Well before a herd of non-medical personnel embraced the comfort of scrubs, another professional attire gained attention in the world of fashion - both for its comfort and because it allowed wearers some artistic license as well. Painter’s caps, overalls and pants gave budding Jackson Pollack wannabees some wearable canvas to decorate to their heart’s content.

Painter’s attire first emerged in the world of fashion in the late 70s, with people such as teen heartthrob, Shawn Cassidy, donning the comfortable pants. Soon after, fashion designers such as Willi Smith were introducing graffiti prints and soon after, the public realized that they might have a little paint-splattering talent of their own that needed unleashing.

Originally, this cotton attire was simply a welcome alternative to ruining one’s clothing while performing various handyman tasks such as painting. Equipped with a plethora of pockets and even a handy hammer loop, they were perfect for carrying an assortment of brushes, rags, etc., to ensure that all the necessary equipment was within easy reach. A painter’s hat, with its rounded crown and flexible bill offered additional protection from the occasional paint drips.

Once the clothing was embraced as a fashion statement, however, it seemed only natural to lend some authenticity to the look. Granted, some wore the clothing in its pure, unblemished state, but they were missing out on the decorating fun. With that big blank canvas staring you in the face, it was easy to be enticed to personalize these duds with some well-placed splatters, a task even the most artistically deficient person could readily accomplish. A colorful bandana hanging from the hammer loop and a few buttons or pins completed the look.

With the combination of unrivaled comfort and the ability to create one-of-kind clothing creations, the artist within simply found painter’s clothing to be to good to resist.