Uniforms are Ridiculous

On a suit and tie... it helps to look damn good in black or navy blue.

When I was in a private, all-girls high-school, we had uniforms similar to those found in Japan. The school claimed they did it so no one would have label-fights or look poor or rich, and it bugged me. I couldn't go anywhere outside of my school in my uniform because it felt like I was being sexualized and stereotyped for going to the "Sailor Sluts School" as they called it. I am also very much an individualist and conformity must be abolished at all costs.

I am also very much a communitarian and individualism must be abolished at all costs.

I want both in moderation working together in different areas.

Personally, I like uniforms as long as they aren't uncomfortable. My high school uniform was fine, and so was my work uniform. Choir uniforms were a little cringe-worthy in the early days, and the shoes were horrible, but I didn't have to wear them for long.

Now, the day a job requires that I wear high heels all day, that is when I will quit it.

On the military side, I love my uniform. It's like wearing pajamas to work every day when I'm working at the base. It's nice not to have to worry about variety, I have 6 uniforms that all look exactly the same, and I'm not going to get an eyebrow for wearing the same shit every day, keeps it simple.

As for more dressy stuff? I hate it because of the whole drycleaning issue. That's one more errand for me to have to run, and I detest crap like that.

As far as uniforms go, some slacks/khakis and a tucked in polo shirt are fine by me.

My part time job requires that I wear an obnoxious yellow polo and black pants of some sort, as well as black shoes. Not the most attractive thing to wear, but it keeps me recognizable in large crowds as I'm basically there usually to give directions and to help if something happens. Although in nicer places I quite often end up wearing a blazer of some sort. (Depends on what position I'm filling at the time, as I work for an events staffing type of company.) The blazer coats are something I tend to like or dislike depending on the time of year; in Texas the dark coats are really fucking hot, but when it gets cold I'm glad to have it.

Thread Hop: I Read That As "Unicorns are ridiculous"

Which I take personal offence in.

But on topic, I think uniforms have their use, and of course, some of them are really cool, like navy uniforms. SWAG, I tell you.

Uniforms are a sign of what you're looking for and what you're doing. If you show up to your office job in a suit and tie, you know, really prepared and clean, you're non-verbally telling your co-workers, and more importantly managers, that you really care about where you're at. People naturally associate cleanliness and tidiness to preparation and other positive traits.

If you want to show up to work in jeans and a T-shirt and it's not casual Fridays, I dunno man, that's your choice. Don't come crying to anyone when you don't get that raise or promotion. Your visual representation is the first thing people see, and thus judge of you.

Costumes? I... dunno, because when I think costume, I think, you know, classic Burger Fool attire. Dressed as the big burger. If so, that's a job. If you don't like it, quit. Chances are you knew what you were getting into when you said yes to the job.

But, yeah, work uniforms are a way of saying what you are and what you do. When you work with customers directly, like on the sales floor, you need to be in uniform to other co-workers so people know where to address their concerns, questions, etc. If you dress exactly the same as you normally do, people won't easily be able to identify you, and then people call the store out for having poor customer service. It's just a mandatory part of having a job.

And whether you like it or not? You need to have some level of conformity to be accepted into society. You can think you're a special snowflake all you want, but in reality, acting like you're the only thinking mind in a herd of sheep is just going to make you look like a jackass. It's part of living in society.

edited 8th Sep '11 1:05:45 AM by HeavyDDR

Personally, I think most office jobs where people are doing shit like IT where there's no face-to-face interaction might as well let you wear jeans and a t-shirt.

It depends on your manager. Like I said, people associate a clean attire with a clean personality and a willingness to come to work prepared. Even if Adam and Bob do the exact same amount of work, if Adam is dressed in a tidy shirt, straight tie, and khakis, he's going to be looked at as a better worker than compared to Bob, who dressed in baggy jeans, a muscle-shirt, and always wears a cap.

Perhaps for most people, so long as it isn't anything trashy I don't really look at what people wear as representative of how good they are at their job.

I've always hated the appearance rule, I'm all about merit.

It's a problem the military is plagued with. There's this 50/50 divide where an NCO would consider a shit troop with a nice uniform better than a super knowledgeable troop with a dirty uniform.

I'm in the dirty crowd. If you have boots that are all fucked up, it shows me you've actually been out there doing work.

edited 8th Sep '11 1:10:38 AM by Barkey

Congrats, you don't represent the majority. Assuming you've never, ever judged a guy you've never met before by his appearance. Ever.

People as a whole make these very subtle judgments all the time. It's part of communicating with people, it's a vital way of how we address people. Merit is one thing, but like I said, if two people are doing the exact same amount of work, but one is dressed better, he/she will look better. Why not just take the extra two minutes to fancy yourself up for work if that's what's expected of you? It's like a free dish of brownie points and people willingly skip out on it.

Suits are a symbol of weakness. Wearing one is a sign that you care more about looking good in the eyes of others than about your own physical comfort.

The issue of course ia ballance.

Uniform is against indivuality but lack of uniform is against collectivity.

Maybe a ballance between the two like a customised uniform or dress code be a anwer?

A professional uniform (suits, formal attire; this doesn't apply to those wonderful comfy things that you do dirty work in ) do more than just cover you in expensive cloth. For a lot of people, myself included, being in a formal dress (weddings, formal night on a cruise) or a skirt suit (interviews, days when huge clients are touring the shop) improves posture. You're more likely to hold yourself better - shoulders square, back straight, chin up. It's that that exudes professionalism (or, in the case of the formal dress, good breeding. )

The business world is all mind games. You have to know what you're doing and you have to look like you know what you're doing or, barring skeeviness, you'll get nowhere.

I rather like uniforms. You can be an individual in your off time. During work it's all about being a team player, part of the group, and community morale and the uniform is a way of bringing you together.

edited 8th Sep '11 7:42:00 AM by Bur

...They're comfortable for some people too, y'know.

Skirt suits are never comfortable. Formal dresses are ridiculously comfortable so long as they're not strapless.

Regular suit pants are awesome. Lady-suit pants with their lack of pockets, high waists, and slim thighs are a thing of the devil, though I guess we get the option of flowy suit pants, which also have no pockets but are sinfully comfy.

edited 8th Sep '11 8:39:01 AM by Bur

You mean Non Uniform Uniforms? I could live with that...

@Barkey: Whatever gets the job done. I'm sure you get this a lot, but you're awesome, you know?

If my managers are so stupid as to judge me based on wearing silly-looking clothes rather than on getting the job done, I have no business working for them, and they have no business employing me. A company that puts that much stock in apperance is obviously not the place where I'd thrive. Suits don't show "preparedness", they show "showing off accomplishments you haven't made yet" and "personality traits you don't posess".

However, while I'm against , suits, I'm not against uniforms. If everyone is wearing the same thing, made of the same fabric, especially if that thing is ugly-yet-functional, that puts all appearances on equal footing and it lets your accomplishments speak for themselves. I'm especially in favour of school uniforms (but again, so long as they are not trying to look "posh", "classy" or "distinguished".

Oh, and as a complete aside: wearing military fatigues in civillian context, especially if you actually are a civilian= :( What, you expect camouflage from a woodland pattern in an urban environment?

My uniform: a vest with text. I don't mind it, especially since it makes me reconisable to customers in need if I'm not at the help desk.

Well, if you're going to deal with the public image becomes actually important, especially looking distinctive.

Yeah, uniforms serve an important purpose if you have to interact with the public and need them to recognize you as an employee. However a uniform that's imposed just for aesthetics or to enforce conformity, that I just don't see the point in.

Or a sign that you refuse to be an individual like everyone else by wearing uncomfortable blue cotton canvas hip-hugging work pants.

Camo pants are practical. They can get all sorts of grit and grime and you wouldn't even notice, 'cause they're patterned already. They've got a bazillion pockets, and they look especially cool with a tight-fiting, short-sleeved dress shirt.

These might be some of the reasons why civvies wear'em. Just sayin'.

You keep repeating the word "working" like it's degrading or something?