Clothing to wear for chores

[Marsha Cassada]

It is such a nuisance having to change clothes to do chores. Some garments just are not compatible with hay!! Leggings are okay; I can whisk broom them off. Sweaters are totally terrible! I have to pick the hay out piece by piece. Denim is the only material that brushes right off. I hate having my pockets full of hay--pull out a glove and it's a mess. It's been so darn muddy here I can't just walk out and chat with my horses; I have to gear up with mud boots. Crazy winter for us!

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Lycra is REALLY good for chores. Esp clipping. I wear my cycle wear for clipping lol. I wear all my clothes (even my good ones) for general chores. Drives my mom mad even though she doesn't do my laundry or cleaning, she just goes mad anyway haha

 

[amysue]

Yes, winter has been a pain here too, it was 60 degrees the day after Christmas! So...everything was a muddy mess, then it dropped to 3 below and 40mph winds, now we have 8" of snow. My birds were molting, and are now freezing, the hatching season is going to be so screwed up and we had a few calves born, who are NOT fond of the snow. As for barn clothing...everything I own is permanently imbedded with hay chaff and stained with cow poop, and most of my pockets, belt loops and gromets have been sucked/pulled off by calves. I like my carhart coveralls to keep warm, but they are a pain to get off when I have to pee. I have two pair so I can wear one while washing the other which comes in hands when the straps get dunked in the toilet bowl! (I know, tmi). I like hooded sweatshirts because I can layer them, as they do not restrict movement like heavy winter coats do, but the hoods and pockets fill up with hay and sawdust and make me real itchy. I have a hard time working with a coat over the coveralls, but wearing them buckled over the shirt leaves me with pants full of hay, I have to shake off before coming in the house otherwise my house starts looking like a stable. My biggest problem is footwear...I am lucky to get 6 months out of a pair of boots. I wear holes right in the bottom. I have wellingtons for rainy days and for working in the cow's yard (some days the poop is rather deep). I have leather justin boots for chores and I wear my uggs in the snow. I try to only wear my riding boots when riding so they last longer but no matter what I wear, my feet usually end up wet. I gave up on fancy riding breeches, bought a few pair of ten dollar lined leggings from wal mart that fit like riding pants but do not collect hay as bad.

 

[chandab]

In the winter, if it's really cold Carhart coveralls over jeans, not so cold fleece-lined jeans. Long sleeve tees (or mock turtle necks or long-sleeve Henley's), chamois shirt, winter carhart coat. Muck brand winter boots in winter, irrigation boots when wet or Ariat shoes when dry in the summer. All my coats have hay and pellets in the pockets, along with a knife.

Winter time I change in and out of winter clothes at least twice a day, sometimes 3 or more times.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

On the boots topic, i wear country boots. I work in them, ride in them and wear them for general wear. I can't express how much i adore them. I might actually cry they go over rainbow bridge.

 

[candycar]

Coveralls, (not bibs) are my best friend! I have them for all seasons from many different brands. I change into them at least 5 times a day, sometimes over my PJs, sweats or town clothes. Of course I have to alter them, for my short legs and arms. Get 1 size larger for ease of donning and doffing. Tractor supply & Walmart are good places to find them, get cold weather ones on sale after hunting season or Xmas. I never wear my "barn clothes" farther inside the house than the entry door.

 

[Minimor]

I wear sweatpants...in cold weather I wear at least 2 pair...if it is -40 then I put on an extra large pair over top. I used to wear Tuff duck type insulated coveralls but the last pair i bought were so bulky and stiff I hated them. sweatshirt on top, knit scarf and a tuque...parka over all..rubber boots with felt lining. I always change to go out to the barn. Changing clothes is pretty quickly done so no problem there.

 

[lucky seven]

During nice weather I wear sweats. Right now I 'm wearing a long sleeve shirt, 2 sweat shirts and a heavy sweater, along with sweat pants. Topped with a heavy winter jacket hat and gloves.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I agree with Amysue, I try to only wear my riding boots when actually riding. They are usually a lot more expensive than basic work boots and if worn to complete daily chores other than riding , they just dont last as long.

As I spend 99.9% of the time in work boots when at home , I make sure that Ive invested in a pair that are comfortable and durable.

I also try and stick to not wearing my yard/chore clothes into the house after the day is done, 1/2 bale of hay across polished floor boards is not a good look.

Im always in shorts, singlets in summer, something warmer during the colder months.

 

[Cayuse]

Right now I am wearing ump-teen layers cause it's cooold. Long underwear, jeans, turtleneck, fleece pullover, two pairs of wool socks. That's my winter wardrobe topped off with a Tractor Supply heavy coat and gloves. I look like Ralphy in the movie "A Christmas Story" when he goes out so bundled up he can't put his arms down.

I wear men's winter boot from Walmart because they are the warmest that I could find.

I am always covered in hay and shavings!

Oh, I also have a pair of fleece lined jeans from the men's dept at Walmart form the coldest days, those are the best!

 

[lucky seven]

My tractor supply coat is my "good" coat!

 

[AngC]

When we started with our rural property (before we had horses) we were wearing our "outdoor" gear. That consisted of climbing/hiking/camping gear. Slowly, we learned that most of it sucks. The materials don't hold up. Climbing boots have nice tread, but they suck horse apples in like the plague. I had a hoof pick outside the front door to pick out the apples from our boot treads.

Then I learned... steel toes are good. And I found Muck boots with steel toes. In fact, the one time I didn't wear them, when the farrier was here... the farrier stepped one way, I stepped another way, and Baby stepped a different direction. Not Baby's fault but she took my toenail off, and I sure the heck wasn't going to admit to my farrier that the steel-toe-- I wasn't wearing-- was my shoe filling with blood 'cause I'm a dumb-butt. So yeah, good boots are a plus

I like tight woven fabrics like duck, such as one can get with the Carhartt brand. I find that the women's sizes are massively oversized. ... as in drop two or three sizes and definitely order a shorter length.

I love our Carhartt coats.But I don't wear my overalls so often, because they're a pain. I don't really like overalls, so I wear (on the bottom) thermals, a pair of sweats, topped off with a pair of my husband's Levis. (...have to cinch 'm up with a belt.)

I think women should check out what they can appropriate from the man's wardrobe. ...

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Well, my outdoor heavy coat is a men's Wrangler. Ladies'coats don't have enough pockets.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I put nylon waterproof hiking trousers and jackets over the top of any layers of thermals I am wearing. They can be machine washed on a cool or cold cycle with no detergent or actually only take a minute by hand and will drip dry over night in a warm place.

 

[Miniv]

In cold weather, my carhart is my uniform layered with a t-shirt and sweatshirt underneath....plus a scarf. I have a funky neck-warmer that

I actually wear around my head and everyone laughs at me. Shoes are muck boots with wool socks........Jeans are year round.

 

[Jean_B]

Actic Pro Muck Boots are supposed to be good to 50 below. We have been minus 30 and they were awesome. Several layers of sweatpants, covered by blue jeans, heavy sweatshirt, and an OLD over-size down parka - have had it for years and it's great. Light weight, flexible, and oh-so-warm. A knit hat, plus the hood of the parka. On my hands I use the cheap one-size-fits-all gloves inside of heavy mittens. If I need to take the mittens off to open a gate or something where the heavy mits make it impossible, my fingers stay warm for the couple of seconds outside of the mits.

 

[Jill]

A guy that used to help a friend if mine wore a lab coat over his street clothes! I thought that was a good idea, but haven't ever tried it. I wonder if scrubs could do double time as chore clothes and PJs!

 

[Cayuse]

I had a friend who used her old scrubs as pj's. I never did though, once I was out of work I did not want to be reminded of it!

Come to think of it, I bet the scrub bottoms would be good to wear out in the barn in the warmer weather.

 

[susanne]

Scrubs are almost as useful as sweats -- not terribly stylish or flattering, but perfect as sleepwear and barnwear (though hopefully not the same pair for both!).

Way back when we lived in town, we had friends and neighbors stopping by constantly, plus people walking down our alleyway just to see the horses. In addition, I had a terraced garden out front on a busy street, so I had to dress knowing that people would see my work clothes. Carhardts and khakis were standard gear.

Now we live out in the sticks at the end of a dead end gravel road with a gate and a big dog, so we're never surprised by company. I take shameless advantage of the isolation. Anything worn or torn is relegated to barn clothing. My barn coat is warm and waterproof, and while it was made by a well-known company and was brand new, it came from Goodwill; the same is true with jeans, khakis and sweatshirts. If I wear something nice, it's because I want to wear it, so I save my money to splurge on dressy business and music performance clothes. Of course, this means I have very few mid-range, nice-casual clothing!