Workwear no longer means the same thing it once did. It makes sense, our definition of work has evolved. Now we work from home, from cafes, as well as offices, workshops and warehouses. Sure, to one person workwear might conjure up brands like Carhartt, with their over-engineered hardy garments made to withstand the elements, oil, dirt, paint and ensure good mileage. To another workwear might simply evoke the office siren trend. But you don't need to wield a spanner to adopt workwear, just ask your local barista.
Fashion and workwear are inextricably linked, and the hype around the latter has been building for years. I think it speaks volumes that Tabis are trending. Fashion borrows from workwear, and the marriage has always generated conversations on class, from Vetements Hi-Vis to CHANEL's FW21 tweed dungarees. In fact, workwear is sometimes framed as anti-fashion. A utilitarian approach to getting dressed, where cost-per-wear, function, and thus quality and craftsmanship are valued before all else. Of course, there are people who go deep; collecting selvedge denim, seeking out the best henley, and bidding on dead stock union-made boots on eBay. Some of the most stylish people I know are constantly knee-deep in workwear forums. And its long been considered the foundation of a pragmatic uniform; think Bill Cunningham's blue cotton French chore coat or Sarah Lucas and her Levi's.
Workwear styles – and how they're adopted – have come in waves. During the 90s, Carhartt and Timberlands were the bread-and-butter of rappers like Tupac and Eazy-E. Over the years we've witnessed Dickies-clad skaters, raw denim-wearing bikers, Red Wing-loving graphic designers, the intermingling of workwear and gorpcore. Now, it's a kind of Ivy League-slash-workwear-redux most famously adopted by Jacob Elordi, where Eisenhower jackets are paired with stovepipe denim and loafers. In Sydney, we're lucky to have retailers like Maillot, who stock brands that sit at the intersection of workwear and streetwear, or independent designers who adopt a workwear philosophy.
So if you're looking to bolster your wardrobe staples with workwear, below we're bring your some of our favourite options. From widely-loved accessible entry-points like Dickies and Carhartt, classics like Old Town and Barbour, to fashion-forward brands like Margaret Howell and Studio Nicholson. Find all the best in traditional workwear, below.
1. Ben Davis
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Ben Davis provides the kind of no-nonsense workwear that made Carhartt and Dickies blow up. The brand has a pretty unique history. Named after its owner, Ben Davis created the brand to honour his grandfather Jacob, who recognised the potential of rivets over traditional stitching, which wasn't robust enough for the working man at the time. By 1871, Jacob was crafting all his pants with these rivets, which he successfully patented through a partnership with his fabric supplier, Levi Strauss no less. From bomber jackets to the traditional work pant, Ben Davis is a reliable source for tough, no-frills workwear basics.
2. Andersen-Andersen
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A family-owned company established in 2009, each piece is designed in Denmark and crafted by the best knitters in Italy. Sure, the buy-in price is steep, but it's worth it when you consider the overall cost-per-wear of each garment after a decade and more of wear – which is exactly the sort of lifespan Andersen-Andersen promise. They're heavy! The styles are inspired by Danish maritime traditions and are crafted from 100% new wool sourced from Patagonia. The label also offers in-house repairs or you can buy a care and repair kit to service it yourself.
3. Red Wing
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A creation of Minnesota shoe merchant Charles Beckman in the early 1900s, he sought to produce a boot that could withstand the demands of local miners, loggers and farmers. With an emphasis on premium leather, the quality of the boots have been upheld today. The company gets its name from its hometown, which in turn was christened after Dakota Chief Tatankamani, referred to as Red Wing II. Beloved by tradesmen and hipsters alike, the famous Moc Toe style has been worn by everyone from Winona Ryder to Jack Nicholson to Ryan Gosling to David Beckham.
4. Margaret Howell
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Margaret Howell first began her label by making menswear, then she found that women also coveted her structured, functional staples. By calling upon her rolodex of local makers and artisans, Howell highlights British tradition and craftsmanship, be it heritage Scottish knitters or the specialists at Mackintosh. Here you'll find practical garments to elevate your daily uniform, whether you're work for the government or an architecture studio.
5. L.L Bean
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As American as it gets. LL Bean is the common thread that unites Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and your local dad. The recreation-forward retailer is your one stop shop for flannel shirts and bedding, fleeces, denim, and yes, that popular canvas tote bag.
6. Service Works
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The new kid on the block. Service Works only opened in 2020, but its managed to find an audience in people who want elasticated waists and trousers that can take you from dishwasher duty to skate park. Made in India with chefs and hospitality staff in mind, Service Works' initial range of trousers has expanded to shorts, parkas, smocks, twill waiter's jackets, aprons, t-shirts and more.
7. Paraboot
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Fourth-generation French shoemakers that have reeled in a global audience. You want derbies, mountain boots or fishermen sandals? Pay close attention. With painstaking attention to craft and tradition, Paraboot handcrafts each pair of shoes with 77% of raw materials hailing from France, with the exception for European and American Cordovan leathers.
8. Sillage
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A one-size-fits-all approach to fashion that is actually inclusive. Tokyo-based brand Sillage remixes classic menswear with the functional principles of workwear. The result is a line of structured garments with exaggerated volume that can accommodate a wide range of sizes, crafted from premium, repurposed materials. Workwear for those who wish to make a statement.
9. Rosa Rugosa
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Love Matty Matheson? Think he has great style? Well get a load of this. In 2017 the chef joined forces with designer Ray Natale to engineer workwear that could stand up to the pressure of their lifestyles and demanding work environments. They wanted a line that was functional, sturdy, Canada-made, looked good, and was size-inclusive. Together they deliver pants, long-sleeves, jackets and shirts in a range that spans S to 4XL, with various combinations for pant size. On top of this, the Toronto-based factory Rosa Rugosa intended to work with shut down following the pandemic, so they bought it! Now they have complete oversight of design, production, and labour.
10. Resolute
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Outside of Levi's I've come to learn there is only one brand of denim you should invest in. Meet Yoshiyuki Hayashi. In 1988, Hayashi co-founded Denime, an original member of the Osaka Five. He's spent the last 30 years living and breathing denim, so with his encyclopaedic knowledge he began Resolute. The key is in the name. You know how all your favourite cuts eventually disappear because they're phased out or reworked? Hayashi is determined to never change his four styles of jeans, not a bit. They're modelled off a mix of 1950s workwear and classic Levi's styles (but from specific decades) and entirely made in Japan, from yarn dyeing, weaving, sewing to processing. Also, he encourages you not to be precious and wash them as much as you like so they can retain that worn, light blue colour. Sizes are specific enough that you never have to get them hemmed, they arrive perfect.
11. Engineered Garments
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Take a closer look, what do you see? Daiki Suzuki began Engineered Garments in New York in 1999, and embodies American culture, be it Ivy League style or post war dressing in his collections. The desire to reach beyond perfect design is palpable, with each garment "engineered" to be personal, peppered with unique and intentional departures from tradition. Made in the USA to be treasured for a life time.
12. Studio Nicholson
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Nick Wakeman believes fabric should inform fit. Her garments take inspiration from Japanese architecture, 90s subculture and grunge, to create a line that is polished and above all, functional. What we would call a capsule wardrobe, Wakeman rebrands as "modular". There is power in the edit, she insists.
13. Dickies
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Where workwear meets streetwear. Dickies, with its Eisenhower Jacket, coveralls, 874 and double knee pants, has been known to get the job done. First established in 1922, the company came to be emblematic of America's post war boom, later being the favourite brand of choice for your skate mates as well as a prolific name on the job site. Let's just say there's a reason the brand has endured for over a century.
14. Hender Scheme
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Based out of Tokyo, Hender Scheme is the brain child of designer Ryo Kashiwazaki. For all your workwear sundries, be it tote bag, carabiner cases, or German army inspired trainers, they have you covered. Accessories are handmade, intended to build up a patina, while shoes are crafted from premium leathers.
15. Levi's
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A household name that is the backbone of American workwear and put denim on the global stage. No wardrobe is complete without a pair. Few other labels can honestly say they've enjoyed the same longevity and popularity over the years as Levi's. Ever since the 1950s the purveyor of denim has resonated with contemporary youth culture, enduring rock, punk, grunge, while also enjoying the favour of workers. A virile symbol of Americana, do you prefer your jeans as 501s or 550s?
16. Drake's
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You know Ivy League style is trending when youths on TikTok begin to don baseball caps, houndstooth jackets and cable knit sweaters. Thankfully, Drake's is here to show us how it's done. Founded by Michael Drake in East London during the 1970s, the clothes are animated by an ethos of "relaxed elegance". Oscillating between Harris Tweed, heavy twill, moleskin, selvedge denim and more, Drake's delivers tailored essentials that are at home in the office, the pub, or a Sunday in the garden.
17. Kleman
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Another French footwear label reigniting our love for Gallic workwear. What was once reserved for tradesmen, with production orders from French customs, the railways, fire departments and even the French army, are now styles enjoyed for their aesthetic value and uncompromising design.
18. orSlow
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It takes a vintage denim collector to build a cult audience it seems. Ichiro Nakutsa did just that when he established his Japanese made line of workwear in 2005. Selvedge denim enthusiasts eat your heart out. Styles nod to the 90s, while also appealing to the modern wearer with wider cuts available and a sizeable offering for women.
19. Solovair
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If we're being entirely honest, the quality of Dr Martens is no longer what is once was. If you want work boots that uphold British tradition and are made with integrity in the UK, Solovair is the ticket. The company first began after five men living in the village of Wollaston joined forces to form a co-operative called the Northamptonshire Productive Society. The company has evolved over the years and at one stage, NPS were manufacturing the famous "air cushion sole" under license for Dr Martens. In 1994, NPS registered their independent business under the name Solovair, and its welted and manufactured boots to the same quality ever since.
20. Old Town
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The choice outfitter for Fergus Henderson and many other hospitality staff around the world. Old Town is workwear made slowly. Producing only 70 garments a week and taking orders through mail, the label is know for its unpretentious range of everyday clothing. Think smocks, Breton shirts, sweaters, utility jackets and pinafores. The kind of simple, restrained garments that spotlight the wearer, rather than the other way around.
21. Barbour
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A staple of the British monarchy and Glastonbury punters alike. Barbours waxed and quilted jackets are instantly recognisable classics. These days Barbour is known more as a global powerhouse than a fifth generation family-owned company, but it hasn't strayed too far from its roots. A selection of its product is still made in the UK and you can get your wax coats repaired by hand in the Simonside factory.
22. Filson
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With a history of supplying workwear to gold miners, hunters and foresters, Filson has deep roots in American culture. Whether you're after a hunting jacket or a cruising shirt in the iconic Buffalo Check, Filson is one of the most trusted outfitters for outdoorsy Americans.
23. Stan Ray
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Whether it's business or pleasure you have in mind, Stan Ray is up for the job. Born in Texas in 1972, get your fill of painter pants and hickory stripes here, with no-fuss all-function styles designed to take a beating.
Images: @rosarugosaworld @drakesdiary
