Rough & Ready : GET BACK TO NATURE WITHOUT SACRIFICING STYLE OR COMFORT IN GREAT OUTDOORS WEAR

Whether they’re hiking, fishing or climbing a rock, city slickers are looking for adventure.

Yet as more people wander into the great outdoors, they sometimes find themselves under-dressed for nature: The bumpy terrain hurts their feet, the rain soaks their bodies and the sun scorches their skin.

What to wear when the going gets tough?

Thanks to technology, dressing for a trek in the wilderness does not have to mean sacrificing fashion for function. With new fabrics and fibers, one can scale a mountain and still maintain that look of rustic chic.

For explorers, there are slenderizing jackets and pullovers that resist wind and rain, rugged canvas shorts and pants that allow room for movement and thermal tops and sweaters to keep in body heat. Earthy colors and natural fabrics such as cotton and linen have replaced the Day-Glo brights and stiff nylons that made one look more like a highway construction worker than a naturalist.

To see the style in action, check out Brad Pitt in “A River Runs Through It.” With his khaki pants, cotton shirts rolled to the elbows and fishing vests, he’s a walking illustration of the well-dressed outdoors man. Fly fishing never looked so inviting.

“There’s been a return to the traditional outdoors look that has been developing over the past year,” says Dave Woods, manager of the California Ski Center in Anaheim. “We’re going back to the khakis, the reds and the plaids.”

The return of classics such as khaki pants, plaid flannel shirts and natural gray wool sweaters is being prompted by an increased enthusiasm for the outdoors, he says. The center, which has a training wall for rock climbers to practice their technique, has seen an increase in people interested in rock climbing, hiking and other outdoor activities.

“With more emphasis on conservation and the preservation of the environment, people are more appreciative of the outdoors,” says Amber Cottle, manager of Adventure 16 in Costa Mesa. The sporting goods and clothing store also has a training wall for rock climbers and offers classes in sports such as backpacking and hiking.

“People want the relaxation and sense of being in nature,” Cottle says.

Styles and colors reflect the renewed appreciation for the outdoors.

“They’ve become much more subdued. There are a lot of forest greens, black and dark purple. Brights aren’t that popular, and fluorescents are out,” Cottle says.

One line of soft fleece separates at Adventure 16 comes in deep hues such as hunter green, navy, black and purple, and the fabric is treated to insulate the body from rain and cold. The collection includes a zip-up jacket ($89), zip-up vest ($47) and drawstring pants ($69).

“It’s a layering system to warm the core of the body,” Cottle says.

Although they’re not as functional, clothes made of natural fibers are a favorite with outdoor lovers. For women, Adventure 16 has a sleeveless blouse in khaki and blue batik print cotton ($42) with matching walking shorts ($48) and also olive green twill cotton ranger shorts ($43). Men can find explorer shirts of cotton twill in washed olive ($28) or flannel shirts by Patagonia in “contemporary plaids,” including one olive green style with tiny flecks of fuchsia ($52).

Some clothes intended for adventurers are going from the wilderness to the streets, according to Alexa Garell, executive vice president and menswear buyer of the Grant Boys in Costa Mesa.

“There’s a crossover between fashion and function right now,” she says. “We sell a ton of plaid flannel shirts.”

Dusters, long coats originally created for horseback riding, are being adopted by city folk.

“They open in back and can be worn in the saddle. How many of these ever touch a saddle I don’t know,” Garell says.

Dusters come in an acid-washed denim ($129) or a cotton canvas in solid black, olive or brown ($200) at the Grant Boys. Washed canvas shirts in an array of colors ($36) also cross over from country to city.

Hiking boots, once only functional footwear, have become fashion statements, Garell says.

“These days I sell them to people going hiking and people going to a concert.”