A Surprising Brand Might’ve Just Won This Year’s Best Affordable Chore Coat Debate

This distinctive hybrid denim chore coat looks like it should cost twice as much as it really does.

A man wearing a blue denim jacket with a dark brown collar over a white checkered button-up shirt, looking to his left.

Published August 13, 2025

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Updated August 13, 2025

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Over the past year, we’ve covered our share of budget-friendly chore coats. Tecovas made a denim version with Western-inspired seams and a rugged build that landed at $165. Flint and Tinder offered a quilted option, layering warmth with refined tailoring for around $178. Both delivered solid value in their own lanes — one leaning workwear, the other leaning toward outerwear.

Bonobos, a brand better known for stretch chinos and office-casual staples, wasn’t an obvious contender in this category. But its Gramercy Denim Beau Chore Jacket changes the conversation, and perhaps the leaderboard.

Fabric with Familiar Roots

A man wearing a blue denim jacket with a dark brown collar over a white checkered button-up shirt. The jacket features multiple pockets, including two buttoned flap pockets at the bottom and one chest pocket. He is also wearing light brown pants. — The jacket is made from the same denim found in Bonobos’ relatively new Gramercy Jeans

The jacket is built from Bonobos’s Gramercy Jean fabric — a cotton denim that balances structure with comfort. It’s rigid enough to hold a clean silhouette yet soft enough to skip a break-in period. The chore coat template is classic: four external pockets, button-front closure, and durable stitching.

A person wearing a blue denim jacket over a light-colored checkered shirt is placing a black wallet into the jacket's chest pocket. The wallet has a visible white card partially inserted in one of its slots. — Pockets always distinguish chore coats, but including a small internal pocket for keeping a wallet out of sight but still within reach is a nice touch.

Inside, Bonobos adds a small flourish with an interior pocket and a custom floral lining in the front pockets — subtle personality in a garment type that often sticks to strict utility.

The Color That Stands Out

A man wearing a light beige polo shirt under a brownish-gray denim jacket with multiple pockets, paired with olive green pants. The jacket has a collar and button closures. The background is plain and light-colored. — The traditional denim version of the jacket looks great, but the Brown Vintage Wash shade is easily the more interesting (and arguably more luxurious-looking) pick.

While many chore coats default to indigo, black, or muted olive, the Beau Chore’s Brown Vintage Wash is its sleeper hit (and also slightly cheaper than the traditional denim version).

The warm, earthy tone offers a fresh alternative without tipping into loud territory. It wears like any great neutral, pairing easily with denim or chinos, yet feels distinct in a market where brown isn’t the go-to choice for workwear jackets. It’s just a shame that Bonobos didn’t give this shade the same collar treatment.

A man wearing a blue denim jacket with a dark brown corduroy collar, shown from the back. The jacket has visible stitching along the seams and cuffs with button closures. The man is also wearing light brown pants. — The “limited” Bronxville Blue Wash color does feature a nicer corduroy collar not found on the brown version of the coat.

Pricing and Availability

Bonobos hasn’t redefined the chore coat, but it has delivered a well-rounded version that stands on its own merit — and at a price that undercuts most of its competition.

It’s available now while supplies last from Bonobos.com, and like most garments from the brand, it’s stocked in an impressive range of sizes, from XS to XXL.

Denim jacket with a dark brown corduroy collar, featuring a button-up front and four front pockets—one chest pocket and three lower pockets, two of which have buttoned flaps. The jacket has a slightly worn look with visible stitching details.

Bonobos Gramercy Denim Beau Chore Jacket (Bronxville Blue Wash)

$179 at Bonobos

Brown denim chore jacket with a classic collar, button front closure, and four front pockets—two chest pockets and two lower flap pockets with button closures. The jacket has visible stitching details and a slightly worn, vintage look.

Bonobos Gramcery Denim Chore Jacket (Vintage Wash)

$169 at Bonobos

About the Author: Ben Bowers is the Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Gear Patrol. Throughout his tenure in media, Ben has written and reported on everything from consumer tech to whiskey, watches, cars, camping, and personal style. These days, he gets to write less than he’d like to.