On the Job

Through a variety of archival documents, artefacts, illustrations, and references to primary and secondary literature, On the Job explores the changing styles, business practices, and lived experiences of the people who make, sell, and wear service-industry uniforms in the United States.
It highlights how the uniform business is distinct from the fashion business, including how manufacturing developed outside of the typical fashion hubs such as New York City; and gives attention to the ways that various types of employers (small business, corporate, government and others) differ in their ambitions and regulations surrounding uniforms.
On the Job sheds new light on an understudied yet important field of dress and clothing within everyday life, and is an essential addition to any fashion historian's library, appealing to all those interested in material culture, the service industry, heritage and history.

Heather Akou is Associate Professor of Fashion Design at Indiana University and a historian of fashion, dress, and the body. Her work has overlapped with African Studies, Islamic Studies, and American Studies, with recent publications on working-class histories of dress including prison uniforms, political t-shirts, secret society regalia, and work uniforms.

List of Figures Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations 1. Introduction: Why Uniforms? Uniforms in the body of literature Uniformity and the limits of fashion theory Standardization in the late nineteenth century Purpose and outline of this book 2. Taking Cues from Royalty: Maids, porters, and doormen Uniforms for maids Uniforms for porters Uniforms for doormen Conclusion 3. Working for Mom and Pop: Barbers, attendants, and waitresses Uniforms for barbers Uniforms for theater attendants Uniforms for gas station attendants Uniforms for waitresses Conclusion 4. Contagion, Caring, and Qualifications: Uniforms in the healthcare industry Professionalization and cleanliness, 1870-1920 Prestige, branding, and fashion, 1920-1970 Equality, wellness, and protection, 1970-2020 Conclusion 5. Government Work: Postal carriers, meter maids, and park rangers Uniforms for postal carriers Uniforms for meter maids Uniforms for park rangers Conclusion 6. Corporate Branding: Receptionists, bankers, and baristas Uniforms for receptionists Uniforms for bankers Uniforms for baristas (and other fast-food workers) Conclusion 7. Adult Entertainment: Sexualized and embodied uniforms Aesthetic labor in adult entertainment Barmaids and cigarette girls, 1880-1960 Carhops and topless dancers, 1920-1985 Chippendales, bouncers, and cocktail waitresses, 1975-2020 Breastaurant workers, 1980-2020 Conclusion 8. Conclusion: The future of work uniforms Policing compliance Activism for change Expanding health and safety Opportunities for further research Bibliography Index