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The painter pant is one of the most practical garments ever designed. It is loose enough to kneel and climb in, tough enough to drag across a job site, and covered in pockets and loops for tools. Stan Ray has made its version, the OG Painter Pant, since the company started in a small Texas town, and the natural drill colorway still looks much like the pants tradespeople wore in the 1970s.
Where it began
Stan Ray calls the OG Painter Pant the place where it all began. According to Stan Ray, Earl Beard founded the company in Crockett, Texas in 1972 after layoffs at the machine company where he worked. He bought a few machines, started Earl's Apparel and began making painter pants and fatigue trousers with two goals: durability and production in the USA. The pants built a reputation among tradespeople across Texas, then found a second life with Japanese vintage collectors and shops such as Beams. The company is still run by Earl's family in the same factory.
Details and construction
Stan Ray lists these details for the OG Painter Pant in Natural Drill:
- 100 percent cotton drill
- Relaxed fit with a straight leg and a 17 inch leg opening
- Zip fly
- Triple chain stitched flat felled seams
- Side pockets with an additional coin pocket
- Bar tacked stress points
- Hammer loop and leg utility pockets
- Stan Ray woven patch label
- Made in the USA
Drill is a strong cotton twill with a diagonal weave, the same family of fabric used for chinos and work trousers. Natural drill is undyed or lightly dyed, which gives the pant its off white, oatmeal tone. Flat felled seams fold the raw edges inside each other before stitching, so there are no loose edges to fray. Stitching them three times with a chain stitch makes the seams very hard to split.
The pockets and the loop
The parts that make a painter pant a painter pant are the extras. The hammer loop on the leg was made to hold a hammer handle, and the narrow utility pocket on the thigh held brushes, rulers or a pencil. Today, those details mostly carry keys, a phone or nothing at all, but they give the pant its look. Stan Ray says the pant works just as well for skating, bike riding and rock climbing as it does for a day in the workshop.
How it fits
The OG Painter Pant has a relaxed fit with room in the seat and thigh and a straight leg. It is slimmer at the hem than Stan Ray's OG Loose Fatigue, which has an 18 inch opening, so it sits a little cleaner over shoes. If you want an even bigger shape, Stan Ray also makes the Big Job Painter. The brand describes it as an oversized version with the same utility pockets, hammer loop and triple stitching, a slightly lower crotch that nods to the 90s, and deeper back pockets.
How to wear it
Natural drill is light, so it brightens up darker tops and makes a good warm weather alternative to denim. A few combinations that work:
- A navy or black tee, a canvas chore coat and leather boots
- A striped long sleeve shirt and simple canvas sneakers
- A grey sweatshirt and a field jacket in olive
Expect the fabric to pick up marks over time. With work pants, that patina is part of the appeal.
How it compares
The OG Painter Pant sits between two other workwear standards. The Dickies 874 is a cleaner, flat front work pant with a sharper crease, while carpenter pants from brands covered in our guide to Carhartt vs Carhartt WIP tend to be heavier canvas. Stan Ray's version is lighter than canvas and more relaxed than the 874, which makes it easy to wear every day.
Care
Wash it cool and inside out to protect the color and reduce shrinkage, and hang it to dry. Like any natural cotton, the drill softens with each wash. Treat paint and grease marks as character, not damage.
Who it is for
Buy the OG Painter Pant if you want a tough, relaxed work pant with real history, made in Texas by the company that has made it since 1972. Skip it if you want stretch or a slim tapered cut.
Where to buy
For more heritage clothing, browse our denim and workwear hub.
