3 Blue Idioms: Blue Collar, Bluestocking, and Blue Hair

I’ve talked on previous podcasts about idioms that use the word blue. We talked about blue bloods, the blue moon, and blue laws, just to name a few. Today, I’m going to share a few more. 

First up is “blue collar.” 

What Does ‘Blue Collar’ Mean?

This term originated in the United States. It’s been used since the 1920s to refer to people who perform manual labor; that is, who work with their hands. (Side note: the word “manual” derives from classical Latin “manus,” meaning “hand.”) The catch-all term “blue collar” includes everyone from farmers and electricians to people who work in construction and manufacturing. 

Why “blue”? That refers to the practice of workers wearing blue overalls or coveralls to work. These were usually made of a heavy fabric like denim or canvas. You know how you can wipe your hands on your jeans, and your jeans still don’t look dirty? Coveralls were often made of blue denim for the same reason. It does a good job of hiding grease, grime, and grunge.

“Blue collar” jobs are distinguished from “white-collar” jobs: those that are performed in an office. 

The origin of the term “white collar” is pretty straightforward. Just picture a traditional (male) office worker wearing a suit, tie, and stiff white dress shirt. This term appeared slightly before the term “blue collar.” It first appeared in a 1910 Indiana newspaper that described someone from the country following “the lure of the white collar to the city … so he can wear a white collar all the week.” (1) I wonder what that chap would think if he showed up in 2019 and saw some of the casual Friday outfits that “city folk” now wear to work. I’m not sure if he would be pleased, or disappointed.

One other note on collars. There’s a third term—"pink collar”—that refers to professions traditionally associated with women. Think teacher, hairdresser, secretary, or nurse. This term was introduced in a landmark 1977 book called “Women’s Work” that explored the increasing presence of women in the workplace. The author observed that women were generally earning less money and less respect than men who held similar jobs, and that their careers often suffered when they left the workplace to raise children, and returned after several years, older and without current job experience. This may not seem like hot news today, but at the time, these were radical observations. (2,3)

What Are 'Bluestockings'?

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