Work Jackets & Vests

Work Jackets & Vests is the outer layer of the range at Robert's Department Store in Mamaroneck, New York: the jackets, coats and vests that decide whether a cold day outdoors is tolerable or not.

Cotton duck is the shell that recurs, and for good reason. It takes abrasion at the elbow, it resists snagging, and it settles into the shape of whoever wears it after a few months rather than wearing out. Several arrive washed, which removes the boardy first month that puts people off new duck. Linings run from quilted and flannel, for the long shoulder seasons, to sherpa and full insulation for the depths of winter.

The distinction between a jacket and a coat is worth understanding before buying. A jacket is cut short and stays out of the way at a bench or in a cab; a coat runs long enough to cover the lower back and the top of the thigh, which is where cold gets in when you are working bent over. Both appear here, some with a fixed hood, one with a hood that zips off entirely so it can be either.

Vests are the underrated part. Taking the sleeves off a warm garment keeps the core warm while leaving the arms completely free, which is exactly what lifting, reaching and driving ask for. Size everything in Work Jackets & Vests to fit over a hoodie, not over a shirt.