TRENDING PRODUCTS: Hickory Stripe Anything

While it’s nothing new, it seems that hickory stripes are finding their way into everyday outfits. The hickory stripe was first used solely in overalls for railroad engineers, but now we see the classic blue and white pattern in everything from overalls and pants to button-down shirts and the iconic Ben Davis half-zips as well. Now there are even further variations in the vertical stripes.

History: Based on the old seersucker pattern, hickory stripe found its way into workwear. While there was already denim and canvas, hickory stripes took heavy duty fabrics and weaved them into the blue and white vertical stripes. The stripe pattern actually helps reflect some sunlight so while you were working outside, you could wear clothes that appear to be in a classic blue color, but actually serve a purpose to keep you slightly cooler than traditional denim. It also saved on the cost of dyeing fabric. Use of this new fabric spread really increased for the oil & gas field workers and the railroad workers of the early to mid 1900s. While the pattern has seen its rise and fall in dress clothes, we have seen it really pick up again in workwear.

Currently we have more than 10 different items that we carry in a version of the hickory stripe. We tried to stay true to the original by carrying Dickies men’s overalls and women’s hickory stripe carpenter pants and overalls. Every day we have guys come in asking for hickory stripe pants, so it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. In their own iconic style, Ben Davis does a classic hickory stripe half-zip in their poly cotton twill, but they also do a heavy-weight cotton button down that has been our best-selling shirt this Spring. There is something about the simplicity of the pattern and the way it looks with denim, twill, or canvas that lends itself to a multitude of styles. We have carried the short sleeve half-zip for years, but now we have added hickory stripe items in white with burgundy, black, gray, light blue, and green. In fact, we are looking at expanding our selection even further as more and more people are asking for the stripes.

Carhartt has brought the stripes into their work shirts as well. This Spring we have added the classic cotton chambray shirt in a brown stripe and a blue stripe. While these are not the traditional hickory stripes, they have blended the work shirt with a bit of style to make a product that looks great both on and off the jobsite.

Lastly there is a Levi’s long sleeve hickory stripe shirt that has an instant-classic look and feel. While it is new for this season, the washed cotton and slightly faded look give it a broken-in feel that goes well with your favorite pair of jeans. The blue in this work shirt is slightly lighter and the cotton is midweight, so the shirt feels like it has some structure without being heavy, and can be worn as an everyday style piece.

When we ask our customers what draws them to the hickory stripe style, a lot of them say it’s the classic look and feel. While the style originated around 100 years ago, it has found its way into everyday use today. As workwear has purveyed into every part of life, the addition of colors, stripes, or workwear details have really stood out. We agree that hickory stripes have style, but to combine the pattern with tried-and-true workwear pieces is really where the value lies. A quality garment, made to be durable and functional, with a bit of style; now that is something we see trending all the time.

Shop our Hickory Stripe Collection

Adam, Dave’s New York