For men who want to expand their sartorial tastes and include a new addition to their wardrobe, a French worker’s jacket is truly a must-have. An enduring classic, this piece of clothing used to be purely practical in the late 1800s. As the name suggests, it is worn by French laborers and is characterized by its bright blue color.
Its main feature and appeal is its utility. It is usually made of heavy cotton, and it has a couple of pockets where you can keep your items. Fast-forward to today, any man can wear this jacket, from tradesmen, such as electricians and masons to the young professionals downtown. What’s also great about this layering item is that you can easily pair it up with other ensemble pieces.
Here’s how you can do it:
Pair it with chinos
The modern French worker’s jacket now comes in many colors and styles. The most flexible choices include khaki, grey, and black. With a wide variety of color choices, pairing it up with other fabrics should not be difficult. To achieve that preppy and smart look, wear your work jacket with a pair of chinos. Fold up your chinos to show your ankles or funky socks and make sure you’re wearing a button-down underneath the coat. You can close the middle buttons of your jacket to smoothen the look.
Add another layer underneath
For colder seasons, such as autumn and winter, you can use the worker jacket as the topmost piece of layering ensemble. Underneath the jacket, you have the option to wear a waistcoat. You can also choose to put on a neutral-colored cardigan to highlight the contrast between your layering pieces. For example, match your gray cardigan with the strong blue color of your coat. If you’re adventurous, you can incorporate textures. For example, a corduroy waistcoat can easily match your heavy twill or cotton jacket.
Go for denim
It’s also nice to know that the French worker’s jacket also comes in various fabrics. If you want to have that classy rock star vibe, a jacket made of denim will be a great choice. This particular piece is perfect for laidback styles and casual attires. Just wear a plain t-shirt (white or gray) underneath, and top it off with your denim jacket. For a stronger look, you might want to cuff off your jacket sleeves.
Make it a substitute for blazers
For a smart-casual appeal, you can choose to ditch your navy blue blazers for a while and use a worker jacket instead. Your gray flannel pants will easily go with your dark blue jacket. Cap the look with white leather sneakers or canvas sneakers (the likes of Converse and Superga).
Explore!
In the end, the French worker’s jacket works well! You can think of it as a unique paint that can create a colorful and textured appeal for your style canvas. If you want to get the look that you want, you should never stop exploring. Just keep on mixing and matching!
