If you are a homesteader then your wardrobe looks quite different from the average person on the street! There are just certain clothing items every homesteader needs.
Of course, this will vary depending on where you live, what your climate is like, and how much space you have to store your clothing items.
Our Bethsaida Homestead is located in the Keweenaw Peninsula of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We are almost in Canada and due to our lake effect snow, we experience winter for about seven months of the year!
While our homesteading wardrobe consists of quite a few cold-weather items, this list of clothing items every homesteader needs will be as inclusive as possible. We’ll cover each item from head to toe, and then each season within each category.
Homesteading certainly isn’t for the faint of heart! It can be tough at times since we simply can’t control the weather. However, having the right clothing items on hand is all you need to get those chores done. You can survive anything if you have these essential clothing items that are very practical.
Let’s dive into the list of practical and essential clothing items every homesteader needs to survive…
Don’t forget to Pin this image for later!
HATS
Starting at the top of our bodies, we always need a good hat on the homestead to get our tasks done. First, spring, summer, and fall require a good ball cap. With the sun beating down on you, you need easy and reliable protection.
There is nothing like a good ball cap to get the job done. My husband and I love this one because we can sew on any patch we want. So, when we travel somewhere or have a cause we want to support, we purchase the patch and sew it onto this hat.
In the winter, you have to have a good thick toque as my Canadian family would say!
Related Post: The Top 10 Most Enlightening Books On How To Homestead
SUNGLASSES
You simply can’t be working outdoors on your homestead without a good pair of sunglasses! This includes in the winter when the sun is reflecting off the snow onto your eyes.
I must admit, living in the Midwest means that we experience most days as cloudy. The days I have to pull out my sunglasses are rare occasions. However, when the sun is out I know I need them.
It is one of the clothing items every homesteader needs no matter what the season is.
Here is a great option for either of you – male or female – on the homestead!
NECK GAITER
Whether you call it a neck gaiter, or neck warmer, also known as a buff, it is one of the clothing items every homesteader needs! A neck gaiter is a circular piece of material worn around the neck.
This can be used for warmth, sun protection, wind protection, bug protection, and style all at the same time! My husband especially loves to wear his when he is fishing or hunting on our land.
I love them for the bug protection! Gnats and mosquitoes seem to just love me but a neck gaiter helps cover the area between my coat and sunglasses. You can pull them up over your nose so that they are longer.
In the winter you’ll want a thicker scarf like this one!
TOPS
Obviously, you need some good tops as a homesteader! Depending on the season, your clothing will change. However, you always want tops that you don’t mind getting dirty or destroyed easily. So many different projects and chores can easily stain or tear your clothing.
In the winter, my husband and I both prefer thick flannel tops like this one and this one. They are warm yet make movement very easy to do. Plus, they don’t look so shabby!
In the transition seasons, spring and summer, we enjoy wearing crew neck sweaters or quarter-zips. These are a little bit thinner of material but still keep you warm.
Lastly, the summer calls for some t-shirts with a breathable material like these!
The best part of all is that these pieces all make great layers. Layering items as the climate changes is key for homesteading life. Some days I need a raincoat over a flannel, or I have thrown on a quick crew neck sweater over my t-shirt. You never know what the weather might bring!
Related Post: 52 Items You Need To Quickly Eliminate In Your 20’s
COATS
One of the most critical layering pieces to your whole homesteading wardrobe is coats! While there are so many different coats you could own, I’m going to suggest two of the most practical ones.
The first of the clothing items every homesteader needs is a raincoat! Even if it’s raining outside, the chores still need to get done and the animals still need to be fed! A raincoat is essential to get the task done.
Thermal wear or a large winter coat you don’t mind getting dirty is my second essential! I have one similar to this parka and love it. But, depending on how cold your climate gets you may need a lighter one like this. instead.
PANTS
Every homestead needs a good pair of overalls. It’s just a fact. My husband and I love these ones because they are rough and tough.
Overalls are wonderful because of all the bending that takes place on the homestead. It keeps all your clothing in place, eliminates the need to keep and store several belts, and is thick to endure all the elements.
In the winter insulated overalls are extremely necessary. Or you could use snow pants instead, which is also what my husband and I use from time to time.
When it’s not winter, a good pair of work jeans is extremely practical. This would especially be true during paint jobs and times when you don’t want all the bending restriction of overalls.
I find myself mostly grabbing hiking pants though instead of work jeans. I would recommend having both a thermal pair and a regular thin pair.
Don’t forget to Pin this image for later!
BOOTS
I think if I had to pick the most essential out of all the clothing items every homesteader needs it would be my rubber boots. And not just any rubber boots, but muck boots like these.
My homestead chores involve me constantly stepping in poop – chicken poop, rabbit poop, dog poop, you name it! A good pair of muck boots keep all my other shoes clean and poop-free. They also stand up in all seasons when you add some thick wool socks for winter.
For projects that involve metal or heavy-duty items, steel-toe boots are the way to go. They offer the protection you need.
In the summer, I find myself either using old running shoes or Chaco’s when I don’t need my muck boots right away.
SOCKS
You need thin, regular socks like these for most seasons. But, you also need several thick wool pairs of socks like this for winter!
UNDERWEAR
I love my thermal underwear, or under armor, as I call it, and I have heard so many great reviews from those that live in the bitter cold as we do!
BABY WRAP
This is also an item that you won’t need if you don’t have a baby, but for those of us that do it is a must-have!
Our daughter is currently one month old and this is an extremely practical and essential clothing item for the homestead! I couldn’t get any chores done some days if I didn’t have her wrapped to my chest in this baby wrap.
Did you find all 22 practical and essential clothing items every homestead needs to survive in the post? If you’re Type A like me, or just scrolled to the bottom of the post, then here is the quick list!
- Ball Cap
- Winter Hat
- Sunglasses
- Neck Gaiter
- Scarf
- Flannels
- Crew Neck Sweater
- T-Shirts
- Raincoat
- Winter Coat
- Winter Hiking Pants
- Spring Hiking Pants
- Overalls / Coveralls
- Thermal Overalls
- Work Jeans
- Muck Boots
- Steel Toe Boots
- Chacos
- Socks
- Thick Wool Socks
- Thermal Underwear
- Baby Wrap
Let me know in the comments below which one of these clothing items every homesteader needs is most important to you!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
Latest posts by Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma (see all)
- How To Have A Great Marriage With Small Children Underfoot - May 18, 2024
- 12 Decluttering Habits To Help You Keep A Happy Home - May 11, 2024
- 7 Amazing Christian Mom Books To Help You Remember Biblical Truths - May 4, 2024
I never thought of a neck gaiter to help with bugs! I wear one for winter running to keep me warm but mosquitos also seem to love me during the summer.
Yes, it has kept so many mosquitoes and gnats off of me which I love!
This sounds like a great list! A lot of these are helpful for other lifestyles too!
Yes – good point!
My husband and I grew up in homesteading families, although it wasn’t called that back when! We loved homesteading ourselves up until we started homeschooling and work became more demanding. A couple years ago we moved into town and last year we started urban homesteading! It’s been a lot of fun to start again-but urban homesteading is definitely a bit of a learning curve. One wouldn’t think there is so many adjustments to be made but there are!
Wow what a cool story! I bet…I can’t imagine the different challenges you must face!
[…] I am so glad that we invested in cloth diapers. Not only have they saved us so much money, but they have also just made sense considering our homesteading lifestyle. […]