BUZZ RICKSON'S BR42530 TROUSERS, SHELL, ARCTIC, M-1951

In 1951, the U.S. Army adopted the M-51 series set-up layered system as combat uniform suitable for cold climates .

 I wore back satin field trousers over my drowers , and in snowy areas I wore overpants on top of those.

 The material is a blend of nylon and cotton to make it lightweight and less susceptible to snow seeping in, and the wide silhouette allows for layering.

There are slits on both sides of the waist so that hands can reach the pockets of the trousers worn underneath , and although the garment does not originally have pocket lining, these have been added so that the pockets can be used even when worn alone.