The chore jacket is working hard

As someone who harbours a penchant for all things vintage, I’ve always been drawn to the classic worker jacket. Soft yet sturdy. Practical yet polished with a sense of purpose. Not straight-laced like a stiff tailored suit. During my trips to the Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks over the years, I’ve often found myself picking old denim truckers and tough safari separates, layers that have a similar boxy fit, at pre-loved outlets like DMAG and Thanx God I’m a VIP. Today, these multi-pocketed and single-breasted separates have been rebranded as ‘chore jackets’, seen on the runways of Fendi, Zegna, and Bottega Veneta, and back home, in collections by Kardo, Dhruv Vaish, Kartik Research, and Line Outline by Deepit Chugh.

At the Milan Fashion Week early this year, Silvia Venturini Fendi offered a rather sophisticated take on the outdoorsy outer layer for the brand’s fall 2024 showcase—think King Charles taking some time off in Balmoral. And look at the street style blogs dedicated to Pitti Uomo—the bi-annual menswear trade show in Florence (which has always been a strictly bespoke suiting zone). The last few editions of the event have seen Pitti Peacocks (buyers, exhibitors, and editors) layering their tweed and herringbone coats with multi-pocketed chore pieces. But why this sudden buzz over something that, just a few seasons ago, was seen as rather frumpy?

One could definitely credit style savant Jacob Elordi for bringing the blouson-style workwear separate back in fashion. Whenever he shows up in a nonchalant Bottega Veneta workwear piece, the internet breaks. And why not? The chore jacket is easy to style and pack, and is historically utilitarian. A seminal invention of 19th-century France, it was traditionally crafted in cotton drill or moleskin, with roomy pockets to store tobacco tins and button cuffs for easy sleeve rolling. It was synonymous with labourers, railroad workers, and farmers, and popular throughout France where it was called a bleu de travail (‘blue work’). Today, everyone from Ryan Gosling to Bella Hadid is a fan.

However, it was Paul Newman who put the jacket on the style map when he played a rebellious prison inmate in Cool Hand Luke (1967). Also worth mentioning is the late street-style photographer Bill Cunningham, who was often seen doing the rounds of New York City in his electric blue jacket.

In India too, celebs like Abhishek Bachchan, AP Dhillon, Varun Dhawan, and Ayushmann Khurrana have embraced the fit. Using locally sourced textiles and adopting a craft-led approach, Indian designers have redefined and refined the European chore jacket. Designer Deepit Chugh of label Line Outline observes that Indian men value practicality and comfort in daily wear. “The chore jacket, with its many pockets and relaxed fit, offers functionality that aligns well with these preferences. Adaptations in fabric, fit, and styling have led to its acceptance. Customer response to garments crafted in Indian textiles has been largely positive,” says Chugh whose cotton version edged with fringe is a bestseller.

Dhruv Vaish, who has experimented with chore jackets in handloom cotton linens, suggests styling it with denims and a wool check shirt. “Layer up with a turtleneck or a sweater this winter. It’s definitely a chic alternative to a classic blazer or a cardigan.”

Ahead, our curation of the best chore jackets for winter.