What is a personal uniform?

Introduction to a personal uniform

Everyone knows what a uniform is. It is a set of clothing people wear to work or school. It exists of the exact same set of pieces day in and day out. People who have to wear a uniform will not stand in front of their wardrobe thinking: “What should I wear today?” The decision has been made for them.

A personal uniform is like a work uniform in that you wear the same or similar clothing daily. There is one big difference between a corporate uniform and a personal one. A personal uniform, as the name implies, is personal to you. It considers your lifestyle and tastes in clothing and makes you look effortlessly stylish day in and day out.

Let us delve a bit deeper into the topic. Let’s find out what a personal uniform is and why it might be for you.

What is a personal uniform?

Jennifer, in an article entitled ‘How to Create a Personal Uniform’ on the Simply & Fiercely blog, defines a personal uniform as follows:

A personal uniform is a “go-to” style that you love wearing, and it is easy to take the stress out of choosing your outfits. Find a formula that works for you, and you can rest assured that you will be comfortable and confident every day.

People might think it’s boring to wear the same thing every day. In fact, there are two types of personal uniforms. First, there is the type where you wear the same clothing every day. A famous person doing this is Steve Jobs. If you look at his photos, you will see that he always wears a black turtle-neck, jeans and Nike trainers. Mark Zuckerberg is another example of a famous person in identical clothing.

Above, I outlined the first type of personal uniform; below, I will explain the second type of personal uniform. In the second type, your dress follows a formula rather than the exact same set of clothing. An example of the second type might be wearing black jeans with an identical but different-coloured shirt daily. Or jeans, trainers and T-Shirts in different colours. It could be identical items of clothing in different colours, different clothing in the same colour, or the same types of clothing worn together but in different styles.

The main thing here is that whatever type of personal uniform you adopt, you should pick something that makes you feel good and effortlessly stylish.

Reasons to wear a personal uniform

Marissa Pomerance, in her article ‘How To Create A Daily Uniform, So You Never Have To Think About Getting Dressed Again’, gives us practical reasons as to why adopting a personal uniform is a good idea:

• “You can instantly simplify your morning routine, get dressed with ease, reduce decision fatigue / save brain energy for more important pursuits, and up-level your wardrobe by investing in fewer, better things.”

In light of the ongoing climate crisis and increased mental health issues that humans are experiencing, I think adopting a simpler wardrobe that doesn’t contribute to fast fashion is an excellent idea. I also think the fewer routine decisions we have to make daily, the better. It preserves mental energy to focus on the things that truly matter in life. Whether a personal uniform is for you or you, find it too restrictive is a matter of personal choice.

Conclusion

I don’t wear a uniform to the extent of Zuckerberg and Co, but I have immensely pared down my wardrobe. I used to match my socks with my shoes, and my shirts would have just the right shade to match my trousers. These days I am still massively into blazers and brogues, but all my socks are one colour, my pants are black or grey, and my tops all fit my bottoms and blazers. This makes getting ready in the morning super easy, and I feel stylish and confident whatever I wear.

Please get in touch here to learn more about wearing pairing down your wardrobe or getting help with wardrobe decluttering.

trabantbettina

Bettina Anna Trabant, Founder of Life Organised, your professional organising and decluttering service in East London. Eco-conscious minimalist and avid tea drinker,