A Farmer’s Wardrobe
Our Top Must-Have Wardrobe Items:
Here’s something new…taking a look at farm life from the farmer’s perspective! Find out what our seasonal “go-tos” and “must-haves”are.
Denim
This may seem like a given, but seriously, we can’t live without it. Jeans, “overhauls,” jackets, and skirts: they’re all necessary. We’re not talking about the bleached, ripped, designer jeans. Oh, no! We’re talking about the real deal, as in triple-stitched, three-millimeter thick, stiff and sturdy, old-fashioned blue jeans with pockets about anywhere you can put one. If your jeans have a false pocket or are missing belt loops (jeggings), they don’t belong on a farm! Every pocket comes in handy at some point, and belt loops are used for more than just belts. And while farm hands certainly never wear designer jeans, that doesn’t mean you won’t see us sheepishly sneaking around with rips, holes, and tears. (Ugh! I always forget that wire end is there!)
At Least Three Variations of Boots
First, you need your (almost) knee-high muck boots. The first spring at the farm taught everyone that ankle boots won’t cut it. The way we learned that lesson was finding our boots worthless once immersed in a foot of manure soup (a recipe of horse excrement, rainwater, and generic mud).
Second, you need your thermal winter boots. The first winter at the farm taught everyone that if we valued our toes, we needed more than just fuzzy socks and feet warmers. That’s when a pair of insulated, fleece-lined muck boots comes in handy.
Third, you need your clean, authentic riding boots. Of course, no farmhand can feel worth two cents unless he has a beautiful pair of leather cowboy boots to strut around in every once in a while.
Gloves - and yes, we all have multiple pairs…of the same size…and type…
Every farm hand needs a pair of gloves he can depend on. The sad part is, gloves should not depend on their farm hands - we too often lose, destroy, run over, shred, burn, and bury them.
The most essential gloves to have around are rubber coated summer and winter gloves, waterproof leather gloves, and mittens! I just discovered the wonder of mittens this past winter. Although they reduce mobility, they’ll keep all your fingers on your hands.
Head Gear
Trucker hats, ball caps, Peruvian winter hats - you’ll definitely see us wearing these around the farm. But our favorite head wear is…you guessed it…the cowboy hat! A farm hand will always feel slightly insecure until he has the brim of a Stetson shading his brow.
Fashion Pieces
You’ll certainly see us around in t-shirts while we’re on duty. But we really like to class up our farm with flannels and plaid button-downs.
Also, vests bring a classy touch to the ladies’ wear here. Extra pockets never hurt!
Skirts, yep, I said skirts. And no, we don’t have our cowboys wearing kilts, but you’ll definitely see the cowgirls around here in this interesting and unusual clothing type. They’re surprisingly breezy in the summer. And besides, what’s cooler than a denim skirt?
Well, there you have it folks. There’s an Oak Top Hill farm hand’s wardrobe!
