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Quite a lot has been said recently about gender specific uniforms, and the issues with requiring females to wear specific, and possibly gender stereotype perpetuating clothing and footwear. Of on a tangent to that, and as the result of a conversation with a female work colleague, I got to wondering. Our employer provides a completely unisex uniform, which, on the face of it, seems to neatly dodge any such issues. However. The problem that may not have been foreseen, is that ‘unisex’ actually means ‘male’. This is evidenced by the way things button up, the cut of the shirts and trousers, with limited space for some lumps and bumps and extra space for others. Apparently, females often come in quite different shapes to us blokes.
This seems a bit like a really subtle form of discrimination; almost too subtle to be bothered about. But then again, I’m a bloke and the stuff fits me and is easy to button up.
What do you reckon? (Especially if you are a lesser spotted female STWer...)
We have a gender neutral uniform. Its equally horrid on both sexes, the trousers specially. NO fly, elastic and drawstring waist. Fits no one properly. The pockets are rubbish so you end up with a pen in the v neck. NO hip pocket to put your wallet in, no belt loops for my keys No secure pockets at all.
Hateful thing
Don't the yanks have buttons and chips on the other side? I think they do with cups anyway.
Oh, not negating your point by the way as the fit of the uniform is obviously not right for women.
We have a gender neutral uniform. Its equally horrid on both sexes, the trousers specially.
Adds weight to my opinion that my employer has just done a;
MALE
Unisex.
Type of move, because the trousers and shirts fit most blokes just fine.
Unisex/gender neutral uniform shouldn't/needn't mean unisex fit.
E.g. your uniform is overalls.
No reason they can't be done in male and female cuts available by (say) chest size (m) and to match equivakent dress size (f).
No different to having to wear a white shirt and choosing between slim or regular fit.
Ours come in a variety of sizes but no gendering. this is the scottish national nurses uniform. the tops look OK and are OK to work in but the trousers? I die a little inside every time Iput them on. I may be getting older but I am not ready for elastic waisted trousers!
Its just cheaper that way as they have to stock half the amount of uniforms. 6 different colours of tops in a few widths, all trousers the same colour but different widths and leg length
to gender them would mean double the amount of variations
the worst is for small / skinny folk - they look like they are in tents
I think you've just answered your own question there.
I appreciate that this might be an awkward question, but what does a "work uniform" entail?
I'm old enough and grumpy enough now to turn up in a female "uniform" just to see what happens. I stopped giving shits at this level in the late 90s.
Not work, but gender neutral, or just gender obscure.
but what does a “work uniform” entail?
Cargo style trousers and a logo’d open neck short sleeve shirt. There’s other stuff but these two items are the most grumbled about by female employees.
You must use a different supplier to us V8 ours are completely random fittings, unless your tall and thin they really are shockingly bad fit for both men and women. Even then the margin for error on the sizing is way off, you cab order 2 items the same size and one won’t fit.
Cougar - some of us work in fields where uniform is required
This is the scottish nurses uniform. 
It's almost as if men and women's were not really designed to be fitted into a "single shape" item of clothing. Unless it's something like a poncho perhaps?
Tesco seem to manage it, same uniform with different fits for body shapes.
Why should people be forced to wear shapeless romper I don’t know, seems pointless to me.
Before we switched to one style for all we’d have some females ordering male uniforms as they found they found them a better fit.
I met a fashion designer once who'd eschewed the catwalk / big high street names to design staff uniforms because it was a much more interesting challenge precisely because of the effort required of trying to solve these problems - coming up with a solution that works for all ages, sizes, shapes and genders.
Its not the most obvious place to look for a good example but I think MacDonalds have a really good approach to work uniforms - rather trying trying to adopt some sort of one-solution-for-all they have a wide range of outfits - some quite smart, some quite casual, male and female garments, and so on - everybody is dressed differently but they all obviously work in the same place.
We all wear coveralls or cargo trousers and a hilarious technical top (looks good on the fat guards), like TJ nobody looks good at my work.
Office based staff wear either their own office appropriate gear or the shite polo shirts that look 10 years old after one wash.
Mufti day every day.
I read a really interesting article once about how design generally disfavors women. Most obviously in car crash test dummies, where it can have fatal consequences. I am small even for a female person and car seats are a problem, headrest too high and seatbelt across my neck, to illustrate.
I am small even for a female person and car seats are a problem
On the flip side, at least you have plenty of legroom on aeroplanes 😎👍🏼.
True though; lots of stuff is designed for the average male human, and everyone else has to just put up with it. Re the uniform though, it’s frustrating because it doesn’t have to be that way. My colleagues regularly spend 50hrs+ a week in this uniform; is it too much to ask that some thought is put into making it the right shape?
hels - ours is the opposite issue - the trousers are better for women than men. No fly and a baggy arse.
On the seatbelts - can you not adjust the height of the shoulder bit on your car or does it not adjust low enough?
It won't go low enough tj I have tried. What I really need is a booster seat!
And yes I do get to be smug in airplanes with my legs stretched right out. Need help with the overhead lockers tho, I usually just stand on the seat it's like being a normal height person.
You must use a different supplier to us V8 ours are completely random fittings, unless your tall and thin they really are shockingly bad fit for both men and women. Even then the margin for error on the sizing is way off, you cab order 2 items the same size and one won’t fit.
Sounds like you're using the national spec uniform supplier. We use the same and the sizing, fit and quality are all absolutely shocking. A complete waste of money!
How short are you Hels? Are you under 1m35? Booster seat for you!
spekkie
Member
It’s almost as if men and women’s were not really designed to be fitted into a “single shape” item of clothing.
Aye, thing is, you can have a uniform that's the same in appearance but properly cut for both sexes.
At an increased cost - double the amount of stock to hold, double the amount of different uniforms. Costs?
What do you reckon?
The last three employers who issued uniform (outdoor clothing like waterproof jacket, trousers and fleeces) had 'neutral' kit. This means they asked size 8, 5' women to wear men's small kit... Ridiculous discrimination.
All three I then took charge. I now insist on Berghaus. They are the only brand that do different leg lengths, men's xs to XXL, women's 8 to 20, cut to fit in equivalent spec products.
Can you identify as not gender neutral? 🙂
At an increased cost – double the amount of stock to hold, double the amount of different uniforms. Costs?
You are right of course; it’s a money thing. But what better way to send a message to your staff that they are expendable than dressing them in cheap, one size fits all stuff. Makes all the ‘investing in people’ bullshine moot, really.