About a year ago, I became fascinated by the concept of a personal uniform. (It was all over the Internet for a while: President Obama’s blue or grey suits, the Australian newscaster who wore the same suit every day for a year, numerous bloggers writing about their wardrobes.)
I’m not a big clothes shopper and I hate making decisions in the morning, so you’d think a personal uniform would be tailor-made (ha) for me. So far, though, I’ve lacked the discipline – or the commitment – to really take the plunge. I haven’t edited my wardrobe down to 10 items or consciously worn the same 33 items for a month. (I have also resisted the Marie Kondo madness because, frankly, everyone else seems to be doing it.)
But as we continue to slog through winter, I realized I’ve developed a personal uniform almost by accident.
Winter in the Northeast is (I need hardly say it) cold – often bitterly so – and snowy. I work in a business-casual office environment and I commute on public transportation, every weekday. So I need warm, sturdy winter gear: snow boots, fleece-lined tights, a knee-length down coat for frigid days and a couple of wool coats for milder ones. But I also need outfits to wear under those coats, and I find myself reaching for a variation on the same ensemble most days.
Right now, that usually looks like a dress, either solid or striped (because I own an embarrassing number of striped dresses). I pair the day’s dress with black leggings and boots (of the snow or non-snow variety, depending on the weather). And I choose a scarf or knitted cowl to go with it. (That, and choosing my tea blend, is the kind of decision-making I can handle in the morning.)
I do own other pieces of clothing – sweaters, tees, skirts – and sometimes I feel like I should be making more of an effort to wear them. But right now, when I’m rushing around between showering and eating breakfast every morning, this winter uniform is what’s working for me.
Do you have a personal uniform – accidental or purposeful? (And if so, what is it?)
cakes, tea and dreams 
Lovely lady! I love wearing dresses but can’t until I wean Nugget, so all of my favorites are doing hard time in the closet. My uniform these days is black pants or a black knit skirt, a tee or tank under a cardigan (gray, blue or camel) and a circle scarf. Pretty boring, but easy and comfortable and that’s what I need right now.
“Easy and comfortable.” I hear that!
I do have a personal uniform. It’s black pants, a shirt, and a cardigan for work. Jeans, tshirt, and a hoodie on the weekends. Knowing this has made shopping easier and resulted in a lot less unworn clothes.
I think your personal uniform is terrific. I’ve never really attached that name to what I end up doing but I think that says it nicely. Upfront I will admit to being uniform aversive having attended Catholic schools and resenting the heck out of the uniform. HOWEVER, and this is important, it did make life easy and , in the very class conscious school I attended , it allowed those of us from the working class to blend it much more readily than if there had been no uniform.
All of that aside, I think I am gradually adopting the personal uniform. My uniform centers around colors – as in, mostly black. Black is just simple. In winter, I like flannel shirts and I have about five. I just wear them over and over and sometimes mix it up with a black sweater. Mind you, I am not interested in being frumpy so the black is stylin’ (or at least as much as I can manage….).
Stylin’ and easy – you’re speaking my language!