Hot or Not? Overalls
By Chuck Cage
Ok, I’ll be the first to admit that I wear a shop apron sometimes, especially if I’m welding. First, the cheap-ass leather apron I have does a pretty good job of protecting my chest and crotch from flying metal (including grinding waste), and it’s nice to just stick a pencil or marker in the chest pocket for easy keeping.
But that said, I just haven’t been able to get into the concept of overalls. I’ve seen guys wear them before, but I feel like a dork in ‘em.
What do you Toolmongers think? Stupid or practical? Let us know in comments.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:29 am
I just can’t get down with the farmer Sean look. I know they are practical but I just can’t do it. I’m gonna have to go with “not” but I can respect those who give ‘em some love.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I’ve got a cheap pair of Carhart knockoff overalls, that brownish color with the built in tool pouches around the waist. They don’t look so farmer as the blue ones (stepdaughter stole those anyway and I have to admit, they look better on her), they keep the plumbers crack out of the picture, and I wear them or the carpenter pants version for just about any shop, yard or home repair task, even for yardwork.
May 15th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I’m a dork. I like the ones I have, they’re Craftsman (yes, Sears) painter’s overalls. They’re great to wear when painting (natch) and are really good for just about any construction work with the extra pockets. Another plus is my tool belt doesn’t pull them down. I’m not sure of the fabric but they are really strong too, I doubt I’ll wear these out. I have a pair cut down to shorts for when it’s hot out too.
May 15th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Carhart is the best. I wear them all the time.
May 15th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I wear 3 brands of overalls, (no not all at the same time! LOL) and they all serve me well. I have one pair of carharts, two pair of dickies and one pair of key (which for some reason can not find a retailer that sells anymore). I wear the carharts when I know that I will be working in a rough enviroment, such as digging trenches, etc. The other two brands I wear almost any day with the exception of summer months.
May 15th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Oshkosh b’gosh! I wear them when working on the car. Dorky but comfy.
May 15th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
In the winter time ( and working in an unheated shop and an outdoor boneyard ) overalls are essential! My carharts have survived many winters at a veriety of jobs and activities, and paired with some long johns underneath, are warm, comfortable, and well-neigh indestructable! Plus, anyone who has worn overalls for work will tell you that there is NOTHING like having bib pockets when it comes to pocket functionality! Bib pockets by themselves are worth wearing overalls for! Not to mention that the lack of a binding belt at your waist tends to make bending and squatting more comfortable, and ( if you work in an area where clenliness is not as critical ) you can wear overalls for multiple days running WITHOUT ( this is the important bit! ) Removing Tools From Pockets.
And man, when you carry around as much stuff as I do… that’s important.
May 15th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Overalls? No.
Better: a surplus nomex flight suit. Makes cleaning up after crawling under a house much less horrible, and not too uncomfortable during the summer. +1 for inspiring your buddy call you “Maverick” (remember, Goose died) and +10 for being sorta flame retardant. Oh, lots of pockets too.
May 16th, 2007 at 3:51 am
Not hot, at all. Kinda like trying to work while in a body bag. One of the major reasons I never became a mechanic, couldn’t stand the baggy duds. Jeans and long-sleeve cotton shirts are all I wear.
May 16th, 2007 at 6:21 am
I wear a set of FRCs (kevlar + some chemical) full covering overalls. Thse go over whatever I’m wearing (in the summer just shorts and t shirt), pretty lightweight and not baggy.
I wear them mostly just to keep from getting my arms and legs all greasy.
May 16th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
I have a baggy pair of Pointer overalls hanging on a nail in the garage. I throw them on over my clothes when I run the weedeater. That way I don’t have to change pants when I’m done.
May 16th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
NOT!!!
They never fit right, they ride up and they hang on anything you have close to you.
May 16th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
You know, you work hard all day (a hot day, usually) on some project (or, let’s face it, JOB) that requires you to bend, shift, squirm, etc. By about halfway through, you’ve stretched your jeans out to the point that you have to stop every few minutes to tug them up, or cinch your belt so tight that you can’t breath. And if you’re wearing a heavy tool belt it’s even worse. Overalls don’t slide down, no matter how much you load them up. The load is on your shoulders, which are probably stronger than your waist. You’ve got the bib pockets for pens and small tools. My heavy Carhartts even have double knees, which is where my jeans tend to blow out anyway. If you’re bending a lot, a loose waist is way more comfortable than a tight jeans waistband (or belt). Overalls aren’t fashionable, and some people they just don’t fit right, but for that all-damn-day job, they’re hard to beat. For casual shop/auto work, it’s jeans and t-shirt, but if I’m going to be working hard all day, building fence, forking hay or bedding, digging drainage ditches, etc., they’re my choice.
May 18th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I use coveralls for welding, paintball(only played once so far) and nothing else. I don’t wear overalls.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Um… I have two pairs of overalls in my granddaughter’s costume box, which I wore when they were popular in the mid-70’s… I have a junky coverall for when absolutely necessary, otherwise it’s just my jeans and t-shirt (or for quick jobs, sundress and “safety sandles”).
September 26th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
I’m not into fashion. I like jeans for casual wear, but for really hard work - especially work that involves a lot of bending, squatting, and all around movement - nothing beats a pair of overalls. I wear both the Carhartts and the blue denim type. When I used to wear jeans for this type of work, I was stopping every 15 minutes to hike them up, and on the receiving end, no one wants to look at “plumber’s crack.” Overalls are way better than any other clothing for this purpose, and when worn for work, they are anything but “dorky.”
April 16th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I love overalls. They look comfortable to wear and they seem cool. It’s like jeans that go over your shoulder. If I had some, I’d wear them 24/7. They seem manly to wear.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:14 am
To me they are alright because you don’t need a hevy, tight, belt around your weast when you are working on somethings. And they are very loose and confey.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
HOT
I love wearing overalls like these. But I’d have to say, JCPenney’s Big Mac overalls are most comfortable for work and even not for work. I wear different overalls usually for work such as carhartt and liberty. I wear Big Mac mainly in the day not really for work, because they are relaxing and comfortable to me.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Oh, and also, usually around the house and neighborhood too, just as everyday clothing.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:10 am
Overalls are definitely practical to wear, not just for work. They’re great to wear outside. It’s not dorky to wear, because it feels like protective clothing over the top of your body too. It also has handy pockets too. For me, I sometimes wear them to work. I have more than one pair, so after I’m finished with work, I change into my Big Mac overalls. They’re very comfortable, stylish, and relaxing to wear, just as Jake said.
I wear overalls almost every day for anywhere, such as to picnics, shopping, parties, and other events.