As I’m sitting here typing, I’m wearing one of the most comfortable shirts I own. Plastered across the chest is a power tool brand name. But if I wore this shirt on most jobsites, I’d tear it to shreds by the end of the day. So what gives? Shouldn’t clothing branded by power tool brands be able to hold up? My friend, you’ve reached the intersection of workwear and work apparel, and they’re not the same.
Frankly, this topic doesn’t take a ton of explanation, but the differences matter more than you might think. Workwear is designed to help you get the job done. Work apparel is designed to help you wear the brands you love when you’re off the clock.
Simple, right? Let’s dig a little deeper for those of you who want to explore that a bit more.
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Best Workwear for Construction, Landscaping, and Agriculture
Workwear
Workwear is a broad category. In our world, we primarily think of clothing for the trades, lawn care/landscaping, and agriculture. But almost every type of work has workwear. Medical has scrubs and lab coats. Retail has uniform shirts or vests. Law enforcement, first responders, and military have specific uniforms. You could even consider suits for executives as a type of workwear.
If you want to broaden even further, many recreational hobbies have a type of workwear. Hunting, fishing, and virtually every sport has its own unique clothing and gear.
When you think about those categories, note that each type of workwear is purpose-built for the job and the environment it’s designed to work in. It has specific elements that affect durability, movement, function, and style. Compared to work apparel, it tends to be less comfortable and stylish, but not always.
Work Apparel
On the other hand, work apparel is primarily built for style and comfort, but tends to lack in durability or function on the jobsite. It’s especially popular with brands that have a deep heritage. Carhartt, Dickies, and Red Wing all have work apparel lines. DeWalt recently announced its Off-Site collection as a collaboration with fashion designer Jeff Staple.
Newer brands recognize the benefits as well. Brands we’ve reviewed like Tecovas, KUIU, and King’s Camo have lifestyle options, and several of Truewerk’s offerings easily cross over between work and casual wear.
Work apparel makes sense. People who work in the trades, landscaping, and agriculture tend to be loyal to brands who make the tools they rely on to get the job done – and the workwear they choose is part of their tool loadout. It’s natural to show your love for your favorite brands by wearing casual wear made by them. We do it all time with sports teams and recreational brands, so why not the team that helps you make a living?
Which Should You Choose?
Between workwear and work apparel, what’s the right choice? Both!
Just remember that workwear is designed to help you on the job and work apparel is what you wear off the clock. Your on-site workwear is where the brand proves itself, and when you wear that brand’s work apparel, you’re endorsing those brands as trustworthy.
