Few pieces tend to work as hard as workwear pants. Originally made for workers enduring manual labor tasks like carpentry or coal mining, the workwear style has blossomed into a design classic that brands have been leaning on for decades.
Legacy brands like Stan Ray and Dickies have championed the industry since their inception, providing sturdy and dependable pants that can handle the most heavy-duty tasks. Carhartt and its streetwear-focused WIP division is arguably the biggest name amongst the rest, and has ventured into the skate scene as skaters often need reliable clothing to hold them down against the elements.
While cargo pants and more solid winter pant alternatives are perfect to tackle the cold months and outdoor activities, we believe workwear pants are the perfect alternative to jeans and chinos, and below we've brought you our selection of the best workwear (and workwear-inspired) pants from every walk of fashion — from the trusty icons right up to the designer iterations.
Plus, for a full workwear-inspired 'fit, be sure to check out our favorite chore coats.
Shop the best workwear pants below.
Wooyoungmi Off-White Carpenter Jeans
Carpenter Jeans
Wooyoungmi
It feels as though Korea's fashion scene gets more exciting by the minute and Wooyoungmi is one of the brands that paved the way for its new generation of talent. The pants upgrade the classic carpenter style with subtle details like an exaggerated hammer loop and an off-white wash.
Acne Studios Canvas Dungarees
Canvas Dungarees
Acne Studios
Going one step further than just being hard-wearing workwear pants, these Acne Studios' dungarees also provide coverage for your upper half. Including tool pockets and hammer loops to store all the working equipment you could need, the dungarees come with a pigment-dyed finish.
Nike Carpenter Pants
Carpenter Pants
Nike
Part of Nike's "Life" collection, which draws from classic workwear silhouettes to create wardrobe staples, these pants come in a sturdy cotton twill fabric with a classic, 7-pocket carpenter pant construction.
Givenchy Carpenter Leather Trousers
Carpenter Leather Trousers
Givenchy
By far the most expensive pair on this list, these luxurious double-knee pants are not made for long days on the construction site. Made in Italy from supple leather, these Givenchy pants were first shown on the runway.
HS05 Sun Dried Canvas Carpenter Pants
Sun Dried Canvas Carpenter Pants
Highsnobiety HS05
Created by our in-house brand, HS05, these canvas carpenter pants have been sun-dried for a faded finish that differs with each pair. The Japanese cotton pants come in a range of colorways, including one to celebrate Neu York — our multi-media celebration of the Big Apple.
Y-3 GFX Workwear Pants
GFX Workwear Pants
Y-3
Part of Yohji Yamamoto's continued line together with adidas, these pants are the Japanese designer's take on workwear pants. Produced in lightweight cotton, the bottoms are outfitted with numerous pockets, including slanted side pockets, two flap pockets at the thighs, and two back pockets.
Nili Lotan Carpenter Straight-Leg Trousers
Carpenter Straight-Leg Trousers
Nili Lotan
Nili Lotan's off-white trousers are great for every season since they're crafted from midweight twill cotton that offers loads of breathability.
Carhartt WIP Double Knee Pant
Double Knee Pant
Carhartt WIP
Put the days of having blown-out knees behind you with Carhartt WIP's classic double-knee pants. This pair keeps all the functional details needed for workwear pants, such as a hammer loop, tool pocket, and triple stitching at vital stress points.
Gramicci Corduroy Loose Cargo Pant
Corduroy Loose Cargo Pant
Gramicci
As with all things Gramicci creates, functionality is the key to these pants. The loose-fitting cargos come with stretch corduroy material for freedom of movement and plenty of pocket space.
Bonsai Double Cargo Pant
Double Cargo Pant
Bonsai
One of the more muted pieces from Bonsai's fluff-filled fall/winter collection, these pants feature two large cargo pockets on each leg and contrast stitching to forefront their function-focused construction.
Patta Digi Washed Cargo Pants
Digi Washed Cargo Pants
Patta
Do military-style, camouflage cargo pants count as workwear? It might be a contested topic but these Patta pants are too nice not to include.
Dickies Double Knee Work Pant
Cutoff Relaxed Fit Double Knee Work Pant
Dickies
Dickies is one the best brands to ever grace the workwear genre. Adding these to your collection is a no-brainer, they're versatile enough for any outfit or errand.
Entire Studios Hard Cargo
Hard Cargo
entire studios
Made with two large cargo pockets on each leg, Entire Studios' cargo pants come with ample carrying space, a wide-leg silhouette for added comfort, and a zip-off leg that allows you to convert the bottoms into shorts.
Our Legacy Mount Cargo
Mount Cargo
Our Legacy
Our Legacy's wide-leg cargo pants come crafted from Italian canvas fabric for a more high-end take on a functional, everyday style.
GmbH Bekir Cargo Pants
Bekir Cargo Pants
GmbH
As we've established, workwear is worn by a far wider spectrum of people than just workers. One of the groups that has adopted workwear pants is ravers and that's who Berlin-based label GmbH are designing much of their clothes for.
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