Capsule Wardrobe: Choosing Your Personal Uniform

I love my capsule wardrobe, as you know. But I am always looking for ways to simplify and improve it. Recently, I came upon a website where a woman blogged about a “minimalist capsule wardrobe.” In layman's terms, she established a uniform for herself. She wore the same clothes for three weeks. Do you know the most amazing part about it? Nobody even noticed!

This idea of a minimalist capsule wardrobe was nothing new for me. When I first moved down to Florida, I basically lived out of a carry-on for three months. Honestly, I was surprised how much I didn’t mind wearing the same few things over and over again.

But the reason for doing that was imposed on me—I had just moved, living space was tight, and I didn’t have a closet. But now that I’m settled and comfortable, it’s different. I do have a choice...and a closet.

So I wanted to challenge myself. Could I pair down my capsule wardrobe even further? Can I really be happy wearing the SAME thing EVERY DAY?

The experiment was too delicious to pass up. I HAD to try it. So far, I’m a week in and learning so much! I just couldn’t wait to share what I am discovering with all of you. Here are just four advantages to wearing a uniform that I have found so far:

It’s easier than you think. You can do anything for a week. Really analyze your wardrobe and just pick out the pieces you LOVE to wear. That’s it. You’ve just created your uniform.

It reduces decision fatigue. The more decisions we have to make, the greater the chance that our ability to make good ones deteriorates throughout the day and over time. By choosing to wear a uniform, I have given myself a little more mental energy to make better decisions on the bigger issues.

It reduces stress. Since I always know what I am going to wear, my stress is reduced. I always have my “uniform” hanging in my closet, ready to go. Maybe it’s similar to how most school-age children feel if they wear uniforms to school. Parents must love it because it greatly simplifies back-to-school shopping, and it spares children the angst of not being able to afford the latest fashion. Both are pluses in my book.

It saves even more time. Even though I am already in capsule wardrobe mode, I am saving even more time by using a uniform! And my morning routine is consequently more streamlined.

I have been doing this for a week, and I’m planning to keep going. So far, nobody has noticed that I am wearing the same thing! I mean, really--no one notices your clothes if you look great! So why not give wearing a uniform a try?

Challenge yourself: Pick out your favorite pieces in your collection and turn them into a uniform for a week, or two, or three. Then let me know how it goes. I’m dying to hear what you chose as part of your wardrobe and how it made you feel. If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel well-dressed and less stressed.