In case you haven't heard, there's a war going on. It's in Iraq and, to put it bluntly, it's gotten ugly-even by war standards. But the conflict's not restricted to the Fertile Crescent. No. You see, even right here in America there's a bit of a brouhaha underway. It seems there's one group of folks who support the war and think it's working, and another group of folks who think maybe the war wasn't such a hot idea.

So what does this have to do with the proliferation of safari styles on the menswear scene this spring? Well, as it turns out, wearing something military-inspired right at this moment makes more of a statement than a lot of people feel comfortable with. When you're surrounded by war on a daily basis, there's little joy in wearing its trappings-especially when you're just getting dressed for work.

Where, then, can designers look for inspiration now that their beloved camo prints and cargo pants have been called back to active duty? How about military clothing's brother from another mother: safari gear?

Safari's got all the venerable, crisp, and utilitarian manliness of military wear but without the insinuations of political unrest and bloodshed.

"Safari invokes the spirit of adventure," says Lee Colquitt, Director of Marketing and Merchandising for Beretta, a well-known manufacturer of firearms and outdoor
clothing. "Safari clothing is designed to meet the requirements of surviving in the bush, so it appeals to our inherent interest in adventure."

Natural yet high-tech, classic yet constantly updating, safari has found its way back into designers' hearts. This season, companies like Diesel, Polo, Burberry, and Reiss have all thrown their pith helmets into the ring, joining the expedition and offering multipocket jackets and other perhaps-not-ready-for-an-actual-safari safari gear.