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Work Clothes for Women in Construction
Not Just For Men
Lets' face it! Construction jobs have been dominated by men for centuries, and it will continue to be a mans world. They are stronger, have more muscle mass and really don't worry about how dirty or sweaty they may have to get. Their main focus is to make sure the job gets done. Since the rising popularity of shows like HGTV, and Extreme Makeover, the image of women in construction has been glamed up a bit. Thank you Hollywood! Women are getting more recognition for the skills and talents they can bring to the industry of construction. They work hard, and yes, they get dirty and sweaty too. Wearing the right clothing for the job, can make a big difference. Clothing should be comfortable and durable for all of the bending, lifting and rugged work that is required. Dressing for the job also brings professionalism and credibility. You don't have to ruin regular street clothes or dress masculin to be comfortable. Thanks to a few well known brands like Carhart, and Dickies, they are seeing the need and delivering high quality clothing to fit a womans body type.
Adding some good quality clothing pieces to your work wardwrobe along with lightweight t-shirts and some great shoes or boots will give you versitility to keep you comfortable on the job. Clothing that is made for durability just wash and wear better. Some of your everyday street clothes stretch out, stain easily, and wear out faster. So next time you stop for lunch or make a run for supplies while wearing your durable work duds, you can feel more like a woman at work rather than a women having a bad day.
Dressing in Layers
From the time you start your work day till the time you quit for the day, your bodies temperature is constantly needing to adjust to the work load and the environment. Dressing in layers allows you to have the flexibility to dress up or or down on the spot as the temperature changes. Starting with a work-dry tank top or short sleeve tee, covered by a long sleeve t-shirt, and then a jacket is the fastest, easiest and most comfortable way to layer up or change out. When looking for work shirts you can go with a 100% cotton fabric or a 100% polyester. Cotton is good for hot dry climates but holds in moisture causing the fabric to hold your bodies sweat. A 100% polyester is ideal for higher activity and allows the moisture to wick away from the body. It is a better wash and wear fabric that maintains its shape longer. Depending on the work site, whether you are working inside or outside, in an unheated shop, or what is the season, a versitle jacket is a must.
If you have job that requires a lot of bending, lifting, and carrying or working with tools, I find carpenter pants or bib overalls work best. It can be frustrating having to get up and down off a ladder just to switch to using a few small tools. These styles give you extra room in the legs and hips and a variety of extra pockets to put extra brushes, gadgets, or small hand tools at reach. You don't have the problem of tools falling off your ladder tray as you move or having a bulky tool belt catching on the ladder. Finding a good pair of work shorts is sometime difficult to do. They should give you enough room for movement and long enough to be appropriate to wear on the job.
Wardrobe accessories are always good to have in your tool bag. Knit hats are great for those cold days and caps are good for protection from sun, dust, and paint not to mention bad hair days.