When women go to buy workwear, we are generally limited in our options. Too often, we often find cheap options that won’t last or we have to fall back on workwear built for men that won’t fit our bodies correctly.
Seeing a gap in the market, three women founded Dovetail Workwear and decided to create their own options. Dovetail developed its products, brand, and mission collaboratively with female field testers around the country — women who work in some of the toughest industries around. The results (which are god-sends for rural and hard-working women everywhere) are clothes made of heavy-duty fabric that fit a woman’s body — without compromising style or functionality.
As a female-led business that strives to meet women’s needs, Dovetail keeps its social mission to advance female occupational and economic advancement at the forefront of its work. The company continues to break new ground with innovative fabric technologies, including durable and abrasion-tested stretch canvas and denim, gussets, and secured pocket components. All pants and overalls are available in sizes 000-24 with four inseam options, and the Dovetail website is expertly done with a variety of models, as well as details on the size of each model and the clothing item she is wearing, so as to help you best see how each item fits.
We at AGDAILY got our hands on several items, and here are our thoughts! We definitely were not disappointed!
Freshley Overall in Black Stretch Denim
My new go-to workwear! These are not repurposed, boxy men’s overalls. They’re intentionally designed to complement a woman’s frame, without sacrificing the functionality of men’s overalls. There are deep pockets galore. Accessible — and functional — pockets! There’s even one on the breast of the overalls. My large cellphone (Samsung Note 8) fits securely in nearly every one of the pockets. There’s plenty of room to accommodate its size, and the stretch in the denim keeps it from flopping around. There’s a zippered pocket on the rear leg that’s great for holding valuables such as keys, your ID, and credit cards. Normally I carry a folding knife, but if you need a place to keep sharp tools, there’s also an open-ended pocket at the thigh.
I appreciate the slightly stretchy fabric — the overalls move with me, no matter what position I’m in. While stacking hay, I’m not constricted. While trimming my goats’ hooves, I can kneel to the ground easily — and yet the reinforced knee panels mean the fabric stays strong despite the abuse of farm or construction work.
Some super cool features: There’s a small round hole in the front bib pocket. Next spring, I’m going to try running twine through it for trellising my tomato plants. I’ve already used it for earbuds — just stash my phone in the front bib pocket and sliding an earbud cord through — voila! hands-free music and a secure phone. Not to be outdone — there’s also a secret zipper in that pocket on the side.
Givens Work Shirt
This work shirt is easy to throw on when I need something to keep me warm on chilly spring or fall mornings, something I can strip off as the day heats up. On my farm, it’s common for temperatures to fluctuate between lows in the 40s and highs in the 80s on the same day. Layers are key! I wear this with the Get Dirty Graphic V-Neck Tee and the Freshley Denim Overalls for a great, coordinated, no-fuss outfit. I like the overall look of the shirt as well. It’s obvious even at a glance that it’s made of quality material. I’m looking forward to the addition of more colors.
Get Dirty Graphic V-Neck Tee
This is a great, basic T-shirt. It’s comfortable, soft, and fits well. I love the “get dirty” text. I only wish that Dovetail had more graphic t-shirt options — more colors and more kick-butt phrases, please!
Baseline Bandana
Want a multipurpose accessory? Check out this bandana! Serving as a measurement tool, a headband, dust protector, sweat rag, and more, this bandana is sure to come in handy.
Maven Slim in Power Stretch Denim
Ask any woman what she wants in work jeans, and you will hear a recurring theme of pockets. It doesn’t seem like a major request, but more often than not, women’s jeans come with shallow pockets, or none at all. When I said it has pockets, I meant it. Ten pockets. Ten! By some miracle these jeans have 10 pockets without having a cargo pants look to them.
Also when shopping for women’s work jeans, there is typically only one length option. I am tired of looking like I am waiting on the flood to come — and I am not even that tall! Just like I am sure shorter women are tired of getting the bottom inch of their jeans dirty because there’s too much material. With the Maven, you pick your size and your inseam for the perfect fit. Finally no more guessing whether you are short, regular, or long.
Another bonus, these jeans are made with stretch in mind. If my body could do the splits, I believe these jeans would allow it. The double knee patch allows for these jeans to work just as hard as you do.
Multi-Purpose Work Glove
A very nice, lightweight, all-around work glove. They seem strong so far, and they fit well. I can move my fingers easily and can maintain a nice grip while wearing them. I can even use my cell phone without having to pull them off (index fingers only, but hey, something is better than nothing!). Keep in mind these are not thick winter gloves and are not designed to keep your hands especially warm. If you’re working outdoors, these are best for use in late spring, summer, and early fall, and they have a toughness that’ll last.
Dovetail Logo Tee
I am all about that branding life, so I was happy to add the Dovetail Logo Tee to my wardrobe. Let me tell you, this is the softest T-shirt ever. Great material, flattering, and a comfortable tee that will make you forget you are even wearing a work shirt.
Eli Chore Coat
I’ve been on the hunt for a winter work coat for years. Nothing has ever been just right. The Eli Chore Coat is so close to exactly what I’ve been looking for that I’m ending my hunt and will layering under it in extreme cold.
There are only two criticisms I have of this coat. One is that (and keep in mind that I’m an extremely cold-natured person!) it’s not quite warm enough. I suppose you could argue that I’m not working hard enough to keep my body temperature up! But for the price, I would have liked to have more insulation against extreme cold. I’ll just layer a T-shirt with the Givens Work Shirt and a sweater, then toss this coat on, and I should be all set.
The other criticism I have is that the thumbholes are too tight. Not a big deal — but it does mean I can’t use that feature, which I would have appreciated. The cuffs are nice and long, though, so that helps keep my hands somewhat warm.
Now on to the loves — and there are many!
It’s windproof and waterproof. Those are must-haves. The back covers my rear and can even cinch along the bottom hem! The hood cinches in multiple ways, which keeps the hood up and contoured exactly to my head. These features help a lot to keep cold air from seeping inside the coat. The hood’s ability to cinch is especially helpful for letting me see all around. My previous coat didn’t have that feature, and the hood was huge, so it flopped down in front of my eyes.
Now, when I’m working hard outside, I do eventually warm up, and for those occasions, the underarm vents are a godsend. That way I’m not sweating and freezing at the same time.
Pockets. As you’ve read in the previous reviews of items above, Dovetail is smart and generous with pockets. This coat is no exception. My favorite pocket is a zippered one at the breast, by the side of the main zipper up the front. It’s the perfect spot to stash my large cellphone. Overall there are two interior pockets and three exterior ones.
One last thing to note: The fabric of this coat magically stays clean, despite me carrying muddy buckets in from feeding my horses in their pastures twice a day. I’d love to know what witchcraft is used there. Maybe the same spell that kept the coat from ripping when I got hung on a broken piece of wire fence?
Thompson Shirt Jac
What a unique piece of clothing! It’s a shirt — no it’s a jacket — no it’s BOTH! This piece is so versatile. It’s strong yet comfortable. It’s far heavier than any other button-up I’ve ever seen or worn — it feels more like a jacket, but with the look and fit of a shirt. I love how speedy the snap buttons are for closing it up — much easier than regular buttons. They hold together well, and no gaps appear between them. I do wear a T-shirt underneath for an extra layer, but no one would know if you threw this on over a bra and snapped it up! The construction is impeccable. The pockets are typical Dovetail ones — perfect. I can put my phone in the pocket and lean over, and the phone stays put!
Dovetail Beanie
How cool is a beanie that can be washed without losing its shape? Made with 30 percent Merino wool (which is among the gold standard of performance wear these days), it does an amazing job of keeping me warm in winter. I’m looking forward to warmer weather, because I hear that it will also keep me cool in summer. I’m outside in the dark very often, so I also appreciate the reflective Dovetail Workwear label.
Performance Work Hoodie
I adore hoodies. I live in them — even in summertime, if I’m indoors, I’m wearing a hoodie. And I really have to sing the praises of this one. It is so comfortable and soft, yet durable! And versatile! It’s absolutely my go-to hoodie, whether I’m working with my horses or goats, or just running to town. The pockets don’t flop, so items stay inside where they belong. The zipper is strong. The piece has kept its shape after multiple washings.
I’m cold-natured, so I often keep the hood up to keep my neck and ears warm, and it doesn’t flop over my face to obstruct my view. This hoodie just becomes like a second skin. I wish I had an entire closet of these!
Check out our cool unboxing video!
These items were reviewed by AGDAILY Associate Editor Kacie Hulshof and freelance contributor Gretchen Hager Tipps. AGDAILY is committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using some of the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.
