Roman men would drop their togas and hang out in leather skirts; and to this day many Scottish football fans still paint their faces blue when they're on the march to their next stunning victory. The fashion only took something of a nosedive during the Medieval period; chain mail and suits of armour were always a less practical option for young would-be knights.

The fashion for military wear is as strong as ever today. During the 1980s no street-wise free-thinker would be seen without their green moleskin jacket emblazoned with a German flag, but the fashion for wearing militaria became more common, with the grunge movement in the 1990s cementing the trend among fashionable people, perhaps as a trend to remain with us for decades to come. Camo became another mainstream material pattern, and before long, trousers, jackets, underpants, bandanas and socks could be bought camo-style. It is actually a very varied style in itself; camouflage is, after all, about blending into the surroundings, so jungle, grassland, snow and countryside designs all made an appearance (or didn't make an appearance, depending on where the wearer was standing). When somebody designs a camouflage that looks just like a Tesco Metro, we really will be up to date.

As far as fashion is concerned, men's military clothing can be divided into two types: battlefield wear and formal wear. What's particularly interesting is that there's a wealth of vintage clothing outlets selling genuine military wear from years gone by, be it actual standard issue or fashionable reinterpretations.

Authentic battlefield clothing will always have that functional look, with plenty of dull greens, olives and browns in the mix. Even today, military wear in the Civvy Street still has an edgy feel to it, too – someone turning up at a business meeting dressed head to toe in camo wear with battle headgear might give the wrong impression about how they wish to conduct business. Camouflaged clothing can be bought from military surplus stores as well as other sporting and outdoor retailers, but again, there is a booming vintage market in the genuine article.

The other type of men's military fashion is the more formal wear. Soldiers and sailors have many ceremonial duties to attend to and the smart jackets with highly polished buttons easily stand up to the most rigorous inspection by the fashion police. Throughout the ages, formal military wear has seen some dramatic and outrageous trends, with frogging, brass buttons and amazing headgear setting the tone. Look at the Beatles on the cover of Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and you'll see a slightly camp version of a style that peaked during the Napoleonic wars. More recently Michael Jackson liked formal military-style jackets.

In the right setting or at a suitable occasion, formal military fashion can look amazing. Take inspiration from the services of the land, sea and air and there's a dazzling array of things to choose from.