It’s a cold and blustery Monday morning; you’ve somehow managed to sleep through four alarms, and are now running late for your 9am lecture. You frantically search through your wardrobe, attempting to scramble together an outfit acceptable for the arts block. In the midst of deliberating between Doc Martens and Salomons, you are hit by a wave of nostalgia. It dawns on you that you desperately miss your old school uniform: the itchy v-neck jumper, pleated knee-length skirt and Dubarry deck shoe combo suddenly seems a lot more appealing. While the prospect of styling outfits for college once seemed exciting, getting ready each morning can easily become a chore. Now, every day is ‘non-uniform day’, and it’s exhausting.
The paradox of choice is rife across individualist societies. While the abundance of choice brought by individualism is viewed as an expression of freedom, it can equally result in a paradoxical situation where the sheer number of options available becomes overwhelming. This dilemma can be applied to our wardrobes: having a large array of clothing often leads to decision fatigue. We’ve all experienced those times in college, usually around exam season, when getting dressed for class feels like such a hassle. For long days spent in the Ussher, comfort and ease takes precedence over style. Compounded by decision fatigue, it’s easy to lose sight of the sense of fun and self expression that fashion provides.
This year I set out to tackle decision fatigue by creating a ‘college uniform’. Having a uniform doesn’t necessarily mean wearing the exact same outfit every day, but rather exploring your personal style to understand what pieces, colours and silhouettes work best for you. Some of the world’s leading style icons are known for their uniforms. Karl Largerfeld will always be remembered for his high-collared white shirts, fingerless leather gloves, black sunglasses and Mozart-like ponytail. Anna Wintor, arguably the most powerful woman in fashion, also sticks to a strict uniform. Usually dressed in long floral dresses, Wintour accessories with chunky necklaces, round sunglasses and her trademark bob haircut. True style icons understand the fast-paced movement of the fashion industry, opting to develop an unwavering sense of style and create a signature look.
Karl and Anna at the British Fashion Awards 2015, Elle France
https://www.elle.fr/Mode/Les-news-mode/Quand-Anna-Wintour-rend-hommage-a-Karl-Lagerfeld-3013867
Creating a uniform starts with building a capsule wardrobe. By moving away from trend driven pieces and shifting the focus to good quality items, your wardrobe becomes more cohesive. The secret to creating a uniform lies in investing in three different areas: good quality basics, statement pieces, and interesting accessories. These are the key ingredients to any outfit, and can be styled together in a multitude of ways to create different looks. Versatile, high quality basics are the foundational element of the uniform. On the other hand, statement pieces and accessories play a huge role in ensuring that outfits feel varied and interesting. Decreasing the volume of clothes that you own doesn’t limit your outfit options, but rather quite the opposite, it allows you to develop your own sense of personal style, and invest in pieces that can be easily alternated and styled together; creating your uniform. This eliminates decision fatigue, allowing for a greater sense of self expression and creativity through fashion. Finding your uniform means finding your true sense of style.
Creating a uniform doesn’t just help you, but also the planet. Building a uniform is one of the best ways to become more sustainable and conscious with fashion. The fashion industry not only ranks among the world’s leading environmental polluters, but is also marked by extensive labour exploitation. Our consumption habits play a pivotal role in driving change within the fashion industry. Consumers hold extensive power to make more sustainable and ethical choices that influence the industry’s practices and production. Creating a uniform encourages sustainable fashion practises through rewearing clothing and avoiding over-consumption. Good quality pieces, from sustainable brands or vintage when possible, are worth the investment. They can be worn time and time again, rather than trend driven and fast fashion clothing that tends to tire after a season.
So, how do I actually go about creating a uniform? While of course it varies from person to person, there is a basic formula to follow. Firstly, it’s crucial to invest in staple pieces. A pair of well-fitting jeans is one of the most important elements in any wardrobe. While vintage denim is the most sustainable option, Weekday has an extensive collection of jeans in different styles and sizes, all made from organic cotton. Tailored suit pants are another important piece, highly versatile and can be worn day to night. Good quality knitwear is a fundamental aspect of any wardrobe, as are basic but well-fitting tops for layering. A leather jacket goes with everything, while a long wool coat is a winter essential (I think I need the double breasted black wool coat from Cos).
Once you have invested in good quality basics, it’s time to have fun with statement pieces and accessories. A statement piece, such as a big fur coat or pair of printed trousers, adds a sense of variety and excitement to an otherwise basic outfit. Interesting accessories, like unique jewellery, vintage boots or a colourful bag, elevates the look further. These one of a kind pieces are most easily found second hand, whether that be by scouring your local charity shop (Navan charity shops for the win) or online through websites like Depop and Vestiaire Collective. Vintage and secondhand shopping not only allows you to find unique pieces, but helps you in choosing the most sustainable option. While purchasing directly from fast fashion companies or larger fashion brands can be convenient and accessible for many, being intentional and mindful about the clothing you buy is beneficial in the long run. Creating a uniform isn’t about wearing the same thing everyday, but rather about combining good staples with more interesting pieces to easily form a variety of outfits.
We have all experienced the frustration of staring at our wardrobes, packed to the brim with clothes, yet still having nothing to wear. While an overflowing wardrobe might suggest a wide variety of possible outfits, in reality it is quite the opposite. As the paradox of choice suggests, having too many options is overwhelming and leads to decision fatigue. Creating a uniform encourages quality over quantity, by focusing on investing in good quality pieces to build a capsule wardrobe. Combined with statement pieces and accessories, staples can be styled in a multitude of different ways. As shown by fashion icons Karl and Anna, creating a uniform is the pinnacle of personal style. While trends come and go, the uniform is forever.
WORDS: Elena Mullen
