Work Pants 1940s

Ben Davis Work Pants — made by the Ben Davis Corporation in San Francisco since 1935 — are the original California workwear. The heavyweight cotton twill, the zip fly with button backup, and the reinforced knees made these the standard uniform of California laborers, mechanics, and craftsmen. In the 1990s, Ben Davis was adopted by West Coast hip-hop culture — visible on early Cypress Hill and Boyz N the Hood sets. 1940s-1960s USA examples: $80–$300. Upside: $300–$800.