Here’s the bottom line: you need a chore coat. Why? Because whatever you’ve got on your plate—a low-key park hang, a nice dinner date, a greasy day in the garage, a coffee meeting with a client—the right chore coat will help you get through it all looking as sharp and put together as possible. For generations, all manner of dudes looking to get stuff done, from construction workers to photographers to mechanics to outdoorsmen, have turned to these storage-space-happy jackets for their durability and versatility. There’s virtually no jacket better suited to everyday wear.
Chore coats will shield you from harsh weather, save you from carrying a bag around, and are perfect for layering over everything from chinos and a T-shirt to a button-down and tailored trousers. And right now, thanks to fashion’s ongoing workwear fixation, there’s never been a wider range of worthwhile versions available to you. To save you a vital bit of time, we went ahead and rounded up the 35 worthiest men’s chore coats on the market right now.
The Chore Coat That Started It All
Le Mont St Michel genuine work jacket
If the appeal of workwear to you is all that baked-in “authenticity,” well, it doesn’t get much more authentic than this. The kind of chore jackets we’re used to today were first donned by laborers in France in the late 1800s and originally dubbed bleu de travail—“worker’s blues”—for that attractive, irrefutably French shade of indigo. Not long after, in 1913, Le Mont St Michel began crafting their iconic version of the coat and has since become the de facto French chore coat brand. Over a century later, its appeal has only deepened: the roomy patch pockets and hardy construction are as practical as ever, and something in the cut and drape and color lends the OG jacket all the ease and elegance of an impeccably tailored unlined blazer. And though the inimitable French blue will always be in-style, this lush forest green colorway feels just a little more unique. It’s not as common as military-favored olive drab, but is perhaps just as wearable. Jeans (obviously) and a grey hoodie, a thrashed vintage T-shirt with a pair of wide-leg khakis, some cream-white pants and a dressy button-up for some southern Italian flair—it’s all fair game.
The (Sorta) True American Classic Chore Coat
Carhartt WIP “Michigan” chore coat
You’re probably looking at this jacket and thinking, “No need for the write-up, GQ. I’m well acquainted. Every dad/uncle/general male authority figure in every hometown in America wore one of these growing up.” And while we appreciate you trying to save us some work, you aren’t totally correct. Thing is, this bad boy actually comes courtesy of Carhartt WIP—“Work In Progress”—the Detroit stalwart’s European-designed, streetwear-inflected offshoot. They kept all the best parts of those Carhartts you remember—the impenetrable cotton canvas, the corduroy collar, the rivets, the decades-long lifespan—while also ripping out the heavy blanket lining for spring and trimming the whole thing down just a smidge. The result is the rare remake better than its source material: a jacket that can still stand up to an honest day’s labor, but no longer fits like a stiff cardboard box.
The Best Affordable Chore Coat
Red Kap lapel counter coat
Red Kap has been doling out hardwearing, affordable workwear for decades. Case in point: their lapel counter coat. The French blue is just the right shade, and it’s made using a lightweight but hardy blend of polyester and cotton. At just $25 a pop, you can even get one in every non-bleu color and still pay less than some of the cheaper options on this list. Pair it with your favorite graphic tee and sneakers for a casual off-day look, or go full on cozy vibes with a hoodie, cords, and boots.
The Environmentally-Minded Chore Coat
Alex Mill garment dyed work jacket in upcycled denim
Alex Mill’s signature work jacket boasts all the hallmarks of a classic chore coat but swaps the typical moleskin fabric for an eco-friendly denim. The fabric is composed entirely of post-consumer cotton made in a family-run, zero-waste mill in Guatemala. That upcycled process imbues the denim with a ton of character and a lived-in feel that won’t cost you months and months in break-in time. The fit is also immaculate. A lot of modern versions are cut too slim, and old-school originals are often too frumpy, but Alex Mill hits an ideal relaxed silhouette that’ll look great layered over everything from a light tee to chunky knit hoodie.
The Denimhead-Approved Chore Coat
Orslow 1950s 4 pocket jacket
If you’re looking for considered details and expert craftsmanship—without any of the extraneous capital “F” fashion stuff—this is the chore coat for you. Orslow is known for its hardcore workwear reproductions, and it doesn’t get much better than this 1950s-inspired coverall jacket. It’s made using Japanese selvedge denim with a subtle slubby texture, contrast stitching, patinated brass buttons, and an impeccably relaxed fit. With top-notch materials and vintage construction techniques, this piece is built to last well past the 2050s.
30 More Chore Coats We Love
Lee stretch denim chore coat
Surprisingly accurate vintage details hardcore denimheads would demand, but in a smoky colorway they wouldn’t expect.
And Wander kevlar jacket
This chore coat comes to us from the year 3022.
Imperfects Creator’s organic cotton canvas chore coat
Imperfects’ true-French-blue chore coat is cut just right for layering and with top-notch quality construction, too.
Uniqlo U overshirt
Relaxed enough to toss over a thick sweater, but light enough to wear with a T-shirt and shorts—is this the ideal layer? (Yes, yes it is).
Everlane French terry chore jacket
A chore coat that’s also a towel? We’d rather wear it out than use it as a bathrobe, but you could.
A.P.C “Stefano” cord chore jacket
Beefy fabric doesn’t have to feel like you’re wearing cardboard. A.P.C’s corduroy chore coat is meaty but soft like butter.
Craig Green quilted worker jacket
Craig Green’s breakout garment takes the tradtional French farmer jacket and drops it into Bladerunner and the result is one hell of a coat.
$1,189
Mohawk General Store
Toogood photographer cotton-canvas chore jacket
Chores are still chores, but who said the jacket you wear had to be such a drab colorway?
YMC faux-fur labour chore jacket
Proof that a great fleece jacket does not have to look like you bought it at an outdoor retailer.
Armor-Lux fisherman chore jacket
Think of this as a weightier, more capable flannel shirt that you can wear over your favorite hoodie.
Portuguese Flannel Labura chore jacket
No frills design doesn’t mean no thrills. Portuguese Flannel makes some of the best chore jackets around thanks to their dialed-in fit, buttery fabrics, and great price point. This one in a washed-out black doesn’t feel as serious as a pitch black color, but doesn’t try to come off as an authentic bleu de travail, either.
De Bonne Facture cotton-moleskin chore jacket
Luscious moleskin like this would make any work day feel like a walk in the park.
Universal Works pinstripe Bakers jacket
The pinstripes let you know that this chore coat means business.
Evan Kinori three pocket jacket
Evan Kinori’s three pocket jacket is a best seller that gets reprised in new fabrics every season. This one, in a fantastic brushed wool glen plaid, feels like you’re wearing the most luxurious blanket (but not like the As Seen on TV thing you’re thinking about).
Story Mfg. Sufiyan Khatri edition organic cotton jacket
Chocolatey, velvety, and beautifully handmade, this jacket begs the question, “Do I really deserve something this amazing?”
Karu Research corduroy-trimmed printed cotton-canvas chore jacket
Drawing on traditional Indian textiles and traditions, this chore coat is made using artisanal hand-block-printing techniques.
Visvim Baker nubuck chore jacket
Based of vintage US military P-41 utility jackets, Visvim’s rendition is… a bit more advanced. It’s got all the same details as the standard issue, but swaps out the usual olive herringbone twill for a luxe washed nubuck leather that makes it undeniably exquisite.
Doublet wood yarn blouson
All work and no play makes most jackets a dull buy. Not this one.
Brain Dead gardener’s jacket
A little punk attitude is good for you and for your closet.
Gap camo chore jacket
The coolest chore coat is one you can’t even see.
Taylor Stitch Ojai jacket
A literal blank canvas for you to wear in and wear hard.
Todd Snyder brushed camel hair chore coat
What every teddy bear aspires to be when they grow up.
Buck Mason waxed canvas Highland jacket
Rugged waxed canvas and a buttery Japanese blanket lining? We’ve never hit the buy button so hard.
Red Kap blended duck chore coat
Beefier, warmer, and with even more pockets than Red Kap’s basic option.
Carhartt duck chore jacket
Made with Carhartt’s famed duck canvas fabric, this chore coat is as tough as they come. Think of it as a future family heirloom your great-grandkids will fight over.
Drake’s Japanese selvedge corduroy five-pocket chore jacket
Crafted from an absolutely luscious Japanese corduroy that’s as cozy as it is durable.
Madewell canvas chore jacket
Madewell gave this chore coat a Goldilocks wash that’s juuuuust right.
Hiroshi Kato “The Vice” Panama stretch chore jacket
This summer-ready outerwear has all the vintage workwear details you can stuff into one jacket.
The Stronghold 12.5 oz herringbone selvedge denim chore coat
If you’re after the most historically accurate chore coat possible, this one—from 125-year-old L.A. workwear brand The Stronghold—is the way to go.
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Source by www.gq.com
