Torontogirl, thanks for sharing this link, it was so interesting to read it (and everyone's take here). I also thought of the Seinfeld episode with the girl wearing the same dress!
I've had periods of my life when I repeated an outfit many times if I really liked it. Not coincidentally, one of my recurrent outfits was a black turtleneck with dark jeans or black slim pants. Oh yes, that was in my 20s. And mostly, I repeated the outfit because it is seriously flattering (Alice Gregory notes that in her piece.) And oh yes, I can picture more than half of my friends at the time wearing this same combo.
Which perhaps means that, while it might be Alice Gregory's choice of uniform, it's certainly not an outfit of her original creation or a unique badge of identity, but rather a very common, very ubiquitous, very... uniform... kind of look! And I suppose uniforms also imply sameness?
I went to a school where I had to wear a uniform. It was simple and modern, not the cool-looking plaid skirts and button-downs of elite schools. I found that boring. We were always trying to circumvent it.
And, to Gregory's point on superheroes and children's literary characters: I was always peeved that characters always wore the same thing. I didn't crave continuity, I wanted them to change.
OK, let's ask her in 10 year from now!
(PS. This also made me think of architects, you know, who always wear black. There's even a book about it.)

Thank you so much for sharing this. What a good read.

Maybe people (like Steve Jobs) wear the same outfit everyday like to have instant recognition. We certainly have no trouble recognizing superheroes because they always wear the same thing.

I have been thinking about this, and although the idea appeals on some level, it is not relevant to my relationship with clothing at this stage of my life. Right now dressing for me is an act of improv, using props I have collected from my wanderings, and I enjoy seeing how many different ways I can go while still adhering to some sense of myself. This approach is totally useless for many (most?) people for lots of reasons of course. In another life context I could see doing some version of this.

KM, yes, it is certainly not original - I think for me that is appealing - it's tried and true, it works in a lot of settings, it's generally NOT going to get much of a reaction ... to me these are all appealing; however, for a different type of person, or someone at a different stage of life, as Shevia points out, this might be completely off-putting. Funny about architects; haven't heard of that one!

I think a lot of people involved in design (including clothing designers) wear a very simple uniform themselves. This makes perfect sense. They don't want to be distracted by visual noise. Their eyes need a rest. They themselves are the eye of the creative storm.

Because my creative work is with words, I feel differently, yet I understand the urge and the appeal.

I am also with those who say a turtleneck and jeans would not be magically appropriate to any setting. But is she really saying that? I think her real claim is that it works for most situations that she encounters on a regular basis. Which is probably correct if she is a writer living a casual lifestyle and not working in an office.

That uniform could work for me pretty much all the time from October to April (with modifications, e.g. layers for warmth, etc.) I would then have to change the top and footwear. And in high summer, ditch the jeans for another bottom.

Oh yes, I've always wanted to dress like this! I have in fact veered towards it and when I do, I get criticized at work, not just by colleagues but by clients. Then I veer away because I don't want my clothes to be a distraction. This winter my uniform has been straight or skinny jeans in a dark neutral or dark color, fluid long top in toning dark neutral or color, big cardi in black or gray, and booties or boots in black or a shade of brown. There's just enough variety with the dark colors (and a couple of dark print tops) that people seem to be okay with the uniformity. I think NYC is different from California. Here people expect some color and at least a tiny nod to fashion.

Torontogirl, here's the book: http://www.amazon.com/Why-Do-A.....3211791914

I actually haven't read it so I still don't know why architects wear black!

Adelfa, what are they criticizing? Short of being completely unprofessional or inappropriate, I can't imagine why anyone would feel it their right to criticize what someone else wears!

They didn't like all the black! Clients in particular thought it was depressing.

Wow Adelfa ... as you note, I'm not familiar with the style culture in California ... but I still think that was quite cheeky of them to comment on!

I enjoyed reading this article the other day. Thanks for sharing it

I think it's great...why not experiment? Why not try this or that? What is the harm? There's no loss. She's experimenting with restriction, she's playing.

Yes, we think Steve Jobs, but also, David Lynch does a white shirt and khakis and I think a cardigan...and Tone Goodman of Vogue does a uniform too. They never have to think about what you are going to wear...and can think about other things. Maybe I have an iPhone right now because Steve Jobs had his go to uniform and therefore didn't have to spend any energy thinking about his wardrobe ?

Though my components are more interchangeable I do wear a uniform in a way. But since I get bored with my clothes when I have to live out of a suitcase, her version might be too restrictive for me.

What Gaylene said, is aspiration/inspiration.

I would not do the Steve Jobs single uniform thing, but I'm moving closer to having 4-5 silhouttes, and maybe only about 3 for workdays, though the larger number allows for special occasion and smart casual outfits for which I may have more time to prepare and experiment.

My biggest time-waster is achieving the right top+ bottom proportions, and these are easily upset by not-well thought-out purchases or trying too many new things at once or even just having too much stuff , because at some point it becomes more likely things won't match up than that they will. Outfits with poor proportions are not happy outfits, and so pushing too much variety there does not help.

I am a new member and I really appreciate you sharing this article. And I love the idea of a uniform. Working from home and being in a creative profession really lends itself to a uniform. My personal sensibilities and comfort is also within a narrow range of colors and silhouettes. So it makes sense that I like a uniform. I'm also of the belief that honing style that is recognizable needs restraints.

Adelfa, did you really mean to imply that people in NYC don't expect "a nod to fashion"? Although I live just outside of the city, I am in Manhattan and Brooklyn all the time, and I think that implication is far from the truth. That said, I do think that the combination of black turtleneck/slim jeans/boots has been perhaps the biggest cliche in "cool dressing" since at least the 1950s and the beats. You'd have to be very young like this girl to think you'd come up with something unique.

For 30 years, I hid my then-youthful form under a uniform of sharp business suiting, most frequently in black or navy, and only let my fashionista flag fly in my off-work hours. Now retired, I find that the subset of suit jackets that still fit look a lot cooler with black skinny jeans and over-the-knee boots than they did with skirts or trousers and pumps. Still a uniform, but more comfortable and somehow "younger."

Yeah, I'm giving a little side-eye to this piece. I'm sorry, but I get a hint of that "I'm too cool for you and I've got it all figured out" vibe. Part of it might be the cultivated bored expression in her photos and the over-justification of this choice of dressing. I get that uniform dressing is very appealing to many people, but there is a slight condescending tone, as though those who prefer variety in self-expression through clothing are somehow less self-confident or more needy of approval, or something. Also, she says her hair is her main accessory, but (I'm trying not to be mean here, but probably failing) I'm not really seeing that in the photos.

OK, I'll duck while things get thrown at me now.

Haha, Janet, I hope you won't have anything thrown at you!

That is just what I was talking about when I said I didn't initially pick up on a tone, but on a re-read, I do see how that could come across. I hope there is no implication in this thread that uniform dressing is any better than any other type of dressing, or that expression through clothing is somehow less than any other form of expression. I would hate to see everyone on this forum, for example, wearing a uniform - what an absolute bore! I love and admire people who really express themselves, their originality, etc. through their clothes. I'm just not one of them - perhaps it's because I feel the pressure from the other side sometimes that I related to this - the pressure TO be expressive and show personality and fly your colors, etc. etc. when this is not for me. To each his own, and the world is better for it imo!!

Old Chic, fair points; the one thing I did not pick up on though was the implication that her uniform is original. For myself, originality in clothing does not appeal to me; the fact that a black t-neck and jeans has been around in various forms since the 50s is precisely why it is so appealing to me (although I get that would be off-putting for others).

Don't get me wrong, torontogirl, I agree with you! I have been wearing black turtlenecks and black bottoms since the 60s -- first with minis and crocheted black stockings (we couldn't wear jeans, or even pants, in high school); later, black cashmere with black or navy jackets. Only problem now is that a black t-neck really emphasizes my jowls.lol.

oldchic, I like your style!!

http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2.....ual-looks/

http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2.....and-denim/
Though she pulls out all the stops when going out to dinner, events and shows.

ETA

http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2.....-part-iii/

Great reading here, and the original article. Thanks for the link. Just a few thoughts - the paragraph that spoke most to me:

"You save a lot of money by relinquishing trial-and-error shopping—those items you buy and never wear, try and fail to return. Gone is the mental math that goes into calculating how much you “paid per wear” for that sweater you only put on three times. And nobody thinks of a person who wears the same thing every day as unstylish. Rather, it’s simply a classification that does not apply."

This is a biggie for me, as the most frustrating thing to me in the past few years is buying stuff that eventually does not work - either fit, color, combination possibilities, quality, etc. The mantra "buy quality rather than quantity" helps, but there is this other element... the "me" part of it. Is it the silhouette? color palette? style genre? all or none of these?

Other musings, somewhat random:

I think her uniform is beautiful, and a big part of it is that her simple clothing plays up her natural physical beauty. People look at HER, rather than her clothes so much, and that gives her the power.

So how can we apply that? Can I ask myself - what is beautiful about me? My hair, smile, skin, figure? Each of us has our own answer, even if it's not what another observer would say about us.

As to saving on shopping, it might or might not save time, money or closet space to have a uniform, thinking of her friend's mom's large collection of striped shirts. If one owns 20 striped button up blouses, 15 boxy pullovers and 7 pairs of stretchy jeans, the uniform may be pretty much the same as a person's who has 3 striped blouses, 2 sweaters and 2 pairs of jeans. However, what appeals to me here is the potential huge savings on decision making - both when shopping and when dressing.

Anna, what a tremendous example of how a uniform can be anything but, and certainly not boring! cjh, couldn't have said it better!

Another very interesting and informative viewpoint:
http://www.utne.com/mind-and-b.....x?PageId=1