Master the shade of the season with our nifty guide to adding army green to your arsenal.

How is it that one colour comes to dominate at any given time? We like to imagine the style powers that be making this decision huddled around a mystic swatch booklet in a top-secret location. Or perhaps it’s more of a spontaneous, lucky dip scenario. Either way, right now, you’ll notice as you walk down the street parades of outfits in various shades of military green, from deep forest green to grey-ish khaki and rich olive. Though such hues are typically used in army uniform for their practical, camouflaging qualities, they are incredibly useful for everyday dressing and ideal for breaking up a minimalist wardrobe of grey, black and navy. Whether you want to look sharp off-duty or are ready to rise through the sartorial ranks with a particularly commanding style, here’s what to wear.

The military life is one of rigidity: strict rules enforced with utmost precision. The sartorial world is, thankfully, a bit more flexible. Adding a military-styled coat, such as the above Aspesi parka, to your weekend arsenal is an easy way to wear the colour, and looks particularly good when paired with other old classics, such as the above combination of striped T-shirt and selvedge denim jeans. Zipping the parka up to the top is not only a classic Britpop move, it will also give you the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of its high-tech Thermore insulation.

When on the move, we’ve learnt that it pays to be practical – and in the wildly unpredictable winter months, this means a lot of layers. An overshirt occupies the middle ground between casual shirting and heavy outerwear, and will smarten up a simple tee and hoodie combo for when you’re out and about. This Blackmeans example has a particularly utilitarian feel to it, with buttoned patch pockets and contrasting olive-green sleeves, and pairs nicely with the texture of the mélange Beams hoodie. Complete the streetwear look with a pair of exemplary sneakers, such as these hand-striped indigo ones from cult Japanese brand Visvim.

There are certain days when you just want to step up your style game, and choose something a little bit different. For such occasions, we recommend these army-green trousers from London’s Casely-Hayford. The cotton-twill fabric and sharp pleats give them a sophisticated vintage vibe, but the tapered silhouette means the overall effect is decidedly modern. Make sure you keep it this way by wearing them with less formal contemporary items, such as a relaxed double-breasted blazer (also from Casely-Hayford) and these chunky, rubber-soled Derbies from Dries Van Noten.