To wish supermarket staff were a bit more glamorous.

[SurferJet]

Obviously this is lighthearted - but strolling through Tesco earlier I thought how much nicer it would be if the staff had a touch of glamour about them - supermarket shopping is such a boring drudge isn't it, & I for one would be so cheered up if the staff were a bit more 'Hollywood' - obviously it doesn't have to be the full Audrey Hepburn or James Bond - but maybe a step up from dowdy overalls.

Anyone else?

So no, it doesn't really matter whether someone stays shop level or climbs the ladder where the shitty attitude of the general public is concerned

I'm not sure what you mean alis.

I agree that many people - I'm not sure whether that is the general public - feel able to be shitty to shop workers to exorcise their feelings of inadequacy. Your level of personal worth doesn't equate to your bank balance, so that's why that occurs whether those people work in Tesco or Louis Vuitton. It's just that more people come into contact with Tesco employees than those of Louis Vuitton and why some people think it's okay to stick it to someone behind the counter in a posh shop. It hurts the same though and it shouldn't happen anywhere.

I wish I were more glamorous. Unfortunately, supermarkets don't invest as much as BA in uniform and you don't have to be a certain height or weight to get the job. Imagine how short staffed they'd be if only 26 year old size tens could apply? They'd be nothing on the shelves and one person serving

I think most customer-facing roles are probably quite unpopular with a lot of people - because of the risk of aggressive, rude, entitled customers!
I have a friend who is a pharmacist who is regularly abused by her customers. :(
Mind you, she's not expected to "glam up" to go to work.

I've done retail work, but never in a shop that needed a uniform. Did once work in a Wimpy restaurant though - that uniform was bloody awful, horrible nylon thing that itched and never came properly clean!

Omfg who turned up and sabotaged everyone's spaceships tonight?

Gandalf

I worked in retail. Boots - smart white lab-coat, (pharmacy counter) type overall. I always looked smart - and my colleagues on "beauty" always looked glamorous!!!!
I worked in a supermarket. Nylon striped overall two sizes too big. Much harder to look smart - let alone glamorous!
Rules on hair, shoes, make-up etc were strict.

Waitrose employees always look great - but then so many people on here are sneery about Waitrose as it is a "rip off". One of the reasons I shop there is because they treat their staff better and there is a higher level of respect between customers and staff - both ways.

It is a pity that you cannot discuss or joke without being attacked for something.

My boss told us the other day we all needed to smarten up. We are trust admin. No uniforms but smart casual office wear. If I'm not seeing clients I'm either in skinny jeans too and jacket. Or pencil skirt top outfit.

He suggested suited and booted every day. No "cheap high street clothes. Designer brands only" we kicked off. I almost threw a primark shoe at him pointed out if he wanted designer suited and booted he could bloody well buy the clothes for us.

Seems fair to have a clothing allowance if the expectation is that you are glamorous on a low budget. And shoes. And a beauty allowance for all the waxing and threading and slap.
Supermarket prices will be going up if your wishes are granted, OP.

Indeed. A designer wage to match

The worst time I had with uniform was when the shop I worked at swapped its dress length polos for "proper" shirts - cheap and lime green - which got rotted by perspiration! Shock horror, moving about all day makes you sweat!

Everyone had gaping holes in the pits of their shirts, and the company didn't want to replace them because of money/hoping to sell up to a big name supermarket. Some of us were wearing tops underneath to stop our bras/sides of our torsos being visible.

"Luckily" the decay of our clothes was somewhat hampered by the company's refusal to fix the heating for a couple of years until environmental health nearly closed them down one incredibly bitter winter. We had been wearing fingerless gloves, scarves and ugg-style boots (as well as tights, leggings, long johns etc), dress code be damned! Management were bringing electric heaters in for their offices and turning a blind eye to the fact the floor staff looked like they were preparing for an arctic expedition.

Yeah, those guys really didn't give a fuck!

I was in Waitrose the other day and one of the partners walked past me and the uniform had made them absolutely reek. I felt really sorry for her as she was immaculately turned out but the suit jacket thing was obviously not fit for purpose in an active role in a heated environment.

I was thinking of a more 'Fork Handles' type of hardware shop limited

We have one of those locally and the staff are the most lovely people. One of my friends used to work there and said it was a fabulous job.

""The comment was meant to express that retail work is seen as the lowest of the low""
""Shitty attitude from the general public""

This must vary region to region, or perhaps who you mix with. Here on MN going to Uni is considered the norm and they 'right' path in life. But in other places, where unemployment is more rife and houses aren't silly money, I don't think Retail work is looked down upon.

I don't think posters, realise how patronising they're being with the constant references to low pay. I'd equate that to the Victorian attitude of not expecting anything better from the lower classes, when discussing Child/Wife cruelty, drunkiness etc.

It's like it's seen as a moral failing to accept these jobs for life and thus you don't need to have any standards, or show any responsibility or personal pride.

Why can't they make the uniforms out of cotton or polycotton, instead of polyester?

I don't care. Clean and tidy appearance and helpful when needed will do for me.

Hardware shops smell nice but altogether too macho an environment for me

I would get all swarfega in my nails and beehive UGH

I work in a 'four candles' type hardware shop. It's brilliant. The shop has been in the town for 68 years owned by the same family who work in it still.

It's nmw but it's handy for home, I have set shifts and I don't work Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays. Well actually I sometimes work Saturdays to cover holidays but I don't have to.

Uniform is navy combats bright green polo and navy sweatshirt. I also have a navy fleece and jerkin. I wear them all as well as a full set of thermals ;)

I think supermarket staff should get paid more. I think the minimum wage should be £10. Then if staff want to be more glamorous they might be able to afford to.

The uniforms could be improved, but that's up to the company to sort out.

And food doesn't have to cost more to ensure staff get paid properly. The shareholders need to stop being so greedy.

i've only ever worked in menial jobs.. i did retail for over 10yrs, hated every minute.. .the uniforms were horrid (the co-op circa 1990s gets a special mention), the management quite often fucking wankers who liked to bully people working underneath them and the majority of the customers were condescending.

Being 'glam' was the least of my worries, i just wanted to get through my shift without being treated like the shit on the bottom of someone's shoe by my employers or customers.

The only job i did i loved was working behind the bar of a Real Ale pub, those people knew how to appreciate the staff and took the time to really chat to you, and the customers (unless roaring drunk) were always pleasant!

The shop I work in (big chain) lets you wear your own clothes. I have a personal preference for skater style dresses. I like to think I would pass the glam test although the question I seem to get asked most is 'are you staff ?' Dreading the day when some tweet to head office about how staff are not recognisable results in a return to the awful Fruit of the Loom polo shirts which made my ample chest look like a ski slope and made me dread the air con going on. ...

Also, many people envy me my job (or what they think my job is ). I have loads of customers say 'Ooh I'd love to work here. You get to (insert what they think it is I do all day ). If only they knew!