Carhartt is an American brand created in 1889. The brand is best known for its durable, all-American workwear, and has now surged in popularity among mainstream media. Carhartt makes clothes for the working individual, but their items are also being worn by social media influencers, celebrities, and everyday people, no matter what their occupation is. Carhartt is known for their long-lasting jackets, fashionable beanies, and overall high-quality clothing items. The company has stores globally and ships worldwide.
What is Carhartt WIP?
More recently, Carhartt established their Work In Progress (WIP) line, which is a branch of the original brand that focuses on stylish, practical clothing. They first established the WIP line in London in 1997, and the line is inspired by skateboarding styles and underground art culture such as graffiti.
Why is Carhartt WIP More Expensive?
Carhartt WIP features a multitude of items such as hoodies, sweaters, sweatpants, and of course, the well-known Carhartt beanie.
These pieces are a bit more refined and stylish than Carhartt’s original line. Each clothing item is functional, but much more modern and tuned in to trends than Carhartt’s typical items. These aspects naturally make the WIP line more expensive.
The WIP line has two stores, one in New York and one in Los Angeles, and their collections can also be found on their website.
For this brand review, we will be analyzing different facets of the brand in terms of its sizing, clothing quality/durability, pricing, and variety in items. We will also give an overview of some of the Carhartt WIP line’s most recommended pieces.
Here is our comprehensive review of Carhartt and Carhartt Work In Progress.
Carhartt Sizing
Carhartt’s sizing has a few mixed reviews, and this is arguably one of their biggest areas for improvement, mostly in their bottoms department. Usually, their pants and shorts run a bit slimmer in the waist, which isn’t a problem if you know this beforehand. However, finding the right size can be frustrating due to their lack of size charts for bottoms.
Most of their pants do not have different inseam options as well. As a rule of thumb, when ordering from Carhartt or Carhartt WIP, it’s best to size up on the pants, with some exceptions. As for the rest of their clothing items, sizes usually stay consistent. Due to the quality of their clothing, it’s rare to see much shrinkage or shape changes to clothing, so it’s safe to stay true to size when ordering items like T-shirts, jackets, or hoodies.
Carhartt Quality/durability
Carhartt’s durability of their clothing is one of their biggest accomplishments. Since their clothes are made for the working individual and more strenuous activities, Carhartt has always made strong, long-lasting clothes. Like stated before, their clothes rarely change shape in the wash, and many Carhartt clothing owners have proudly owned items for many years without needing to replace them.
Carhartt has carried this quality into their WIP line as well, so each clothing item is an investment for your closet. When looking for the right quality clothing for your climate or activity, it’s important to note what the item is created for and what materials it’s made of.
Wearing the wrong clothing for certain activities or environments can cause clothes to wear out in ways they aren’t supposed to, so make sure you do your research in order to make your Carhartt items last.
Carhartt Pricing
While Carhartt and Carhartt WIP clothing is great quality, sometimes the products can get a bit pricey. One advantage of purchasing from either line is that the company always has great sales at the end of the season or during special events.
This is the best way to get the most out of these clothes, so if you’re willing to wait a bit, you will surely be able to purchase the item you have your eye on at a much lower price. Additionally, since both lines produce long-lasting clothing, looking for secondhand Carhartt items is another great way to get around the pricey clothes.
Variety
Especially now that Carhartt has the WIP line, the company has a huge variety of clothes to choose from. The original line has clothing from outerwear, hoodies, pants, shorts, T-shirts, boots, and accessories, as well as sections for big and tall, protective equipment, and specific workwear like overalls and performance gear. The WIP line has similar items, as well as a denim line, sweats, polos, sweaters, undergarments, and additional footwear. This makes Carhartt and Carhartt WIP a great end destination for workwear and streetwear, and the WIP line releases many new products every season.
Best pieces
Here are some of the most recommended pieces from Carhartt’s Work In Progress line. These are stylish, sturdy, and extremely versatile for many different outfits.
The Carhartt Work In Progress Corduroy Michigan Chore Coat is a great jacket for any occasion. Like many Carhartt products, you can dress it up or down. It has a standard fit, which makes it great for layering either under or over. It has four pockets, button closure, and is made with 100% cotton, which is quilted for extra comfort. It comes in three tasteful neutrals.
The Hooded Ashfield Sweatshirt is a great basic from Carhartt WIP. It’s a loose-fitting sweatshirt, and incredibly comfortable for the wearer. It has an adjustable hood and a kangaroo pocket. It’s made of 100% cotton and is very soft on the inside and out. It comes in two colors. This hoodie is a prime example of Carhartt’s quality and long-lasting items.
The WIP line’s Single Knee Pant is another great product that exemplifies Carhartt’s style and quality. These pants are inspired from simple, classic work pants, but now made for style as well, which is exactly what WIP is about. These pants have a relaxed, straight fit, which means the waist runs a bit larger according to the website. They have tool pockets and a hammer loop, and are made with 100% organic cotton designed to get softer with each wear. These pants come in many colors, one of the most popular being the camo design.