Workwear Jacket Proportions

Proportions of a good workwear jacket follow a logic that fashion jackets often ignore, and the difference shows up most clearly in the shoulders and the hem. Raising the arms overhead, bending at the waist, carrying tools without the jacket riding up or restricting movement — those functional needs drive the design. A higher armhole and wider body follow directly. Shoulder seam sits right at the shoulder point rather than dropping past it. Hem falls at the hip rather than at mid-thigh, because a longer jacket catches on equipment and ladders. Usually a simple stand or shirt collar replaces a notched lapel, because a notched lapel gets in the way when you look down. Pockets are placed where hands naturally rest when standing. Snaps replace buttons because snaps can be opened and closed with one hand while wearing gloves. These functional decisions create a silhouette that fashion brands have adopted for aesthetic reasons, but the proportions lose their meaning when translated into lighter fabrics and slimmer cuts. A waxed cotton chore coat with bar-tacked pockets and metal snaps tells a story about use and durability that a linen version of the same shape can't. Materials no longer correspond to the form's original purpose. Tension between workwear as function and workwear as fashion is what I find interesting. Style depends on the reference to labor, but the wearer is rarely doing the work the clothes were designed for.