Difference Between Samba Pants & Cargo Pants
- First worn by British soldiers in 1938, cargo pants were designed for a wide range of movement and are baggy throughout the hips, seat and thigh. Toggles can adjust the length of pant legs, and flap pockets close with either snaps or Velcro closures. Canvas and cotton are the typical choices for cargo pant materials.
An edgy choice for ballroom dancers, samba pants fit extremely closely to the body, hugging the hips and rear and extending in a fluid, straight line to the knee. From the knee the cut of samba pants widens, forming an exaggerated bell-shaped opening at the feet. Often the bell is covered with several layers of large ruffles in contrasting fabrics. - Pockets are a defining characteristic of cargo pants; they are typically found on the rear, hips, thighs and occasionally the sides of the knees. These pockets are either seamed and lie flat inside the pants, or are utility pockets attached to the exterior of the pant and covered with flaps.
True samba pants, in contrast, have no pockets whatsoever. The bulk added by cargo pants would distract from the lines of a professional samba dancer. While cargo pockets provide storage to workers on sites, there is no need for a samba dancer to have pockets during a dance routine. - Cargo pants enjoy a level of mainstream fashion appeal that samba pants do not. Utilitarian and sporty, fashionistas often pair cargo pants with tank tops and sandals for a casual urban look. Top fashion designers like Kenneth Cole, Stella McCartney and Ralph Lauren elevated the humble cargo pant by fashioning them out of luxury fabrics like taffeta, gray flannel and satin. Samba pants are not widely worn outside of the professional dance world, possibly because the dramatic wide legs and generous fabric drape make them unwieldy and impractical for every day life.
- In the late 1990s, a new cardiovascular work-out called "Zumba" experienced a surge in popularity. Combining Latin American dance beats with high-impact aerobics, Zumba gave birth to a new line of workout videos, DVDs and clothing. Zumba pants are also called samba cargo pants. They combine the edgy urban aesthetic of cargo pants (toggles, adjustable length, multiple pockets) and the drama of samba pants (flared leg, soft fabric and a figure-hugging cut). Zumba can be done wearing any conventional work-out gear, but samba cargo pants give any workout a bright pop of color and style.
