Why Every Woman Should Create a Uniform

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Steve Jobs, Barack Obama,  doctors, nurses, mechanics, pilots, military personnel, stay at home moms…They all have uniforms, even if they had to create it themselves. Why do you think moms wear messy buns and yoga pants every day? Because they barely have time to get dressed! They’ve automated this routine naturally. One way you can simplify your life is to create a uniform and capsule wardrobe.

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Professionals Need Uniforms

Many of the habits of “successful” people include: waking up early, going to bed early, prioritizing your most important tasks, cutting out the extraneous, giving time for creative thought, and automating low level tasks. Creating a uniform is one of the ways you can automate low level tasks. You actually simplify it by creating less choices.

If you have a job that is mentally and emotionally taxing, as most do, making less decisions will help. Asking yourself what to wear in the morning is one more decision you don’t have to make if you have a uniform.

Creating a Uniform or Capsule Wardrobe

A uniform doesn’t have to be dull. You don’t have to wear a black turtleneck and jeans for the rest of your life. You want to dress accentuating your best features while acknowledging the function of your clothes. For example, a uniform for a teacher might include a dress, slacks, a skirt, a few blouses, sweater, and comfortable shoes. Wear those pieces every week and wash them on the weekend.

Make sure that all the colors match like gray, navy blue, white and black. You also could “Steve Jobs” it and just wear an identical blouse and slacks all week long. Whatever you prefer can work. I prefer a tad bit of variety, but having zero choices on what to wear every morning would create less decisions.

7 Reasons to Create a Uniform

If you need extra inspiration to simplify your wardrobe and create a uniform, here are 7 reasons to create a uniform:

1.Mornings are Easier 

When you don’t have to worry about what to wear you can enjoy your mornings. You don’t have to stare at your closet thinking what will match with what. You know what looks good, and you have very few choices, so the decision is easy.

2.Less Decision fatigue

Experiments have shown that “there is a finite store of mental energy for exerting self-control” (Tierney). That means basically as the day goes on, it is harder to abstain from temptations. In other words, if you’ve become emotionally exhausted, that chocolate cake sitting on the counter is more likely to be eaten. All decisions add up to the fatigue, even if they’re not necessarily emotional, like choosing what to wear in the morning. If you automate decisions, you can have less decision fatigue by the end of the day. 

3.Cost

Creating a uniform just means only buying what you know to look good on you, and functions well for your job. Once you simplify what types of clothes look best on you and are functional, you’ll spend less money.

4.Expectations are Clear 

People know what to expect when they interact with you. You don’t have to walk a certain way (high heels), or bend down a certain way (skirt) on different days of the week. I know, and I’m sure every other woman in the world knows, that you are treated extremely different based on the clothes you wear. Choose a uniform that exudes your routine style and personality and people will treat you the same.

5.Respect and APPROACH-ABILITY 

People will respect your simple choice in clothes, because it aligns with your personality and it shows you are thoughtful in your decisions. Also, especially if you work with people in poverty it won’t exude power over people. It will make you approachable since people know what to expect.

6.Defining Your Personal Style

Nobody teaches a girl how to dress, except mothers and maybe an older sister, if you’re lucky to have one. Nobody teaches a girl how to accentuate her best features. Instead advertisements tell girls what products they should buy to hide their least attractive features. It’s unfortunate. However, if you create your own uniform, you will have to get specific on what type of clothes accentuate your best features. It will help you define your personal style and help you feel confident with minimal choices every morning. 

7.Less Opinions on What you Wear

Wearing basically the same thing most days makes your appearance less important. When your appearance is less important, your brain may be what people remember.

Final Words

Creating a uniform is just one way you can cut out low level tasks. Deciding on what to wear is one of the first decisions you make during the day, and it could be totally automated so more effort can be put into creative thought.

I’m still on my capsule wardrobe journey. It started about a year ago. I keep donating and “pruning” my wardrobe as I go. My closet space is slowly clearing to only include my best pieces, and for the most part deciding what to wear has become a delight, rather than a confusing decision.

I finally made some progress when I read Natalia of Marmag Creation’s e-book on how to create a capsule wardrobe . I found it to be the most insightful piece I’ve read thus far on my minimalism in fashion journey. Honestly, if you can focus your style, only choose basics, and simplify your wardrobe you’ll save time and money in the long run. Check out Natalia’s How to Start a Capsule Wardrobe Based on Your Budget and Lifestyle e-book to get started simplifying your closet. 

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Author

Maria Halcumb is a teacher, reading specialist, and mother. You can find her reading books, being in nature, minimizing her life, and spending time with family and friends in the great PNW. If you want to learn more about Maria, check out our about page.

Join the Discussion

Would you benefit from creating a uniform?

Source:

Tierney, John. “Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 Aug. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html.