from military pervade many walks of life. As many countries ramp up their military training and prescence, in anticipation of having to go to war, there is a disturbing mood. It is truly a sad state of affairs that war seems to be going on somewhere in the world all times, and just when one region experiences peace, another region explodes.
On the up side, military has always had the need for highly functional tools and accessories and because of this, its a great source ideas for details as a designer.
The braids in these lanyards are designed for expansion, but the aesthetics of this are very iconic. The typical camouflage colours for military can differ in different countries but the khaki / olive green colour is a classic as seen above.
This is a classic helmet bag shape, needing to. have. a wide opening and soft padded structure to protect the helmet. This style is often adopted by fashion menswear as a bag shape for a transition between formal and casualwear.
It is quite common for people to adorn their military style bags with patches and pins as souvenirs of whee they have gone and where the bag has been. You can see below a commercial bag available now that has been designed in the same style as this genuine vintage piece with patches etc already stitched on.
The iconic military duffle bag is made of high density canvas, it can carry alot of clothes and items inside but itself is relatively lightweight and easily slung over a shoulder. The stencil on it is highly utilitarian and symbolises the battalion or regiment that the bag owner belongs to.
When i think of military bags and accessories i think of lots of pockets. Staying mobile and prepared during operations means that the soldiers need to carry lots of bits and pieces around with them. All items have their own little place of stowage. Layered clothing and pocket vests like this one above allow the solider to carry items under their jackets, and load up their body with useful items that they need whilst training.
This is a high fashion example of a designer taking inspiration from military detailing. Separate pockets are modular and attach to a main harness in the piece above.
This above is an Original WWII Japanese Navy Pilots Kapok Life Vest. The padded detailing could just as well be padding for a winter gilet. You can get an indication of the age of this item by the fact that there is no hardware on it, just traditional fabric ties to secure the jacket to the wearer.
Taking inspiration from the highly utilitarian, non military people style these pieces for everyday wear as you can see above. Pairing a military high masculine accessory such as this vest above with a girly blouse with oversized collars creates a cool contrast that works so well with this look above. I really like it.
The iconic fashion Birkin bag by Hermes has been re-imagined with a military twist in the above photo. The combination of such an iconic bag with a utilitarian work-horse fabric such as military grade canvas makes this bag even cooler when it comes to street style.
Versace Spring/summer 2017 military inspiration is shown in the above catwalk image. From accessories to details, the designers have attempted to reinvent military styling for the currrent season and below in Sacai fall 2019 where a corset has been made in the style of a utility belt using lightweight parachute material. And a belt provides an additional pocket / pannier harness pulling together the traditional and contrasting trench coat.
Functional bags that make it easier to carry around tools and belongings are the origin of pannier bags that are now used on bicycles. Previously saddle bags were loaded onto horses, camels and other work horse animals. Pannier bags make it infinitely more easy and ergonomic to carry around heavy loads when riding a bicycle. The load is distributed evenly on the bike rather than on you, the rider.
The pannier bags we design at Goodordering range from single pannier bags that can also be used as backpacks such as our rolltop backpacks and shoppers. Or the more iconic double pannier bag which evens out a larger or leaver load onto the left and right side of the the bike/horse.
A guide to choosing a bicycle pannier rack
Using heavy weight canvas in cycling panniers is a great idea as the materials and style have been long associated with functional accessories.
Above is our Goodordering mini rolltop backpack, well currrently have stock of this bag and it is selling for £65. This bag is an ideal urban companion for the modern commuter. This backpack is lightweight and compact.
The roll top waterproof constructions means it can expand to hold more when necessary. Spacious side pockets are ideal for storing water bottles or umbrellas. Inside the bag you will find a range of pockets for protecting your valuables including a laptop sleeve and an internal zip pocket.
The main fabric is made from sustainable materials - recycled water bottles which are woven into a strong post-consumer recycled polyester. The polyester is layered with a waterproof coating. You will also be able to stay visible and safe with the reflective details on the side pockets and backpack straps. Padded mesh faced shoulder straps make it very comfortable to carry.
I hope you can see how military style accessories have long inspired designers in high street and brand/ streetwear fashion, it certainly has inspired me in my own bag designing.