Explores a key entanglement in US history: the rise of service-industry jobs and concurrent rise in mass-produced clothing, which has resulted in standardized ‘looks’ for many occupations.

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.

"In this well-researched book, Heather Akou shows how work uniforms have always been part of the fashion system … A fascinating look not only at the evolution of work attire, but also at the evolution of work itself in the U.S in the last century." - Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, Case Western Reserve University, USA

"A ground-breaking work on the subject of uniforms, image apparel, and workwear … The research is impeccable, the analysis astute, and the insights invaluable. If you want to understand not just the ‘what’ but the ‘why’ behind uniforms across various sectors, this is the definitive read." - Rick Levine, Executive Director, NAUMD