Who Gets to Wear Workwear?

[Monitor]

General utilitarian clothes, like the Carhartt Detroit for example, isn't workwear per se. We call it workwear but it is a textbook example of a basic, all purpose over-garment with no features dedicated to a any singular field of work.

Purpose made workwear is a whole different story but where do we draw the line? Should you wear a Shuttle Ejection Escape astronaut suit for fashion?

I don't think you should. It takes away from the field and it takes away from you. I don't see what is gained by pretending to be an astronaut, even ironically, if you are not. But that's how I feel.

If there were rules who may wear what, we wouldn't either.

But there are rules. Enforced rules. Hence the never-ending dilemma.

Uniforms, for example. We don't get to wear just about any uniform we want to wear, just the ones we hope nobody is going to mind.

 

[Leather_nube]

This is an interesng discussion. And a typical one for folks with a certain income (and usually of a certain age). If your main struggle is to put food on the table, that´s really all that matters; considerations for "the greater good" (however one defines that) usually come at a different point in life.
Just as a sidenote, I always wonder if it´s a good or bad thing that in many countries of the western world, we are now faced with a generation that never had to worrie about profane issues like work, food, accomodation, and who take the fastlane to "being a better self".

I am not judging any of this, to be clear.

Myself, I just try to make conscious and considered decisions.

Like we do here when it comes to clothing, really. As a simple example, if I chose to buy a Himel today, I do it knowing the full scope of TFL´s opinion on him, his capabilities as a craftsman and his limitations as a human. I am still "right" in my decision and can demand from TFL not to be judged for my considerations.

Food is a good example for considered decisions: I can try to buy "seasonal and local", but if my wife calls me at work at 8pm, telling me we´re out of milk, I will just drop by the nearest supermarket and buy whatver milk they have. "Time" being my consideration then, and that certainly does not make me a worse part of society. "Money" again, is a good consideration for most people most of the time.

So that´s the golden rule for me: Think about what you are doing. Think about the impact it has on you, your family and others, and 99% of the time you are in the clear, IMO. Don´t let others tell you what is "right". We are learning every day that every generation will judge differently.

Yeah, one certainly needs to be lucky enough to have a certain income to spend time&/money on these things.

 

[Tom71]

Yeah, one certainly needs to be lucky enough to have a certain income to spend time&/money on these things.

Exactly! In my words, money usually is one if not THE determining consideration.
And IMO one is well advised to respect that sort of decision making.

Personally, I’d rather spend my money on locally produced food and artisanal clothing Than on a fancy car. I love to speak to craftspeople and farmers, hear their stories, let them show me around. For me, that’s time we’ll spend, but time I don’t always have.
I really have little tolerance for people who tell me, “but if you buy your food locally YOU ALSO HAVE TO (…enter lifestyle decision of your choice). No, I don’t “have to”. I just have to be able to justify my actions before myself and my dearest.

 

[Bfd70]

Most modern american workwear is high vis. Guessing that’s true other places. Can you imagine in 50 yrs a website full of middle aged outerwear nerds debating whether a high viz hoodie without a tag is carhart or dickies! Dorks.



oh…..wait.

 

[Randomuser]

As a software developer, I only wear tattered and stained sweat pants. However I think sweatpants were originally developed for athletes….is this stolen valour?

Someone help, I’m having a clothing induced identity crisis.

 

[Leather_nube]

As a software developer, I only wear tattered and stained sweat pants. However I think sweatpants were originally developed for athletes….is this stolen valour?

Someone help, I’m having a clothing induced identity crisis.

Don’t most software developers just stay in their pajamas? You’re dressing fancy

 

[ton312]

Fortunately I’m exempt as the stuff I buy is recycled and cheap and has zero resale value.
The pinnacle of my collecting journey which is likely the absolute bottom of interest here.

Never been happier or felt/looked better IMO.

 

[handymike]

Yesterday I went to the Goodwill bins with my younger son. I found a pair of European military cargo pants that not only fit, but had $10 in the pockets… finally, my low-brow workwear adventures are paying off!

 

[barnabus]

the stuff I buy is recycled and cheap and has zero resale value

I'm not far away from this myself.

I expect all of my jackets/boots/etc added together would total less than a new Aero.

 

[zebedee]

You can wear anything you want to. I don't think that wearing military gear with the intention of being mistaken for a member of the armed forces is kosher ('mall ninjas'), but I don't necessarily know what people intend. Workwear is now - or at least its replicas are - fashion items as well as practical items, but it's pretty easy to tell a construction-worker battered chore jacket/equivalent from a fashion piece. I own two Leatherman multitools which I have used for household DIY because I was not aware of how much more efficient a decent toolkit might have been, but I usually just use them to open beer bottles and cardboard delivery boxes. My Aero Café Racers aren't riding jackets; my Stockman hasn't been near cattle; my 1920s Work Coat gets worn to the office. I did chop and saw a lot of wood in a LHB over a few summers, but not near a dockyard. I've worn William Lennons to work meetings and hiked in them (unintentionally) and they weren't much cop for that.

I once stole a pint glass in a Highwayman, though.

Buy what you can afford and wear it. What other people think is up to them, but they won't think about it as much as you think: your thoughts while wearing your items are up to you. The kinds of clothing people wear in pics on this forum seem unlikely to involve worker exploitation.

 

[El Marro]

Speaking as someone who has spent the last 26 years working construction full time I give you all a pass to wear workwear.
All I ask in return is that the motorcycle riders in the crowd give me a pass when I throw on a Vanson or a Langlitz jacket, and the aviators don’t mind me wearing a flight jacket every now and then.

 

[Eagledog]

As an aviator, motorcycle rider, and home builder, I say you should enjoy all the jackets. Airplanes, motorcycles, saws, and hammers are optional.

 

[Monitor]

Fortunately I’m exempt as the stuff I buy is recycled and cheap and has zero resale value.
The pinnacle of my collecting journey which is likely the absolute bottom of interest here.
View attachment 669075
Never been happier or felt/looked better IMO.

I've piled up on five old, black woolen suits, $10 each with less resell value and have never felt so relaxed and free. I only hope that everything that I've paid more for sells this year, so that I can maybe buy two more down the line.

 

[Leather_nube]

I once stole a pint glass in a Highwayman, though

Wild ;-)

 

[Eagledog]

I have a pair of bird dogs, and a closet full of camouflage jackets, pants, shirts, hats and gloves. All of the patterns are designed to match the terrain of the species being hunted.
The best part is the functionality. They all have plenty of pockets, are super lightweight, unlimited mobility, and offer temperature regulation whether sitting in a tree or climbing long distances.
I would say camo hunting clothes make the very best, work wear.
The durability, comfort and practically can't be beat.
No wonder you see so many people wearing it daily who never hunt.
Long live the camouflage work wear trend!

 

[Bfd70]

Speaking as someone who has spent the last 26 years working construction full time I give you all a pass to wear workwear.
All I ask in return is that the motorcycle riders in the crowd give me a pass when I throw on a Vanson or a Langlitz jacket, and the aviators don’t mind me wearing a flight jacket every now and then.

 

[El Marro]

I would say camo hunting clothes make the very best, work wear.
The durability, comfort and practically can't be beat.
No wonder you see so many people wearing it daily who never hunt.
Long live the camouflage work wear trend!

I am definitely on board with this trend. A friend invited me to go duck hunting with him a couple years ago and me being me, I bought enough Sitka gear to clothe an expedition. I have not been duck hunting since but fortunately I found that this gear works just as well for cold jobsites where lightweight layers make it easy to stay warm without overheating or feeling too bundled up.

 

[Monitor]

This prison uniform is where rock bottom was reached. I cannot even begin to comprehend a mindset of a person buying this. And for several hundred dollars at that.

 

[MrProper]

This prison uniform is where rock bottom was reached. I cannot even begin to comprehend a mindset of a person buying this. And for several hundred dollars at that.

 

[MrProper]

I often used to run out of money but still had a lot of month left. My motorbike clothes had to be used for all sorts of things. I then used them for riding, going out, skiing, outdoor activities etc. I used to ride my old snowboard with cross boots back then lol.
I still use my kidney belt from back then for skiing today.
Out of necessity, I've repurposed a lot of clothes. For example, I once had a cool barkeeper jacket from the 50s or 60s that I wore with jeans and cowboy boots. Or snow shirts of the mountain troops (military) etc. I bought everything second-hand.
At some point I realised that I didn't have enough money to buy cheap things. So I still have a lot of things that are many years old. As I keep my figure, I can still wear everything.
I buy regional and seasonal food, and with everything else I make sure it's not fast fashion.
My car is already a few years old and is being thoroughly repaired. It could hardly be more sustainable. I now do a lot of short-distance errands on a cargo bike.
I'm certainly no saint, but I try to find a good compromise between quality of life and sustainability. But as I've already mentioned, it's much easier if you're not living on the breadline.