With more and more women entering trades and industrial professions, the workwear industry is starting to catch up.
There are a number of important reasons why properly fitting women’s workwear is important.
The most critical of these is safety. Clothing manufactured for a male body won’t fit a woman’s body properly. Properly fitting trade clothing is part of a worker’s PPE. If it’s loose and ill-fitting there is a real chance that it could result in an injury.
Similarly, comfort is an essential consideration – if a woman’s work clothes aren’t designed to fit her body, they simply won’t function properly.
Finally, there is the need to look professional. Women tradies want and need to be taken as seriously as their male counterparts and it’s hard to be taken seriously if your clothes don’t fit you properly.
While the first work jeans tailored for women were produced in the United States by Dickies in the 1940s, it is only really over the past decade that a broad range of women’s workwear has started to become available, including boots, shirts, pants, belts and other gear that are specifically made for the female shape.
Because of the historically small market and greater variety of sizes required, affordability and range of options has been a real issue for women’s workwear. But that’s changing dramatically with prices and variety now genuinely comparable for the men’s and women’s markets. The other positive development is the range of colours available in women’s trade clothing – the evolution of women’s workwear reflects the strength and capability of women in trades, with design elements and an aesthetic that doesn’t make women look like men.
While there may still be a long way to go before women become a critical mass in the trades and industrial profession, at least those who have successfully made it there can go to work in clothes that make them feel safe, comfortable and feminine.
Make Sure It Fits
To get the maximum functionality, comfort and safety value out of your workwear it’s essential to make sure it fits properly. Ideally the clothing should be tried on but that’s not always practical, especially if you’re buying online.
Here’s a few tips to make sure you get the right measurements:
- Get someone else to measure you – the measurements will be much more accurate.
- Take measurements as close to the body as possible.
- For waist measurements, ensure the measuring tape is tight against the body.
- Measure your hips at the widest point.
- Remember to measure your leg size and arm length. On the inside (crotch to floor or armpit to wrist).
Remember, trousers should fit snugly around the waist and allow for free leg movement. Shirts and tops should fit snugly around the body and long sleeves should reach to your wrists and not over them.
Check out our measuring charts here: https://badworkwear.com.au/pages/size-chart
