Meet Gertie, the M-65 pocket tie-down straps
Most people are familiar with the M-65 Cold Weather Coat. This is the ubiquitous jacket most famously worn in Taxi Driver, Rambo, and the Terminator.
Less often seen are the matching Cold Weather Trousers. Paired with the Coat, these trousers are pretty ugly, which is why Rambo slipped into those jeans as soon as possible.
Also pretty bulky, especially if you are wearing them with the included button-in liners. Take the liners out and they slim down considerably, but are still somewhat chunklicious.
One of the more unique features of the trousers are the tie-down straps or strings found in the enormous cargo pockets. Apparently these straps are used to hold down bulky gear you might have stashed in there, perhaps keeping your knife or car keys or what-have-you from smashing into doorways or stair railings as you go about your day.
Alpha Industries, which still makes their version of the M-65 trousers, helpfully (sarcasm) calls these straps gerties. I suppose a company like Alpha Industries can call things whatever they want, even if not a single other person or company appears to use the term.
Finding an image of these straps in use is extremely difficult.
Here’s an army guy wearing them with straps fully engaged.
As far as streetwear, so far I have been unsuccessful. I imagine most people are going to keep these straps firmly smushed down inside those cargo pockets, or else let them hang out and flail around vampire-style.