Funny, I've been thinking the same thing of late. And it's made me want to come up with some alternatives but I'm not sure what the alternatives are...I agree with the personal touches making even a similar silhouette unique, but I also don't want to blend in too much.

What Sylvie said.
And Laura.

I wonder, it must have felt similar in the sixties when everybody started to wear miniskirts, even grandmas.

IK's last word on this post:

I swear I couldn't pick her out of a lineup. "She was in skinny jeans and boots, officer..."

You are too funny! This tickled me...

And I'm with you, I totally get what you're thinking.

However, Aida gave some good tips that will help me to not follow the herd mentality. You know, one cow with spots in a pasture of all brown cows is distinctly different, but still a cow.

Anyway, after thinking about this last night, I began to browse this website and Nordie's for dresses and skirts...think I will mix things up a little!

Honestly, it doesn't really bother me to find myself wearing The Uniform of the Day from time to time. I'm on Team Aida when it comes to firmly believing the details like scarves and jewelry (and COLOR!) are enough to set me apart from the herd.

Maybe it's because I am generally slightly outside the herdwear norm at work, but inadvertently finding myself in a casual uniform on the weekend wouldn't faze me.

There once was a poster named Kurtin
Who skinnies and boots sure were hurtin'
Because when seen in a herd
It seemed so absurd
Although it *can* be done well, I am certain

..An homage to Rita's haiku in her post...

Sylvie makes an excellent point: "It's very tricky to be current but also maintain a unique style. There are many members of this forum who have managed to do so, but it appears to be the cumulative result of a lot of time and experimentation." Developing and maintaining a unique personal style DOES take a lot of energy. Especially if you want to make it look effortless

I can't help but notice the amount of variety seen at various locales. In the east bay where i live, Walnut Creek types are VERY uniform (skinny boot cuts, 4-6" heels, blown out stick straight foiled blond hair). They all shop at the same stores, go to the same hair and makeup salons, and even frequent the same plastic surgeon. It's scary!

20 minutes away in Berkeley....kids from all over the world crash-land in the university, we have immigrants galore, and hangovers from every counter-cultural movement of the last half century wander Telegraph.....it takes a lot more to make an impression in Berkeley! HeleninCanada describes this milieu beautifully.

If i were a Walnut Creek lady with red hair i'd stick out, but i would feel kind of weird in that i would still be largely 'buying into' such a uniform, homogenized, standardized look. It comes down to context in that case.

i just finished a pair of wide legged jeans and was thinking they might look a wee bit dowdy and could stand a little taking in.....after reading this thread i'm so relieved! wide-legged they will stay! steph

Why is it scary? Seriously?

I don't live in Walnut Creek but I wear skinny jeans and high heels and have my hair foiled and blow it out most days. And I've *gasp* had a nip tuck. (How you can tell whether I've been to "the same plastic surgeon" just by looking at me in a gaggle of other blondes is something I will have to ponder on...)

I think I look nice. I think I manage to look distinctive enough. I don't know that I've "bought into a uniform." I just like to be fashionable. And I am not scared and I don't think I'm scary.

Honestly. This is a real question: What is scary about a bunch of people looking good in the same general way, even if it's high maintenance? Why on earth would anybody be scared by how somebody else chooses to dress?

MK, you are fab, end of story. I don't think anyone meant to imply otherwise.

If I have offended anyone by my posts, I apologize - this is *my* take and it's not meant to be a judgment on anyone else. I'm not saying any of you are herd animals or lemmings or whatever. Just because something makes *me* feel one way, doesn't mean it needs to make *you* feel that way. If you feel fab, you are fab. If I don't feel fab, I like to know why and share it... that same thing may or may not affect *you* the same way. That's why it's a discussion, right?

Also, I totally wear skinny jeans and boots. And I'm not stopping. Just saying.

I'm not offended, seriously! I am honestly and truly curious! I see and hear people tossing around terms like "it's scary," and I sit and I think "Wow, that description fits me, and I don't find myself scary in the least, so I am going to inquire further about what it is about this description that fits me that leads somebody to exclaim 'Scary!'"

Really. I am super glad you started this discussion because I find it fascinating!

I don't think Steph was using the term scary literally, MaryK. I think it was her way of commenting on the Stepford Wive's element of the general popular look in her area.
And I get her point. Here in FL where humidity does a real number on your hair, the flat ironing phenomenon is huge. When we went to a baseball game I was floored at how much straight flat hair I saw on most of the 20 somethings in the crowd. I found it odd, but to each their own. I would never have the patience to upkeep that! They must carry portable irons around to touch up all day or something (I don't know - I've never used a flat iron before lol) But the point that a huge portion of the population all aspire to look very much the same is what *I think* Steph was on to.
And yes, you are very fab all in your own right!

ruh roh........go off to brush your teeth and look what happens!! : )

Hi MaryK!: "Honestly. This is a real question: What is scary about a bunch of people looking good in the same general way, even if it's high maintenance? Why on earth would anybody be scared by how somebody else chooses to dress?"

those are really good questions!! & MaryK, you would stick out like the proverbial sore thumb amongst these ladies. to me, personally (not speaking for anyone else), it boils down to your phrase '.....looking good in the same general way.......'. THAT does not scare me at all. But when people start to look so incredibly THE SAME that you can quite confidently make statements like 'they use the same makeup artist' or 'they use the same plastic surgeon' and people around you who see the same people laugh and say 'so true!'.....that's a whole different ball of wax.

"Why on earth would anybody be scared by how somebody else chooses to dress?" It's funny, i'm known as annoyingly non-judgmental among friends and family. But when people spend so much time, energy, money, and self in an attempt to disguise any trace of their own uniqueness, to turn themselves into a copy of something else.....that IS scary to me. And partly it's scary because i wonder how much of that is a choice.

How many times have we heard Angie talking to people in her blog, on this forum, about finding out what works for them? Taking their own personal body type, lifestyle, tastes, etc. into account? There is a love of the individual and of the unique behind all of that that i love and celebrate. If a lot of the current trends work for a lot of people, more power to them and to that trend!

But when there is * only one * ideal held up as what is fashionable and beautiful, and all style advice consists of altering what god saw fit to give you into this one cookie-cutter 'ideal' - that is what's scary to me.

And i see no evidence of that whatsoever around here at all.

Gotta go get groceries! will be back later if anyone has ???, happy saturday! steph

I love the points that MaryK brought up. And I think the "Stepford Wives"/"scary" perception is way too pervasive. I've bought into that idea too--if a lot of people dress the same, I worry that they are being taught to think the same and no one will stand out and NO ONE DARES TO BE HERSELF, AAA! I also know we're all guilty of some stereotyping, and sometimes it can be useful. (I also like Steph's clarification about style advice being less useful if it tries to make us all fit one mold! Great point!) But MaryK has just made me realize how shallow it is to think that just because people look the same as each other, that they ARE the same as each other, and to be somehow dismissive of them for that reason. If "standing out from the crowd" makes you feel beautiful, then that's great. But others are less concerned with being different. It doesn't make them "sheep" or "cows" or whatever---it doesn't mean they are incapable of free thought---it doesn't mean they are "scary." The Stepford Wives are fictional, and I have yet to meet a real-life individual that doesn't have quirky, interesting, distinct personality traits once you get to know them. Regardless of whether they wear a "uniform" or not.

Anyway, thanks, MaryK, for reminding me of this---and making me less likely to use the word "scary" to describe complicated, lovely, unique fellow-humans!

This is a fascinating discussion. For me, there is very little fear of looking like everyone else (unless we are all bundled up to the point of being unrecognizable), simply because I am in a very small ethnic minority where I live.

I get what IK is saying, but I think so much of an impression also revolves around hair, body type, face and personality. You could line up MaryK, Rae, me, and whomever else is buying the UWP sweater, even in skinnies and boots, and we'd all look different.

What I find annoying but understandable at their age is the teenage girls all wearing too-low jeans, ratty at the hems, with too-tight, too-revealing t-shirts or hoodies and Uggs. THAT is herd mentality.

At one point I posted about whether there is a YLF "look" and got some interesting responses. It would be interesting to revisit in the context of this thread.

If you're going to be part of a herd, pick the stylish cows!

"You could line up MaryK, Rae, me, and whomever else is buying the UWP sweater, even in skinnies and boots, and we'd all look different."

You're on. Do it. You have the UWP sweater, the skinnies, and tall boots. Make it all look different enough that I could pick you out of a lineup. Show me!

I dunno, if someone was bothering me and I knew I'd have to make a report to security (which has happened, unfortunately), I usually pay attention to things that may not be the most obvious things instead of what clothes they have on.

I'd probably give a generic jacket/jeans description if outside, try to pay attention to shoes for shoe prints, and I once gave the description of the shirt under the jacket (because the purp did shed his outer jacket) ...

LOL. I guess I haven't had to pick anyone outof a line up yet!

That's what I'm talking about. Rae, Una, and I all have the UWP Heed sweater, and we all wear it with boots and skinnies. Are we all putting in a "scary" amount of effort into looking virtually the same? When I copied Rae's look, pretty much exactly, was I trying to wipe out every trace of my own uniqueness? Or are we all having fun with fashion and was I expressing MY uniqueness using the same pieces Rae chose to express HER uniqueness? And if you don't know us, how on earth can you tell the difference?

Interesting topic. I have basically 2 points to make :
First , the skinnies and boots must be at least 5 year old as looks goes this year. It's no more wow, or avant-garde. Ladies that used to think it only belongs to models and teens wear it. Curvy girl wear it. It's mainstream. 7 Years ago it was the same with boot-cuts . ( maybe) . It's an easy look, it does good to your figure it's easy casual, it doesn't make you attract attention.
Second, most people I know want to look their personal best. As in flattering good. This has a huge component of blending in the current fashion vibe ( not trend) . It's the zeitgeist. Skinnies are now what the flares were to the 70's. The main pant silhouette. Our eyes are adjusted, we already fumbled with the looks, we have the tops and the shoes. Also, there have been some good boots season.
And just to add the third me point, i think you can totally make this your own. I was wearing white jeans and black tough otk boots ( cavalry boots as my dad calls them). And a raspberry top with a gray bomber. And a red knit berrete. I was a little sel conscious about standing out. At school this is the uniform look, but while I like it, I still try to make it mine.( matchy matchy is my game I have burgundy boots and leather jacket ). Not as in stand in . As in this silhouette with some cute hats/funky earrings , maybe fun tops. I feel good in those outfits. ( Mostly because they don't single me as the girly girl who always wears dresses - as one of my colleagues called me).
In the end, skinnies and boots and long sweaters, leggings boots and sweaters was the cook kids uniform. They've moved on, but this remained a tried and tested combo!

You know what? The whole herd thing doesn't bother me a single bit. I am comforted by a similar dress code, actually. I live in an area where most people wear bootcuts, dansko clogs and a fleece sweatshirt, so when I see someone else out wearing skinnies and tall boots, I get excited...Yay! Fashion! I don't look like a weirdo anymore with my skinnies and boots. I suppose I am on the opposite end of the spectrum, I feel like I stand out too much and prefer to keep with my environmental norm a little bit. I do like my own bit of individual "flare", but really, my tall boots and skinnies are not likely to be the same as the next lady's.

Mercy me, IK, glad you started this thread instead of me, since I'm relatively new here!

What is a UWP sweater, please?

Denise, UWP = Urban Warrior Princess.
This is the sweater they're talking about

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/he.....tback=4373

I'm torn between being sorry I posted this in the first place, and sticking to my guns. I think it's weird that everyone in this mall was in basically the same outfit. And I didn't like that I was in it, too. I'm still not sure why. It *is* a comfortable and basically flattering look.

For the record, I am not calling anyone names (cattle, clones, lemmings) or saying people are giving up their individuality by dressing like this, either.

Very interesting. I am quite happy skinnies and boots over jeans are "in" because it means more options are available in stores. A few years back it was quite a challenge to find skinny jeans that "fit." Now I have plenty of shopping options.

IK:

Ditto what you wrote last.

No need to be sorry for your opinion and sticking to your guns.
Healthy discourse followed -- reiterating that we are all really different, and not exactly alike!

BTW, is your "holster" an accessory? LOL.

I've been thinking a bit more about it and I think it has a great deal with where a person wants to be in the spectrum of cutting edge to mainstream. I've identified my spot - I'm never going to be at the forefront of fashion trends but I hope that I adopt a new idea before it becomes mainstream (with all the caveats, that it's suitable, I like it, etc.), but that won't keep me from wearing it if it does become "mainstream".

I'm with IK in that I noticed a couple of weeks ago that my outfit of skinny jeans and tall boots looked very similar to A LOT of other outfits in the crowd. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that, I didn't think any less of anyone else around me who was wearing more or less the same thing. But it did make me think twice this weekend about pulling out the same uniform because *I* wanted to find something that was just a little bit different. So instead of boots, I threw on a pair of flats and put on my straight leg jeans instead of the skinnies - nothing drastically original, but still a bit different from the skinny jean/boot combo. I see nothing wrong with dressing mainstream and there are always going to be people who feel more comfortable when they fit in with their environmental norms. But what's fun for me is that I'm gaining confidence in my own instincts so that when I want to try something a little different I feel comfortable doing so.

Very interesting discussion.

It made me wonder why I see fashion convergence when I'm people-watching on a North American street while I see fashion divergence when I'm people-watching in Paris? The articles of clothing aren't that much different-- boots, skinnies, and jackets predominate in both areas-- but what I see is totally different. I constantly find myself looking at the way a scarf is knotted or how a glove is being worn when I'm in Paris instead of looking at the sameness of the "uniform". Maybe it's the thought and attention to all those little details that make the difference between being a fashion clone and being an individual?

I've thought about uniforms for a long time. When I went to school, I was a returned missionary kid with clothes from the missionary barrel at church. I noticed trends and believed that those who followed them were materialistic, vain and lacked individuality. I never had the shoe of the moment (Wallabees, Earth shoes, Famolares) and I believed that this defined me in a positive way. (But notice how I remember them!)

Some years ago on a gray day I was walking around on a visit to Berkeley and suddenly noticed the uniform there (at that time, in that neighborhood). The women my age were all in jeans or black pants with a very expensive Gore Tex rain parka zipped shut, with shoes that were expensive and comfortable and not stylish. They wore no makeup and their hair was short and unstyled. I had the thought that they were spending a lot of money to look alike and to look not very good (forgive me, hope you understand these were my thoughts at the time).

This caused all kind of thoughts! Uniforms are everywhere! Money doesn't equal style. Practicality can take on a style life of its own. Uniforms are part of the human experience! If a Gore Tex clad Berkeley woman saw a foiled Walnut Creek woman, she might be tempted to think her way of dressing was superior... but really she would be a "lemming" too!

I think uniforms are one way we connect to each other. Making the effort to dress currently sends a message about how you view yourself in relation to others. I've never felt too similar to everyone, but my style trajectory has been to increase my similarity and my on-trend quotient.

What a great thread, thanks to all.

IK, don' be sorry, please! It's an absolutely fascinating discussion and well worth having. I hope you're not offended by the comments, and I certainly don't get the sense anyone else here is.

I'm happy to attempt your challenge tomorrow regarding the UWP sweater. Let's test out the hypothesis like good fashion scientists and see what happens.

I've found this especially interesting because there are hardly enough people where I live to BE a herd, and it's interesting that I'm possibly dressing like some herd out there in the contiguous U.S., even though I'm not among them. That would have to be YLF influence.

IK, interesting post and I'm glad you brought it up. I don't agree with you at all, though. For one thing, we spend so much time complaining on YLF about how many people around us dress schlumpily--but now if they dress stylishly, they have to dress stylishly with unique flair? IMO, "everyone looks the same" (by this standard) in European cities known for their high style, as well. That said, I always enjoy people watching in Europe, because they are so well dressed! But there isn't a huge gamut of color, or variety of cut.

I always feel bored when I come back from India because of this, actually. People watching is SO FUN there, because there's a huge, huge variety of color, style of clothing, silhouette, jewelry, etc. Women are dressed up all the time, and since most people are still buying clothes that they either had made or from non-department stores that sell only one of each item, you rarely see women wearing the same thing. And since most clothing is tailored to fit, items look even more different since they're made with a body type in mind.

I am loving this thread and am so glad you started it, IK! And I cackled out loud at your brilliant limerick.

As someone who can't observe the people around me, I am not obviously the best person to comment on the prevalence or lack there of of a uniform, let alone the degree to which I adopt it. But i do think there are a couple of things that come into play. Many people may dress in a similar manner simply by virtue of what's available in stores. To run with this cattle analogy, designers and retailers do a great deal to regulate the behaviour of the herd by corraling them into a unit and forcing them to graze from the same pasture. When all the cows then produce milk of the same quality, it's little wonder since they've been sustained with identical food. People who don't share our commitment to fashion, i.e. the majority, may simply acquire the skinnies/tunic/boots "uniform" because it's readily available. The practical among them will also embrace the look because of it's undeniable merits as a versatile, weather-proof and camouflaging ensemble. They may well just decide it's versatile, affordable and won't make them conspicuous and decide they're off to the races.
Which brings me to the other point. I absolutely see both sides of the argument around the word "scary" used to describe hoards of similar-looking people. For me it all comes down to intent. Did you dress in a common get-up because you like it? Or you find it comfortable? Or it suits your climate/mood/schedule for the day? Then it's totally ok in my book, whether you've made efforts to set yourself apart or not. If, however, you are wearing the uniform in defiance of your own preferences and solely to try and fit in with a norm that you can't bring yourself to question, then I start to feel troubled. Again, this is distinct from the people who just buy the requisite pieces because they can't be bothered with fashion and just want to fly under the radar. Those people at least made a conscious decision not to fuss with fashion and are following the path of least resistance. It's the ones who subjugate their own standards in the name of looking like everyone else that concern me. These are the people that will adopt a trend, any trend, if they think it's "the right thing to do." Those are the ones who seem to repress their individuality in ways that I personally find sad rather than scary, but worrisome all the same.

In the end, I aspire to embody Aida's mantra. I prefer to look current, but still find ways to express my individuality through attention to detail. The top I bought today will look super with my ponte knit skinnies, and I fully intend to wear them that way. If I feel like pairing it with a pencil skirt, though, then that's exactly what I'll do. On days when I wear it with skinnies, my mood will dictate whether I throw on chunky pearls or a silver snake-like necklace. Or my leather jacket or a grey boyfriend blazer. I'll feel like me in every combo, and that's what matters most in my book.

I came across several references to this thread yesterday so tracked it down & read through it.

I thought about it on the way to work this morning.

As far as I can tell it is just as as silly not to wear something because everybody else is as it is to wear something because everybody else is.

I feel like either of the above is giving far too much weight to the opinions/actions of people I probably don't even know.

When I pick an outfit in the morning it's because it is something I like, if nobody else likes it, tough titties!

If everybody else is wearing something similar, I just figure I looked so awesome last time I wore it that everybody is copying me

I think slavish imitaion is a sign that a person lacks the confidence to put things together on their own. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it may just be a step on the way to finding their own style. A little bit of fake it until you make it in action.

Insisting on not wearing anything that is mainstream is overboard as well IMO. I think there's a difference between having a unique style & defining your style based on not wearing what others do. The first is good, the second is a little bit rebel without a cause.