If it was worn by an icon like Robert Redford or Steve McQueen, there’s a good chance it belongs in the modern gentleman’s wardrobe of today. In this instance, that means the highly durable chore jacket, with its real-world workwear roots dating back to the French countryside, is as admirable a piece of fall outerwear as any.
Often featuring chest and hip pockets and a shirt jacket-like collar, the best chore coats deliver durability, warmth and roguish good looks, with construction that’s plenty fit for layering atop a selection of thermal henleys or a classic flannel shirt.
Fabrications range from the luxe (like moleskin or corduroy) to the ultra-rugged (like cotton canvas), with brands like Huckberry and premium designers like Billy Reid and Todd Snyder delivering an expert eye for detail. Your best outdoor life awaits, starting with these prime selections for a new favorite chore jacket.
Flint and Tinder Classic Chore Coat
In addition to its highly durable and frankly excellent line of waxed outerwear, Huckberry’s own Flint and Tinder leans heavily into the spirit of the vintage chore coat, first worn most commonly by French rail workers. Its new version of the Classic Chore Coat is a touch more modern in terms of fit and fabrication, featuring a mid-weight stretch cotton blend in a slew of versatile colorways. $178
Todd Snyder Lightweight Japanese Selvedge Chore Coat
The workwear roots of dependable denim are a natural fit alongside the tried-and-true silhouette of the chore coat. Famed American menswear designer Todd Snyder’s version turns a rich shade of ‘bourbon’ Japanese selvedge into a tough-as-nails chore coat that blends luxury with a dash of rugged appeal. $398
Line of Trade Carpenter Chore Coat
Line of Trade, the in-house brand at Bespoke Post (a true one-stop shop for some of the coolest gear for guys, period) dove into iconic, expertly crafted vintage chore coats and the brisk climes of autumn when designing its heritage-meets-modern offering. Priced at under $100, it boasts durable hardware, a throwback corduroy collar and dependable cotton canvas construction in a wildly affordable package. $98
Billy Reid Waxed Chore Jacket
Tracing the provenance of a piece of menswear pays off: Billy Reid, the legendary Alabama designer, worked with Scotland’s Halley Stevensons on a custom ripstop fabric that was then translated into this expertly crafted chore coat. Fall breezes and autumn rain don’t stand a chance. $248.50
Taylor Stitch Ojai Jacket
The French version of the chore coat (the original marker for the style) gets a modern revamp in a handsome shade of Bourbon Corduroy, placing this refined-yet-rugged chore coat somewhere between a workwear staple and a hybrid blazer. The San Francisco-based outfitter says this jacket packs a “serious visual wallop,” and we tend to agree. $248
Le Mont St. Michel Moleskin French Work Jacket
Go straight to the source and pick up a true icon in the world of chore coats: This handsome moleskin chore coat has been made the same way for over a century, and its tightly woven construction even repels water. $275
Carhartt WIP OG Chore Coat
Carhartt is essentially the first name in durable workwear, and the Carhartt WIP brand (which isn’t formally associated with the Detroit company) is like its cool-kid sidekick, in a way. 12oz. organic cotton canvas gets a diamond-quilted lining, while the boxy fit is ready for urban exploration and leaf-peeping in equal measure. $298
Relwen Pile-Lined Chore Coat
Relwen leans heavily on military heritage inspiration, which helps explain why its lineup manages to feel classic and yet fresh at the same time. Unique fabrications like rich corduroy and a soft pile lining complement rich brown corduroy fabric and a tailored fit that calls to mind a more rugged version of the corduroy blazer. $298
Filson Canvas Outfitter Jacket
With its highly durable canvas construction, sturdy corduroy collar and a plethora of pockets, this hard-wearing Filson chore coat is a prime move when the great outdoors calls your name this fall. One of the pockets might even prove nicely sized for a flask, along with the rest of your everyday carry. $199
3sixteen French Work Jacket
The famed modern denimheads at 3sixteen dreamed up the perfect pairing alongside selvedge denim, and it’s a suitably workwear-inspired moleskin cotton jacket with double-stitched pockets for expert attention to detail in every thread. $330
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