FIELD TO FORMAL: THE CHORE COAT, REIMAGINED
From 19th-century workhorse to 21st-century essential
There are few garments in the male wardrobe that carry both the grit of utility and the grace of quiet style. The chore coat — once a staple of factory floors, railway yards, and rural fields — is one such rarity. It began not with flair, but with function: a durable layer meant to protect workers from the daily wear of real labor. And yet, like all great menswear icons, it evolved — crossing class lines, spanning continents, and finally arriving in the modern gentleman’s closet as something far more versatile than its blue-collar roots might suggest.
A Brief History of the Chore Coat
The original chore coats were born in France in the late 1800s, known as bleu de travail — “working blues” — cut from heavy indigo cotton moleskin or canvas. Their simple construction included a boxy fit for layering, roomy patch pockets for tools or tobacco, and a high buttoning stance to protect from wind and grit.
Stateside, the silhouette gained popularity through the early- and mid-20th century in the hands of railroad workers, farmers, and military personnel. Denim, duck canvas, and herringbone twill became the fabrics of choice. Names like Carhartt and Pointer Brand cemented the style’s place in American workwear history.
But as with most garments that begin with hard labor, time has a way of romanticizing utility — and recontextualizing it. Think of the naval peacoat. The desert boot. The field jacket. Each was born of need, but eventually adopted by the stylish man who appreciated substance as much as silhouette.
The chore coat is no different.
A Modern Uniform
Today, the chore coat is a fixture of considered wardrobes around the world — a layering piece for artists, designers, writers, and men who move between worlds. It wears with the elegance of a blazer but without the pretension. It’s as appropriate over a spread collar shirt as it is over a tee. And its very essence — unstructured, functional, honest — speaks to a new kind of luxury: the kind defined not by logos, but by living.
Modern iterations have embraced this duality. You’ll find them in soft Italian wools, Japanese denims, and even cashmeres. Tailoring has become more intentional, the details more discreet. But the soul of the garment remains — a jacket made for doing things, not just being seen.
Re-introducing the CMMP Citizen Coat
At Commonwealth Proper, we’ve long been drawn to garments that carry weight — not just in fabric, but in story. A few years ago, we discovered a 1960s U.S. Army surplus work shirt from the 1st Armored Division — nicknamed “Old Ironsides.” It was utilitarian, yes. But also beautiful in its proportions and purpose. It had lived. And it reminded us that style is most powerful when it means something.
So we reimagined it — respectfully and deliberately — into what we now call the Citizen Coat.
It’s our American answer to the chore coat. A modern field jacket with refined ambitions. We’ve maintained the ease and functionality of the original inspiration — with dual front patch pockets and newly added hidden side pockets for discreet utility.
CMMP offers them as custom coats. So they are cut to your exact needs and specifications. They’re available in an array of fabric options - some light, some heavy, some with stretch. It’s a completely customizable experience. Brand friend and photographer @johnmichael_nyc wears a custom patchwork version, great for summer and spring (pictured above).
Think of it as the casual cousin to our Dash Jacket — made for men who move between client lunches and craft breweries, mountain cabins and museum openings. It pairs just as naturally with a crisp button-down and trousers as it does with sweats and sneakers. It’s meant to be worn hard and aged beautifully.
More than that, it’s a tribute — to work, to refinement, and to the quiet confidence of the modern American man. The kind who doesn’t need to shout to be seen.
A Final Word
In a world obsessed with trends, the chore coat endures because it never pretended to be fashionable. It simply was. Useful. Honest. And now, in the hands of thoughtful designers and discerning clients, it becomes something more: a staple for life’s in-between moments — where style matters, but ease matters more.
The Citizen Coat is our interpretation of that philosophy. We invite you to try one, and let it become your own.
— Craig Arthur von Schroeder, Founder