THE NEED FOR UNIFORMS
Uniforms are there in almost all of the professional industries. Uniforms are designed to create a sense of belongingness. It channelizes the code of conduct for an institution. Uniforms define the company brand and identity.
In many industries, uniforms are a requirement to protect workers from harmful or hazardous elements in the workplace. For example, doctors and nurses use medical scrubs and laboratory uniforms; chefs use aprons to prevent their daily wear from getting spoilt with food stains.
Likewise, other industries have other requirements. While most industries or companies have unisex uniforms for men and women, others have a differentiation.
WOMEN AND UNIFORMS
Women have been on par with men in everything. Over the years, they have been struggling hard to find their place as equal to men in various fields. Along with men, women too have uniforms to wear at the workplace. However, the choices and the acceptance of the design and the taste differs as women are more open and inclined towards specifications like color, design, and so on. It becomes imperative that while designing uniforms for women, one has to cater to some basic elements that makes them not just happy, but also smart in that outfit.
THE NEED FOR SPECIFIC UNIFORMS FOR WOMEN
In some workplaces, women need specifically designed outfits to make them feel comfortable and work worry-free. The best way to do this is to personalize them such that it not only satisfies their taste but also adheres to the industry requirement. There are so many ways to personalize women’s uniforms.
Comfort – One of the major reasons to personalize women’s uniforms is for comfort. While ready-made uniforms are easily available, they are mostly not comfortable. Personalizing it with better measurements and design helps make the outfit more comfortable and easy-to-wear. The fabric should be comfortable enough to withhold the long working hours. It should have proper fittings to make them work comfortably and with ease. Extremely tight uniforms restrict actions and may cause discomfort while dealing with customers.
Color – Women have a direct taste in colors than men. While men can differentiate between very limited colors, women have a vast range of color differentiation. While in a working environment, women prefer subtle colors and dark colors if it has to do with machinery and so. Color is one thing that women would never want to compromise on.
Design – The design of the outfit determines the comfort level for the person who is wearing the uniform. An unusual design can end up in causing imperfections. Appearance and style of the design play a major role in personalizing a usual uniform outfit.
The design part also includes elements like embellishments and embroiderers. Women uniforms look good and defined with decent and minimalistic embroidery. It will make them stand out from the crowd. Other elements like pockets, lapels, buttons, zips, hooks, or collars should be carefully determined to give a right look to the uniform such that it also suits the industry requirements.
Pattern – One thing that majorly adds to personalization is the outfit pattern. While some companies choose to have a normal women’s outfit, others personalize it to make it more professional and smart.
Some of the important elements are darts, pleats, cuffs, and so on. Darts at the right places of the outfit gives it a defined look.
It stands fit to the body and does not give any loose-fitting. This instantly improves the look and boosts the wearer’s confidence and posture.
Silhouette – The type of outfit is another personalized element in a woman’s uniforms. There is a wide range of silhouette options. It can range from a pinafore to skirts to sarees and pants and shirts.
The type of silhouette, however, is also dependent on the industry for which the uniform is designed. One cannot have a flared pinafore while working in a manufacturing belt. Similarly, formal pants and shirts are worn by corporates to be extremely presentable in meetings and the office floor.
The silhouette of the outfit, even though personalized, should be practical and of everyday wear and use. Complicated designs can make working difficult throughout the day.
Material – The choice of material is very important when it comes to uniforms. Soft fabrics are good to choose from as they are extremely comfortable. But on the other hand, strong fabrics and rough materials are suitable for uniforms like aprons and industry wear.
Cotton sarees are extremely comfortable and good looking for women working as hotel management staff or store staff. This will not only make them look extremely dignified but also helps them work freely.
Some of the base materials are cotton, wool, silk, rayon, nylon, terrycloth, and drill cotton.
Accessories – Accessories like hats like that of how flat attendants have come under this category. Some other personalized elements include scarves, sash, belts, or the small cloth tucked in the front pocket. These define the industry and brand style. Women, in particular, look smart with such accessories.
These are some of the many things that women prefer to be personalized when it comes to their uniforms. On the whole, the uniform design should be smart, comfortable, and long-lasting. This will not only give a good look but also saves a good amount of money for one need, not over and again create new designs.
Founder and Director of RSM Chennai Uniforms, a leading corporate uniform manufacturer in Chennai. He has been in the clothing industry for more than 3 decades and harbors a strong passion for sharing his observations and knowledge of the industry sector.
