Uniforms

[Deleted]

Have the quality, durability and general I'd-wear-this-anywhere of LU uniforms changed in any particular way over the years? I do know that the style itself has changed, but what about the remaining attributes?

[Deleted]

Not really, the uniforms have for many years been cheap and nasty polyester based, and buttons regularly come off the shirts maybe thats because my stomach is so large.

[citysig]

Jim said:

Not really, the uniforms have for many years been cheap and nasty polyester based, and buttons regularly come off the shirts maybe thats because my stomach is so large.

I would second that - except the theory about stomachs. I too suffer the same problem with buttons, and much as I too am slightly portly, I am certain it's the substandard thread they use. When the wife I sew them back on again, using heavy duty carpet thread, they stay put ;D

As for the wear anywhere thing. Never. Past uniforms for me have meant (in my neck of the woods) questions ranging from "What time is the last postal collection" to "Where do I find the baked beans." I now travel mostly in plain clothes to and from work. Helps on National Rail as well - stops lots of people glaring at you when things go wrong.

[boxboy]

citysig said:

I now travel mostly in plain clothes to and from work. Helps on National Rail as well - stops lots of people glaring at you when things go wrong.

Bah! You get it easy in your white shirts!! ;D Although if we get our polo shirts we are less likely to be mobbed, although I'm sure we'll get the odd few.

[Deleted]

Does anyone have a favourite uniform? Mine personally is the one used in the late ninties - white shirts and blazers with gold buttons. Also I liked the line based name badges and ties. Incidentally if anyone has a District one they'd like to sell please pm me.

[citysig]

Boxboy said:

Bah! You get it easy in your white shirts!! ;D Although if we get our polo shirts we are less likely to be mobbed, although I'm sure we'll get the odd few.

Jealousy will get you nowhere. You should know by now that we are all dressed to reflect our status and quality tea drinking habits ;D

As for the polo shirts, it may make it easier for a time, but the posties up my way already wear similar ones, and no doubt as these things tend to go, some other organisation will receive the same hugely expensive makeover by the same team of fashion consultants and turn their uniforms to look like ours!

[q8]

Well the uniforms of the 50's 60's 70's were af reasonable quality serge and hard wearing but you try keeping them crease free! After a week of wearing we all looked like walking ragbags. The uniforms with the yellow piping were favourite even though they weighed a ton. Funny thing about uniform issue though. The tube men got to keep theres but the bus side had to hand one old one of the two they had in when they got their new issue. We did not get cleaning coupons either until the70's Incidentally those old serge uniforms were fireproof and electrically resistant too>

[chris]

citysig said:

quality tea drinking habits ;D

Lets here it for the white shirts!

[igelkotten]

As a side note, here in Stockholm, we have a points-based system to purchase our uniform with.

Upon joining the legion of the damned, you are issued with a complete uniform -winter parka, summer windbreaker or jacket, a few trousers, some shirts, tennis shirts or polo shirts, a bit of this, a bit of that, all required by ancient custom and royal prerogative to be ill-fitting and of atrocious quality.

After that, you start earning points -0.14 points per day worked- with which you can buy new uniform things. A shirt costs 2 points, a summer windbreaker 6 points, and so on.

The only time you have to return your uniform is when you quit, at which time you just have to return "a reasonable amount" of your uniform.

Of course, since the supply chain of the company that provides our uniforms is a total morass, we have a tendency to recieve our summer jackets in november and the winter parkas in may-june. Most of the time, quite a few of us supplant our uniforms with "alternatively sourced items" and look like a bunch of scarecrows, holding on to the few good pieces of kit from the three or four latest changes of corporate identity.

[Colin]

Funny you should mention the long period between ordering and delivery. I always try to order things at least 3 months before I need it!! ;D

[q8]

. I always try to order things at least 3 months before I need it!! ;D
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
What happens when the three months are up and you DON'T need it?

[citysig]

COLIN said:

Funny you should mention the long period between ordering and delivery. I always try to order things at least 3 months before I need it!! ;D

Long period. Try the sort of long periods we have been experiencing at Baker Street.

The week before my wife had our daughter, I ordered some more white shirts. I finally received them just after my daughter's first birthday.

As for trousers, I ordered some last September. I still have not seen them. Maybe I will get some with the new uniform issue.

[Colin]

Q8 said:

.
What happens when the three months are up and you DON'T need it?

I would have ordered something to replace a worn out item - so it's unlikely that I would not require something after ordering it!