We love it when a garment hits that sweet spot between practicality and style. Often, such pieces have roots in the military or the workforce – designed for tasks that required them to be hardy and reliable. When they creep into everyday wardrobes, that’s when menswear classics are born, and the worker shirt is a prime example.

Built to take a beating on the building site or in the garage, these heavyweight button-ups are perfect for year-round use. Sitting somewhere between shirt and jacket, they’re ideal for layering and look great with anything from jeans to tailored trousers.

If you don’t already have a work shirt or two in rotation, now is a good time to change that. Here we’ll explore some key styles and what to look out for when buying.

What Is A Worker Shirt?

‘Worker shirt’ is a catchall term for collared, unlined, button-up shirts designed with manual labour in mind. They run the gamut of styles from the heavyweight flannels of lumberjack fame to the bright-blue pocketed overshirts worn by French railroad workers in the 1800s and beyond.

Buying Considerations

Fit

Worker shirts are meant to be layered, and they should fit accordingly. That means roomy enough to comfortably accommodate a sweater underneath, but not so big that they add too much bulk when worn under a more substantial coat.

Fabric

There are lots of fabric options to pick from. The key thing is that they should all be heavier than your average Oxford or poplin shirt.

Think thick cotton twill, denim, heavyweight flannel or even moleskin.

Details

In a word: pockets. This is the USP of a worker shirt. Whether it’s the curvy flap pockets of a classic western shirt or the trio of patch pockets found on most chore jackets, pockets are a big part of what makes worker shirts the practical pieces they are.

If it doesn’t have them, you’re not looking at the right garment.

Bleu De Travail

Designed for the French workforce, immortalised in fashion by legendary street-style photographer Bill Cunningham and now fully ingrained in modern menswear, bleu de travail, or ‘work blues’, refers to a style of French work shirt famous for its vibrant blue colour.

The shirts were originally blue because the dye was cheap to produce and easy to maintain, making them perfect for kitting out a growing workforce during the Industrial Revolution.

Nowadays, workwear has evolved, but these garments still have a place in everyday wardrobes. Perfect for adding a splash of colour to casual outfits, they’re simple but effective and packed with character.

Denim Chore Jacket

With a relaxed fit and three patch pockets, this rough-and-ready all-American overshirt is very similar in style to its European counterpart. The key difference is the material. Instead of cotton twill, it uses denim, which is slightly thicker and heavier, giving the garment its trademark textured indigo appearance.

A perfect layering companion, this heavy-duty work shirt pairs well with other workwear-inspired pieces like carpenter pants, moc-toe boots, and a barn coat or parka, depending on the temperature. If you’re feeling bold, you could even try the full Canadian tuxedo look by combining it with a pair of raw-denim jeans.

Check out brands such as Carhartt, Iron Heart, Full Count and Drake’s.

Heavyweight Flannel

There’s a reason those who work outside all day in the cold swear by heavyweight flannel shirts. They’re warm, durable, comfortable, and roomy enough for layering. For the rest of us, they also bring some texture and colour to the table with their fuzzy brushed fabric and signature checked patterns.

Softness and durability aren’t mutually exclusive when you have one of these babies at your disposal. We’re struggling to think of anything else that nails that blend of rugged charm and straight-up hug-like comfort quite as effectively. For that reason, we believe it’s a must for every man’s wardrobe.

Denim Shirt

When you don’t want to go full-on chore jacket but still want to add a touch of indigo to your outfit, a simple denim shirt is the way to go. Still heavy on the workwear energy but light on bulk, it’s a year-round hero item that can do a bit of everything – from dressing down tailoring with a colourful twist to serving as an overshirt on mild days.

To stick with the workwear feel, look for a denim shirt with a few pockets scattered around. Many will feature dual chest pockets, but you can also find models with a few extra utility pockets thrown in for good measure.

Engineered Garments is always a good bet for that sort of thing, but take a look at South Korea’s FrizmWORKS too. If you’d rather keep it classic, there’s always Ralph Lauren, Lee and Levi’s.

Twill Overshirt

The ol’ faithful. It’s hard to imagine a more versatile piece of clothing than a simple twill overshirt. Good for all seasons, goes with anything and can be layered up or down depending on the temperature. Few garments truly deserve the status of ‘wardrobe essential’, but this is most certainly one of them.

‘Overshirt’ is a pretty broad term, and there are numerous ways to interpret it. That said, it’s impossible to go wrong with a classic three-pocket design in a goes-with-anything colourway, such as khaki or olive.

Western Shirt

Another American classic, this time from the ranch rather than the workshop. Western styles have been experiencing a resurgence of late, so now is a good time to get involved.

Defined by its press-stud pockets and pointed yoke, this characterful option is a great way to jazz up everyday outfits in a relatively subtle way.

Again, brands such as Ralph Lauren, Wrangler, Lee and Levi’s should be at the top of your list.