OUR STORY

Why we're passionate about workwear for women...

Dianne Finnigan, Founder of The Dirty Seahorse, and her daughter, Chantel,

“Sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands, and in an industry where women already have to face daily challenges, finding workwear that fits properly shouldn’t be one.”

The Dirty Seahorse was founded in 2020. The brand came to life when my daughter, Chantel, was in masonry school and we discovered that women’s workwear didn’t exist and if it did, it didn’t fit properly. Shortly after this discovery, we did further research and realized that this is a huge problem for women working in various trades. Current workwear is not designed for women’s bodies.

At this point I knew I had to do something to help these women, so we
began conducting survey and interviews with women working in different trade
fields and found that they had difficulty finding clothing that was safe,
comfortable, and well-fitting. Many existing workwear brands do not offer
women’s sizing or only offer limited options in their women’s collections. This
was when we decided to create a company unlike any other!

The Dirty Seahorse involves women in trades at every step of our journey and
they have virtually helped us build out our clothing by building a community
that is a supportive and safe space for tradeswomen to share their needs and
desires. They have come up with the ideas and features they want and need for
their clothing, and we translate these directly to our products! Our products are built by women for women!


Dianne Finnigan, Founder

    Our Journey to the Overalls

    Our founder Dianne had to learn many new skills when starting The Dirty Seahorse, including model fitting, block making, pattern making, garment construction, and sewing, then sourcing fabrics, manufacturers, and finding the right manufacturers with the right skillsets and machinery. In order to develop the overalls, we had to go through many phases and trials.

    We wanted to share this journey with you so you could see our full development process of how the overalls came to be!

    2021

    SKETCHES

    First, we started with some rough sketches of the overalls that included features mentioned in our initial interviews and surveys.
    2022

    PATTERN MAKING

    We had to develop a pattern based off of our sketches and model fittings to develop our first muslin prototype.
    2022

    MUSLIN PROTOTYPE

    After creating a tech pack using the technical illustration, we had to go through several rounds of prototypes to get the proportions and features right. We had to physically take Chantel to several fittings in Toronto to make sure the overalls were fitted for women instead of a scaled version of men’s workwear.
    2023

    SECOND ROUND PROTOTYPE

    The second prototype was done in a heavier material that is more similar to what the final end product will be. However, key features like the front pocket and front panels were incorrect.
    2023

    THIRD ROUND PROTOTYPE

    The third prototype used a better, higher-quality fabric and had a better fit overall.
    2023

    FINAL DESIGN

    We had to do two more rounds of prototyping before getting to this stage. From here, we were heading into manufacturing for our first run of product inventory!
    2023

    MATERIALS & MANUFACTURING

    Dianne personally traveled to sourcing locations and manufacturing sites, conducting on-site inspections to ensure the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Her hands-on approach reflects her unwavering commitment to providing durable, safe, and reliable workwear for women in trades.
    2023

    TECHNICAL ILLUSTRATIONS

    We went through four rounds of changes to develop the finer details and functional features. These are just an example of two iterations we had done. Some notable changes include longer front panels, different front pockets, overall silhouette, and amount of pockets!

    OUR COMMUNITY

    Quality & Safety Are Our Priority

    Quality and safety aren’t just our priorities, but are the foundation of everything we create. From rigorous research and development to premium materials and thoughtful design, we’re committed to providing tradeswomen with workwear that works as hard as they do.

    Research & Development with Tradeswomen

    Every product is designed in collaboration with tradeswomen, ensuring real-world insights shape every detail. From fit to functionality, we listened, tested, and refined to meet the unique needs of women in trades.

    Quality Materials

    We use only the most durable, high-performance materials to ensure our workwear withstands the demands of tough job sites. Reinforced panels, heavy-duty stitching, and Cordura fabric means your gear is built to last.

    Built for Women by Women

    Our workwear is designed by women, for women—because no one understands your needs better. With a fit tailored to women’s bodies and features chosen by tradeswomen, every piece is crafted to support fit, safety, comfort, and confidence on the job.

    SHOP THE GRAM

    Inspire and let yourself be inspired, from one women in trades to another.