While other light layers fall in and out of style (seemingly with every season), the chore coat has endured, proving just as durable in the face of passing trends as it is on the job site. If you ask us, the staying power of this silhouette rests in that elusive combination of versatility, functionality, and practicality that we often call “timelessness.”
Whether you’ve already got a closet full of chore coats in different colors and fabrics or you’re on the hunt for your first one, this guide has everything you need to start making the most of our favorite do-it-all layering piece.
What is a Chore Coat?
Originally created for laborers in 19th-century France, the chore coat offered workers a practical, durable companion piece to their daily toils. Crafted from durable cotton drill and outfitted with four large drop pockets, this utilitarian workhorse made it easy to keep your tools handy from punch-in to punch-out and could stand up to years of hard wear without coming apart at the seams.
For the full record of the chore coat’s rise to ubiquity, check out our History of the Chore Coat Journal entry.
5 Ways to Style a Chore Coat
A Workwear Legend
This look is all about treating the chore coat the way it was built to be treated: as workwear. Pair it up with a chambray or flannel shirt and a pair of canvas pants (extra points for double-knee), and finish off the outfit with a solid pair of boots. This combination is totally timeless that brings together pieces with one thing in common: they look better the more you beat them up.
Laid Back Weekend
For a comfortable yet put-together look to see you through weekend errands and coffee runs, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better ensemble than the classic cotton t-shirt and selvedge denim combo. In this instance, the chore coat acts like a casual shirt jacket, bringing some detail and visual interest to a tried-and-true look. Finish the outfit off with your favorite pair of boots or sneakers.
Bring it All Together
This is more of a general rule of thumb than it is a specific outfit. The idea here is to leverage the innate versatility of a chore coat as a bridge between “high” and “low” pieces of clothing in your outfit. For instance, you could wear a button-up shirt (high) and a pair of jeans (low) with a chore coat as a sort of stylistic binding agent between the two. Obviously, you could swap the combo (chinos and a heavyweight t-shirt, for instance) to get the same effect. The thing to remember is one more formal garment, one casual one, and a chore coat to tie it all together. You’d be surprised how often this simple recipe comes in handy when you can’t decide what to wear.
Cozy with Class
When the sun starts setting early and temperatures take a nosedive, the chore coat’s more generous silhouette makes it a versatile, capable option to layer over chunky knitwear. While simple and easy in practice, this one hits hard through the holidays. Just find your favorite sweater, throw on a pair of pants with texture (like corduroy), and slip into some leather boots or loafers.
Blazer Body Double
Thanks to its clean silhouette and stand-collar design, a chore coat can be a seamless stand-in for a sport coat or blazer; achieving that oft sought “smart casual” look. Start off with a classic Oxford shirt, add a pair of chinos, and throw on a shoe of your choice. Add a timepiece and a leather belt to elevate the style even further.
Our Signature Chore Coat, The Ojai
Our signature chore coat, The Ojai Jacket, preserves all of the crucial elements of our favorite vintage examples, in a more contemporary, tailored silhouette. In our estimation, the most important aspects of any chore coat worth its salt lies in how well it respects the design’s workwear roots, which means durable craftsmanship and a functional, utility-focused feature set. The Ojai Jacket offers both in spades, offering a profusion of pocket space (including a handy pen slot), uncompromising build quality, and a range of versatile colorways to choose from.
Hopefully, this article has armed you with some fresh inspiration, but the true beauty of a chore coat is its near-endless versatility. So go ahead and experiment, mix and match, and bring your personal style into the mix. We look forward to seeing what you come up with.
