What clothes should I bring/buy?

thermal socks

extra shoes/boots, to allow one pair to dry out

belts

extra work gloves

warm gloves for walking back and forth to the truck stop building

thermal underwear

extra winter coat/jacket for when one gets soaking wet

rain gear, i personally like "field and stream" set.

at least 3 pairs of jeans as you said

flannel shirts, colored T-shirts,

extra knitted hats, baseball caps, maybe even a set of ear muffs


make sure many of these outer layer clothes are water resistant, ESPECIALLY the boots, and bring along some WD-40 to keep the boots water resistant.

save all the receipts as you can use these items as work clothing/work related expenses and this will be a tax deduction for you.

 

Steel toed boots, comfortable ones. A decent scarf. You'll almost never use it but you'll miss it the one time you do need it. A towel or two. Expect unexpected showers. Bring at least 5 pair of jeans. You don't want to be worrying about where you're going to get laundry done all the time, especially when you never know if the facilities are even working. Half the time they aren't. On that note, a bag for your dirty clothes.

Get a nice non vented baseball cap. Keeps the rain off your face, or your neck, depending. Carhart makes one with ear flaps that works pretty well when it's cold out but not cold enough to mess with the full hood.

Whenever you find a set of good work gloves, buy two pair. You'd be surprised how many gloves will look good and fall apart the very first time you use them. Literally.

Oh yeah, the carhart jackets are good but get the longer one. The short ones let cold air in right at the base of your back, which sucks.

 

My call is a western style hat for rain, since it keeps the rain off my glasses and neck. Also carry a good snow beanie for those really cold places.

Jacket for me is a military flight jacket (nylon version). Waterproof unless we're re-enacting the great flood. Also warm down to -20 or so, but comfortable up to around + 50. $30-50 bucks new.

I always carry at least 2 flannel shirts (more in winter). Warm standard gloves for non work, and leather gloves for getting dirty. BTW: if you put on surgical gloves then the leather, your hands will stay much warmer when chaining.

My standard foot wear is a pair of Wellingtons. These are pull-on "western" boots that are made for farm work. Rounded toe, good grips on the soles (a must!) and danged near water proof. I have to stand in a 5" puddle for 20 + minutes for the water to penetrate. Bad news: they are pricey. Normally about $150 a pair, you can get them on sale around $50-100. Check farming stores.

Hope that helps.

 

Dickies shirts are great, also I would get a bunch of tee shirts in a color that looks good on you, something you can wear and look professional. It will make a huge difference in how you are recieved.

Wearing a band tee shirt with skulls and fire on it will get you a different reception than if you wear clothes that fit you and dont have any strange logo's or designs.

After all, you do want people to look at you like a professional.

Carhart Jackets are great, but like the other poster said, get the long one.

I have a Carhart jacket that is 20 years old and it is still wearable, I use it for when I have to get dirty.

I have another that I keep clean and more presentable.

2 sets of overalls is also a good idea, you will need to get under your truck to work on it from time to time, having a pair of those will be handy.

Also, I do like to have shorts and sandals, the reason is, if I need to get up and run into the truckstop in the wee wee hours of the night to use the rest room or anythign else, I dont like having to tie my work boots up every time.

2 pairs of good steel toe boots as mentioned before is a good idea, as well a set of rubber high traction water proof boots would be an excelent idea for the winter months.

If you are flatbedding a set of carhart overalls would be a great idea for in the winter time as well.

Keep in mind that how you are dressed is going to affect how you are treated by the DOT, if you have plenty of clean clothes with you and shower regularily, and you wear clothes that make you look professional you are not going to get the attention that some one who is a slob or who is running around like a little gangster is going to get.

A couple of sets of cheap safety glasses, both clear and polarized are going to be essential. Working around a truck glasses are one thing I have noticed tend to get destroyed.