Uniforms in the Salon-Has The Time Come?
One of the ideas floating around our Idea Lab today involved salon uniforms. The idea came about from Delta that just completed its brand positioning from Northwest.
All former Northwest planes now feature the Delta logo rich in blue and highlights of red. The flight attendants sport the Delta uniform which is several steps higher in professionalism than the old Northwest uniforms. Music is played in the cabin during boarding. Coach class is served peanuts and cookies. But back to the uniforms.
Why do flight attendants where them? Better yet, name one professional industry that doesn’t utilize uniforms. From doctors and dentists to chefs and cooks to hotels and rental car agencies, the list is lengthy. No wonder Cintas does such a great business.
How would you feel if your doctor wore jeans and an Old Navy T-shirt? How would you feel if you checked into a Marriott and the receptionist was wearing a work-out outfit with Nike shoes? How would you feel is the captain of the Delta airplane was wearing a Jimmy Buffett sweatshirt?
Police, fireman and even mall security guards all wear uniforms for a reason. We respect people in uniform. We trust that people who wear a uniform are professionally trained and competent. We feel safer.
So back to my original question. The salon industry is the only one that comes to mind. High end spas and signature salons use uniforms. But for the 90% plus of salons out there, the uniform is mostly up to the person that works the salon to wear something decent. Some salons invoke the "all black" rule.
Front desk personnel seldom wear a uniform or name badge with the logo of their salon. One test would surely prove that when a uniform was used, retail sales and advanced bookings would increase substantially.
Why not uniforms? Good question. Is this something worth testing? Does this idea have merit? I think so.
Do you?
Happy Tuesday!
April 21st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I think that would be a good idea depending on the salon environment. I enjoy being able to show who I am to my clients and show off my style. At the same time, here in the stores I would love to have uniforms. Atleast matching/ professional t-shirts, since this is more business and as a hairstylist I like showing my creative side.
April 21st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I think the idea of “uniformity” is a good one. The salon I used to work at did this, and it really gave a clean, personal look to the place.
Our dress code was the all black one, however, we were always encouraged to show off our personality by adding punches of color with fun accessories.
Scarves, chunky jewelry, hair accesories, you name it. So, we had the look of organization, but we were all able to show our personality at the same time.
April 21st, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Hairstylists are artists. Artists are very expressive people. I don’t think that it would work out very well to put them all in uniforms. I do think that massage therapists and estheticians should be in uniforms.
April 21st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I would love it if we in the stores adopted a uniform. Not the aprons of old but something more professional. Perhaps we could wear an estheticians jacket and black slacks. It would lend an air of professionalism to the stores. The jacket could have the tng worldwide logo on one pocket and The Industry Source Store logo on the other. It could become something customers look for and expect, much like the employees of Clinique.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I flew Delta this weekend and the overall experience was a step up from the Northwest flights I took back in February. Now if we could just get the passengers to behave better…a fellow passenger who boarded after me informed me that the stand-by passengers who did not get on the flight (the last of the evening out of Atlanta) mobbed the gate and they were beating on the door to get on the plane.
Back to uniforms….I think uniforms might be a good idea for salons. I’ve been in salons where I was unable to determine the difference between the employees and the customers. At a minimum, I think some kind of uniformity of dress such as the all black rule is essential.
April 21st, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I work in the stores also, and i do feel that some type of uniform would be good, maybe tee’s or cardigans, polo’s or button down shirts with the TNG logo, or even Kemon Logo on them. THey would be professionl but still fun. I wouldn’t like anything TOO uniformed considering that our industry is so artistic and would still like to see us as an individual, along with being an employee of TNG….. I don’t think I would want the esthetic jackets though; I would rather have the aprons back!!
April 21st, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I like Anon’s suggestion above. All black with splashes of color, still gives the uniform look but allows the stylist to show their true style and personality, simple and to the point.
April 21st, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I think the way we (Hairdressers) dress express who we are, and our creativity. This is one of few professions that we can express our individuality and I don’t think that should be taken away.
April 21st, 2009 at 4:31 pm
uniforms are a great idea- Public schools should adopt the policy as well
In a professional environment uniforms are essential- if you work in a salon that isn’t dont wear them.
Question is- how is a New salon client supposed to determine who works in the salon and does not?
I’ve spent my entire career in a high end salon and we have always had uniforms of some sort. Maybe it was a uniform color that all staff wore- Jackets- smocks- whatever-and always a nametag- we looked like a team and you knew who was there to serve and who was there to Be served. And yes the same old arguement is still there- I want to express myself- I am artist- Thats great to a degree- Have you ever attended an industry event with hairdressers expressing themselves?? enough said-
I say offer the uniforms- You can even offer to embroider logos for salons.
Hey lets sell Jimmy Buffet t-shirts!!
April 21st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I agree with some of the above statements. I think uniforms are a great idea to help identify who is a worker and who is a guest.
I look at it this way, there would be no “What will I wear today” question.
April 21st, 2009 at 4:41 pm
As a store employee I would love uniforms. As far as the estitician jackets… the Pavilion tried that, it did not look good. Hence them not wearing them anymore. I think the jackets would be tacky in the store. I would love to wear matching polo’s or something to that affect. Store employees would all look the same and more noticable to customers. BUT…I definately think all store employees should be able vote and come to a conclusion together on uniforms
April 21st, 2009 at 4:45 pm
I TOTALLY AGREE, NO NO NO ESTHETICIANS JACKET.
I would love to wear all black!
April 21st, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I would love if instituted a uniform policy in the stores. There’s been issues with staff not dressing professional enough or showing to much skin…or clevage. Since we’re not wearing aprons, which I wasn’t crazy about, we would step up our professionalism with uniforms. How about a nice TNG Worldwide polo and black pants?
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:31 am
I attended private school my whole life and uniforms were of course part of the package. Yes, we looked cute but there is a time and place for such uniforms. I have worked in a salon where uniforms were worn and it kept everyone looking clean and professional. In the stores however, I feel like it would look a bit elementary. Polo shirts remind me of grocery store and fast food workers. When we did away with the aprons no one noticed! Our customers shouldn’t really even pay attention to what we are wearing because they should be too interested in hearing what we have to say.
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:22 am
I Love the TNG Polo and black pants idea.
:):):)
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
I am in the store division as well, and I love the idea of black pants and a TNG logo black polo style shirt. I think that it will still look proffessional and becasue it’s black it would perfectly fit the industry that we cater to:) I think that it would not only look good, but it will instill comfort for employees. We could make our uniform more snazzy by wearing nice earrings and braclets.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
I am not crazy about the jackets either. The black pants would be okay, but in the summer how many of us want to be in black all the time. Then what about capri’s and skirts that we like to be in when its so hot out.
Polo shirts are hot also in the summer. If you work in a store that has several employees, it is hard to keep the temp. to be comfortable for everyone, that is why we get our nice capri’s out.
Maybe have some cool light weight shirts with cool designs that incorporate our industry.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Sorry…but NO No no jackets, and No no no polos! Please…polo’s are not flattering on everyone… we hate collars!! We agree on all black or maybe a cool v-neck Tng shirt and or even in bright colors for summer. But not a regular baggy t-shirt, a nice fitted shirt, maybe we can wear black or khaki colored bottoms (capri’s, or slack’s, or skirts…) Example…Target employees have to wear a red top and khaki bottoms. Doesn’t matter the style type of the shirt or make of the bottoms as long as it’s the color.
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:14 am
I worked for Clinique and hated the white lab coat!! They’re far from flattering, were hard to keep clean and HOT!!! To top it off, you’re given only one….so after repeated weekly washings, they look worn out. Some consultants opted not to wash their’s so often. Not pretty. The same would happen with store uniforms.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I worked in Chicago at a salon, and we had two different dress codes, the hairstylists had the black white and gray rule, but had to wear their name tags with salon logo at all times, or they could not do their clients for the day. Us colorists had the black and gray rule (no white, obviously) but we had to wear matching color aprons over it with our name tags with the salon logo. It looked professional, and our guests could tell who were employees and who were not. We still got to wear colored accessories. And we also had the shoe rule, only heels, but they could be colored!
It looked professional!
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Yeah, the polos would not be flattering on anybody. Ick.
April 25th, 2009 at 11:11 am
estetician/nail tech scrubs in black with nametag.. or our “signature” purple???
May 4th, 2009 at 11:27 am
YES to scrubs!!!
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 am
I own a salon together with my mom and a friend of her. We have this uniform:
1. A white blouse and a blue denim skirt
2. A full black stylist apron (to be worn all the time at work)
3. Nametag on the apron bib
4. Some kind of headcover (either a baseball cap or a kerchief, hair always in a ponytail)