SneakerHub Does Workwear

In the 80s and 90s, workwear – originally worn by construction workers, coal miners, and soldiers – was being paired with sportswear, military and vintage pieces by two specific subcultures. Skateboarders and those within hip hop culture starting rocking workwear, the former for its functional design, and the latter for its colour and fit.

On the one hand, across the USA, Tupac and the Beastie Boys were rocking canvas Carhartt chore jackets alongside slogan tees and baseball caps. The staples were favoured by the worlds of disco and rap, and by those who wanted to wear more loose-fitting clothes, especially bottoms, in brighter colours – just like these Dickies 1939 Straight Leg Carpenter Duck Jeans in a Rinsed Duck Brown stocked here on SneakerHub.

On the flipside, workwear was becoming a staple for skateboarders because of its ruggedness. Skaters around America were rocking Dickies’ double-knee cotton trousers because they knew they could take a proper beating when tricks didn’t go to plan. If you were wearing Dickies or Carhartt, you could spend hours and hours on the board but still keep your trousers intact. They became the perfect, inexpensive uniform for die-hard boarders. 

In hindsight, workwear’s progression from skateboarding and hip hop culture to today’s streetwear boom seems quite logical. Those two subcultures wanted an authentic look that reflected their inner-city lifestyles, neither wanting to pay much while doing it. Very similarly, when it originated, streetwear was all about authenticity and an unfiltered, urban culture.

In the 21st century, trends have never been more fleeting. Yet, streetwear retailers are continuing to stock workwear goods because people are craving the simplicity and durability inherent in this range. Today’s classic streetwear fit will almost always feature either a chore coat, some Dickies work pants, or an industrial vest layered over a shirt. 

Another reason that workwear transcended into streetwear was because it worked so well alongside loud, overstated clothing and sneakers. Alongside this happy coincidence, while OG streetwear names grew into global brands and began losing some of the USP that started the whole movement, traditional workwear continued to maintain the sentiment of authenticity that is essential to streetwear.

The cut of workwear garments is yet another factor assisting their staples in sitting alongside high-fashion brands and hyped labels. Take the Dickies 874 pant, for example. A style originally meant for the skate park, this type of cut has transitioned into the mainstream with several contemporary streetwear brands now creating trousers and denim based on these loose and simultaneously fitted silhouettes. 

Having recognised their affiliation and popularity within the streetwear scene, some workwear brands have started to directly cater to their expanding fan bases. Both Dickies and Carhartt have established separate lines to attend to their new streetwear audiences, at the same time ensuring that they don’t disengage with their initial target market. Carhartt created its sub-brand called Carhartt Work In Progress – or WIP – in order to provide more streetwear-focused products.

Dickies did something similar with their Construct line, tweaking their silhouettes by adding softer fabrics and lighter colours. Construct has become the brand’s more fashion-forward line, and has given Dickies more leeway for collaborating with other, more fashion-centric brands in the industry.

Next stop, collaborations!

Not only is Kanye West rocking a Dickies jacket to the Met Gala, and A$AP Rocky wearing Dickies’ famous 874 pants around the city, but legacy brands are now deeply involved in several high-fashion collections. By the way, if you’re interested, you can cop Kanye’s look right here!

In recent years, streetwear’s role within high-fashion has grown enormously. Brands such as Gucci and Prada, having wanted to infiltrate the youth market, have tapped into the movement that’s put all youngsters into a fashion frenzy. Other high-end brands that have so far partnered up with workwear brands to release exclusive collaboration lines include Junya Watanabe with Dickies, Carhartt and The North Face, Alyx and Dickies, and BAPE and Carhartt. As we move into a new decade, the relationship between streetwear, workwear and high-fashion looks set to blossom even more.