UNIFORM DRESSING

So, I work in a well-known department store. In said store, we - as with many other companies - have to wear a uniform. Despite being an avid fashion lover/collector/worshipper, I spend most of my life in this uniform. I am a reasonable person; I understand the benefits and in some cases the necessities of wearing a uniform. It creates a standardized aesthetic for the store and its staff, and although sometimes – usually when I’m running late – I greatly appreciate the monotony of my plain black uniform, I do see it mainly as a means to mask any semblance of individuality. We become an army of sales assistants, made recognizable only by the blindingly yellow name badges which invite perfect strangers to address me like an old friend.

In many ways working in retail is an act, and in my opinion the costumes we have to wear do not live up to the role we are expected to play. An all black outfit can be sexy, seductive, darkly alluring, slimming, chic, smart… the list goes on, but I doubt any of these things came into the minds of the company gods when they were brain storming ideas for uniforms. So whilst wrestling trousers into submission and battling tables of unruly t-shirts today, I tried to dream up what my ‘ideal’ uniform would be.

My first obstacle? Colour - how could I pick one that would compliment staff members, male and female, without being too gaudy or downright tacky looking? I sifted through the work garb of other stores and there seems to be no template out there to aspire to. The staff over at McDonalds are currently donning a rather dowdy swamp coloured polo, whilst Zara have traded in their European-style all black get ups for a rather gothic/punk, candy cane vibe with black and white stripes. Carrying on this striped trend Matalan too is following suit with horizontal black and red (umm... is Dennis the Menace on the directors board?)

I thought I’d skip the colour dilemma and think about style. Long sleeves? Too warm for the under air-conditioned store. Short sleeves? Right, yes, we’ll go with short sleeves. Round neck? Possibly - anything too low will result in wandering eyes. Fabric? Something that doesn’t fade or go quite so pug as the current style. The list went on and as you can imagine my answers became more and more vague. Trying to create something for everyone, I discovered is hard and frankly exhausting.

My mind then wandered back to my dissertation in which I explored the wider cultural implications of uniform dressing, particularly how bodies of power enforced uniforms to eradicate individuality (something I have already touched upon) and re-mold society into an aesthetic pleasing to them. I found this idea very interesting and whilst I am by no means trying to compare my department store uniform to that of some cult or dictatorship (I swear!), I was intrigued as to what the company bosses were trying to communicate through our uniforms. Yes, we do wear the company name across our chests but it’s easily overlooked. Maybe, in giving us these rather blasé uniforms, perhaps rather than cloaking it they are offering us a blank canvas on which to project our individuality. Against all odds we must still appear friendly and approachable so what better way to do that, than to be friendly and approachable rather than relying on a sunny uniform to do it for us.

Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be parading around in my uniform off hours, but I do appreciate the challenge of making this uniform work for me. So as my signing out message to the Man, I’d like to say thanks for limiting my sartorial expression, I’ll be exploring a less materialistic route to channel my individuality from now on.

 (Picture from windyskies.blogspot.com)

JINGLE JANGLE

I’m currently packing to go on holiday and nothing says holiday to me more than an armful of friendship bracelets. The more the merrier and the more vibrant the better! Bracelets for me mark a definite seasonal change. Summer is the time when exposed body parts cry out to be adorned with clashing threads, beads, bangles and chains. Whereas anything attached to my wrists in wintertime is a hindrance, limiting my ability to hide my hands up my sleeves and inevitably causing a draught to run up through my entire body. But enough of the winter chills, I am now faced with the huge dilemma (no exaggeration) as to which bracelets to take with me. No summer look is complete, in my opinion, unless accompanied with an armful of colour so my plan is to stock up my collection whilst on my travels but that doesn’t mean I won’t be hauling a plethora of jewels with me. The main question is, how much is too much? Oh the woes of being a self confessed magpie.

Here are some photos that really feed my arm candy fixation

(All photos from WGSN Tumblr)

TURNING ALL BLUE

I'm not sure if it's the abnormal heat we're currently having or the fact that summertime shopping is nigh but impossible due to the influx of cosy jumpers and body swomping scarves; but I find myself looking forward to, no craving, autumn.

I am the British stereotype. I moan when it's too cold and I moan even more when it's too warm. A lot of this is due in fact to my pale skin which I like to coat in a thin (honestly I'm not aiming for 'Towie' colouring, just a little less casper) layer of fake tan. This, however, does not mix well with the heat and often I am left streaked - I have ruined more then one perfectly slouched white top from this melting. I hope as I get older that I will in fact come to embrace my pale skin but for the moment the longing for a summer glow rings incessantly in my ears.

However, I do digress. I am aware that I seem to have made up some sort of fantastical idea of Autumn. In my mind the leaves are strewn multicoloured over pavements and along walkways, there's a chill in the air but bare legs and thick socks are more than enough to combat that and no matter how many layers you wear you're never too hot. But as we all know this is not the case. Summer and Winter tend to blend seamlessly into one, with a blur of warm nights heading straight into bitter cold mornings. In reality even I scoff at anyone who dares to wear bare legs for anymore than a few days in summer and to those few who do I take my wooly hat off to you. The risk of potential pneumonia is enough to deter me. And the one thing that annoys me the most about British Autumn is the very delicate balance that one has to assume when layering. Your arsenal against the elements is the one you concoct via your wardrobe, and what might seem the perfect arrangement of fabrics chicly shielding your body when outdoors becomes a woollen entrapment once in the rhythm of a brisk walk or upon entering a heated shop/cafe. The well executed outfit is thus left a tumbling mess of trailing scarf, squiff hat and haphazard jumpers hanging off any bodily extremities to hand.

Although it may seem that I have managed to talk myself out of my love of Autumn, I now come to see it as a sartorial challenge that I look forward to defying. My weapons of choice are an array of delicate jumpers, loosely draped t-shirts and scarves that have the potential to cocoon my entire body. I'm thinking light layers and huge bags that will hold any surplus layers (and a flask of tea!) And although this may not seem ground breaking, traversing the line between layered perfection and looking like a woollen lump is not an easy feat. So enjoy the barely there bra tops and the skimpy skirts and dresses while you can as this year I'm wishing for a shiver inducing winter!

 (I do not claim credit for any of the above photos unless stated)