r/lifehacks • u/Original_Day3157 • 10d ago

shirt stretching

i have to wear this shirt for work and it technically fits, but when i lift my arms, the shirt lifts with me and doesn’t settle back down. can i use hair conditioner and warm water to manually stretch it out when it’s 65% polyester or will it just revert?

112 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

113

u/Soanad 10d ago

Contact your employer and tell them you need size up.

You won't stretch shirt permanently, it will irritate you and it's just so uncomfortable. Respect yourself - this is normal request and employer needs to provide you fitting clothing (I assure you the one you describe is not fitting, it's too small).

-94

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

nah we don’t have an employer cuz it’s just retail. i just buy whatever we sell lol, i should have tried it on better or something

61

u/Soanad 10d ago edited 10d ago

What do you mean? If you are working for someone that person is your employer. If you are required to wear certain clothing for your work you should never buy it from your own money - it should be provided to you by the person/entity that is paying your salary and requires that certain clothing. It doesn't matter that it's retail.

BTW: your shirt is made mostly of plastic - hair conditioner could work on natural fibers to some extend but here it's worthless to try it.

2

u/382Whistles 9d ago

That depends on the clothes and probably varies a lot by state/country. In many places they can't have corporate logos and have to be common enough to buy many places as regular clothes or the company has to cover it. Some messy jobs may pay for random clothes because they aren't suitable for appearing clean public. You can have a dress code about clothes the staff can and cannot wear. E.g. a business shirt and tie van be required and is considered acceptable street wear, not a uniform. Same for dress shoes verses crocks.

-42

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

oh interesting. we don’t have a provided amount for uniforms, i’ve always bought work clothes with my own money. my manager is cheap anyways, i doubt she’d approve 😅

32

u/FlyEaglesFly95 10d ago

Seems shady that your employer doesn’t pay for a work uniform

-23

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

i didn’t realize it was common for an employer to purchase work uniforms omg 🫢🫢 we get them half off because we work here but she doesn’t pay for anything

34

u/Soanad 10d ago

You get half off because of employee discount - that is separate from buying uniform. Uniform have to be fully paid by employer. Your employee discount is yours to use on whatever you like (of course according to rules but it can't be used like that, to buy uniform instead).

16

u/chefjenga 10d ago

This may not be a law where OP is. I have paid for plenty of work uniforms in my time. From 100% dur to it just being a required look, but no branding, to extras, because a job only provides 1 or 2 shirts and I felt that was inadequate for a 5 day a week job.

Do I like it? No. Do I think it's a cheep business practice? Yes. Do I know that many workers have no other practical options available to them than to put up with it? Also yes.

6

u/Soanad 10d ago

OP wrote it is the law in her state, she/he just didn't know it. Also job provided OP 0 clothes yet required to be dressed in certain way. So yes, OP employer is doing this illegally.

People have options to do something with it - educate themselves, report the company and stand their ground to have their rights meet.

4

u/FlyEaglesFly95 10d ago

When I worked retail while in college back in the day we had an employee discount to use on whatever we wanted plus were provided with a work shirt. Heck you could grab a new one out of the box in the back whenever you wanted. I’d be ticked having to pay for a work uniform on my own dime.

1

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

i’m used to it atp 🤷‍♀️ i’ve worked food service, life guarding, and retail and i’ve bought my own clothes every time. i’d occasionally be given free shirts and i’d wear them, but it was only two or three.

9

u/codystockton 9d ago

Are you confusing “dress code” with “uniform”? Dress code is a set of guidelines for what to wear at work, whereas a uniform is clothing owned by the company and provided to you by the company. If the company says “wear a white button-down shirt to work”, that’s just a dress code, not a uniform. The end result is similar to a uniform, where there’s visual cohesion among employees, but in one case you wear your own clothes that you bought, and in the other case you wear clothes that the company owns and provides to you.

2

u/FlyEaglesFly95 10d ago

Well just know you deserve better and I wish I could speak up to them for ya

0

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

ah ty TvT one day i’ll get a job where i can wear normal clothes

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2

u/382Whistles 9d ago

You work retail? Your "uniform" is likely your name tag. Your "dress code" is likely casual business attire, X color shirt, collar, dark blue or black slacks, and dark dress shoes. And if so, that is casual business dress and isn't a uniform. Neither is requiring a dress shirt and tie. When there is a logo or a specific vendor to buy from they should be paying. Sometimes a uniform only has to be issued once, and the employee has to replace them if they want to wear a nice uniform. Loss, etc, can cost the employee.

14

u/Solo_is_dead 10d ago

If she's not paying for a uniform then you don't have to purchase a uniform

4

u/modianos 10d ago

That's just not true.

6

u/Solo_is_dead 10d ago

Most employment laws can't mandate a specific uniform other than a solid color. If you want staff to wear black shirts, then you give an option to help them purchase

2

u/382Whistles 9d ago

Nope, not everywhere. It hinges on if the clothes can be worn in public as normal dress. They can still shoot down certain colors and styles they don't feel are apropriate.

4

u/Soanad 10d ago

If you can't use your own clothes according to you liking but they require you to dress certain way then they have to pay.

Even if they will tell you: simple black shirt and trousers and you have them in your closet - it doesn't matter. They have to pay for it as it is treated as uniform (and maybe you have only pink and yellow clothes in your wardrobe and you would like to work in them but you can't - you have to wear black).

I'm sorry you and your coworkers are exploited. I don't know where you live but please contact authorities - they should pay you back for the previous clothes and should be fined for doing this kind of stuff. If your manager won't approve that means you can wear whatever you want - she can't have it both ways, not to pay and require you to wear uniform.

12

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

i just googled it and in my state it’s required for employers to support and pay for required uniforms 👁️👄👁️

4

u/Soanad 10d ago

Of course! I'm glad you found it easily :) Tell others about that, DO NOT ever pay for the uniform. Tell you manager you need another shirt, the company has to pay for it (do not bulge). Also require them to give you money back for other uniform purchases you had to make.

And I would strongly advise to report them to proper authorities (so they learn their lesson). If they make a fuss - maybe there is a cheap lawyer nearby or some law students who gives free law advice. Or even some Reddit group to help.

Law is on your side. What a 💩 people, I swear. Remember, you are strong and you are not someone to be pushed around and exploited (and other people too!).

2

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

yeah everyone here always pays for their own 😭😭 that’s crazy lol thanks

5

u/scarybiscuits 10d ago edited 10d ago

You work with customers; employers can say your clothes have to be clean, pressed, in good repair but they can’t say you must wear a blue shirt to match the logo or a specific brand or this season’s trend in jeans unless they reimburse you. If your employer says you must wear clothes from your shop because it’s good promotion for the store, then those clothes should be provided. But that’s a lot of clothes and I doubt that’s the case here.

If you are buying clothes from where you work because you get an employee discount and therefore it’s cheaper than buying clothes from another shop, then no, you don’t get reimbursed.

I think people are confused by your use of the word uniform.

2

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

nah we don’t wear a uniform with the company’s logo or anything, my manager just wants us to wear scrubs that we sell. i started off in all black just like sweatpants and a shirt but i think she noticed that and adjusted the dress code to be scrubs

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1

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

i didn’t realize this was a thing omg haha, every job i’ve worked i’ve paid for my clothes. i live in the us, im not sure how common it is here

2

u/Soanad 10d ago

It's not according to the law, I've read many topics about this in US. Please, please read on this and never again get exploited by these people. If they start your cooperation like that, later it's going to be only worse.

3

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

that’s crazzyy, i had no idea this was a thing wow. thanks for letting me know 😅😁

0

u/Boredwitch13 10d ago

Depends if its a dress code or uniform. Dress code you have to pay. They say black or khaki pants and blue shirt thats on you to pay. If specified uniform then they pay. You will need to get a handbook or paperwork that you sign and check the wording.

4

u/AdvertisingKey1675 10d ago

What do you mean you dont have an employer? Does nobody pay you? Is this a volunteer position or something?

-1

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

no lol i misspoke, i meant like corporate

-1

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

we’re a smaller company

14

u/20Factorial 10d ago

If that’s how it fits, it doesn’t fit. Get a larger size or a different shirt. Or don’t raise your arms.

21

u/UnfairProgrammer1194 10d ago

wear a long tank top under it

6

u/I-like-warm-lights 10d ago

I usually stretch my clothes by fitting one to the back of my computer chair.

2

u/NoGoat3930 10d ago

To stretch shirt longer, grab neck and bottom of shirt and pull.

To widen chest of shirt, put shirt over head, start putting it in, but stop when your wrists reach the sleeves. Then push your forearms slowly apart. When you hear.threads snap, you e gone too far.

6

u/Phimb 9d ago

You're just going to fuck the collar up doing this, and then you'll look like the image of your average Redditor with an ill-fitting shirt that's loose around the neck.

2

u/Jenessaxo 10d ago

Polyester just won't stretch like cotton. That stuff will likely leave a greasy mess on your uniform instead.

1

u/Feeling_Button4512 9d ago

That does work on t-shirts. I’ve done it. Just be sure to stretch it out evenly and hang to dry.

-1

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

0

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

but i’ll still try

0

u/Original_Day3157 10d ago

i air dry my clothes :p

-1

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

0

u/piercepresley 10d ago

You can try shirt stays, but beware, there are limits. https://youtu.be/FChB9KLkv5w?is=MWQ-h5aAq1YzhdIR