Branded workwear not available in women's sizes

[ToBeOrNotToBee]

So my employer in all their wisdom has decided us field based people need to wear work-branded clothing when out and about.
For the last 10+ years it's been perfectly acceptable for us to wear normal smart casual with an ID badge when required.
Not any longer. We've all now been given a list of clothing we will be issued with, along with the sizes.
1x insulated jacket.
1x rain jacket.
1x fleece.
1x polo shirt.
1x gloves.
1x waterproof trousers.
1x boots
1x high viz

Now only the fleece and insulated jacket come in women's specific sizing. The rain jacket, polo shirt, gloves, high viz and waterproof trousers are unisex (read mens sizing). I've had a look at the sizing and there's absolutely no way on God's green earth will their sizing fit me. I'm 5ft4, size 14 with massive boobs, a tiny waist and short legs.
I'm not exactly in the wrong here if I refuse said unisex items am I (apart from gloves and high viz, totally see why they're unisex).

I work for a company which supplies workwear and protective clothing to industry, and you can get things in smaller sizes, but most suppliers don't stock them because they sell so few. When we get the occasional order, we have to ring round the manufacturers and order them for our customers that way. One of our manufacturers will also alter leg lengths.

I'd make a point of it with your employer, and ask them what provision they are making for the workers of a smaller build.

We had a situation once where they procurement dept had a good deal on this sort of workwear - provided we ordered from the unisex range. None of it fitted the women in the office.
We refused to give them our sizes until they found a women’s fit alternative. I would simply refuse to order until I was provided with an option that fitted tbh.

I should point out that the work we do doesn't require PPE, I go to business premises and have meetings with tea and biscuits. Occasionally I'll need to cross a yard and already have the high viz.
PPE isn't the issue, it's the decision that we all need to wear logo'd up everything and haven't considered that we're going to look far more unprofessional in a polo shirt 3 sizes too big to accommodate the boobs and trousers with extra 5 inches at the bottom to fit those hips.

I’ve had this exact situation - order what you think will fit and never wear it. If you’re ever questioned explain why. Just carry on in your usual clothes

I would just order a size that reasonably fits. I’m a woman who’s always worn uniform primarily designed for men. If I look like a bag of potatoes (huge boobs, small waist, and big arse and so very short) and the boss doesn’t like it - just remind them it is THEIR choice of uniform, I’m just wearing it. At least it doesn’t cost me anything to buy. Quite a few of us do get handy with the old sewing needle or iron on tape to shorten trousers or add side splits to T shirts so they are more comfortable.
The bosses who pay you have decided. I would not worry over what you look like beyond being covered and comfortable as you can be up eg t shirts / trousers not so small /too big you fall out of them.

Ask what the budget is for tailoring men’s trousers to fit your measurements? They’ll reconsider.

This sounds like indirect discrimination. I’d raise it with them and explain why it isn’t suitable.

Do you have an HR dept and/or a union? Usually the first sniff of a claim and employers get cold feet. Good luck!

I’ve been in engineering for 32 years -
when I started my career (5ft 2!) my high viz went lower than my knees, my sleeves went 8 inches beyond my hands, and I couldn’t get steel toe cap boots in a 3, only wellies.

things have improved (thank fuck!) but in the interim years, if they couldn’t get me something that fitted, I agreed I’d find my own and expense back. As a result I got waterproof bottoms that fitted, I had steely DMs which were fab, and a high vis which fitted me.

can you ask if you can source and charge back? And wear badges where appropriate for logos?

DD worked for a care home, mostly female staff. Took weeks & weeks before they could supply a top as small as her size (10).

If it's men clothes then the trousers will come with belt loops : are you saying that no males are as short as 5'4" ? Trousers can be shortened, too...

Just how big is your chest circumference, OP, 42? I'll wager some of the short men have a chest as big as yours.

Try 48 chest with a waist of 30. And hips of 42, inside leg 29.

Good luck finding men of that size.

Just how big is your chest circumference, OP, 42? I'll wager some of the short men have a chest as big as yours.

It may be the same circumference it not the same shape, there’s nothing wrong expecting your employer to provide uniform that actually fits your shape.

Xxxl would be fine for t shirts although I do xxl for jackets etc that don’t need to meet in the middle. I’m 50” chest and like wiggle room due to physical nature of job. If you like the nipped in waist (I don’t) then the safety pin can be added inside the t shirt to cinch in the waist yet allow for easy access to get in and off. Trousers - just order the correct waist measurement and wear a belt and chop and sew/iron web the hems. Easy.

It's uniform for work - it's not fashion - does it matter if you like it or if it's flattering?

You can claim tax back for washing of uniform if you're required to wear one which might soften the blow a bit?

I would expect an employer to provide clothing that actually fits employees.
Ill fitting clothimg can actually hinder and harm, and it's women that pay the price as ever.

On the plus side if you have work uniform you can claim tax back on the cost of washing it. Just make sure you do it directly with HMRC.

xxxl on someone who is only 5ft 4 though will just be ridiculous, it’ll come down to OP’s knees! They really need to provide suitable uniforms that fit properly.

Sorry but I can’t see anything in any posts which make me think yes, your new uniform is going to harm or kill you. Just get a pair of scissors and chop the bottoms bit off the trousers, hem them if you want them to look nice, or tuck them into the boots provided. It’s work wear the company want you to wear not Paris fashion week. If they get comments that you look like a sack of spuds, they will do something about it. In the meantime, enjoy the tax perk and extra cash from not having to buy and replace your own cloths for work.
Im the same size as you and even shorter height wise, it’s easily solved.

It doesn’t as the extra length accommodates the boobs. The t shirts sit above my hips. I’m 5’ 2”

But why on earth should the OP have to alter the uniform that she doesn’t want to wear just because her company are too tight to provide correct sizes. It isn’t unreasonable of her to want to look well presented at work. Especially if it involves meeting people.

I've worked on building sites for 30 years. The poor sizing of "womens" PPE - where it exists - p's me off. I'm 5'8" and size 16, so I am not small, but I can not move properly in trousers that are tight are the hips, big on the waist and flappy. That's just not safe. My "unisex" site jacket is huge in the shoulders - great for getting caught on things - but at least it does up round the waist!

I spent years in blokes PPE, as I only needed it a couple of days a month. It required serious belt cinching.
I objected when they wanted us to wear uniform all day long, but the person championing the change was a glamorous woman. I challenged her to find a set of uniform she could fit into without alterations. Uniform quietly got dropped!

Blokes trousers just don't fit me.
I can cope with oversized tops, so long as I dont need to look smart!

@Iheartmysmart because refusing to do so as stated in the op, will definitely mark her cards, whilst wearing it means that it is proven beyond all reasonable doubt either it is dangerous or she looks so bad it reflects badly on the company and the company then does something. Meanwhile the op is quids in. Which is what any man would do. Complaining about something that hasn’t happened is just asking for a problem. As a woman in a man’s world, you just don’t follow the perceived stereotype in which men see woman - as complaining before it’s even been tried. So try it, it might not be anywhere as near as bad as it’s being made out to be, and if it is then it’s been proved, then the company will have to deal with it.

Facts of life working in such environments. No it isn’t right or fair, but it is what it is and sometimes you just have to play the game to get what you want without repercussions. It’s life.

If it's logo'd items their embroidery/branding supplier will have a huge catalogue of mens and women's polos, jackets etc in every colour. You need to go back and ask them to order you some from the women's range.

I don't understand why you think I'm working in some kind of industrial environment. It's not.
Like I said, I go to business meetings with company directors usually held in cushty offices. Very occasionally I have to walk somewhere needing a high viz for 5 minutes.