It’s Time For Chores: Workwear-Inspired Chore Coats

Marc Richardson March 18, 2024

Workwear has had an outsized influence on modern menswear – from jeans and boots to canvas chinos, most of what we wear was originally conceived with utility in mind. More often than not, there’s a decades-old — or even centuries-old — reason for the number and placement of pockets, for the type of fabric used or for how something is stitched.

On the heels of the work shirt’s rise during fall-winter, this spring is set to be characterized by a renaissance for another piece of humble workwear: the chore coat.

The chore coat first emerged in the late 1800s, in France, made from sturdy canvas that was meant to survive the rigorous toiling of farmers, railroad workers and other manual labourers. The coats were cut with a straight, roomier fit, allowing them to be worn as the top-most layer in cooler weather. With workers in mind, these coats featured large patch pockets at the waist and, often, two smaller, more irregularly-shaped pockets at the chest — perfect for storing small tools, plans, a carpenter’s pencil, a railroad watch or tobacco and a pipe.

*Drew Starkey wears a chore coat to a Louis Vuitton opening in January.*

In France, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these coats were referred to as bleu de travail, a reference to the eye-catching blue they were rendered in. It was only once they made their way to North America that they’d eventually become known as, first, engineer coats, sack coats and, eventually, chore coats. As both the French and English name implied, these were pieces made to work in. Over the years, the work that was done in them evolved, manual labour becoming creative endeavours. In recent decades, the chore coat has been less associated with farmers or railroad workers and more with painters and sculptors and photographers.

Despite the blue chore coat’s blue-collar roots, few individuals are more synonymous with the piece than Bill Cunningham, the late roving photographer largely credited as being the godfather of street style photography. Cunningham would, more often than not, take to the streets in search of stylish individuals while wearing a blue chore coat. The piece’s effortless elegance and his commitment to it made him stylish in his own right. But, for him, the jacket had a utility, with its pockets allowing him to carry everything he’d need for his work.

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2024 white and orange damier — *Workwear was all over Paris Fashion Week.*

The chore coat’s appeal is threefold: its durability, its simplicity and its history. With reference images more readily available now than ever before, people are familiar with what lionized creatives like Cunningham wore and designers seek to emulate it. Not every piece is meant to be worn by everybody, though. Therein lies the second part of the chore coat’s appeal: it’s simple, timeless and tasteful in a way that’s flattering for pretty much everyone. With its collar, lapels and buttons, it can bring a touch of refinement to more casual looks — think pairing it with a crisp white T-shirt or jeans – but it can also be used to dress down ensembles involving Oxford cloth button down shirts.

Lastly, there’s the garment’s famed durability, which is partly tied to its timeless look and partly tied to materials it has traditionally been made from: denim, drill canvas, wool. Materials all designed to last and, often, get better as they weather with age.

The rise of the chore coat’s popularity means that there’s no shortage of options for those looking to add one — or three! — to their wardrobe. There are classics — like those made by Mont Saint Michel, or those found in small shops in France for a few dozen Euro — and refined, creative takes on the silhouette, crafted from linen and wool or finished with silk lining. There’s something for everyone and, one presumes, every chore.