Collar color is a set of terms denoting groups of working individuals based on the colors of their collars worn at work. These commonly reflect one's occupation within a broad class, or sometimes gender. [1] White-collar workers are named for the white-collared shirts that were fashionable among office workers in the early and mid-20th century. Blue-collar workers are referred to as such because in the early 20th century, they usually wore sturdy, inexpensive clothing that did not show dirt easily, such as blue denim or cambric shirts. In the modern era, these terms have become metaphorical and are not a description of typical apparel.
Various other "collar" descriptions exist as well, although none have received the kind of broad use in American English as the traditional white-collar and blue-collar distinction.
The term "white-collar worker" was coined in the 1930s by Upton Sinclair, an American writer who referenced the word in connection to clerical, administrative and managerial functions during the 1930s. [2] A white-collar worker is a salaried professional, [3] typically referring to general office workers and management.
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor and either earns an hourly wage or is paid piece rate for the amount of work done. This term was first used in 1924. [4]
A pink-collar worker is someone who works in a position traditionally held by women. Jobs commonly referred to as "pink-collar" include nursing, education and customer service. [5] The term was coined in the late 1970s as a phrase to describe jobs that were typically held by women. [6] [7] [8]
There are a number of other terms used less frequently, or which translate to English from common use in other languages. [9] These categories include:
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