Why I Will Never Own a Uniform Wardrobe Again

The minimalist community is talking about wardrobes again. As warm weather arrives we are evaluating our "summer" clothing. One of my favorite bloggers, Joshua Becker from Becoming Minimalist, posted this piece today, in an attempt to convince his readers to adopt a uniform wardrobe: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/wear-one/. The other very popular minimalist wardrobe, the 333 capsule wardrobe, has an explanation here: http://theproject333.com/.

For those of you who don't feel like reading, here is the abbreviated version. Project 333 challenges you to reduce your wardrobe to 33 pieces of clothing for 3 months. At the end of those 3 months, you reevaluate your clothing, deciding what worked well, what will work with the upcoming season and adjusts accordingly. The uniform wardrobe takes this process one step further. The idea is, if you wear the same thing every day, it reduces the time and energy spent each morning deciding what to wear. Now people do not literally wear the same clothing everyday. The idea is to have 4 pairs of similar pants and 8 tops, maybe a few sweaters or scarves.

As I began my minimalist journey, I am embarrassed to admit I owned over 100 pieces of clothing. My first goal was to own under 100 pieces. Six months after paring down to 100 pieces, I couldn't remember what I had purged. Those clothes had no meaning to me. Seeing less in my closet every morning made me happier. My mornings were easier with fewer clothes to comb through. I took the next step, a capsule wardrobe. I started project 333, but instead of reevaluating every 3 months, I reevaluate every 6 months. I live in a climate which is warm 6 months, and cooler the other 6 months, and never really frigid. This next step in my minimalist journey was again a success. I felt freer, having even fewer clothes to comb through in the morning. As long as I do laundry once/ week, I never lack for anything to wear. I figured, if owning less than 100 was freeing and then owning 33 was freeing, time to take the next step: a uniform wardrobe. I pared my wardrobe down to 2 pairs of blue jeans and a pair of black jeans. I kept 8 short sleeved shirts and 4 tanks to layer underneath them. I kept 3 scarves and 2 short sleeved cardigans. I kept 3 dresses in case of a wedding, funeral or other special occasion, but I even began wearing jeans to church.

I hated the uniform wardrobe. Were my mornings easy? Sure. Put on a pair of jeans, tank and shirt. But really how is that any easier than it was when I owned a larger variety? How is it any easier to put on a pair of jeans and shirt than it is to put on a cute skirt and shirt? I had not gained anything between my capsule wardrobe and my uniform wardrobe. But I had lost something. I lost my spark. I lost the ability to express what I was feeling by what I was wearing. On a sunny spring day I love to throw on a skirt and there is a bounce in my step. On a rainy day I wear a hoody and my clothes reflect those feelings. With a uniform wardrobe, everyday is exactly the same. I also saw other people in their cute clothes and wished I were wearing them. Then I realized I could be again. I tried the uniform wardrobe for 6 months. I will never do it again. This weekend I went out and bought 3 super cute dresses. They look happy. I cannot look at that orange and denim dress at the top of this post and not smile. I am not making my wardrobe larger. I am just putting the feeling back in the way I dress. I will be getting rid of the three dresses I had to make room for my new dresses. I plan to give away some of my plain short sleeved shirts and buy some colorful blouses and tunics. Is this less minimalist? Personally, I don't think so. 33 pieces is 33 pieces. And 33 is not a magic number. Some minimalists may disagree. Another reason I choose to live the moderately minimalist life.