Functional outdoor clothing has been inspiring menswear design for a few seasons now. Think Prada’s nylon anoraks and Louis Vuitton’s hiking boots, plus lots of other pieces generating a macho “man in the woods” image. Without getting down and dirty, of course.
But the best “outdoor” fashion revival to happen so far has to be Men’s Overalls. (Sniggers)
Overalls were created at the end of the 18thCentury as cover-up protection for working men, first mass-produced by Levi Strauss.
128 years since overalls’ birth, they have retained their functional role as genuine work wear, as well as being reborn in pop culture and fashion. I’m pretty sure I wore “dungers” to the odd rave in the early 90s. But now the bib-front onesie for men is THE fashion statement for 2018.
Actor Chris Pine was recently spotted at Heathrow Airport wearing a Carharttversion, storing his passport and travel documents the overalls’ bib pocket. Nice.
Every teenage boy’s favourite label Supremehave released their next seasonal collaboration with The North Face, including overalls in metallic silver, yellow gold, and rose gold.
This trend could be down to Rihanna, who featured army-green overalls for men at her Spring 2018 Fenty x Pumacatwalk show. Or maybe overalls’ newfound popularity is thanks to Chance the Rapper, who always seems to wear overalls at public appearances, though his take is less outdoorsy and inevitably trendier.
Wherever you trace the trend back to, it looks like men are going to be getting busy in their overalls in 2018.
Get them to paint the garden fence while they’re at it, girls.
By Mira Manley
