I am not fashionable.
My mom and my sister both love fashion, and I just did not get that gene. But that doesn’t mean that I want to walk around feeling frumpy and unfashionable all the time either.
Figuring out my personal style and replacing the clothes in my wardrobe with clothes I love has been on my mind a lot over the last year.
It wasn’t until I started reading about the idea of a uniform as part of simplifying your personal style that it really clicked for me, though. I really love the idea of wearing different versions of the same outfit each day…not only because it makes those decisions simpler and lets me focus my mental energy elsewhere but also because it gives me the freedom to wear what I love without feeling like I need more variety.
For me, during the fall and winter, there’s no doubt that my uniform consists of tank tops with a cardigan. I love that you can dress them up or down depending on the style of the tank top and the jewelry and accessories you add. But there’s also a more practical reason: I am the kind of person who sweats when I’m embarrassed or excited or sad or nervous or…well, any time I experience pretty much any emotion. (I’m thinking this does not bode well for perimenopause and hot flashes.)
Wearing a cardigan over a tank top, such as those from Vibe Clothing Company, allows me to more easily regulate my temperature by easily slipping the cardigan on and off and also preventing embarrassing pit stains.
Up until this year, though, all of my cardigans were hand-me-downs from my mom and sister. However, in light of this revelation, my Christmas wishlist this year included a few new cardigans:
Kimchi Blue Weekend Cardigan Sweater
Urban Outfitters | $79
AEO Chunky Cable Knit Cardigan
American Eagle Outfitters | $69.95
AEO Feather Light Open Cardigan
American Eagle Outfitters | $34.95
AEO Open Hooded Cardigan
American Eagle Outfitters | $49.95
Now that I’m fully invested in this uniform idea, I’m ready to invest in a few more high-quality tank tops as well.
That’s not to say that I only have cardigans and tanks; I’m not quite ready to go that far yet. I have a few beloved lightweight sweaters, and I love the Sevenly sweatshirts with my pajamas. But for the most part, cardigans it is. Cardigans with jeans when we go out. Cardigans with leggings at home.
I also recently cleared out my closet and reorganized it. Originally I had things categorized by long sleeves and short sleeves and then arranged by color, but I’ve decided that cardigans and tanks deserve their own categories at the front for easy selection.
Once I lose the rest of the weight I gained last year, I am going to work on researching nice jeans too. I’ve been buying clearance Mudd jeans at Kohls because they’re the only non-mom jeans that don’t slide off my Italian rear end when I sit down, but I’m ready to find and invest in 2 or 3 pairs of nicer jeans that fit really well.
I’m not entirely sure what my spring/summer uniform will consist of, but I have a feeling it might just be the same with the cardigan being carried more often than worn—another good reason to invest in nice tank tops!
Do you have a personal uniform? If not, do you like the idea of one, or do you find it too limiting?
Featured Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
