Apple Store dress code rules: the blue shirt explained — You might have noticed how easy it is to spot the employees in Apple Stores. They all wear bright blue shirts, making them stand out among the crowds of shoppers. But is it purely practical or, like many design choices at Apple, is there a deeper meaning behind the uniform? In this article, I’ll explain the idea behind the Apple Store dress code and the rules that come with it.

Prefer to read this article in Dutch? Click here

Angela Ahrendts

It is no surprise that Apple employees in their blue shirts are instantly recognizable. Not only does the vibrant colour stand out but it also helps that employees have been wearing the same shirts since the first Apple Store opened in 2001. Occasionally, Apple introduced a new shirt color for special events, but overall, the company stuck with the same design. That changed in 2015 when Angela Ahrendts stepped in with several updates. Since taking on the role of senior vice president of Apple Retail in 2014, she had overseen both the online and offline sales channels. Drawing on her experience as the former CEO of Burberry, she developed the concept for a refreshed shirt design.

Apple Store dress code rules: the blue shirt explained

At the start of 2015, all apple store employees received an e-mail outlining the new shirts. The change was presented using the slogan ‘Back to Blue….But All New’. This references the changes, the colour remains blue, but some adjustments were made to the style.

• The new shirts are available in both long and short sleeve versions and a polo shirt style

• The T-shirt is made from a thinner fabric so that it fits more

• comfortably

• 10% of the fabric used is from recycled materials

• The Apple logo is smaller and in a different location

Ay caramba! New Apple store employee shirts arriving, and they’re 10% “recycled materials.” Who writes these things? pic.twitter.com/a4vgDLS8dl

— Gary Allen (@ifostore) 28 januari 2015

Apple Store dress code

Each employee received both a polo shirt and a regular t-shirt in their size. The dress code allowed them to wear a white long-sleeved shirt underneath. At the time, Apple hadn’t decided whether staff could wear clothing over the Apple t-shirt, and I haven’t found any updates on that. Personally, I doubt Apple allows cardigans or jackets, since they’d make employees harder to spot and that defeats the purpose of the uniform.

One striking detail is how Apple updated the logo. They moved it from the center to the left side of the chest and made it smaller. According to the internal email, this new position places the logo “at your heart.” I really like that sentiment. Lastly, Apple makes it clear: employees can’t wear their t-shirts outside of work. Which, of course, makes total sense.

In a 2016 interview, an Apple Store employee from the U.S. explained that people often approached him with tech questions if they saw even a glimpse of the logo. That’s not something you want to deal with during your time off. On one occasion when out and about with the Apple logo slightly visible under his jacket a stranger started asking questions on how to get his iPhone working correctly. Not something you want to be dealing with in your free time. 

Greetings,

Aileen 

Source: Icuture, Mentalfloss