Khaki is both a color - a dusty light yellowish brown - and the cloth traditionally dyed that color: usually a cotton (sometimes wool or blend) twill. The word comes from the Urdu/Hindi khak, meaning "dust," and the fabric was born as military camouflage for dusty terrain.
What Makes Khaki
Classic khaki cloth is a plain, hard-wearing cotton twill, piece-dyed to the signature dust tone. It is not fancy: the value is in durability, breathability, and a color that hides dirt. Modern "khakis" - the pants - are usually a lighter-weight cotton twill (chino cloth, strictly speaking) in tan, stone, or olive, cut as casual trousers.
Khaki Through History
British troops in colonial India ditched their bright red coats for dust-colored uniforms in the mid-1800s - the first modern camouflage. Khaki became the defining military cloth of two world wars, then crossed into civilian life: returning soldiers wore their chinos, and by the 1950s khaki pants were Ivy League staples. The fabric quite literally conquered the world one uniform at a time.
Khaki Today
Khakis remain the backbone of business-casual dress codes worldwide, and khaki twill still serves in military and workwear. In fashion, the color cycles through as a neutral - from safari jackets to streetwear cargos. When shopping, note that "khaki" on a label may describe the color, the cloth, or the garment style; the twill weave is the common thread.
FAQs
- What color is khaki exactly?
- A dusty light brown with yellow-olive undertones - literally "dust-colored." Shades vary from pale stone to deeper bronze-olive.
- What is the difference between khaki and chino?
- Chino is the lighter-weight cotton twill most "khaki pants" are actually made from; khaki properly refers to the color and the heavier military twill. In everyday speech the terms overlap.
- Why did armies adopt khaki?
- Camouflage - British forces in India found dust-colored uniforms far less visible than red coats against arid terrain, starting in the 1840s-1850s.
- Are khakis still in style?
- Perennially. Khaki chinos are a menswear and business-casual constant, and the color returns to fashion runways regularly as a neutral.
Glossary: see the full fashion glossary for more apparel industry terms.