by Kenneth Bauer
The very first concern for any successful repair or modification job (not to mention pretty much any time you need someone else to hold your beer) is of course Safety. Using the right tools and techniques can make all the difference between a job well done and an impromptu body piercing.
Perhaps the most important tools you will use are the ones you wear on your body. That’s right, the clothing you wear is not only to protect you from injury and the weather, but it will also protect you from ridicule. The spousal repercussions of wearing the wrong clothing while working around the house can be devastating and lifelong. Unless you are comfortable with the anecdote being retold and exaggerated every time your wife gets the opportunity to explain why she calls you “Peek-a-boo,” and you are willing to permanently scar your children’s memories, then always carefully select your clothing for any job.
The Carhartt, Dickies and Cabellas catalogs are jam-packed with all the latest spring job-site trends. These articles are sure to update your wardrobe, while still allowing plenty of room for such time-honored classics as blue/gray cotton onesies, blue denim bib overalls or thick canvas trousers, and thus keeping you from straying into the dreaded “don’t” zone.
Feel free to wear these pieces a bit loose, but don’t get lost in them. It’s important to pay attention to the small details such as showing off just the right amount of “plumbers cleavage” for that professional air without looking cheap.
Tool belts, knee pads, work gloves, safety glasses, hard hats and even comically bright headlamps are great ways to accessorize and maintain that “It Guy” look. Nothing says “Alpha Male” quite like a Trophy Hunters Association ballcap in a nice fluorescent orange to “humble brag” about your hunting skills.
Head-to-toe patterns, particularly digital camos, were once again an important trend on the catwalks this year, which is a look you should never be afraid to invest in as it will never fall out of style – especially when paired with the always classic wife-beater undershirt. The new cuts and wicking fabrics make them way masculine and not at all dated.
Don’t underestimate the power of a good steel-toe work boot. Work boots feel fresher than ever for this spring especially when rendered in stout, shiny cowhide. Redwing hit the right note this year with satin and metallic styles, while Timberland cornered the paratrooper market with its shiny green “101st Airborne” collection.
Don’t wear too many sporty pieces at once or you will look like you are on the way to the gym. Do add just one sporty element – like your letterman jacket or a perforated tank – to give that tradesman look a sporty twist. Utility belts are still as useful as ever but a word to the wise says you should never pair a utility belt with the recently popularized “Dad Bod” style.
With a keen eye towards safety, and healthy dose of common sense, even those on a tight budget can turn heads as well as ratchets when it’s time to fix that household problem.
Next time: Tool box basics. (unless of course I totally decide to write about something else.)
