Fashion & Style :When you have to wear work uniform

None of us wants to be told what to wear. It goes against our sense of individual freedom. We want to wear what we like, not what someone else expects us or want us to wear. “I hate it, I feel like I’m a petrol station attendant!” Commented Rugumayo B, a bank employee. Some corporate firms oblige their employees to don uniforms at least from Monday to Friday. As an employee who simply reports to work and receives their assignment for the day, you may not see the importance behind wearing work uniforms. You probably feel you could complete your job just as easily without wearing the work uniform. Large corporations often have very detailed dress guidelines, especially for employees who are in contact with potential customers. Some guidelines are so specific that they dictate the appropriate wrist watch and belt buckles for men. This is not an attempt to clone their employees, but an effort to improve the image of people determined to use only their common sense in choosing business attire. But truth is, uniforms “speak” to customers before they even have any human interaction. Work uniforms create branding and help set an image in the mind of customers, and while appearance certainly isn’t everything, we have to admit that many customers will get their first impression of a business and see the effort of the employees solely based on what the employee looks like, and wearing work uniforms might just be the extra “something” that makes that first great impression. If you wear uniforms at work, don’t let this arrangement make you mad. There are a few things you can do that can help bring a little radiance into your work-uniform-life. First, (women) style your hair in a professional and polished manner. This means visiting your hair stylist regularly. Men should also get regular haircuts, keep hair clean and consider using a small amount of styling product to freshen up the look. Women can wear light and natural makeup. Use faint, neutral eye shadow with a small amount of shine. Mascara and a light-tinted lip balm also create a polished look. Add some small accessories to the uniform if allowed. Wear a pair of elegant earrings and add a polished belt with a chunky bracelet. The belt adds emphasis at your waist to create shape in a loose-fitting uniform. Wear good shoes. A dark pair of heels or professional-looking business shoes adds polish to your work uniform. Keep them clean and shined. On a cold day you can put on a light jacket or sweater and a small scarf over the uniform, this will create a new look to the same uniform pieces. Wearing a uniform can be useful as it gives you a sense of pride about your work. As trends change, seasonal updates to the wardrobe can be costly. A uniform can save you lots of money, especially if you work long shifts .To be honest no one looks stunning in uniform but you just have to work it. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com