Tracking Wild Wear for the Urban Jungle : From Surf to Safari Gear, Outdoor Duds Are Back In

Fashion, for those whose idea of the perfect vacation is to take a walk on the wild side, to swing a la Tarzan from a vine in the jungle, has come a long way since the days of the leopard loincloth.

Outdoor wear has become downright stylish.

Consider the success of Banana Republic, which sprang up in suburban malls everywhere thanks to its safari-style clothing and decor. Suddenly everyone was donning khaki walking shorts and safari hats, even people whose closest encounter with the wild kingdom was riding the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland.

Various specialty shops in Orange County cater to those who thirsts for adventure.

Visiting one of these stores can be like taking a small vacation itself. Perhaps to stir one’s wanderlust, the shops are heavy on atmosphere.

A little log cabin stands in the middle of Adventure 16 in Costa Mesa, which bills itself as “outdoor and travel outfitters.” The store recently installed a sheer, 25-foot climbing wall that patrons can scale at their own risk.

To complete the illusion of nature untamed, birds twitter over the stereo system and smoke from burning incense fills the air, camouflaging the local smog with a woodsy scent.

“We want to make people think about the outdoors,” sales representative Lisa Cabe says.

Adventure 16 carries comfortable cotton clothes that keep their cool on safari. Out in the hinterlands, polyester quickly becomes an endangered species.

For men traveling in warmer climates, there are well-ventilated cotton mesh polo shirts in white, khaki or mint green for $38, and a khaki mesh vest with nylon pouch pockets for carrying film, keys and other survival gear for $85.

They can find khaki cotton shorts for $42 and cotton shirts with colorful batik prints for $16.

For women, there are cotton button-down tank tops with Southwestern-style embroidery in turquoise and peach for $32. The tops go well with long khaki shorts, or cotton skirts in pale khaki plaid or blue stripes for $49.

One need not enjoy chasing after wild game or traipsing through the Australian outback to appreciate such durable clothes. Indeed, the jungle-like interior of Banana Republic in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, may be the closest its customers ever get to Kenya.

To give its patrons the illusion of an African adventure, the store has set up a crude hut made of aluminum siding and weathered wood, a simulated cloudy sky painted on the ceiling, wood crates marked “Congo” and “Zaire” and a faux rhinoceros head that protrudes above the cash registers.

Amid such primitive surroundings, women can snare broad-brimmed hats, sleeveless cotton blouses and full cotton knit skirts with tropical prints. Many outfits feature ethnic styles and colors, such as the crinkled chiffon skirt with a batik print for $68, a mustard-colored cotton spandex body suit for $28 and a tropical sarong skirt for $29.99.

For men, there’s a tracker’s jacket of cotton twill with mesh lining for $125, or a Foreign Legion jacket with big flap pockets and a drawstring waist for $98, which the store brochure reports provides “great cover for protection against thorns or tourist throngs.”

Thrill seekers can also find cargo pants with large patch pockets and drawstring hems for $44 and the photojournalists’ vest with pockets for lenses, light meters, pens and passports for $89.

As practical as the sturdy pants and multipocketed jackets and vests are for the great outdoors, they’re style-conscious enough to be worn in the urban jungle.

Island-inclined travelers can prepare for an adventure at Fins and Flippers in Mission Viejo Mall and MainPlace, Santa Ana.

The stores look like an oasis in the middle of a mall, with straw hut dressing rooms, bamboo racks, windows filled with sand and rocks, and a stuffed gorilla dangling from a palm tree.

Fins and Flippers stocks all the necessities for the Kauai-bound, including neon-colored bikinis for women and men’s swim trunks in day-glo colors.

The store also carries casual clothing for men, such as orange and pink striped T-shirts for $33.95, denim shorts with wild, washed-out prints for $37.95 and drawstring cotton pants in a black and green striped ethnic print for $39.95. For beach wear, there’s a slight toning down of hot neons.

“The colors aren’t as bright as they used to be,” says Julie Okamoto, manager of the Mission Viejo store.

In addition, Fins and Flippers stocks an assortment of beach accessories such as visors, straw hats, sandals, wet suits and suntan oil--everything a modern-day king of the jungle could want.