Collar color is a set of terms denoting groups of working individuals based on the colors of their
collars worn at work. These can commonly reflect one's occupation within a broad class, or sometimes gender;[1] at least in the late 20th and 21st century, these are generally metaphorical and not a description of typical present apparel. For the two terms of longest use,
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.
Various other "collar" descriptions exist as well, although none have received the kind of broad use in
American English as the traditional white-collar/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 also a member of the working class who performs in the
service industry. They work in positions such as
waiters,
retail clerks,
salespersons, certain
unlicensed assistive personnel, and many other positions involving relations with people. The term was coined in the late 1970s as a phrase to describe jobs that were typically held by women; now the meaning has changed to encompass all service jobs.[5][6][7]
Other classifications
There are a number of other terms used less frequently, or which translate to English from common use in other languages.[8] These categories include:
New collar – Develops technical and soft skills through nontraditional education paths.
No collar – Artists and "free spirits" who tend to privilege passion and personal growth over financial gain. This term was popularized on the reality game show Survivor: Worlds Apart, which used No Collar (in addition to White and Blue Collar) as the tribal divisions;[11] also, people who work, but not for payment.[9]
Green collar – Usually referring to military personnel, but can also refer to workers in a wide range of professions relating to the environment and renewable energy.
Grey collar –
Workforce that is not classified in blue collar nor white collar. It is occasionally used to describe elderly individuals working beyond the age of retirement, as well as those occupations incorporating elements of both blue- and white-collar.[citation needed]
Gold collar – Refers to young, low-wage workers who invest in conspicuous luxury. Alternatively refers to highly-skilled professionals in high-demand fields such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, pilots, and scientists.[14]
Silver-collar - Refers to bots and AI solutions considered as workforce[citation needed]
References
^Benczes, Réka (2006). Creative Compounding in English: The Semantics of Metaphorical and Metonymical Noun-Noun Combinations. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. pp. 144–146.
^Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition. Electronically indexed online document. White collar, usage 1, first example.
^"White-Collar". Cambridge Dictionary. 28 May 2022.
Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
^Friedrich, Thomas (2013) Hitler's Berlin: Abused City Spencer, Stewart (trans). New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
ISBN978-0-300-16670-5. p.12.