An office dress code might include guidelines for the formality of dress, along with any restrictions on attire, such as “no shorts” or “no open-toed shoes.” Some jobs even require uniforms — for example, you’re likely to see matching coveralls in a mechanic’s shop or the same polo shirts worn by salespeople in a big-box store.
The terms “white-collar” and “blue-collar” pertain to occupations but don’t refer to the required clothing for a job. Instead, they indicate the type of job by referring to traditional clothing, even if that’s not what today’s workers wear.
Calling someone a white-collar worker implies their duties are conducted in an office setting. A blue-collar worker, on the other hand, is found in the trades and doing manual labor. These opposing terms are often used in connection with each other, but one’s origins predate the other’s by nearly two decades.
Merriam-Webster traces the first known use of “white-collar” to 1911 and defines it as “constituting the class of salaried employees whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes” — in other words, workers who don’t perform manual labor and don’t require durable work uniforms. Historically, these workers usually wore clothes that were better suited for an office environment. When the term originated, most white-collar workers were men, wearing traditional button-up shirts with collars.
The term “blue-collar” originated in 1929, though the reason for the 18-year gap isn’t entirely clear. It refers to “the class of wage earners whose duties call for the wearing of work clothes.” At the time it was coined, farm or factory workers required durable uniforms that could withstand the rigors of their jobs. These uniforms were often made from materials such as denim or chambray, which were traditionally colored blue (though also came in other dark shades). Such outfits gave rise to “blue-collar,” posing a stark contrast to the extant “white-collar.” Today’s blue-collar workers include plumbers, electricians, mechanics, construction workers, and anyone else in a trade or factory setting.
As office dress codes changed, these terms took on a less literal meaning. They’re mainly used today to describe whether jobs take place in an office setting or require manual labor, irrespective of the actual clothes being worn. The terms can also describe socioeconomic conditions, as there’s a (flawed) stereotype of white-collar workers earning higher wages and having better educations than those working blue-collar professions. On the other hand, blue-collar workers have acquired the reputation of being “dependable and hard-working rather than showy or spectacular” (according to a secondary definition from Merriam-Webster), and we hear about white-collar crimes in the news, so both terms can be used in positive and negative contexts.
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