From helmets to high heels: the transformation of workwear style in fashion

Workwear style went through many transformations before it hit the trends. After all, workwear is rarely associated with fashionable solutions. However, workwear found its way straight to the runways of the biggest designers. How has it evolved over the years?

What is workwear?

Fashion consists of different styles and their mixtures. Most often, it draws its inspiration from specific cultures and past trends in an effort to create something new. This is how workwear style was created, which is based on the practicality and appearance of functional clothing.

What does workwear mean? In the simplest terms, it is workwear whose pieces are designed for physical or manual labor. Thus, it is worn by workers during work. Durable work pants and work jackets are the most typical elements of such clothing. However, these are not all the clothes that characterize workwear style.

Workwear style - a brief history

The typical clothing of working people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries had to be, above all, comfortable and functional. Key to the development of workwear became the acceleration of industry and changes in society. Harsh conditions and many hours spent on their feet affected the daily wear and tear of materials. This, in turn, required clothes to fulfill a specific purpose.

Too rapid deterioration of fabrics was not conducive to hard work. The outfit of the laborer of that time, therefore, had to provide at least some safety, as well as be resistant to low temperatures or getting wet, especially in the autumn and winter.

It was with working clothes in mind that people began to look for simple solutions that would make the material withstand daily wear and tear for much longer. Thus, among other things, denim pants with a specific purpose were created.

Durable clothes designed not only for manual labor

Denim pants were meant to be durable and not to be torn even in harsh conditions, such as factory work. However, before American workers started wearing them, such durable materials were used to create work clothes for French sailors.

Initially, denim took on a shade of brown (interestingly, it has recently returned to trend). Over time, it began to be dyed navy blue, which has become the most characteristic for us. Under the influence of work, discoloration and rips were formed on the leg of the jeans. Modern fashion draws inspiration from just such "damage".

Other elements inherent in the aesthetics of work clothes are "heavy" shoes with a higher upper. The massive construction was meant to protect the feet of, for example, mechanics in an auto repair shop from falling tools. The sturdy footwear still has its allies today.

The turn to streetwear

The worker style met the needs of the street thanks to its many advantages. Comfort and practicality were great for everyday life. Not only workers, but also men and women working in other sectors began to reach for workwear items.

What's more, in the 1990s, representatives of subcultures, such as hip-hoppers and skaters, eagerly chose it. Thus, workwear became a close friend of streetwear. And over time the first collaborations began to emerge.

Nowadays, you can see that the joint designs of workwear and streetwear refresh the trends of the past years and present them in a more modernized formula. Thanks to this, workwear is still enjoyed today by lovers of classic proposals that fit into the street style with a contemporary twist.

Women's workwear fashion

What are the characteristics of workwear?

As we pointed out earlier, the workwear style draws its cuts from workwear. So they tend to be casual and less supportive cuts. You will also often encounter oversized clothes. Universal cuts and muted colors are part of the trend of minimalism.

Clothing in the spirit of workwear is therefore timeless, and therefore not difficult to style. It is worth noting that it also happens to hook into military style. Capacious pockets, neutral colors, zippers and Velcro are elements that often appear on the designs.

Loose styling in the nature of workwear can consist of various garments. You can create an outfit with jeans, bomber jackets and baggies. Chino pants, a jacket lined with sheepskin, headwear and sneakers will also be useful.

As for colors, aim for muted hues. Black, white and navy blue are the basics. Of course, it doesn't stop there. There should be no shortage of shades of gray and beige. Styling can also benefit from the charms of brown, red or olive color.

Wanting to include such clothing in your closet, you should pay attention not only to the color and cut, but also to the appropriate quality. Workwear style clothes should serve you for as long as possible. Therefore, attention to detail and durable material count.

The return of workwear in fashion

Workwear style has gradually penetrated into everyday fashion. Over the past few years, you can see an increase in its popularity, as even recent trends attest. Although workwear was designed to work in factories, today you will also meet its elements in more elegant combinations.

Workwear style clothing has found its place in contemporary fashion. Individual pieces are used not only in casual outfits, but also in more eclectic ones. You can even find a plaid shirt in combinations with stilettos.

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