Hard-wearing. Simplistic. No-nonsense. The work pant is a tried and tested style of legwear that has stretched far beyond the laborers and ranch hands they were created for decades ago. From carpenter pants to fatigue pants, the defining aspect of all is their attention to detail, their focus on superior quality and their utilitarian simplicity. Many brands replicate each other season to season, but these brands don't need to; their formula has been solid from day one. Here we examine the things that cause workwear trousers to continue being at the forefront of an otherwise trend-driven market...

DICKIES WORK PANTS

Dickies has been a household name in utility wear since 1922, when C. N. Williamson and E. E. "Colonel" Dickie began manufacturing denim overalls for farm and ranch hands around Southwest America. Fast-forward almost a century later, and Dickies has grown into an internationally recognised label producing wares far beyond their initial working clientele; seamlessly infiltrating hip-hop and skate subcultures whilst keeping price point and branding exactly the same as when they started. Not an easy feat for any brand, and the fact that this was accomplished without targeted marketing or fuss proves the timeless quality and design of the original Dickies trouser.

 

STAN RAY FATIGUE PANTS

Introduced in 1972, Stan Ray's military-inspired fatigue pant is the perfect example of clean, utilitarian design. Before Stan Ray, the initial fatigue pant was introduced by the US army in 1952. Twenty years later Stan Ray named their trouser OG-107 after the colour card used for the original military design (Olive Green) as a reflection of their heritage and spirit. This history and a focus on function alongside design truly defines Stan Ray's output, and you can find their fatigue and carpenter pants right here...

 

THE CARPENTER PANT

Brought into the mainstream in the 90's through hip-hop culture and Tommy Hilfiger's denim appropriation, the carpenter pant is a trouser that has fallen in and out of love over the past few decades. When it comes to function, fit and design however, few trousers offer what a carpenter pant can. Bridging the gap between the strength of a work pant and the functionality of a cargo pant, carpenter pants are now a major source of inspiration and reinterpretation for Japanese and skate brands alike.