
Why I Wear The Same Thing Every Day, And What I Wear - jroes
http://blog.timoni.org/post/24619757935/why-i-wear-the-same-thing-every-day-and-what-i-wear
======
jasonkester
Funny to see what a female thinks of as "wearing the same thing every day".
For most dudes I know, That's a lot of clothes to own.

I think I made it to age 30 without ever owning 3 pairs of pants at one time.

~~~
jskopek
I recently helped a female friend move out of an old apartment, and I was
absolutely astounded by how much clothing she had lying around. It surprised
me because she came off as a stylish, but not terribly fashion-centered
person. By my rough estimate, this list represented probably 1/5 of my
friend's clothing.

Granted, a sample size of 1 is not terribly informative; however, my gut
feeling is that a women's wardrobe will generally be considerably larger than
a man's wardrobe.

On an unrelated note, I love hearing about life hacks like these. Reminds you
of how much else there is left to optimize.

~~~
smikhanov
_...she came off as a stylish_

The author is definitely NOT stylish by any reasonable definition of this
word. Hence the difference in the wardrobe size. Things like "ethical" or
"green" consumption only make situation worse.

~~~
jskopek
That's a little harsh of you, don't you think? Her wardrobe isn't varied, but
as long as the default 'works' there's no reason she can't pull it off.

Do you remember what your friends wore yesterday? From what I've experienced,
clothing doesn't really matter once you get past first impressions.

~~~
njs12345
So much of fashion is fit anyway, you'll be more stylish with a small wardrobe
of clothes that fit well than a wide variety of ill-fitted stuff.

------
cletus
I saw this post and ignored it on first glance. I just assumed it was some guy
and as such it's pretty easy, particularly as an engineer. At work picking out
the engineers is largely trivial (jeans, tshirt, runners). There are
variations (eg SF engineers have more an affectation for, say, checked shirts
at present).

As a guy this seems totally fine. Women seem to have it much harder and not
really because of men either. Women (generally speaking) are highly critical
of other women and much more conscious of their appearance and behaviour
because of other women (take women's shoes: the only people who care are other
women) so it's interesting for me to hear this "utilitarian" approach from a
women's perspective.

I find the comments on jeans interesting. She's right in that there is a lot
of variation in women's jeans but this in itself sends an interesting signal.

In the past couple of years there has been a style of skinny leg jeans. By and
large these look ridiculous. Below the waist straight leg jeans are basically
timeless so right there you have an easy differentiator between those women
governed by the fashion of the day and those governed by other considerations
(like actually looking good; yes there's a difference between that and being a
slave to trends).

Anyway, for wearing the same thing there sure seems to be a lot of clothes on
that page.

~~~
sneak
There is huge variance in t-shirt quality and fit. In my experience, American
Apparel tees are the best I've ever found, and I order them 150-200 at a time
(in black, of course). I have to lie and say they're for screenprinting, due
to some weird requirements Am Appy instituted for their (now pretty
restricted) wholesale customers. In bulk and in quantity (free shipping), they
are $6/ea stateside. (Retail where I live is €27.)

I firmly believe from experience that no t-shirt looks better than a washed-
once American Apparel black T in the right size. It's the closest thing we
hackers have to a suit, I think.

By "runners" I assume you mean running shoes? Those aren't all-weather and
can't be worn with an actual suit. I've a nice pair of black Doc Martens which
shine up wonderfully, and have been treated to be fairly waterproof. They are
perfect universal-occasion shoes, and incredibly comfortable.

~~~
Swizec
Have you thought about using one of those fabric softeners designes
specifically for black clothing?

My t-shirts last about 3 years. Business-presentable up to a year or so ...
that's hundreds of washes considering I cycle through most of my t-shirt stack
every 1.5 weeks.

After 5 years they're only good enough for the gym, on account of the fabric
becoming weird. The colour is still mostly fine.

Also, I think you're doing something seriously wrong when washing your
t-shirts ... you _are_ doing cold washes right? Nothing above 40C and all that
... also, is your washing machine filled with sand or something?

~~~
mark_integerdsv
T shirt... Business presentable...?

You live in a world that is quite distant from mine and anyone I know.

~~~
cheatercheater
If it's from Armani

~~~
mark_integerdsv
...that would still be a definite no.

------
evmar
I feel like a creep digging through her flickr to find a picture, but I
honestly was just curious about the clothes. This one seems most like what was
described in the post.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/meatstravaganza/5793064302/in/g...](http://www.flickr.com/photos/meatstravaganza/5793064302/in/gallery-
timoni-72157628513378237/)

~~~
DoctorHouse
Thanks for finding this. It looks like a pretty good outfit, and subbing in a
fancier shirt or shoes seems easy to do. Nice job, Timoni!

------
Paul_S
I've been wearing a shirt and tie since I was 18. The only t-shirts I own are
the oversized ones I pick up on random occasions (get them as a bonus when
buying something for example) and I only ever sleep in them.

This isn't to say I wear the same shirt an tie. Obviously I own dozens but the
point is when I dress in the morning all I have to do is:

\- grab any socks and pants,

\- grab any shirt, trousers and jacket (they are all toned down and guaranteed
not to clash),

\- and now (the ONLY time I exert my half-asleep brain) pick a tie that isn't
too offensive

You are dressed for any occasion, regardless how (in)formal. Never need to
think about what to wear, don't need to own different clothes for different
occasions, never need to buy new clothes simply because of fashion changes -
shirt and tie has been around for decades and is likely to stay until well
after I'm dead. The only time I buy new clothes is when I retire old ones due
to wear and tear.

Served me well all my life. Never felt overdressed and my friends forgive me
if I ever am but the point is that perfect strangers will react positively and
are more likely to treat you well and trust you.

~~~
peacemaker
Don't you ever get too hot and sweaty wearing a shirt and tie all the time? Do
you still wear a shirt and tie to very casual occasions, like a baseball game
or a night in playing video games?

~~~
Paul_S
I'm being perfectly honest here - I don't own other clothes. This way I can
fit all of them in a tiny closet and it makes life easier when moving.

We don't do baseball in the UK but I get your meaning. You can always take the
tie off - instant casual. With the local climate there's little chance of
getting too hot but I don't wear a sweatshirt underneath the shirt so all I
need to do is take the jacket off and unbutton the collar in case the sun
makes an appearance in between the fog and the drizzle.

Actually, I did have a problem once, something mentioned here a couple of
times. Riding a bicycle would snag the trouser leg occasionally. Fixed that
with a safety pin.

~~~
danellis
> Fixed that with a safety pin.

Wouldn't bicycle clips be easier to put on and take off? They also have the
advantage that they can be made of yellow, reflective material.

~~~
Paul_S
So they would! You live and learn, thank you.

------
Mz
Fascinating piece. I am saving a link to both the article and the discussion
here, which is also very eye opening for me. I happen to be female and my
mother sewed beautifully and shopped sales. I grew up with tons of clothes,
much of it custom made just for me and I would stand for fittings. I also
studied clothing and at one time I wanted to be an image consultant. But I
eventually came to hate shopping for clothes. All the time I spent studying
clothes made it possible for me to buy stuff without trying it on. I walk into
a store, pull stuff off the rack -- oftentimes the sale rack in fact -- pay
and leave. This became a really vital skill while I was getting well. Last
year, when I was shrinking so dramatically, I threw out my clothes after one
or two wearings. If I couldn't have grabbed clothes for $2 an item off the
clearance racks that fit, met dress code, and looked good enough to wear to
work at Bigco, I couldn't have made the healing journey I made.

I am currently homeless and currently literally own only (clothes-wise) the
jeans, long sleeved T and sandals I am currently wearing. That is not due to
being homeless. Instead, it is made possible by being homeless. It is a health
choice, rooted in my ongoing efforts to kill the infection that nearly took my
life eleven years ago. My relationship to clothing has been complicated and it
was when I got over caring so much about how I looked that my background came
in handy for flying under the radar socially while living a very strange life.
I have had the most fun with clothes in recent years while not being a slave
to societal expectations about how women should look/dress.

Anyway, it is something I want to write about but do not know where to start.
I am hoping this piece helps me with those plans. So thanks for writing this.
I feel like I have a million things to say about it but I want a) to not let
my day get eaten by this distraction and b) would rather write it for one of
my websites than for discussion here.

------
barik
This article was actually really confusing. It reminded me of people who spend
their time coming up with the "perfect productivity system", a quest which
ends up ironically consuming all their time and preventing them from actually
getting any real work done. I largely wear the same thing every day too -- I
have 5 pairs of jeans, a single pair of shoes, and a bunch of polo shorts that
I bought on sale once. Regardless of what I pick, it matches, so there is
really no decision at all.

~~~
djbender
How did her sitting down and thinking about her clothes sudden "consume all
her time?"

~~~
GuiA
Well, for example she states that she came up with this system to not lose
time getting dressed in the morning.

Writing that blog post in itself probably took more than a few hours — to
write, review, edit, do the graphics for it, etc. If the initial goal was to
spend time not thinking about clothes, that doesn't really feel like an
optimal way to reach it.

~~~
zem
the blogosphere is _full_ of posts by people who spend the time and trouble to
solve a problem once and for all, and then share how they did it. it's sad
that the comments here are so patronising.

~~~
djbender
Tell me about it. :(

------
T-hawk
This approach also seems to include a dependency on being in San Francisco or
other places like much of California where weather remains rather constant
during the year. A New Yorker wouldn't be wearing a hoodie in July or August
or a T-shirt in January.

~~~
dredmorbius
Adapting my usual wardrobe for colder weather involves a few extra layers.

Base: jeans, black t-shirt, possibly a fleece vest, leather shoes.

Cold weather (~20F or below): beanie, leather jacket (lined), scarf, possibly
a heavy sweater depending on the duration of being outside, and gloves. Also
athletic tights (more insulation than just plain jeans).

Really, it doesn't take much.

~~~
wazoox
It doesn't take much because you stay indoor most of the time. Spend a day
outdoor in freezing weather to see the difference :)

~~~
dredmorbius
No, that's dress for wandering around Chicago in Dec/Jan.

Sunlight daytime and night are somewhat different. And yes, I do tend to run
warm (body mass and musculature help).

Indoors: shorts and a T.

------
Jun8
I've always wondered why there is so little of talk about what to wear in
nerdy crowds, e.g. on HN. Looking at the way people obsess about every single
detail about their lives (how to exercise in gym, what music to listen while
coding, etc.), there should be _way_ more discussion on this but it's
nonexistent.

I think a wearsthis site, similar to usesthis.com, would be quite popular. I'd
like to know what shoes Spolsky is wearing, what t-shirts pg prefers, what
brand of underwear Drew Houston uses, and, of course, where does Zuck gets his
hoodies (they are custom made: [http://www.quora.com/Mark-Zuckerberg-1/What-
brand-of-hoodie-...](http://www.quora.com/Mark-Zuckerberg-1/What-brand-of-
hoodie-does-Zuckerberg-wear)).

While coding (and especially when I'm hung up on a problem) every little
distraction, even miniscule, distracts me, so I _hate_ wearing shirts, I have
to wear t-shirt. I've yet to see t-shirts that are marketed predominantly for
coders, say, with a nice quote on them (e.g. ""Metaprogramming is the language
feature that helps you write code that you won't be able to understand once
the cocaine (or Ritalin) wears off."") and the ASCII table on the back.

~~~
Mz
Thank You!

I actually want to do something with fashion. Not sure what. I have tried
asking around on HN and found it frustrating. This discussion is turning into
a goldmine of food for thought (or maybe buffet?).

~~~
Jun8
Here's an example I like a lot from Tantek Celik:
<http://tantek.com/log/2008/03.html#d06t1604>, something along these lines
would be great.

I think just going around asking valley luminaries what they wear & pack while
traveling and why would be a great place to start.

~~~
Mz
I came up with this "brilliant" idea for a brainy clothing site called Geek
Chic, but the domain was already taken: <http://www.geekchic.com/>

I am still trying to decide what exactly I want to do (in addition to spouting
off on several websites). I have already written a tiny bit about clothes on
one of my blogs and I want to do more of that. I think there is room for a
kind of brainiac's guerrilla fashion site, so to speak. Thank you for your
remarks.

~~~
Jun8
See, the thing is I don't _want_ to be chic, at least not in the sense that
word connotes for the majority of people. I want to create/buy/wear clothes
that _coders_ would find cool and "chic" (without looking like a total weirdo,
of course). If there are so many cool looking skins for my Macbook (e.g.
[http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=all&i...](http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=all&includes\[0\]=tags&search_query=to+macbook+pro+skins&page=1)),
why can't have the same creative disruption in my clothing?

~~~
Mz
Oh, that was my exact thought. Sorry if I failed to convey it. I am someone
who does social hacking and the amount I have studied things like clothes
let's me hack the system. I have a $3 haircut from another homeless person. I
get asked by non-homeless types where I got my fabulous haircut. I get asked
if it is permed and complimented on the highlighting. There is no perm and it
wasn't highlighted.

I have two ASD sons who have a yawning disinterest in things like fashion and
who live in shorts and t-shirts. We get told they are "beautiful" young men
and asked about their hair, etc. too. So I think I am uniquely qualified to
bring guerrilla fashion to folks who do not give a flying fuck about fashion
and would take glee in being praised for their t-shirts and hoodies.

------
daeken
Not sure if the author is an HNer or not, but since she's into leggings I
_have_ to drop a link to Black Milk:
<http://blackmilkclothing.com/collections/leggings>

My girlfriend has been absolutely in love with these, and I've been getting
her damn near every new one they come out with, because they look great and
(apparently) are a great fit and good materials.

~~~
waxjar
There is a, somewhat squeezed, comments section on her blog :)

------
ctdonath
The 8-bit renderings are cute, but actual pictures would be nice.

~~~
danellis
Yes, exactly. Of the combos, rather than the individual items.

~~~
timoni
I thought about doing a bit of a photo shoot, but it's not really my style. Do
you want outfit pictures on me, or just pictures of the clothes?

~~~
firmbeliever
On you would be helpful, but the clothes as combos would suffice.

------
chexton
"When I first started looking for things like a ‘standard tank top’ or a
‘standard jersey skirt’, I thought they’d be easy to find."

I find this to be the case too often. Jeans are easy (Levi 501, anyone?) but
finding a t-shirt or collared shirt that fits well, is comfortable and that I
will likely be able to buy over and over again for the next 10 years is quite
difficult.

GAP and Uniqlo sort of do this but even they change things around a lot. I
think sites like Everlane.com could do quite well out of this concept: most
people like to stick with basics they love. Make good basics and keep them
around forever. I've always wanted to be able to login on my iPhone and click
'give me two new t-shirts' and have them delivered to my door, the iPhone app
should know where I live, my card number and my favourite stuff...no questions
asked!

------
runjake
As odd as it sounds, I try to model my outfits after CIA officers[1], which
depends on the context and environment, but generally involves regular jeans,
a normal t-shirt, and a button-down shirt for men. What you'd see at the local
Home Depot. It's comfortable, discreet, and durable.

I have a few pairs of jeans, a few pairs of t-shirts, and a few pair of
button-down shirts, and a couple pairs of shoes.

I don't call it "wearing the same thing every day" and I still have far less
than this person and I never "waste brainpower" on deciding what to wear. Her
whole post gave me brain cramps, however.

1\. Typical example, Raymond Davis:
[http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/02/article-0-0E2E4ADE...](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/02/article-0-0E2E4ADE00000578-82_468x310.jpg)

------
bryanlarsen
I appreciate her effort to find a look not subject to the whims of fashion.
However, she will have to adapt her look in a few years when the leggings
under a skirt look goes out of style. I'm sure she'll adapt, perhaps switching
back to tights.

It's also a look that will be difficult to pull off when she's 20 years older.
For some reason, women have to dress their age. My guess is because there is
so much societal pressure for women to look younger that there is significant
backlash when the effort becomes too transparent.

Men have it easy. A well fitted Saville Row cut suit has been relatively
fashionable for at least a century. The only thing you'd have had to change
would have been the tie, and you would have had to lose the hat about 50 years
ago.

~~~
dminor
> Men have it easy. A well fitted Saville Row cut suit has been relatively
> fashionable for at least a century.

I'd be laughed out of the office if I wore that.

~~~
sneak
Find a better office, quick.

~~~
pyre
Seriously. I've worked in places with a relaxed dress code, but no one would
be actively hostile towards someone deciding to wear a suit, even with
everyone else wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

------
strictfp
A hoodie? In my book that is _very_ casual. I would only wear one on a fishing
trip or some other private activity where the risk of bumping into work
associates is minimal. A cardigan would seem like a better common denominator
between dress codes.

------
podperson
Surely the character to cite would be Jeff Goldblum's character in The Fly,
who owns a set of identical comfortable, smart casual clothes for exactly the
reasons stated by the author and the character in Jurassic Park (presumably
the book).

In any event, this is a much tougher problem for women than men, but she isn't
really describing "an outfit" but a wardrobe. I don't have a problem with
that, but the title is misleading.

------
fusiongyro
Fashion makes a lot more sense when it's treated as a language (and one that
women have a multiple-decade head start on versus men in our society). Then
this article is less about how the author found a way to think less about
fashion and more about how the author is using the language of fashion to
communicate something different and interesting about herself. Regardless of
the "reasoning" for doing it, that's what's really happening here: she's
expressing herself through this medium, in a surprisingly different and
interesting way.

------
harrylove
Somewhere in a fashion forum, well-dressed people are reading a tech article
and scoffing about how much time we spend on computers.

------
blt
I think women don't fully appreciate the uniformity of men's clothes. Her plan
is still more variable than most male dress codes like (dress shirt, slacks,
leather shoes) or (T-shirt, jeans, sneakers). But I agree that too much choice
causes stress. It must be a nice feeling to limit your possibilities and go
from a 15-minute decision tree to a nearly instantaneous choice.

~~~
Nutella2
We appreciate the uniformity of men's clothes sizes, too. One of the reasons
women have to think about clothing and shop for clothing a lot more than men
do is that we can't just look at the jeans in our closet, note the size, and
walk out of any store with a pair of jeans labelled with that size and expect
that they will be wearable. Women's sizes on labels have very little to do
with the size of the clothes, even clothes from the same brand/store.

Fashions come and go more in women's clothing, too. My go-to dressup item is a
navy blue blazer which is a standard that should be available all the time,
right? No, some years standard blazers are out of style and cannot be found.

That's why all the work put in by the OP to find simple, classic styles is
mysterious to many men. They can find simple, classic clothes that fit pretty
much anywhere. That's a lifehack that's MUCH more difficult for a woman to
achieve.

~~~
lucian1900
As I guy, I've had a similar experience with most clothing. I always have to
actually try anything, can't go by labelled size alone.

Of course, this probably varies with location.

------
clavalle
Joe Celko does this but his outfit is a three piece suit.

He told me that it is part of his 'personal brand' so he is easy to recognize
and approach when at conferences and public in general.

I wonder how different people's approach to him would be if his signature
outfit was a hoodie.

~~~
planetguy
That must suck on really hot days. Where does this guy live?

Having read this whole thread, y'know what's even better than wearing the same
thing every day? Not wearing the same thing every day. I have a bunch of
different clothes, and deciding which of 'em to put on really doesn't take
that much time out of my day.

~~~
gaius
Linen suits are very comfortable on hot days.

People who say suits are uncomfortable have usually only worn cheap suits.

~~~
eitally
I learned the hard way that linen trousers, if they're satin lined, are
definitely not comfortable on hot days. Doh.

One thing there's still a dearth of in the marketplace is men's trousers with
stretch. I had a pair of gray stretch cotton/spandex (~5%) slacks from Banana
Republic 8-10yrs ago that were absolutely perfect for anything, but haven't
found much else similar since.

Imho, a simple wardrobe is great but being able to execute on the plan depends
wholly on one's lifestyle.

------
brianlovin
By attempting to be 'unconstrained' from fashion, OP has become more
constrained than ever. Is she saving time & money? Maybe...but that blog post
and graphics sure took some time to put together.

And now that she's made this public, she's stuck. Want to wear something
different, colorful, playful? Fuck it, gotta stick to the schedule.

Clothing isn't time consuming or energy draining. It's about finding a style
you're comfortable with, wearing it with confidence, and gently moving in and
out of new styles as the times (and your personality) change.

~~~
anthuswilliams
I assure you, if she changes her mind and wants to wear something else, no one
will think less of her for not staying true to a blog post she once wrote.
Maybe it took her time to put the post together, but that was more about
writing something interesting than building a how-to doc for the fashion-
casual.

------
nick_urban
I just finished a year of living out of a suitcase. I was pretty careful in
choosing what clothing to bring, but even still, there were lots of things I
barely used.

Minimalism takes time to perfect.

And for those who are wondering: nobody commented on my wardrobe.

------
msutherl
Leggings are a great solution for women, but I'm still looking for a non-jeans
everyday pair of pants for men. Something stretchy and comfortable, that can
be dressed up and that I can ride my bike in.

~~~
williamcotton
J.Crew has some great chinos. I like the 484 Slim fit. They fit my body like a
glove. Also, this swedish company Velour makes slim fitting chinos as well.
I'm a 32x30 but I buy their 30" pants as they are quite stretchy and after a
few wears and washes fit almost perfectly. Also, I like the Levi's 510 super
skinny jeans, but I get a 34x32 and then have the pants hemmed.

I think I have 12 pairs of pants in active rotation and they should keep me
going for a few years.

I like form fitting pants for a number of reasons:

1.) Your cuffs don't stretch out over your shoes and get all mangled by
walking on them. Not a good look and it reduces the lifespan of your clothing.

2.) You don't need to roll up your pant legs when biking, as the pants are in
no danger of coming in contact with the chains.

3.) They are somewhat revealing and add to sex appeal. Yes, this sort of stuff
matter for men as well as women.

~~~
djbender
I love chinos and a good pair of Levis. Great recommendations.

------
dylanz
I bought about 30 pairs of the same gray socks and 30 pairs of the same black
boxer briefs. It's so nice never having to match socks, or worry about running
out of them or clean underwear to wear. They're small items, so they don't
take up much space.

In regard to pants/shirts, I'm still on a mission to find basic t-shirts that
don't get messed up after many washings. I think pima cotton is the way to go
for this (currently, I'm buying my shirts from aether. not cheap, but the
quality is great). I have about 10 of the same black shirt (and one red, one
blue and one white... just to mix it up a bit when I'm feeling "crazy").

Shoes... I have 3 pairs of black high-tops from Tom's. They are comfortable,
can pass in dress-up situations, and cover my heels.

Long story short, I don't really think about what I wear anymore or spend
anytime going through that mental process in the morning/evening. Some of my
friends think I'm a bit weird, but I'm glad I did it!

~~~
iamdave
_I bought about 30 pairs of the same gray socks and 30 pairs of the same black
boxer briefs._

My kind of man, I know exactly where you're coming from with this. My sock
wardrobe is black socks, white socks and that's it. Never understate the
importance of taking care to how you are presented, but at the same time I'm
not going to drive myself batty just trying to put together a wardrobe that
requires maintenance just finding something.

~~~
philwelch
I've cut out the white socks.

------
shrub
I just buy my clothes in outfits. For each pair of pants there is at least one
sweater and at most two that will go with it. I don't try to mix and match to
make new combinations on the fly. When I wake up, I think briefly of which
sweater I'd like to wear and get the designated matching pants, or I think of
which pants I'd like to wear and pick an appropriate sweater from the pre-
defined matches. This usually takes less than 30 seconds.

I have to admit though that this scheme has arisen largely from shopping at
thrift stores (not that I probably couldn't afford new clothing, but it
remains a thrifty habit from a tight-budgeted youth). I enjoy the hunt for an
outfit, but when I find one, I don't have the option of just buying 10 because
generally the items are one of a kind in the store. Overall it works for me:
interesting clothes, fun finding them, uncomplicated mornings, low budget.

------
Havoc
Is it just me or did she fail to include a picture of what this actually looks
like? Would've been a great usability enhancement to the article.

------
chrisa
There was recently a company that did a line with the same basic concept:
<http://weareultra.com/projects/ultra-10/>

The idea is that 10 pieces of clothing could mix and match to last you an
entire year.

------
jaetldev
I agree with her not finding good pants to wear ( I know this from my wife).
The nice & affordable clothing market is a hard one to crack I think. Women do
face a lot of issues with sizing that have nothing to do with looks or vanity.
The components for a good fit are universal but women have an especially hard
time finding good items. Especially if they bike+work.

The last time I went to the mall I saw way too many cocktail dresses for women
but was hard pressed to find active clothing for my wife which looked good.
This is a non trivial problem which needs some good brains behind it. No - I
don't want to pay for Rapha for some such brand.

------
Zimahl
Michael Kors wears the same thing every time you see him: black blazer, black
t-shirt, plain designer jeans.

He has talked before about his 'style' and says that he used to be very high
fashion with his clothing but just found it was too much work.

------
mynegation
First of all, this is a very nice writeup and concept.

Alas, what works for a designer in San Francisco will not work for financial
industry in Toronto.

Some have already mentioned the climate aspect. In the finance you just cannot
come in every day in the same shirt, tie or suit and (to a lesser extent pants
or shoes). If you do, you are sort of signalling that either you do not make a
lot or cannot manage your money and either is a red flag. So you can say
clothes are a part of professional reputation, just not the one you put on a
resume.

------
ravejk
I'm also a female, a designer (ux/ui) and I try to spend as little time as
possible thinking about my clothing and hair, while still looking like a
designer.

The look described here sounds simple, but super casual and perhaps a bit
dumpy for a designer. I find that the easiest thing for me is to wear all
black clothing that fits well (don't buy it unless you feel great in that
shape and material, no compromises). Avoid cotton because it fades and has a
gross texture. Done.

------
markyc
"and what you think presents your favorite view of yourself"

Isn't this a function with a whole bunch of variables like my mood, the
occasion, the people I'm with, etc?

------
bitwize
Sorry, but consciously imitating Cayce Pollard -- pure hipsterism in literary
character form -- is not really not giving a fuck. It's giving a fuck that
people _think_ you don't give a fuck, which isn't quite the same thing.

I'm a guy, I'm single, and I live (more or less) alone. This is a domain in
which I have some expertise. That said, it really is quite simple not to give
a fuck about what you wear:

1) Go to your closet, or armoire, or laundry pile, whatever.

2) Pick out something that fits, doesn't look or smell dirty, and is
temperature appropriate.

3) Put it on.

That's it. That's bloody all. I've gotten by like this for the past... ohhhh,
six years ago? You've still got this costumery with all these pieces and
gewgaws going on. For me it's: shirt, pants, bob's your uncle. I can be up and
going in about 20 minutes, including shower.

I really wonder why more women don't do this. It'd be a sign of independence,
and it'd shave precious minutes (or hours) off their "getting ready to go to
work" time, leaving them more time to... sleep in, or hack, or whatever.

------
daviddaviddavid
I'm reminded of guitarist Pat Metheny's horizontally-striped shirts. I have
albums from him that span decades and he seems to be wearing the same shirt in
all of the liner notes.

I've never heard an explanation for this but have always assumed that he's so
single-mindedly focused on musicianship that he doesn't want to have to think
about getting dressed.

~~~
brendoncrawford
Or, he wants to establish himself as a brand.

------
septerr
I am yet to have spent $40 on any clothing. Looking for shirts under $10 and
jeans/pants/dresses for $20 makes it so much more difficult to have a decent
wardrobe.

Although I know some of the pricey stuff is totally worth the money, it's
difficult to break the frugal ways inherited from more difficult times.

But I am going to give away my clearance sale wardrobe and start fresh. Like,
Timoni, I don't like having excessive stuff around esp. stuff that doesn't get
used. So, I am planning a minimalist, functional, cool+classy and fits-all-
occasion collection (SMALL!) which will be periodically recycled.

This post was good for my plans. Tx.

~~~
jarek
> I am yet to have spent $40 on any clothing.

Winter coat or rain coat?

------
personlurking
By knowing what looks good (in general and on you), you save yourself a lot of
time. After a few odd years back in high school when I cared as a function of
being different, I started to realize that I can get dressed in a matter of
two minutes just by having the predetermined knowledge of what works. Over 15
years later and it hasn't failed me yet. In the end, I look fine or good
enough and I don't waste time choosing or caring too much.

In essence, I suppose I've created a "reminder app" for myself in the sense
that I've freed myself of having to think too much about things that should be
automated.

------
swalsh
Blue dress shirt, white undershirt, jeans, frye boots. If it's winter throw a
sweater over it. This blog puts way too much thought into dressing. I've been
wearing the same thing for 4 years by accident i guess.

------
X-Istence
As a guy I am extremely lucky. Jeans, dickies short-sleeve shirt, black socks,
magnum boots and a fedora hat and I am set.

It is what I wear day in day out. Sure, I have different colours, black jeans,
{dark, light} blue jeans and the dickies shirts come in various colours {red,
black, blue, marine blue, navy blue, white, green} but that is pretty much
where it ends. Sometimes I'll switch out my fedora for a flat cap.

I own four pairs of jeans, and 8 pairs of dickies shirts, and those dickies
shirts have been with me for a VERY long time. My oldest one is now 6 years
old and still going strong.

------
citricsquid
I would call an outfit a group of individual items, having a defined list of
items (but having multiple of each) would be (to me) a "style". I guess it
achieves the same goal whatever it's called so it's a moot point.

I personally have 1 (North Face) coat, 1 pair of outside jeans and... 160
t-shirts. I guess I would own more jeans if I left my apartment more than
twice a month. As a side note I _would_ recommend having so many t-shirts
however they take up _so much room_ , I have a 2 bedroom apartment to myself
and both wardrobes are full of t-shirts.

~~~
jarek
Do you have a set order of the tshirts and wear each one exactly 160 days
apart?

------
kellishaver
This isn't really "the same thing" it's "some things that all fall into the
same 3-5 categories."

I got into the habit of wearing the same thing everyday last year, when I was
dealing with some pretty serious colorblindness (corrected now, thankfully). I
settled on a dark grey shirt, a light blue shirt and black pants.

Not the fanciest of clothing, but I generally don't need it to be all too
often.

I haven't diversified now that I can see colors again. This is easy,
comfortable, and requires no tought.

------
taude
Ivan Boesky, the famous investment banker/pawn for Michael Milken was rumored
to have had many of the exact same suit so he didn't have to decide what to
wear each day.

~~~
ctdonath
Steve Jobs and Stanley Kubrick did the same, many identical copies of one
outfit. George Lucas may have more variation, but AFAIK limits to flannel
shirts and jeans.

------
mgcross
I only wear jeans (whatever style of levis fit well, usually 514), casual
pants and t-shirts (fitted, solid colors, no prints or brands). I don't like
collared shirts or 'business casual' in general. I do like late 70s/early 80's
style sneakers, though, so I have a couple pairs of addidas originals, some
ponys, gola, etc.

------
jere
Most appropriate use of pixel art ever.

[clarification: I found the pixel art in this post to be incredibly helpful
and relevant.]

------
PaulHoule
This is logical. The elaborate version of this is like making a superhero
costume for yourself.

It's easy to do in San Francisco where it never gets really hot or cold and
the only precipitation is a mild drizzle.

If you're in upstate NY, however, you need to design a system that adapts to
climate conditions from -15 to 110F.

~~~
Mz
No disrespect intended, but I have lived without a car for over four years and
crossed the country (walking through mountains while it was snowing) earlier
this year in winter in sandals. My experience: Being healthy enough means you
tolerate a wider range of temps and climatic conditions without changing
clothes. My sons essentially live in t-shirts, shorts and sandals year round.
My oldest has walked to the store in the snow in a t-shirt, shorts and
galloshes.

I feel like I understand how those eastern monks walk around in saffron robes
in winter in the mountains.

------
mike-cardwell
I think I pretty much found myself in the same situation, but without putting
any conscious thought into it. I wear combats and t-shirts, every day. I put a
jumper on if it's cold. Combats are good because they contain large leg
pockets for all of my gizmos.

------
OlivierLi
I wish I had that kind of freedom while deciding what to wear at work.

Right now it's dockers, dress shoes and dress shirts every single day.

I really never understood what forcing a strict dress code on your employees
is supposed to accomplish.

~~~
pyre
Corporate synergy!

------
ChrisLTD
To each his/her own, but having having and collecting a variety of nice
clothes can be enjoyable. Especially now, since quality clothes – by
historical standards – are incredibly cheap.

------
egypturnash
oh man I could never dress like that. I like VARIETY. And when it's warm
enough I like to show off my body - I've spent a lot of time and effort
getting it into shape.

------
nemo1618
I certainly agree with this outlook. I've been wearing nothing but blue jeans
and plain white t-shirts lately, and it definitely has taken a lot off my
mind.

------
breadbox
Thanks for the article; I really enjoyed getting the view from the other side.

------
djbender
I'm working on this too but more from the puthison.com dressed-up angle.

------
bobowzki
I'd like to read the same article from a guy...

------
RawData
Stupid...for the last 15 years I've worn a black tshirt and pair of jeans
every day....every 6 months or so I replace the tshirts and buy a new pair of
jeans...

~~~
icebraining
_Stupid_

Please don't do this.

------
gaius
She could just stop at Muji, job done.

~~~
jimboyoungblood
Looks like she's in SF. There's no Muji store there.

~~~
gaius
If only there was a technology by which anyone could buy anything anywhere.

------
EricDeb
I understand her desire for simplicity and energy conservation but as a male I
enjoy seeing women in a variety of outfits :)

------
nerdfiles
My wardrobe is an analogy to the color palettes I have used or would use in a
Web Design.

Everything I wear could, in principle, be used as a model for a web design.
This thought was the basis of "Getting Dressed Grid System" which ultimately
failed.

I disagree with any "essential" justification for wardrobe. Attire, like
anything else, is a tool for expression. Minimalism has its drawbacks, and
will be perceived as such in the scheme of other dress styles.

I typically shop at thrift stores or what have you. I am generally "freegan"
about clothing, as _anything_ could potentially be used for a design. In
similar fashion, we look at font libraries as "bones to pick" for Web design.
I believe it is a fruitful intellectual endeavor to view clothes in the same
way. Anything might become an article of clothing, even garbage on the street.

I believe establishing a coherent image (like a brand) for one's self through
"found clothing" is a better way to go. It makes clothing one's self, like
preparing many vegetarian and vegan dishes, more like an activity of story
telling: harmony (of ingredients; of colors), consistency (of taste; of themes
which identify one's personality), robustness (of flavor; unconventionality of
style [which indicates range of experience with fashion]).

