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Sidestep an open pothole in any wintry city and it’s impossible to miss: the Carhartt work vest, a jobsite staple prized for its unbeatable durability and sub-$100 price. Recently, though, the hardy canvas layer has also started cropping up in decidedly ritzier haunts: the yuppie wine bar that just opened down the street, say, on wispily-mustachioed fellas who dig their Dickies cropped, their Blundstones crisp, and their beanies perched jauntily above their ears.
Work vests—svelter than their puffy counterparts, less aggressively bro-y than the type that riddle the finance capitals of the world—have been enjoying a prolonged moment in the menswear psyche, and Carhartt’s remains the Platonic ideal of the form. Like most of the Detroit brand’s wares—from its indestructible chore jackets to its ubiquitous double-knee pants—its vest is cut from the brand’s signature duck canvas. Naturally, it’s available in unwashed, earn-it-yourself form, but for our money, the pre-rinsed version, a shade less stiff fresh out of the box, is the one to beat. (If you’re chasing a slimmer fit, you can scoop one from Carhartt’s street-ready Work In Progress imprint, or hunt down a pre-worn version from a vintage whisperer specializing in covetably patinated workwear.)
If you just need some extra storage on a mild January day, throw it on over a wavy long-sleeve tee: the duo of patch pockets and zip-front chest pocket offer space aplenty for your keys, chapstick, and backup backup earbuds. But to really harness its layering potential (and play up that high-low juxtaposition), stick it under a long, swaddly topcoat when a single layer of wool or cashmere feels woefully inadequate.
The Carhartt work vest might be an essential among guys who, your old man maintains, actually work for a living, but its tough-as-nails pedigree and hard-wearing versatility make it a no-brainer cop every winter—even if the closest you get to manual labor is schlepping your laptop to the frou-frou café around the corner.