Gift Ideas: Working Classy
By Doug Schnitzspahn, Photography by Andrew Kornylak
Outdoor apparel is built to stand up to serious abuse out in the wild—but that’s all play. Work wear is apparel meant for time away from the trails and crags doing what you have to do to earn a living—and maybe just love doing it—so you can hit it hard on your days off. Savvy outdoor shops would do well to pay heedto the gear their customers need when they are putting that same this and aesthetic into everything from farming to strumming some guitar.
To take a serious look at work wear from outdoor brands we headed out to Reds Quality Acre farm in Durham, North Carolina and got dirty with Taylor Holenbeck and Aimée Argote. This couple works and plays hard. Taylor’s a farmer here as well as the lead singer of the band Heartscape Landbreak and former guitarist for The Appleseed Cast. Aimée Argote works as a potter in Durham (see her art at etsy.com/shop/argote). She’s a former punk rocker and founder of the North Carolina band Des Ark.
Taylor Holenbeck surveys the greenhouse at Red’s Quality Acre in Iron & Resin’s Workshop Shirt ($180; ironandresin.com), Iron & Resin’s Union Work Pant ($155) and Mountain Khakis’s J Town Low Beanie ($30; mountainkhakis.com).
Aimée and Taylor enjoy some downtime at the farm. She’s wearing Filson’s Womens Moleskin Shirt ($195; filson.com), Bogs Womens Whiteout Fleck Winter Boots ($150; bogsfootwear.com), and Filson’s C.C.F. Acrylic Watch Cap Beanie($24). Taylor’s in Iron & Resin’s Union Work Pant($155; ironandresin.com), Mountain Khakis Christopher Fleece Lined Shirt ($110), Blundstone Mens 584 Thermal Boots ($215; blundstone.com) and a Katherine Homes hat ($35; katherinehomes.com).
Aimée Argote shows off Mountain Khakis’s mens Original Field Pants ($110; mountainkhakis.com), Mountain Khakis’s womens Christi Fleece Lined Shirt ($110), Bogs Neoclassic Tall Linen Insulated Farm Boots ($130; bogsfootwear.com), and a Katherine Homes hat ($35; katherinehomes.com).
Taylor trims potatoes with a Leatherman Wave Plus Multi-Tool ($100; leatherman.com). He’s wearing Mountain Khakis’s Christopher Fleece Lined Shirt ($110; mountainkhakis.com) and Mountain Khakis’s Ranch Shearling Vest ($115).
Taylor and Aimée look over her work. He’s wearing Kavu’s Silverton Shirt $65; kavu.com) and she’s in Filson’s Womens Hyland Shirt ($98; filson.com) and a Katherine Homes hat ($35; katherinehomes.com).
Taylor plays for Wilson in Kavu’s Silverton Shirt ($65; kavu.com), Dakota Grizzly’s Dalton Shirt Jacket and Kavu’s Steens Pants ($80).