Why is it called a chore jacket?

The name ‘chore’ comes from the everyday jobs, or “chores” that this style of  jacket was made for. Before workwear was a sought after style, it was simply what you put on to get something done, or to keep your own clothes clean while you did it. The chore jacket, in both name and style, is derived from this workwear heritage.

Most versions of chore jackets share the same make-up: hard-wearing cotton or drill, a button front, and big patch pockets sized for tools, a notebook or lunch. Different countries historically had their own specific take on this. The French had the bleu de travail, the blue cotton jacket worn across their labour force; America had its chore and engineer's jackets; and plenty of British trades wore something close to both. So many have worn a version of the chore jacket that it has become a sort of unofficial uniform of workers, makers and artisans the world over.