Hickory Stripe or Blue Bibs?

in-too-deep · Dec 12, 2012

Always thought the striped bib overalls were worn by engineers of steam and big gas tractors and blue denim was for plain old farmers and laborers. Is this true? Which do you wear and why? Been thinkin about getting some.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2012

I like the blue ones. Someone gave me a pair of Liberty's, they are the worst ones I have owned. Grandpa always wore Big Bens or Penneys. I have a pair of Dickies that are pretty comfortable. I just wear them in the spring and fall, blue jeans in the summer and insulated bibs in the winter

kyhayman · Dec 12, 2012

Never cared for them. Seems that no matter what I do they end up crawling around and twisting up. I'll stick to jeans.

ShadetreeRet · Dec 13, 2012

Now that you mention it,I have always been slightly curious about that myself. Guess I will have to research it now.
But, you are right, in that railroad engineers, etc. wore the striped and most others plain blue. At a dealership where I worked, we had a customer who would bring his truck in for service and he wore the striped overalls and cap. I asked him one day what he did for a living. He said that he was a Ferro-Equine Engineer. Took me a minute to figure out that he meant "Iron Horse". Dad wore bib overalls, and as a result I was forced to also. When I was about seven, I talked them into letting me wear regular jeans, a few years later Dad switched to jeans also. Never went back.

bradley martin · Dec 13, 2012

I wear both. The hickory stripe seem to be cooler in summer, but they do show stains more than the blue denim. I also frequently pull on the hickory ones to go to town. Both my Dad and Grandfather wore both. My wife, who teaches fashion design at the local community college, says vertical stripes makes the wearer appear slimmer, so there you go for a good reason to wear the hickory stripe!!! I did walk in to the U.S. Customs at Pt. Huron Mi one day last summer to clear a load dressed in hickory stripe and the officer's first question to me was" Are you an engineer or a carpenter?"

flambeauone · Dec 13, 2012

Use to wear denim but all I got now is carhartt canvas looking ones. Most I grew up with wore denim. The Pointer brand factory is in my home town (Bristol Tn.) so most everyone knew someone who worked there and theyve always made both denim and striped so everyone had the choice. I guess I didnt know any engineers.lol

Bruce from Can. · Dec 13, 2012

I wear the stripped ones the most, they are lighter and cooler in summer. Wear bibs every day doing chores. Around here the stripped ones are called Dairy Stripe. Got the wife a new pair of Insulated bib overalls for a 30th wedding aniversery gift, and have lived to tell about it.Hey , she looks happy. Bruce

Anonymous-0 · Dec 13, 2012

I go with hickory stripe. I believe cooler in the summer and the stripes make me look taller.
I used to buy Key or Liberty overalls from the farms store, but it very time I bought the next pair they were different. The last time they put a "T" type catch on the suspenders. I think they buy them from whatever over seas source will make then the cheapest. I searched the internet for a different brand and found Round House. They have a wide range of designs and they are Made in the USA. To make the deal sweeter, I get them delivered to my door for a couple dollars less than the retail price of the imports at the farm store.

BIG RUH · Dec 13, 2012

I wear the blue denim in the winter because they just keep me warmer and they are comfortable

rabbit-1 · Dec 13, 2012

My late uncle used to wear blues for daily farm work. Had a pair of grey striped ones for "dress up" wear.

Nancy Howell · Dec 13, 2012

The liquid chlorox II is pretty good for removing stains, especially oil/grease. Put some directly on the stain, work in a bit and let sit for at least 24hrs. Then wash in hot water. This has been very successful for me.

I've even been able to remove old spots using CII.

Russ from MN · Dec 13, 2012

Carpenter bibs used to be striped, don't know if you can even buy them anymore.

sdc eastern ia · Dec 13, 2012

Bib's helped me get fat. Or a least thats my excuse. When my belly got bigger I'd just unbutton the sides. Also keeps your hands warm (Busy)wink

bradley martin · Dec 13, 2012

Hi Nancy: thanks for the tip. We have found the Liquid Tide w/bleach alternative brand to work very well. As you say, put it on the stain, let it soak, then put on hot soak cycle in washing machine and usually good to go. Nonetheless, I seem to find some things to get into that are really nasty! There seem to be some severe stains that only time and subsequent washes seem to slow fade. And they do seem to show more on the matress ticking (hickory stripe) than the denim.

FrankDDavis · Dec 13, 2012

My wife would prefer that I to burn all my blue bibs and never buy any more. Oshkosh (sp) was my brand until they quit making adult bibs. I get a lot of grief from my Yankee in-laws so I wear bibs just to embarrass them when we go to the opera. Frank

in-too-deep · Dec 13, 2012

Round House is what I had in mind, too. Thanks!

rrlund · Dec 13, 2012

First two pair I bought were the striped ones. Got them at an auction when an elevator closed,but I felt kinda like a clown in'em,so I went to the blue ones.

Mike (WA) · Dec 13, 2012

Hadn't thought of carpenter bibs in years- both dad and granddad used them back in the day. Never saw striped ones- theirs were a light beige/ off white- lighter color than Carharts. "Nail aprons" became popular in the '60's, and the bibs kind of faded away.

PJH · Dec 13, 2012

This is an old friend that passed away a few years ago. He was buried in striped bibs, with his starched hat resting on his shoulder. He looked natural, because nobody ever saw him wearing anything else. He was a retired farmer.

Dick · Dec 13, 2012

Well, there are actually several different styles of bib overalls. Blues, hickory stripped, stripped, Carharts and the carpenter overalls. At least those are the ones I've worn. There are probably more styles to choose from too.
I wear all of them, whatever I can find on sale. The problem is, you can't find the "wide" stripped overalls anymore. Seems no one makes them anymore. I've got several pair and only use them for dress. Around here, it was dairymen, train crews and some truckers wore them, years ago. The hickory stripped are available from several different makers as are the blues. I've always used Big Mac and Dickies in the blues.
As others have mentioned, the stripped show the dirt better, so the blues are a little more suited for dress.
What is really hard to find is the jacket or some called them jumpers, that matched the overalls. I've seen them go for over $200. on Ebay and that wasn't new. Big Mac hasn't sold them for years and they are next to impossible to find.

Worn bibs for over 50 years.

ihredo4 · Dec 13, 2012

I am 44 and bibs are about all I wear if I am out and about. At home I wear sweat pants and Under Armor shirt. Typically wear the Under Armor type shirt at all times unless I have a specific function to wear something to. Only wear the Blue bibs as I can't looked for anything different. I have had several major abdominal surgery's and bibs don't affect the belly. My maternal grandfather wore bibs everyday but sunday and it brings me a little closer to him. Plus Aunts and Uncles say I have a scary resemblance to my great grandfather while wearing them.

Ron/PA · Dec 13, 2012

I buy 4-5 pair of Big Smith blues every year 'round this time. Being new, they're warmer for the winter, by hot weather they're worn thinner and cooler for summer. By Thanksgiving they're usually 'bout worn out.

old popper · Dec 13, 2012

Yep, RoundHouse blues with button fly. I wore Key brand for years till they went to all zipper fly. Done the same....googled American made overalls, and came up with Roundhouse.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 13, 2012

I usually wear the "Key" brand "the aristocat of overalls" I really like them in what they used to call the "key weave" OR what some call the "herringbone" design. It is somewhat similiar to the hickory stripe but not the same. I am having trouble finding the "keyweave" in west central iowa. So I am wearing the denim ones now. Our local farm supply handles the Key brand but only in prewashed denim (which I do not like to buy because I see them as already "pre-worn out"), denim or hickory stripe. The Key brand used to be based in Ft. Scott Kansas, but i think most are imports now. I also used to have a tall dome "kromer" style engineers cap in the key weave design made by Key. I haven't seen anything like it in years either. Does anybody know if these are still available somewhere??
I have noticed that I can still get the uninsulated "coveralls" in the keyweave design but having trouble finding the overalls in keyweave.

Jason the Red · Dec 13, 2012

"Roundhouse" still sells striped carpenter overalls with the nail apron. I personally own 6 pairs. In Kansas City, union carpenters traditionally have worn striped carpenter overalls. Whereas in St. Louis, the carpenters have traditionally worn "whites" as another poster mentioned. Regional preference I guess.

RandyB(MI) · Dec 13, 2012

Roundhouse only and in regular blue.

Al L. in Wisc. · Dec 13, 2012

You should getcha' a pair and try them.

I wear the pin-striped as that is what Grandpa Lars - dad's dad -wore, complete with pocket watch on a chain.

It was Oshkosh for Grandpa and me. Since they quit makin' em I went to Key. Two days ago I discovered Blain's Farm & Fleet doesn't handle them anymore. An online search this evening and Mill's Fleet~Farm is done with Key also.

Pointer's website shows they have several 'striped' jackets; 'Fisher' stripe is wider and the Hickory is the traditional narrow pattern.

I've also been searching for websites for Big Ben, Big Smith, Big Mac; only found Liberty - they are China made.

A ? for you folks wearin' the Pointer and Roundhouse brands, stick a checkbook in the top pocket and tell me if you can snap the pocket closed, as the Key brand pocket doesn't.

Also, I think I see that not all have a pencil slit, Key is shallow for a regular pen to always stay secure. Thanks in advance for the info.

Hickory Stripe or Blue Bibs?

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