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Surely you’ve noticed it: half the people at your coffee shop are dressing like chic mechanics. That’s thanks to workwear’s dominance in the fashion industry, which might not be a brand-new trend but is undeniably white-hot. Brands like Carhartt have been making practical essentials for tradespeople since 1882, when they sold their first pair of overalls designed for railroad workers, and it was only a matter of time before the rest of us noticed the perks. Workwear’s unfussy, functional silhouettes and stylishly earthy color palette made it a favorite among streetwear aficionados for decades before high fashion started taking notice.
Fast forward to today, when most of our favorite brands have thrown their hats into the workwear ring – and while we’ll always celebrate the pioneers of the genre, we’ve got love for the modern classics as well. As the style has evolved, the brands below have brought flair and panache to complement that central focus on functionality. The result is clothes that can hold up in high-performance settings but also look just as killer if you’re out on a leisurely stroll.
Who says you can’t have work and play wrapped up in the same bundle?
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SHIRT, MEET OVERSHIRT
Of all its efficiency-minded innovations, workwear’s best contribution to the fashion landscape just might be the overshirt. A medium-weight garment that fills the gap between basic shirt and heavier outerwear, the overshirt is a Goldilocks stroke of genius that somehow works in every season. That said, the name of the workwear game is to be comfortable, so you’ll want a reliable tee or a cozy flannel underneath in case that outer layer comes off. Either way, these are the tops you wear when you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty – whether that’s metaphorically speaking or you’re finally tackling that DIY project.
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THE NEXT LAYER
For whatever reason, the pieces that scream “workwear” the loudest tend to be outerwear. The paint-stained coverall is an indelible image, with chore jackets, vests and jumpsuits rounding out this genre’s lookbook. Designed to be versatile and reusable, these aren’t heavy coats you can only break out in winter – even us Angelenos can use these layers most of the year. Deep pockets, earth tones, and bold stitching are just some of the hallmarks that give these looks their rough-and-tumble cool.
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LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Let’s face it: the average jean or slack falls down hard when it comes to range of motion. Workwear pants by contrast free you up to bend, balance, crouch or crawl as the job requires, with relaxed fits and reinforced knees to keep everything durable. These pants are also where you’ll notice the details that have become influential across all of streetwear, like extra (and extra-large) pockets alongside tactical belt loops and other additions. They’ll help you keep all your essentials on hand and look damn good in the process.
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NOW GET TO WORK
As far as fashion styles go, workwear is something of a platonic ideal: constantly innovating with new ideas and shapes while keeping the main focus on wearability. These are clothes that are made to be utilized, not museum pieces, and they’re as easy to wash and dry as they are to slip on. It’s rare that good clothes are this unfussy, and makes us all the more excited to add these selects to our cart.
So go ahead and strike while the iron is hot – these looks might be timeless, but they’re flying off the shelves.
