By Amanda L. Haese

A new trend is making its way around KU.  More and more students are wearing camouflage on campus. The popular look is spreading throughout the United States as camo clothing goes from the woods to the streets.
Realtree Camo is impacting the KU Campus Store as it helps increase a small percentage of revenue for funding programs and organizations.

According to the Realtree company webpage, Realtree Camo was started in 1986 by Bill Jordan. After years of trying to create the perfect camouflage, Jordan finally accomplished his goal. Realtree Camo is layers of sticks, twigs, branches, and leaves that overlap to create a real woodland environment look.

“The KU campus store carries Realtree camo apparel and hats each fall,” said the store’s public relations representative Amanda Schaeffer. “Some of our customers choose to wear camo as a fashion statement, while others utilize it for its functionality in the outdoors.”

According to Schaeffer, “The apparel has sold quite well this semester. We also carry camo travel mugs, and those have been successful as well.” Pink Realtree Camo is also becoming more popular, which ironically came into play because deer cannot see pink.

Moreover, recent interest in country media, which includes the rise of country music and television shows, has inspired this new trend.

“Country music is becoming increasingly popular,” said KU student Sarah-Mary Tucker. “It does not need to be full out camo, but you could wear accents of camo too.”

KU student Dan Miller said, “I wear camo because it represents my redneck qualities. I am country and I want to express it.”

Celebrities now wear camo for fashion or casual appearance because of its unquestionable popularity. However, not everyone is falling for the trend. “Camo should just be used for the woods, and not for fashion,” said KU student Tyler Smith.

Camo clothing has an everyday, all year round use. Realtree is marketing toward different audiences with camouflage purses, dresses, eyeglasses, phone cases, mugs and more.