Workwear and Culture

How blue collar fashion has transcended its humble origins

By: Carter Starkey

Carhartt, Dickies, Wrangler, and Lee. Canvas, denim, brass buttons, and, of course, the ever-so-common beanie adorned with the brand’s tag. Workwear is everywhere, here on campus, around the city, and even in boutiques in places like Milan, London, and Paris. Does this not seem a bit odd? For decades, these brands were more commonly associated with agrarian and blue collar work, and now they’re synonymous with high fashion. Admittedly, this trend is not new. From punks wearing combat boots in the 80s to rappers wearing Timberlands and overalls in the 90s, there has always been overlap between workwear and other subcultures, but now it’s worked its way into popular culture.

This curious shift in culture has made it to fashion's biggest stages, including in 2018, when Belgian designer Raf Simons collaborated with Dickies, or just this spring, when Coach’s runway featured skater kids in baggy denim. I’ve heard this trend called “blue collar stolen valor,” and while the term usually comes up in jest, it raises a real question: do we owe more recognition to the working class people who popularized the looks we now see on runways? And/or is this the natural evolution of fashion, forever adapting and changing, as culture does too?

For some of us, a small sense of imposter syndrome is felt while donning an outfit more fit for construction work than for the classroom. One wonders if those working outdoors in the Minnesota winter while draped in blanket-lined canvas resent those of us who wear the same clothes with a different intent. Nevertheless, I’ll be wearing my double-knee carpenter pants and Carhartt beanies because that’s what I think looks good.