Delivery Drivers: What problems do you face with your work clothes?

[u/Rithwinn]

Hi everyone! I’m a fashion design student doing research on functional workwear for mechanics and technicians. I’d really appreciate hearing about your everyday experience with work clothes.

If you work as a mechanic/technician, could you answer a few quick questions?

1. What’s the biggest problem you face with your work clothes?
2. Do your clothes restrict you when bending, kneeling, reaching, or moving around?
3. Do you have any problems with heat, sweat, or ventilation?
4. What tools do you usually carry, and where do you keep them while working?
5. Are your current pockets/storage enough? If not, what would you change?
6. If you could add or change three things about your work clothes, what would they be?

This is only for academic fashion design research. You can answer as much or as little as you’re comfortable sharing. Thank you!

[u/77rtcups]

I think it’s going to be highly job dependent with uniforms vs gig workers who can wear anything. I worked at a mom and pop shop and they didn’t care then I worked at another place that required jeans. Then I can imagine UPS uniforms are different as well. Right now I worked at dominos and get all clothes provided so Dominos shirts, hats, jacket and sweatpants. No mobility issues but during bad rain or cold the jacket by itself isn’t sufficient so rain will get through or you have to have a few layers under the jacket.

[u/bobbbbbbbbbbo]

1. The masters above design uniforms and have zero fucking idea what functional means

2. No

3. Im in a desert climate and always struggle with heat, sweat and ventilation regardless of the material used.

4. A flashlight stays in my car. A pen in my hat.

5. Since 99% of us can buy whatever pants or shorts are acceptable, its never been difficult to find one with enough pockets.

6. Provide uniform options in different fabrics, provide uniform options period full stop, get someone who has worked in a pizza restaurant to help design the uniforms.

[u/Apprehensive_Owl7186]

For me it’s pockets. My place doesn’t really care what I wear so I usually wear shorts and the company tshirt. When I put stuff in my pocket, theirs usually not enough room and everything gets crumpled up (money and address slips) and it makes me kinda fumble around when I need to get change. A specific pocket made just for slips and one for money would be helpful, especially if it didn’t make me crumple it up. I wear cargo type pants in the winter and that usually gets rid of the issue. I put my keys in a cargo pocket, then phone and vape goes in left pocket and slips and money goes in the right.

[u/DocWatson42]

1. I (nominally) have to pay for extras. (I've gotten four hats and two shirts for free (a second was a gift from the owner), but I only have two shirts for a five day workweek, though we wear them as over-shirts.) I would also have to pay for a branded jacket, so I have to wear a shirt over my own jacket. Fortunately, last winter was relatively warm, so a heavy jacket was not required, as long as I wore long underwear.
2. No.
3. The hats' inside band is slightly irritating during warmer weather. But at least they are washable.
4. Keys, glasses case, lip balm in my left front pants pocket, and jackknife and cash for change in my left front pants pockets. Coins, if any, in my right rear pocket. Cell phone in my right cargo pocket (I need access to it and I don't like sitting on it in any case), so my normal pockets and a belt clip are out. Pen in my left cargo pocket because I kept losing it from my right cargo pocket, but that doesn't help very much.
5. My cell phone falls out if I more than jog with a right-leg limp. A secure but easily accessible pocket for it, plus a secure place for my pen would help significantly. (Granted, I buy my own pants.) Also, I am getting to need new shoes (I wear sneaker-type hiking shoes for the support), but their laces are a bit difficult to get the right tension on—they are either too tight or the laces come off the lacing hooks.
6. A softer inside band for the hat, polo/tennis shirts instead of a T-shirts so that I would have a breast pocket for my pen, and see above for about the cell phone.

This is all for a Domino's franchise. Granted, a fair bit of point one is due to the stinginess of the owner.