One of the most basic and essential workplace necessities, but one that is often ignored for women in male-dominated industries, is workwear.
In the blue-collar industry, women can feel less safe in male workwear, and even feel they don’t belong to the industry when wearing workwear that is not specially made for them.
Ill-fitting workwear is a physical hazard, and large clothing can get caught in equipment and cause accidents. The productivity of tradies also depends on the clothes they wear, wearing uncomfortable workwear can affect their productivity.
Female form-fit workwear is all about function and aesthetic. Manual jobs require hard physical work, so safety workwear needs to be robust, functional and high-quality both for males and females.
The limited workwear options for women leads to a conflict of fit, durability and safety standards in their work clothing.
However, the workwear industry is evolving, and many workwear manufacturers now focus on women's workwear. They believe one size does not fit all neither does one shape.
Proper fitting female workwear is a key part of safety and functionality on the worksite. It also acts as a tool to enhance your ability to achieve work goals while making you look stylish.
One of my favourite female workwear manufacturers is BAD Workwear. They are crafted to be comfortable, durable and stylish for hardworking female tradies. Their women’s workwear range includes work boots, work pants, hi-vis work T-shirts, polos and hoodies specially designed for women.
With BAD Workwear, no woman will have to compromise on functionality, safety and aesthetics. Every piece of their workwear is functional yet very fashionable and perfectly made to fit the female form with safety top of mind.
BAD women’s work boots are also made to fit the shape of a women’s foot with shorter ankle-length, higher arch, and smaller instep. These boots look really good and also keep you protected from hazards like sharp tools, falling objects, and harmful chemicals.
BAD work pants for women are also super comfortable. They are high in quality and fit perfectly to allow free movement while you work.
When it comes to hi-vis t-shirts and vests, a women’s body shape is usually not considered, they are made loose-fitting with a one size fits all mechanism. This is not the case with BAD Workwear. They have made a t-shirt specifically for women, by customising the measurements of length, waist and hips to fit women. Same goes with the hoodies. They have beautiful vibrant colours that are fashionable and safe for work site visibility.
When your workwear fits perfectly, you also look and feel good about yourself, which boosts confidence, and ultimately productivity is enhanced.
Apart from enhancing function and aesthetic, wearing the right and perfectly fit workwear makes females feel equally safe as men on the worksite. It also fosters an equivalent environment for all genders.