AnsomMag.com |

Military fashions for women and children are among the fastest growing markets in the army/navy store market. Retailers who ignore or undervalue this customer base stand to lose an important source of income.

“These are excellent markets,” said John Abbasi of Armed Forces Outfitters in Gastonia, North Carolina. “We are here not only to sell used BDUs or military tee shirts.When women and children come into your store, everybody else follows. He noted that he recently sold more than thirty pink camo hats after a high school girl wore one to school.”

“Her classmates saw it and wanted the same thing,” Abbasi said.

Abbasi recalled that when he received his first request for infants’ pink camo blankets, he did not believe such a product existed. But a search through the Rothco catalog proved otherwise. Rothco has pioneered the development of the women and children’s market in army/navy stores and demand continues to be strong, said spokesman John Ottaviano.

Rothco manufacturers a variety of garments in pink camo, including fatigue hats, tee shirts, BDUs and capri pants. It is one of our most popular categories,” said Ottaviano.

Both men and women wear pink camo in support of breast cancer awareness. The connection is so strong that Rothco has brought out a pink camo fatigue cap with the breast cancer logo.

Younger women, especially those with boyfriends or husbands in the military, have made Rothco’s “booty camp” shorts a top seller

“They are like boys shorts and are worn by women as an undergarment,” said Ottaviano, noting that Rothco started with OD and camo shorts with military printing, added a Navy style and will soon come out with pink camo and red Marine corps styles.

“They are one of the biggest growth areas for girls,” Ottaviano said, noting that Rothco also offers matching camisole style tanks tops.