Love this in theory but I actually go to bed giddy, excited to pick out my outfit for the next day. It feels like such a fun creative challenge that I chew on before bed and in the morning while I get ready. Am I the only one who feels this way?
I love that you said this! The next piece I’m working on is about the ethics of fashion (not fast fashion, that’ll be two pieces from now and I quote the article you wrote), and one of the reasonable justifications that might transcend some of the ethical points is that fashion can sometimes purely be a form of artistic expression!
Getting dressed is an act of creation like any other. By it we mimic the act of God in clothing us. And I think some are more inclined to it in the same way one may be more inclined towards painting, writing, acting, etc. I def get where you’re coming from. ☺️
I absolutely feel this way! But I also recognize that I'm susceptible to "dwelling on acquiring new things" (as Teresa of Calcutta is quoted above as saying). And I often tell myself, if I just have this one particular new piece in my wardrobe, then I'll be content. In reality -- where does it end? I like this idea of freeing up that mental space I've been using for my wardrobe for other things by pairing things down, but still getting to be creative with my outfits in small ways.
Honestly the monk and nun outfits go hard. Simplistic and iconic. And I appreciated hearing the Christian perspective in addition to the classic examples of Jobs and Zuck
Buuuut...not to be contrarian 😏 — I get the "save decision-making glucose in your brain by not choosing what to wear" thing. But is there some counter-argument about how clothing is a form of self expression—especially if you're a "creative"? Aren't we meant to add BEAUTY to the world? Like color and vibrancy and style! I like the idea of getting inspired by what's around you and if your closet is just a bunch of the same, seems a bit lackluster 😁 open to discussion lol.
Check out Jenna’s comment above !! It’s actually very similar to what you said! I’m working on my next piece that’s more focused on the ethics and theology of fashion more broadly and I’m planning on touching on this question! I appreciate you reading though Marisa!
Oooh ethics and theology of fashion, sounds fascinating. If you want to interview a Christian fashion designer, I know one! Looking forward to reading. 🙏
The writer Annie Jacobsen wears black slacks, black blouses and a blazer and black glasses. She manages to still look lovely and feminine. She says it makes life more simple and, I would presume, can be dressed up or down depending on the situation. I’ve always liked looking nice but hate shopping and figuring out what’s “in”. I basically have a capsulized wardrobe of various “in” things and comfy clothes. As a woman, it has to get updated every couple of years. As Van Morrison sings, “All the girls walk by, dressed up for each other”
I work a blue collar day job that requires me to wear the same thing every day - jeans, company t-shirt, and work boots - and I love it. On the flip side, I do usually enjoy picking out and planning my outfits for church and errands; a little bit of creativity in my wardrobe on the weekends can be fun!
This was fun, thank you! I’ve always loved the idea of a life uniform. I’m curious — and may end up googling this myself 😂 — but noticed only one of your examples was a woman … Did you find any others? I wonder whether this is one of those subjects where gender expectations play a significant role. Would a woman who wears the same thing every day be seen as a creative genius? (Of course the idea of genius is pretty gendered already…)
I was thinking the exact same thing... I would have loved more female examples. I wonder if you're correct about gender expectations as well as other factors at play: the feminine form, the fashion industry, the marketing industry... surely someone has written other books or essays on this! Because while male fashion shifts slightly over decades the basic formula is still the same. And since the 60's (since Twiggy I suppose?), women have been dressing more like men...
I did a little googling and found a few women who wrote about doing this, but none of them were celebrities. But I did find a news article about an Australian male TV newscaster who wore the same outfit every day for a year without anyone noticing. When he revealed it, he explained that he’d done it as a protest against the daily criticism his female colleague received about her clothing choices and hairstyles (even while pregnant!). … Men and women are judged by different standards.
Still, I’m tempted to do this challenge of wearing the same dress for 100 days straight:
I've..... I've been wearing the same two dresses (each in 2 colors, so technically 4 physical dresses) almost every day for the past few months of this pregnancy. hahaha
It's kind of ridiculous how monotonous it is, but also I LOVE IT.
I guess my father must have discovered this pathway to creative genius on his own. He was an insprired business guy, who went from being a nurse to opening one of the first computer stores in Switzerland in 1986 (which my brother still runs). He wore the same grey pants, baby blue shirt, and tie (although he varied these) every day, whether it be to his store, to church, or to ride on the bus. I don't recall ever seeing him in casual clothes (except when he wore his robe at home).
I found the Camino to be the perfect example of "joy of simplicity" : What am I doing today? -walking. What will I wear? - The same thing as yesterday.
your dad sounds insanely cool. There were so many idiosyncratic things my father did while I was growing up (like only ever wearing one hoodie when he was home) that I feel like I've only appreciated now that I'm a bit older. Thanks for reading, Ruth! And for always offering such good feedback :)
My husband does this, too. I joke that the only way I know we’re in a different season is based on his shoes and whether he adds a coat. I lovingly refer to it as his “casual.”
I love this! And agree full heartedly ♥️ over the weekend I repaired a hole in my jacket with a Japanese sewing technique called sashiko. I had horrible technique because it was my first time 😂 but it made me so happy that I did that rather than trying to find and spending money on a new jacket. There’s something about having a small wardrobe that is really loved ♥️
I really enjoyed the change-up in this post's format! From a mothering side with a nursing infant, I've found some clothing simplifications to be helpful in avoiding mental fatigue, particularly on Sundays (2 nursing dresses, 1-2 sweaters that will go with either, 1-2 leggings that will go with either, 1 pair of winter shoes, 1 pair of summer shoes) and work days (3-4 pumping-compatible tops with 1-2 pairs of pants, 1-2 pairs of shoes, and 2-3 sweaters).
The mental fatigue is definitely different with each additional child. I need to give a lot of credit to my husband, who likes buying clothes more than I do and thus picked out the nursing dresses from Amazon years ago. The work tops were from a "one and done" colleague and are incredibly serviceable.
In 2017, my husband and I began our journey toward simplicity. Desiring to grow in the spiritual discipline and inspired Gretchen Rubin’s work on happiness and habits, he created a quality wardrobe capsule and I paired down to a casual capsule wardrobe and what I call my “work uniform.” I engage in a lot of mental activity and don’t want to waste my energy on deciding what to wear.
That said, my husband enjoys the creative expression of fashion more than I do. When we’re out and someone compliments me on my non-work uniform attire, I enjoy replying with, “Thanks! My husband’s my stylist.” (AKA subverting gender roles) 🙃
Fun series, Griffin! Looking forward to the next post.
Love the format Griffin! I have a foot in both camps. I wore a military uniform for over 20 years...not much flexibility in what I wore...but I did control how it looked; was my shirt pressed, did I wear a tie, were my shoes shined? As someone else mentioned in their comments, how I wore what I wore made a difference in how I showed up every day...in my civilian life, I was in sales, and daily in front of customers, so yes, I had customer-facing outfits that I basically rotated. When I traveled for Boeing suits were the "dress code"--except when I visited Hawaiian Airlines and the customer expected me to wear (as they did) a Hawaiian shirt!
Love this in theory but I actually go to bed giddy, excited to pick out my outfit for the next day. It feels like such a fun creative challenge that I chew on before bed and in the morning while I get ready. Am I the only one who feels this way?
I love that you said this! The next piece I’m working on is about the ethics of fashion (not fast fashion, that’ll be two pieces from now and I quote the article you wrote), and one of the reasonable justifications that might transcend some of the ethical points is that fashion can sometimes purely be a form of artistic expression!
Excited 2 read ur next piece!
Getting dressed is an act of creation like any other. By it we mimic the act of God in clothing us. And I think some are more inclined to it in the same way one may be more inclined towards painting, writing, acting, etc. I def get where you’re coming from. ☺️
I do but not as much. It's at the day's beginning that I look into my heart and choose, or might, depends on . . .
I absolutely feel this way! But I also recognize that I'm susceptible to "dwelling on acquiring new things" (as Teresa of Calcutta is quoted above as saying). And I often tell myself, if I just have this one particular new piece in my wardrobe, then I'll be content. In reality -- where does it end? I like this idea of freeing up that mental space I've been using for my wardrobe for other things by pairing things down, but still getting to be creative with my outfits in small ways.
Honestly the monk and nun outfits go hard. Simplistic and iconic. And I appreciated hearing the Christian perspective in addition to the classic examples of Jobs and Zuck
Buuuut...not to be contrarian 😏 — I get the "save decision-making glucose in your brain by not choosing what to wear" thing. But is there some counter-argument about how clothing is a form of self expression—especially if you're a "creative"? Aren't we meant to add BEAUTY to the world? Like color and vibrancy and style! I like the idea of getting inspired by what's around you and if your closet is just a bunch of the same, seems a bit lackluster 😁 open to discussion lol.
Check out Jenna’s comment above !! It’s actually very similar to what you said! I’m working on my next piece that’s more focused on the ethics and theology of fashion more broadly and I’m planning on touching on this question! I appreciate you reading though Marisa!
Oooh ethics and theology of fashion, sounds fascinating. If you want to interview a Christian fashion designer, I know one! Looking forward to reading. 🙏
I would actually be super interested in this!
But I'm curious how it will impact your clarity of mind and writing, Griffin! Maybe progress reports like 6 months in are in order.
The writer Annie Jacobsen wears black slacks, black blouses and a blazer and black glasses. She manages to still look lovely and feminine. She says it makes life more simple and, I would presume, can be dressed up or down depending on the situation. I’ve always liked looking nice but hate shopping and figuring out what’s “in”. I basically have a capsulized wardrobe of various “in” things and comfy clothes. As a woman, it has to get updated every couple of years. As Van Morrison sings, “All the girls walk by, dressed up for each other”
Oh that's awesome! I was actually curious if there were any female examples of this so that's wonderful. Thanks for reading Haley!
Look at creatives like Donna Tartt and Fran Leibowitz. They might not always be as minimal as the examples here but women def use uniforms!
Oh these are great examples! Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! Many fashion designers, men and women, past and present have utilized uniforms, too. ☺️
I work a blue collar day job that requires me to wear the same thing every day - jeans, company t-shirt, and work boots - and I love it. On the flip side, I do usually enjoy picking out and planning my outfits for church and errands; a little bit of creativity in my wardrobe on the weekends can be fun!
I love that! I perhaps need a bit more variety when I go out and about.
But…where was the picture of you in your outfit? 😂 I did enjoy the format change!
Ok I updated the post specifically per your request!
That’s incredible. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity. I do like both outfits!
This was fun, thank you! I’ve always loved the idea of a life uniform. I’m curious — and may end up googling this myself 😂 — but noticed only one of your examples was a woman … Did you find any others? I wonder whether this is one of those subjects where gender expectations play a significant role. Would a woman who wears the same thing every day be seen as a creative genius? (Of course the idea of genius is pretty gendered already…)
I was wondering the same thing! If you check the comments above, Sarah and Haley L both point out good examples of females who wear uniforms.
I was thinking the exact same thing... I would have loved more female examples. I wonder if you're correct about gender expectations as well as other factors at play: the feminine form, the fashion industry, the marketing industry... surely someone has written other books or essays on this! Because while male fashion shifts slightly over decades the basic formula is still the same. And since the 60's (since Twiggy I suppose?), women have been dressing more like men...
I did a little googling and found a few women who wrote about doing this, but none of them were celebrities. But I did find a news article about an Australian male TV newscaster who wore the same outfit every day for a year without anyone noticing. When he revealed it, he explained that he’d done it as a protest against the daily criticism his female colleague received about her clothing choices and hairstyles (even while pregnant!). … Men and women are judged by different standards.
Still, I’m tempted to do this challenge of wearing the same dress for 100 days straight:
https://journal.wooland.com/post/2020/5/1/100-day-dress-challenge
Very cool, that would be a true challenge for me
I've..... I've been wearing the same two dresses (each in 2 colors, so technically 4 physical dresses) almost every day for the past few months of this pregnancy. hahaha
It's kind of ridiculous how monotonous it is, but also I LOVE IT.
And, I enjoyed this visual essay.
I love that. I have two outfits I cycle through when I’m home and they’re so oddly comforting.
I guess my father must have discovered this pathway to creative genius on his own. He was an insprired business guy, who went from being a nurse to opening one of the first computer stores in Switzerland in 1986 (which my brother still runs). He wore the same grey pants, baby blue shirt, and tie (although he varied these) every day, whether it be to his store, to church, or to ride on the bus. I don't recall ever seeing him in casual clothes (except when he wore his robe at home).
I found the Camino to be the perfect example of "joy of simplicity" : What am I doing today? -walking. What will I wear? - The same thing as yesterday.
Loved the format change :)
your dad sounds insanely cool. There were so many idiosyncratic things my father did while I was growing up (like only ever wearing one hoodie when he was home) that I feel like I've only appreciated now that I'm a bit older. Thanks for reading, Ruth! And for always offering such good feedback :)
[Obama’s tan suit has entered the chat]: Why didn’t you tell me this before?
I have some vague memory of something about Obama and a tan suit but I'm coming up short. Some conspiracy theory right?
Oh, it's got its own Wikipedia page! 🤣
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_tan_suit_controversy
My husband does this, too. I joke that the only way I know we’re in a different season is based on his shoes and whether he adds a coat. I lovingly refer to it as his “casual.”
hahahahaha very relatable...I think my wife would probably prefer I switched it up just a little bit more. Thanks for reading Bethany!
I love this! And agree full heartedly ♥️ over the weekend I repaired a hole in my jacket with a Japanese sewing technique called sashiko. I had horrible technique because it was my first time 😂 but it made me so happy that I did that rather than trying to find and spending money on a new jacket. There’s something about having a small wardrobe that is really loved ♥️
That sounds lovely and cathartic. I'm a huge fan of fixing rather than throwing away or accumulating more. Thanks for reading Joellen :)
I really enjoyed the change-up in this post's format! From a mothering side with a nursing infant, I've found some clothing simplifications to be helpful in avoiding mental fatigue, particularly on Sundays (2 nursing dresses, 1-2 sweaters that will go with either, 1-2 leggings that will go with either, 1 pair of winter shoes, 1 pair of summer shoes) and work days (3-4 pumping-compatible tops with 1-2 pairs of pants, 1-2 pairs of shoes, and 2-3 sweaters).
Those reliable nursing outfits go hard - I felt that comment about mental fatigue in new motherhood in my bones.
The mental fatigue is definitely different with each additional child. I need to give a lot of credit to my husband, who likes buying clothes more than I do and thus picked out the nursing dresses from Amazon years ago. The work tops were from a "one and done" colleague and are incredibly serviceable.
Great choices for your two outfits!
Thanks !!
In 2017, my husband and I began our journey toward simplicity. Desiring to grow in the spiritual discipline and inspired Gretchen Rubin’s work on happiness and habits, he created a quality wardrobe capsule and I paired down to a casual capsule wardrobe and what I call my “work uniform.” I engage in a lot of mental activity and don’t want to waste my energy on deciding what to wear.
That said, my husband enjoys the creative expression of fashion more than I do. When we’re out and someone compliments me on my non-work uniform attire, I enjoy replying with, “Thanks! My husband’s my stylist.” (AKA subverting gender roles) 🙃
Fun series, Griffin! Looking forward to the next post.
Love the format Griffin! I have a foot in both camps. I wore a military uniform for over 20 years...not much flexibility in what I wore...but I did control how it looked; was my shirt pressed, did I wear a tie, were my shoes shined? As someone else mentioned in their comments, how I wore what I wore made a difference in how I showed up every day...in my civilian life, I was in sales, and daily in front of customers, so yes, I had customer-facing outfits that I basically rotated. When I traveled for Boeing suits were the "dress code"--except when I visited Hawaiian Airlines and the customer expected me to wear (as they did) a Hawaiian shirt!
haha i love it. Thanks for reading Chuck!
I enjoyed your escape from the norm and unexpected topic.