President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address tackled a lot of things but each one of us has our own agenda and is more critical on the stuffs that affect or matter to us. And as it has always been the case, the people are divided or have mixed reviews on the SOTU with some being more vocal about it and more disappointed especially those in the opposite spectrum of his politics.

One of the key messages that all those in work uniforms are anxious about is what he has in stored for them. And President Obama certainly focused on the most important issue that is uppermost on every American’s mind and that is our economy. He talked about jobs, job training, immigration, outsourcing and other employment-related issues. The president made it clear to everybody that job growth is a priority and that he intends to ensure getting unemployed workers back to work but he also acknowledged the “skills gap” that is keeping more Americans out of work. In my post Skills Needed To Get Unfilled 3.4 Million Job Openings one of the factors that kept job seekers from getting hired was because of the lack of necessary skills.

In his address, President Obama proposed a new initiative to train and place 2 million Americans in work uniforms with the help of businesses and community colleges. This training program has already been part of the government’s stimulus plan but only a small portion has been spent on it and thus is not enough for the much need skills and knowledge for the work available. Simplified government-sponsored training programs are also seen as solutions to this. Partnerships between companies and community colleges will ensure that the skill they get will lead them directly right to the job.

I still believe that one of the things the government should also work on is to ensure less high-school dropouts since this lowers their earning opportunities and economic prospects. And it’s a good thing that the president also addressed this issue when he called upon every state to make sure that their students not give up on their education.

“We also know that when students aren’t allowed to walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma.  So tonight, I call on every State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn eighteen.”

Before calling upon the state and the Congress to help make education easier for students, he also mentioned the teachers and how valuable they are in the future of our children and our economy: "A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance.   Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives."

It is certainly a good reminder to all of us how important education is and how crucial it is to make it more available to everyone. These days no matter how much you want to go to a university the thought of the huge student loan looming afterwards can be discouraging. Even the cheapest state colleges’ tuitions are a struggle and oftentimes become a burden for families today; the very much needed education becomes a pipe dream for most American youth. The president is correct when he said that while other countries are doubling down on education we are cutting down on ours. But, the success of whatever economic plans we make today and its continuous success lie on what we can do for our youth today, and that starts with the best education we can give them. No matter how many jobs we bring in if we do not have the work force skilled and knowledgeable enough to do the job then success will only be partial.

"We will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt and phony financial profits," the president said. "I want to speak about how we move forward and lay out a blueprint for an economy that's built to last -- an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers and a renewal of American values."

The president knows that what has left our shores, like jobs that has been outsourced, will not be brought back to the US for Americans to work on. And his radical way of making sure more people are in their work uniforms here is to kick-start America’s manufacturing industry. The manufacturing industry coupled with other policy changes especially in making sure that no foreign manufacturers has an advantage over our manufacturing industry is what he deemed key to slowly win over our economic slump. The economic blueprint that will reduce income inequality.

And I believe Americans want to believe him or pray that would really get us out there, maybe not as big as before but definitely better. If all his plans are implemented, then we can really expect a great and positive impact on our economy. Maybe, his plans have some weaknesses, maybe he made some mistakes in the ways he sees China as a competitor instead of something to be studied and to look at China and all the possibilities, at what can be done amidst so many adversities. Let us all remember that China's financial system is less modern than ours but manage to finance their development efforts from the construction of universities, airports, and high-tech train statitons. Still, he gives us hope and for now it is more than what we have.

"Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win."

Image Source: USA Today

When buying online, one major concern by any buyer is the sizing and finding the correct size for them. Although it is okay to return and exchange products ordered online but then we all know it’s a little bit inconvenient. One would want to be able to order items left and right knowing that it would fit them. Unfortunately, different brands have different manufacturers and not only do their colors/hues and tints differ but their sizing may differ by one or two numbers, too. Add to that are what you see as women’s size, junior fit, and missy fit and it makes you ask what the differences are between this sizes. When it says contemporary fit does it mean it’s different from regular and classic fit? What does it mean when you read slim-fitting when compared to regular fit clothes or the plus-size clothing? What does it mean when it says H on the size?

Since online clothing stores are a plentiful these days and makes shopping so much more convenient, more and more people are buying online. Getting fitting and sizing problems would cause people to have problems or hesitate to pursue their online shopping. This is not a problem encountered by customers looking for pants, dress or even plain t-shirts but also in all kinds of work uniforms. So, let us define simple terms for better understanding and an easy way for you to look for the items that would fit you and communicate the sizing details to the sales person you are talking with.

Junior Fit: This fit is designed for the teenage body, pre-teen and young -teen, which has not fully developed. The cut is straighter with less curves, less definition between the hips and waist, and smaller in the bust. For the tops, the cut is made to fit a higher than average bust (not larger) and shorter back. The rise of the crotch area is shorter from waistline to inseam than that of missy sizes. Junior size is meant to bridge the gap between children’s size and missy sizes as the body changes.It is designed trendy, casual and youthfully styled, and more suitable for school and casual going and even first job wear.

Junior Sizes are displayed in odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 with size 13 as the upper limit but still there are manufacturers who extend their size range into size 19.

Missy Fit: Missy size, sometimes also called misses sizes, is designed for more mature women with fully developed body. Compared to junior size, missy size is cut more generously in the bust and hips. Most average-sized women fit best in missy size once they are out of their teens and in their early twenties. Missy clothing style tends to be more tailored than women’s size clothing which tends to be looser.

Missy Sizes are displayed in even numbers 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 with missy size 18 as the upper limit but still there are manufacturers who extend their size range into size 20.

Plus-Size: Plus size clothing tends to refer to clothing made for women who wear a size 14 in the US or 16 in the UK. But then plus-size can vary between different manufacturers, whether in a brick stores or online clothing stores, so it’s a little bit harder to understand. It is wrong to say that plus-size is the term given to clothing proportioned specifically for overweight people but the correct term should be full-figured women.

Dress Shirts

Tailored-Fit/Slim-Fit: Dress shirts are slightly tighter around the chest and sides.

Standard-Fit: Dress shirt has a slightly baggy, but traditional "full-cut" appearance.

Athletic Cut: These are the dress shirts that have a full chest but are tapered at the waist.

Oversized/Relaxed Fit: These are the dress shirts that are considerably larger than a regular fit. It allows a 2 to 4 inches additional circumference than actual bust/chest measurement.

Clothing

Regular/Relaxed Fit clothing is sized between the generous and slim fits. It tends to skim most body types comfortably; regular fit pants and shirts have a little extra fabric than slim fit clothing.

Slim Fit clothing refers to any garment that fits the wearer close to the body and slim-fit styles are quite tight. Slim fitted pants, shirts, and other garments don’t have extra fabric hanging or draping anywhere.

Generous/Full Fit clothing refers to any garment that is loose and it usually has extra fabric hanging or draping anywhere than a regular fit, allowing 2”- 4” additional circumference than actual chest/bust measures.

Image Source: google.com

Days before Christmas day and still reading the news when graphs and economics are what I encountered. Several articles tackled about graphs which actually started when BBC asked several economists to name their graph of the year. Some of the world’s top economists shared their insights in the financial developments particularly in the Eurozone by choosing a graph which they felt explained the currents events and what they can expect in the near future.

American newspapers and blogs did not want to be left without their own version and decided to ask their favorite economists, economic policymakers and investors to name their favorite graph of the year or the graph clearly influenced their thinking in 2011 with the reasons why it did. I have to say that Derek Thompson hit it on the head when he said “In a discipline where facts are murky and certainty is elusive, graphs offer a bright light of information and a small confidence that the world can be summed up between two axes.”

The economy and the changes with and around it is really a complex thing. Charts and graphs certainly make it easier for any layman and any person in industrial workwear interested enough to understand what is happening. Here are some of my favorites among the chosen graphs with the explanation from the expert who chose it as graph of the year for 2011. 

Peter Diamond, MIT

"This chart shows that a great deal of hiring is happening, as it does each month, that hiring per job opening is higher than it was when there was less unemployment, and that the ratio of quits to discharges, while still low, is recovering (a sign of better job opportunities). I infer that the low level of job openings is our key problem, reflecting inadequate aggregate demand and the need for significant fiscal stimulus."

Larry Summers, Harvard

"The near quadrupling in the share of men not working and the seemingly inexorable trend changes every aspect of society. Cyclical and structural changes are combining in a perfect storm."

Mark Zandi, Moody's

"Households are rapidly deleveraging and getting their proverbial house in order. The number of delinquent household loans has plunged from a peak of close to 35 million in early 2009 to less than 25 million in November."

Michael Greenstone, MIT, the Hamilton Project

"This chart shows how the jobs gap has evolved since December 2007 and shows three different scenarios for different rates of job growth. If the economy adds about 208,000 jobs per month, which was the average monthly rate for the best year of job creation in the 2000s, then it will take until February 2024 — over 12 years — to close the jobs gap."

Robert Frank, New York University

"My entry is the attached graph of what I call the Toil Index. It's an index I constructed to portray the most dramatic element of the middle-class squeeze -- the effort required to rent a house served by a school of average quality. "

Mike Konczal, Roosevelt Institute

"This graphic was originally part of a presentation two IMF economists gave in Cairo days before the Arab Spring happened. In the graph they showed 2008-era youth unemployment in the MENA region and warned about the long-term effects, both economic and political, of mass youth unemployment. I've updated it to include US youth unemployment in the Great Recession."

Source: Wonkblog

Dickies®  POLO SHIRTS

This is supposed to be the What’s New Monday where we feature new items from our website, Uniform Point. Since, I have been featuring new items through my other updates, we decided to just put a product under the spotlight today.

Today, the spotlight is on two polo shirts from one of the trusted names in workwear apparel. Though the youth may know the brand Dickies for their fashionable and trendy pants and the casual tees, they actually have a proud heritage of providing tough, quality clothing to American workers for more than 87 years.Dickies® has an extensive range of innovative and durable work apparel but also ventured in meeting the needs of their customers for quality after work clothing. Their unpretentious image has transcended generations and socio-economic boundaries as you can see the workwear apparel become trendy and the Dickies product appeals to typical American workers also appeals to fashion trendsetters, from construction worker to nurses to college students, to name a few.  Customers can be thankful that Dickies continues to evolve and display innovation in their workwear design to meet the changing demands of their customers.

Polo shirts though used to be worn by tennis players earning the term tennis shirt, also gained followers in other sports and thus earned the moniker polo shirt as well as golf shirt though the polo shirt underwent some changes to adapt to the need of the sport. Compared to other apparel, the polo shirts are a little bit more formal than t-shirts but a little more casual than button-down dress shirts but still being a little dressy. Thus polo shirts are often worn in settings where t-shirts are not acceptable but formal business attire is not required. Due to its rugged casualness and style, these were worn by those who work outside of the office such as maintenance workers and groundskeepers. In the 90s it became a part of the business casual apparel as those who work in high-tech industries favored the polo shirts as workwear. Over the years, the polo shirts has become a part of the school uniforms, sports team uniforms, and favorite corporate giveaways simply because the company logo can be embroidered or screen printed on it and still look a little bit more formal than t-shirts and flexible enough to be worn with jeans and slacks.

[DI-WS449] - Dickies Men's Short Sleeve Mini Piqué Polo(starting at $13.95)

A Dickies classic fit mini Piqué work shirt is with a moisture wicking feature and it's made of 6.8 oz. /230 gm. 100% cotton fabric. It comes with a single roomy inset welt pocket for storing items, rib knit collar, short set-in sleeves, three button taped placket, three logo horn buttons and drop tail.

• Classic Fit
• Moisture wicking
• Inset welt pocket
• Rib knit collar
• 3 button taped placket
• Logo horn buttons
• Drop tail
• 6.8 oz Mini Pique , 100% Cotton

This polo shirt is available in other colors including: Black, Cadet Blue, Amber, Willow, Dark Navy, English Red, Heather Gray, and White.

Manufacturer: Dickies

Uniform Point Apparel Style Code: DI-WS449

Sizes: M L XL 2XL 3XL 4XL 5XL

[DI-WS415] - Dickies Men Short Sleeve Slub Jersey Polo Shirt (starting at $14.95)

Dickies features this men's polo shirt made with 6 oz and 100% ring-spun jersey cotton. This classic fit shirt has a taped neck and shoulders for the best fit possible. It wicks moisture away from the skin. The design includes a rib knit collar with taped neck, elbow length sleeves, metal logo buttons, side vents and dropped tail. It's shipped on a hanger and tagless for comfort.

• Classic fit & moisture wicking
• Rib knit collar with taped neck
• >Metal logo buttons
• Side vents and dropped tail
• Tagless for comfort
• 100% cotton

This polo shirt is available in other colors including: Black, Dark Navy, Smoke, Seaweed, Lake Blue and Maize.

Manufacturer: Dickies

Uniform Point Apparel Style Code: DI-WS415

Sizes: M L XL 2XL 3XL

Use this chart for converting neck or/and chest sizes to S, M L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, or 5XL size. Measure your chest size and neck to determine which size fits you best.

Image Source: Yahoo News

Trashion is not a new word but a portmanteau or a blend of two words: trash and fashion. This is the term used for any art, fashion, clothing, jewelry, bags and objects that have been created from discarded, used, unwanted, surplus, thrown-out or rejected items or components. It encompasses home décor, ornaments, and even garments. It may be avant-garde buy it is definitely vogue which is what they really are designed for - to let people know that even though these items were made from recycled and unwanted items it does not mean that they lack style or would not look as beautiful as a brand-new item. In fact, it shows the creativity and ingenuity of the designers for having created something really imaginative from trash.

Samples of bags - Trashy Bags - from discarded sachets being made by Ghanians with the help of an Accra-based NGO.

These days, online clothing stores pretty much sell a lot of garments made from different fabrics such as cotton, polyester, wool, nylon and many other natural and synthetic fabric materials. There are specialty online clothing stores that carry 100 percent organic apparel that is now gaining grounds for the eco-friendly and the environmentalists or those who believe in sustainable fashion. Not so far from sustainable fashion is trashion which has managed to blend fashion, art, sustainability and activism.

This dress is made from recycled aluminium soda cans.   

What we really don’t know is that we have been doing this for years. Recycling is a part of trashion but we just got so used to giving away some of the things we never used and did not imagine something else could be done with it. Initially trashion was art-couture costume linked only to contests or fashion shows showcasing the creativity and resourcefulness of a designer. As eco-fashion, recycling and sustainable fashion became more prevalent, trashion soon became wearable. Online clothing stores suddenly came up with more eco-friendly apparel that transcended fashion to social responsibility. And trashion is definitely a form or recycled fashion that would eventually help improve sustainable fashion.

Other garments worn by the students were made from cardboard, plastic bags, packing tape, bubble wrap, car tyros, and plastic bottles

Some are very innovative while some are awe-inspiring because you never really thought one could be made out of it. I guess it really takes a lot of imagination, creativity, ingenuity and a lot of artistry in you to be able to see something beautiful from something so ordinary like buttons, zippers and other damaged or otherwise discarded pieces of clothing like old suits and coats. Amazingly, some designers can create wearable jewelry pieces from non-clothing recycled items that others call trash that may have been on its way to a dumpsite or landfill such as bottle caps, old keyboard pieces, microchips, discarded containers and many more. Their jewelry pieces become more visually appealing and interesting and sometimes make you wonder it came to be.

End key necklace, Sprite bottle cap necklace and Coca Cola bottle cap bracelet

Old windows, doors and lamps are just some of the old and discarded items that can be used to create a wide variety of furniture. No need to but new and expensive when you can turn an old one into something that is uniquely yours. Remember that since you were the one with the original idea it would ensure that you will be the only one with that kind of furniture. With imagination, creativity and artistry another person’s garbage can be made useful, old and battered furniture could be given a new lease in life.

Handbag and totes made from discarded and old men's suits. Recycled post consumer beer bottle ruffled bowl.

There are now so many bloggers who have turned trashion into a DIY or crafts blogs where they can showcase some of their products and turn it even into business by featuring it in the different marketplaces such as etsy.com. Here are some of the examples of trashion garments, jewelry, bags and even home goods that are appealing because of its exclusive flavor that’s intrinsically unique and quirky.

Earrings from Coca Cola cans, Sprite bottle caps, and Noxzema bottle.

Microchip cufflinks, vintage bottle ring, and Scrabble key chain.

Image Sources: Etsy.com, Global Envision and AlexHofford.com

The latest news about poverty, income inequality and wealth divide is disheartening. While we have been constantly waiting for the good news that would ultimately say recession is over hearing about people being able to buy uniforms for their new jobs is positive news in itself.

But learning that 1 in 15 Americans now rank as poorest poor is demoralizing. Back in September, the news headline was astonishing when it read that poverty continues to rise in the US and it is now up to 15.1 percent. I am not surprised about the increase in percentage since jobs are still scarce but the fact that it did despite a minimal increase in job availability and opportunities. And also about it being the largest number of Americans in poverty in the 52 years since the U.S. Census Bureau has been publishing these estimates. It has also been reported that the median household income has declined as people are not even able to find jobs and buy uniforms for themselves.

What makes it more horrible is the recent news regarding the great wealth disparity amongst Americans. The richest top 20 percent of our society controls about 84 percent of the wealth and the combined wealth of the bottom 40 percent accounted for only 0.3 percent of the wealth. While we all knew that the wealthy holds a great deal of the wealth, we all assumed it wasn’t this big portion.

Only the top income earners remain unfazed while the rest is affected. Pundits believe that recession will eventually end but unfortunately the effect is long-lasting as the disparity is widening. The rich are getting richer while the poor are becoming poorer and may not be able to recover. Immigrants who have left their countries to seek greener pastures in the US have found themselves in tougher situations. Some may be able to buy uniforms as they find jobs as nannies for the rich or temporary retail jobs but more have not found work in more than a year. According to news, concentrated poverty has spread to new areas. Now we not only find it in the inner-city ghettos but also in the suburbs, not only high-school dropouts or single mothers but high-school or even college graduates.

(Article was written by contributor writer, our very own product consultant and freelance writer Lola Hanson. This original article was first published by Niagara Falls Review on Nov 4, 2011.)

(Credit: CBS)

(Credit: CBS)

Readers know that I have constantly blog about what is happening with the economy and which jobs are doing well and which are not. The most recent one talked about how there are so many jobs available but needing skilled workers. What for me is important is that the government and big corporations help each other. The government ensures that there is less dropouts since education is very important. My most recent article showed that unemployment rate for those with high school diploma are high but so much is the rate for high school dropouts. And the median earnings in 2010 for those with bachelor’s degree and higher education were higher than those without.

Fresh graduates and entry-level applicants have had it bad since the start of the recession. Not only are they not able to pay the huge debt (student loan) incurred in order to finish their studies but they are having a hard time looking for a job. For one, employees are asking for experience which they cannot provide and since they are not given a chance to start working they won’t be able to put any on their CVs.

The media have been chronicling the fact that young graduates are struggling to look for a job and finding an alternative in entrepreneurship or starting up a small business. It is said that the trend of quitting a job or opting out of their corporate shirts and starting up a business is something that the media likes to hawk on the papers these days. Another thing that has been mentioned is that millennials are finding it easier to live and work abroad to look for greener pastures or find their success in other countries. It has been reported that wages in Asian countries are high, particularly Japan and South Korea, and cost of living is pretty much lower than the US. Also, in this case, the element of adventure and travel are part and parcel of the career opportunities abroad.

Another option though has come up which they say is better than starting up a business since there is no start-up costs to consider. Freelancing is the word of the day. According to Wikipedia:

A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and labor contributed by its regular employees. Others are completely independent. 'Independent contractor" would be the term used in a higher register of English.

Although it has long been thought that freelancing is only for those people who want to shuck their corporate shirts in favor of cheap t-shirts and work-at-home because they don’t like their boss, we have to recognize the fact that there are also individuals who chose freelancing simply because they need to take care of their babies and in this case it’s usually the stay-at-home-moms or SAHMs or because they want to be their own boss.

Freelance Folder further explains that:

The idea that freelancing could also be an ideal career choice for a new graduate may be new to some people, but in reality, it’s the perfect option.

If you are a graphic design graduate and have ambitions of joining a professional agency, you’ll discover that the competition for these positions (even lower-paid junior positions) is extremely high. Thus, no matter how passionate you are, you simply may not have a diverse enough portfolio of work and satisfied client recommendations to back up your credentials as a graphic designer.

Freelancing on a variety of jobs, working with a diverse clientele, is the perfect way to expand your portfolio when you’re fresh out of college. Moreover, to the client, opting for a graduate freelancer may be the more economical choice over opting for a big-name agency or other seasoned professional.

Freelancing may not have been an option before but it is something that bears looking into for those who at the moment cannot find a job but have a lot of skills in – writing, graphic designing, website programming, website design, video production and editing, copy editing and proofreading, and many more. Actually, freelancing need not be an option for fresh graduates, even students, can start doing freelancing; all they have to do is search for the freelancing job that works for them. The one thing that one has to take care of is that you also need to build an online reputation and so it is important to keep your word especially with regards to the deadline.

Image Source: Freelance Folder and Dzinepress.com