Modify a hi-vis jacket to make it worth £660.

[northwichcat]

Selfridges have attached a feather boa to a his-vis jacket and are selling it as a Ladies Jacket for £660.

https://twitter.com/GarethDennis/status/950098078048104448

Anyone fancy starting a new business of buying hi-vis jackets and modifying them?

 

[NSEFAN]

Is that more or less than the cost of one from a NR approved supplier?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Is it even a good idea for a fashion house to market something that is in this style? Sooner or later some people wearing these are going to travel by rail...

 

[alxndr]

Is it even a good idea for a fashion house to market something that is in this style? Sooner or later some people wearing these are going to travel by rail...

I find even the idea that some people will wear these, full stop, hard to believe...

 

[northwichcat]

Is it even a good idea for a fashion house to market something that is in this style? Sooner or later some people wearing these are going to travel by rail...

Many non-rail workers wear hi-vis and travel to and from work in hi-vis.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Many non-rail workers wear hi-vis and travel to and from work in hi-vis.

That is part of my point - it's going to cause no end of confusion between people wearing one of these and genuine staff.

 

[Darandio]

That is part of my point - it's going to cause no end of confusion between people wearing one of these and genuine staff.

Well yes, but then surely it means the likes of Screwfix shouldn't sell them either. Or that only rail workers should be wearing hi-vis?

 

[najaB]

That is part of my point - it's going to cause no end of confusion between people wearing one of these and genuine staff.

There are many other jobs for which high visibility clothing is required.

 

[richa2002]

That is part of my point - it's going to cause no end of confusion between people wearing one of these and genuine staff.

Maybe we'll then return to staff wearing proper and smart uniforms .

 

[northwichcat]

Well yes, but then surely it means the likes of Screwfix shouldn't sell them either. Or that only rail workers should be wearing hi-vis?

Indeed. It's people wearing proper hi-vis jackets who are more likely to be mistaken for rail staff. Is it too much effort for Network Rail and TOCs to put a large logo on hi vis jackets issued to rail staff to avoid confusion?

 

[northwichcat]

There are many other jobs for which high visibility clothing is required.

Yes. While track workers need hi-vis, it's more imperative for non-rail workers working where there's moving vehicles to wear hi-vis than some of the rail staff who get issued with hi-vis e.g. RPIs.

 

[furnessvale]

That is part of my point - it's going to cause no end of confusion between people wearing one of these and genuine staff.

I think the feather boa may give it away!

 

[beeza1]

I wear a hi-viz coat quite a lot, I was on the lookout for a warm, waterproof coat, saw this one at an autojumble, with a zip out hi-viz fleece lining, you can unzip the sleeves and use it as a waist coat, it's warm totally waterproof and cost me less than £30 brand new! I would say it's actually warmer than my Sprayway coat costing almost 5 times as much.

At the same autojumble I could have bought a nice bright red coat with "Virgin Trains" emblazoned across the back, my mates were trying to get me to buy one, "wear that and you'll get free travel" was their suggestion.

 

[zuriblue]

I think the feather boa may give it away!

Also the heels that will be worn with it will look a bit out of place in the cess.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There are many other jobs for which high visibility clothing is required.

That is true, but isn't the railway's shade of orange different from that of most other hi-vis clothing?


The railway is already touchy enough about people wearing this stuff where they might be mistaken for staff ( look at the photography guidelines for a start ); if the bright orange suddenly becomes fashionable - fur trim or not - is there not also a risk of blunting the distinct nature of that colour on stations?

If the fashion houses then start bringing out other colours, including those that the railway specifically does not use for hi-vis because of the signals... well... that's when the real meltdown will start!

 

[tsr]

That is true, but isn't the railway's shade of orange different from that of most other hi-vis clothing?

Railway hivis clothing standards are fairly tightly controlled, but plenty of other safety clothing happens to use pretty much exactly the same orange colour.

 

[AlterEgo]

Maybe we'll then return to staff wearing proper and smart uniforms .

Yes, it’ll be great watching them get hit by trains and stuff.

 

[najaB]

Yes, it’ll be great watching them get hit by trains and stuff.

Hopefully @richa2002 was referring to staff who don't need to go trackside but who currently get issued high visibility clothing anyway - e.g RPIs.

 

[DarloRich]

Yes. While track workers need hi-vis, it's more imperative for non-rail workers working where there's moving vehicles to wear hi-vis than some of the rail staff who get issued with hi-vis e.g. RPIs.

you will, of course, know that people who enter into what is defined as "trackside" by railway rules require hi viz. The rules don't make judgements on the importance of one role over another.

 

[AlterEgo]

Hopefully @richa2002 was referring to staff who don't need to go trackside but who currently get issued high visibility clothing anyway - e.g RPIs.

Ah right, I see!

 

[DarloRich]

Hopefully @richa2002 was referring to staff who don't need to go trackside but who currently get issued high visibility clothing anyway - e.g RPIs.

is part of that not just for visibility purposes? To make them stand out?

 

[najaB]

is part of that not just for visibility purposes? To make them stand out?

They could stand out by having a 'smart uniform' as well.

 

[DarloRich]

They could stand out by having a 'smart uniform' as well.

wouldn't they just look like blokes in a cheap suit rather than someone official?

 

[najaB]

wouldn't they just look like blokes in a cheap suit rather than someone official?

I suppose that rather depends on the design of the 'smart uniform'. Most people don't have trouble picking out customer-facing airline staff at an airport for example despite there being plenty of cheap suits around.

 

[Bromley boy]

Selfridges have attached a feather boa to a his-vis jacket and are selling it as a Ladies Jacket for £660.

https://twitter.com/GarethDennis/status/950098078048104448

Anyone fancy starting a new business of buying hi-vis jackets and modifying them?

Good grief!

Proof, as if any more were needed, that people are gullible enough to buy any old tat just because of a prestigious label!

 

[Cowley]

Good grief!

Proof, as if any more were needed, that people are gullible enough to buy any old tat just because of a prestigious label!

Definitely.
It reminds me of the shop on the Harry Enfield sketch show - ‘Isawyoucoming’.
Where he’d be hideously rude to anyone that came in but the customers absolutely loved it and would always leave with some tat that that they’d paid thousands of pounds for.

 

[507021]

Selfridges have attached a feather boa to a his-vis jacket and are selling it as a Ladies Jacket for £660.

https://twitter.com/GarethDennis/status/950098078048104448

Anyone fancy starting a new business of buying hi-vis jackets and modifying them?

That is awful.

 

[AM9]

That is awful.

In what way?

 

[pdeaves]

I think you need to change the title from "Modify a hi-vis jacket to make it worth £660" to "Modify a hi-vis jacket to sell it for £660"!

 

[northwichcat]

wouldn't they just look like blokes in a cheap suit rather than someone official?

VT staff in their bright red jackets are easily identifiable not only as rail staff but as customer facing rail staff. With hi-vis a litter picker can be mistaken for a RPI.